2018-2021 National Priority

(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Spring/Summer 2021 Issue #103)

by Mary Bittner, OFS

The following article was adapted from the new Guide to the Canonical Establishment of a Secular Franciscan Fraternity approved ad experimentum on April 16, 2021. The complete guide is posted on the national website secularfranciscansusa.org/resources/guidelines, under the “National Guidelines” link.

Welcome! Beginning a new fraternity is a great and rewarding task. Before you begin, however, you should be aware of the significance of what you intend to do. If you’re already a professed Secular Franciscan, the ideas that follow should not be new to you. Consider this a helpful reminder of some basics that might otherwise get lost in the procedural details. It is important to have these basics firmly in mind. If you are not a Secular Franciscan, much of what is said will probably be unfamiliar to you. Some of the terms used will be explained as we go along. As for the rest, you’re not going to be doing this alone. Don’t be afraid to ask other Secular Franciscans for clarification.

To be more specific, the “other Secular Franciscans” who will assist you are;

• the Regional Executive Council (REC), one of whose responsibilities is the oversight of newlyforming Secular Franciscan groups in your geographic area, and
• the sponsoring fraternity, a local fraternity that will be assigned to mentor you through the process.

Let’s begin by clarifying what a Secular Franciscan fraternity is not.

• It is not a prayer group, although members do pray when they gather.
• It is not a support group, although members do support each other.
• It is not a study group, although formation in the Franciscan way of life is an ongoing part of every gathering.
• It is not a Bible study group, although the Gospels form the basis of OFS life and are frequently discussed.
• It is not a social ministry group, although members participate in a variety of social ministries.
• It is not a parish organization, although many fraternities do meet in parish facilities.

So what is a fraternity, then? The local fraternity is the basic unit of the Secular Franciscan Order (the OFS). It has a special purpose that is defined by the OFS legislation and a unique identity (called a “juridical personality”) in the Church.

Let’s unpack these statements.

A Secular Franciscan fraternity is part of an established Order in the Church, which has certain implications.

• The fraternity itself must be officially “established” by one of the Franciscan Friar Provinces that have ecclesiastical responsibility for the OFS. Thus by definition it is not a parish or diocesan organization.
• Individual members are bound more intimately to the Church, which is why full membership is open only to Catholics in full communion with the Church.

That describes the fraternity’s identity as it relates to the Church. What about its purpose?

• First and foremost, the purpose of the Order (and thus the purpose of the fraternity, all OFS members, and others who belong to the Franciscan Family) is to make present the Franciscan charism in the life and mission of the Church (OFS Rule, Art. 1).
• In and of itself, the fraternity is a service to the Church. “Fidelity to their own charism, Franciscan and secular, and the witness of building fraternity, sincerely and openly, are their principal services to the Church, which is the community of love (General Constitutions [GC] 100.3).”
• “The Fraternity of the OFS finds its origin in the inspiration of Francis of Assisi. to whom the Most High revealed the essential gospel quality of life in fraternal communion.” (GC 28.1) As an integral part of OFS life, it is marked by fraternal communion and is a means of holiness.

With these considerations firmly in mind, this Guide sets forth a clear pathway to canonical establishment of a new Secular Franciscan fraternity. It describes:

• the stages of development of the group;
• the requirements for documentation;
• when and how to obtain the approval of the local bishop and the Provincial Minister; and
• the respective roles of the sponsoring fraternity and the REC throughout the process.

Establishing a fraternity is more than the end result of checking off items on a To-Do list. There is another aspect of a fraternity’s identity, a spiritual dimension that was hinted at in the description of its purpose. The fraternity is to become a genuine ecclesial community. Canonical establishment is an acknowledgement by the Church that a fraternity, an ecclesial community, is present.

The requirements for developing a genuine ecclesial community are more difficult to define than listing those for documentation and approval, but they are obviously key. In some ways, you can think of the process as analogous to the way you’d go about acquiring any new skill: you’d watch someone, you’d try it out, you’d get some coaching, and you’d practice what you learned. So to assist you, a sponsoring fraternity will be assigned to mentor you, answer your questions, and serve as a model of fraternity life. In addition, we list here some general attitudes that are helpful to keep in mind.

• ✤ Make building community your priority. A fraternity doesn’t just happen automatically, without significant effort on the part of its members. It needs to be worked at for it to become a reality. Resolve that your commitment to your Secular Franciscan vocation and to the fraternity will take precedence over your involvement in other organizations, including those of the parish.
• ✤ Cultivate a sense of co-responsibility within the fraternity. Unlike other organizations where responsibility for the well-being of the group is held by a small number of members, in a fraternity all members share responsibility for the life of the fraternity. “The sense of coresponsibility of the members requires personal presence, witness, prayer and active collaboration, in accordance with each one’s means and possible obligations for the animation of the Fraternity.” (GC 30.2)
• ✤ Acknowledge that community takes time to develop. Look for opportunities to work together, visit together, pray together, study together and have fun together. Don’t limit yourselves to the monthly fraternity gathering, but find ways to interact with fellow Franciscans throughout the month.
• ✤ Appreciate differences. Fraternal unity does not imply uniformity. Our differences add to the richness of life and bring a wide variety of gifts and talents to the fraternity. They are a positive advantage and should not be allowed to become the cause of dissension. Which of us can be complete without his brothers and sisters?
• ✤ Beware of being judgmental. Being judgmental is one of the easiest ways to poison the spirit of the fraternity. “Blessed is the person that puts up with the frailty of his neighbor to the extent he would like his neighbor to put up with him if he were in a similar plight.” (Admonition XVIII*)
• ✤ Practice forgiveness. “…I wish to know in this way if you love the Lord and me, His servant and yours: that there is not any brother in the world who has sinned―however much he could have sinned―who, after he has looked into your eyes, would ever depart without your mercy, if he is looking for mercy. And if he were not looking for mercy, you would ask him if he wants mercy. And if he would sin a thousand times before your eyes, love him more than me so that you may draw him to the Lord…” (Letter to a Minister*). Even in our fraternities, we will have many opportunities to apply this advice.

And finally, and most important:

• ✤ Follow St. Francis’ advice to his brothers. “Pursue what you should desire above all else, namely, to have the Spirit of God and God’s grace working in you…” (cf. Earlier Rule XVII*). When you come right down to it, all the attitudes and techniques in the world are insufficient to form a genuine ecclesial community. The Holy Spirit is the one who breathes life into your fraternity, who molds you and brings you together as one.

Questions for Discussion

1. What do you know about the history of your local fraternity? When was it established? By whom?
2. If a non-Catholic friend asked you what a fraternity is, what would you tell them? How would you explain “ecclesial community”?
3. What is the significance of having a “juridical personality”?
4. The “general attitudes” for fraternity building do not apply exclusively to the early stages of fraternity life. How do you see them being applied in your own fraternity? Which one(s) do you consider most important?
5. What are several ways you personally can exercise co-responsibility?

*Francis of Assisi, Early Documents, Vol. I, The Saint, New City Press, 1999.

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/08/09/fraternity-life-fraternity-and-its-beginning/

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https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/08/05/calling-all-early-birds/

What does a university professor, a Bishop, two married couples and a married woman have in common?

They are all keynote speakers at the 2022 Q, August 3 – 7, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona.

These inspiring individuals:  David B. Couturier, OFM Cap;  Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv; Doug and Marion Clorey, OFS; Tim and Kathy Taormina, OFS, and Lori Hinker, OFS will offer insights us on how to apply our Franciscan vocation in going from Gospel to Life and Life to Gospel.

Check out the background on our Keynote Speakers.

The Keynotes are only part of the several day gathering.

To see the “so much more” – check out the descriptions of our 30 Breakout Sessions.

The current schedule allows us to participate in four of the sessions, so it is going to be a hard choice.   Luckily we have some time to decide!

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/08/03/21612/

(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Spring/Summer Issue # 103)

Instrumentum Laboris: Animate & Guide with Servant Leadership

In preparation for the General Chapter to be held this November, the CIOFS Presidency issued the Instrumentum Laboris: Animate & Guide with Servant Leadership (IL). They have requested that each national fraternity review this important preparatory document and respond to the questions that were included. To solicit this input, the National Executive Council (NEC) organized several area-wide meetings, including a meeting with the full National Fraternity Council on April 10, 2021. Based on these conversations, the NEC compiled the OFS-USA response. We wish to share this collective response with you and have included it in this issue of TAU-USA. (See pages 23-24.)

Secular Franciscan leaders from across the United States overwhelmingly endorsed the IL. All those who were interviewed wholeheartedly agreed that:

• we cannot underestimate the importance of good leadership for the Secular Franciscan Order;
• there must be a deepening of our sense of co-responsibility within fraternities;
• we need to pay more attention to the spiritual aspects of servant leadership, particularly as described in the OFS General Constitutions.

We encourage local and regional fraternities to utilize “Animate and Guide with Servant Leadership” for ongoing formation. The complete document can be downloaded from our OFS-USA website www.secularfranciscansusa.org . At the home page, click on Search and type in “Animate and Guide.”

Guide to Canonical Establishment of a Secular Franciscan Fraternity 

We are excited to announce the publication of revised guidelines for those wishing to start a new OFS fraternity. The Guide to Canonical Establishment of a Secular Franciscan Fraternity gives a clear explanation of each phase of this process from newly forming group to emerging fraternity to canonical establishment. The Guide lists requirements for each phase, outlines the responsibilities of the sponsoring fraternity and Regional Executive Council, and describes the mandatory involvement of First Order and Third Order Regular (TOR) Provincial Ministers. The Guide explains such terms as altius moderamen, and provides helpful instructions for everything from formation to record keeping. A great effort was made to ensure that this guide was practical, while also capturing the spiritual aspects of the process.

The Guide begins with an introductory section entitled, “So you want to start a fraternity…” outlining the significance of this undertaking. It beautifully describes what is needed to form a fraternity into a genuine ecclesial community. The information in this first section will be helpful not only to those OFS forming new fraternities but can inspire all of us as we continue to focus on our national priority of Fraternity Life. For this reason, we have included this section of the Guide in this issue of TAU-USA. (See pages 5-6.) The complete 23-page Guide can be downloaded from our website www.secularfranciscansusa.org. At the home page, click on Search, and type in “Guide to Canonical Establishment.”

National Council Elections – Last Call for Nominations

Tentatively, the 2021 NAFRA Elective Chapter will be held October 26-31 at Montserrat Retreat in Lake Dallas, Texas. While we will not know for several months yet whether we will be able to meet in person, we still need to prepare for the elections. If we can meet safely, and if a presider from the International Council is able to attend, we will elect a new National Executive Council. We continue to seek nominations for each position of Minister, Vice-Minister, Secretary, Treasurer, Councilor, and International Councilor. The call for nominations has been extended to July 31, 2021. Nominations should be sent to the Nomination Committee CoChairs: Kate Kleinert OFS at kkleinert@msn.com and Emma Lowzowski OFS at ofs.minister.prairie@gmail.com

Invitation to Explore the CIOFS Website

Did you know

• …there will soon be an outdoor sanctuary erected near Cannara, Italy, to commemorate the site where St. Francis preached to the birds?
• …there is a series of videos commemorating the 800th anniversary of Memoriale Propositi, highlighting the similarities between the 1221 document and the current OFS Rule?
• …there is a newsletter called Koinonia written by the General Spiritual Assistants? The current issue focuses on Servant Leadership.

This is just a tiny peek at what you might find on the International OFS website www.ciofs.info. We invite you to explore this beautiful, updated, and easy-to-navigate website. Where to start? Once on the home page simply scroll down to see all the latest news twice a year. Each issue has wonderful articles on OFS and videos. Also, under the “NEWS” tab you can click events from around the world. Touring “ciofs.org” is on Vox Franciscana (Franciscan Voice), CIOFS’s newsletter, inspiring! It will connect you with our worldwide OFS edited by our own Bob Stronach, OFS, and published family and broaden your view of OFS life.

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/08/02/sharing-the-vision-news-from-the-executive-council/