by Jan Parker, OFS

Let Us Serve the Lord with a Pure Heart and Mind

(This article originally appeared in the Summer/Fall 2019 issue of the TAU-USA)

All of us like to get things done, and like many of you I have quite a to-do list. My list is kept on individual note cards, one task per card. I like to shuffle through the cards to prioritize what’s next and then work to get it done. There is something very satisfying about accomplishing a task collegially, creatively and joyfully, knowing you have done what is yours to do. What a great feeling to get something off our to do list!

No matter what method we use to help us get things done, there are times in life when we are stopped dead in our tracks. It may be loss, conflict or confusion, but when something big lands right in our path, we are often stopped short. We are consumed by what is before us, with little energy to do anything else. I had a profound experience of this a few years ago. I was paralyzed by a gut-wrenching quandary. My stress level was high, deadlines were upon me, and I faced a situation with seemingly no Franciscan way out. It was horrible. I kept asking myself what is the right thing to do? I went back and forth. I prayed and prayed. I consulted with friends, but I was stuck. On top of everything else, I was a new minister, and our council was preparing for its first visitation. More stress! Little did I know; it was this visitation that would change everything.

On the day of our visitation, our fraternal visitor asked to meet with each council member one-on-one. Somehow, I knew I needed to go first. I sat down to talk with her, filled with both hope and fear. I knew she was there to help me, but what could she do? She began by simply asking, “What’s going on, Jan?” and that was all it took. I could not hold back my tears. She listened with compassion as I poured out the whole story. When I was finished, she looked directly into my eyes, and said, “Jan, you must have purity of heart.” Her words cut keenly. She was right. Her wisdom at that moment was God sent.

It may seem odd to you that this answer would be so very helpful to me, but purity of heart was exactly what I needed.

Purity of heart sets us free. St. Francis calls us to this freedom, to “put aside every care and anxiety, to serve, love, honor and adore the Lord God with a clean heart and a pure mind[1].”

Purity of heart begins with prayer. We must “pray always with a pure heart[2].” I had been praying, but where was the center of my heart? Was it in God, or in myself? Purity of heart means we must clear our hearts of any ego attachments – our self-image, self-concern, self-preservation. Surrender is key. I needed to put aside the workings of my mind and let go of my obsessions – all my questions, doubts and fears. Only then would my heart be pure – and free to be open to the direction of God’s Spirit dwelling within me.

Purity of heart gives us new sight – a new way of seeing things. I was seeing things from my perspective, not as God sees them. “A pure heart sees into the depth of things. Our hearts are pure when we see earthly things from on high, that is when we see their true value[3].”  What was the true value in this situation? I needed to see this clearly. Once I could see the activity of the Holy Spirit in the midst of all that was happening, I was no longer paralyzed.

Ever since that day, the words “pure of heart” jump out at me. My understanding and appreciation of being pure in heart have steadily deepened. I see it in Francis’s prayer before the crucifix, “bring light to the darkness of my heart,” and in his Later Rule, “Desire above all things (supra omnia) to have the Spirit of the Lord and its holy activity [and] to pray always with a pure heart.” Most especially I see it in our OFS Rule: “Witnessing to the good yet to come and obliged to acquire purity of heart because of the vocation they have embraced, they should set themselves free to love God and their brothers and sisters[4].”

Interestingly enough, a few weeks ago I learned that the Chinese word for “intelligence” or “bright” (慧) has a connection to purity of heart. The word consists of two pictograms: at the top is the word for broom (扫); the bottom is the word for heart (⼼). The bright person, the person of wisdom, has a heart swept clean. Blessed indeed are the pure of heart[5]!

“We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh,

but, instead, we must be simple, humble and pure.”

Francis of Assisi, Second Letter to the Faithful

[1] Francis of Assisi, Earlier Rule 22. 25-31

[2] Francis of Assisi, Later Rule 10.8

[3] Ilia Delio, Franciscan Prayer, pg 112

[4] Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order, Article 12

[5] Matthew 5:8

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/22/national-ministers-message-tau-usa-summer-fall-2019/

The Formation Course for National Spiritual Assistants to the OFS and YouFra ends today with a presentation by Ana Fruk, OFS, from Croatia, on Promoting YouFra.  Many will remember Ana from her YouFra days.  She is now a Presidency Councilor.  She is pictured here with Fr. Francis Dor, OFM Cap., Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, T.O.R., and Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM.

Over 60 Friars participated in the gathering in Rome this week, representing nearly as many countries, including Arabia, Argentina, Bosnia, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Great Britain, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, USA, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Our Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, T.O.R, enjoyed a “fraternity within a fraternity” with his T.O.R. brothers from around the world.  We pray for a safe journey home for all our Friars.

For more resources from the Course, please see the conference materials in Spiritual Assistant Rresources.

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/15/formation-course-for-national-spiritual-assistants-to-the-ofs-ends-today-in-rome/

Betty Frank, OFS, who was professed 70 years ago and is one of the longest living professed Secular Franciscans in the U.S., helped to unveil the “Welcome to Utica” sign for city officials during the 160th Anniversary Celebration of St. Joseph Fraternity. Founded in March 1859, the fraternity is the second oldest in the country. Photo by Alex Stronach.

By MARY STRONACH, OFS

 

(This article originally appeared in the Summer/Fall 2019 Issue of the TAU-USA)

“Welcome to Utica. The Home of St. Marianne Cope.”

St. Joseph Fraternity and City of Utica officials unveiled a street sign sporting those words before a crowd of 100 people during the fraternity’s 160th anniversary celebration Aug. 18 at the Irish Cultural Center in Utica, NY.

The fraternity donated four signs, which the city installed at the north, south, east and west entrances to Utica.

Marcus Phillips, the mayor’s chief of staff, said the city was glad to work with the Secular Franciscan Order.  “The reason is because the Catholic tradition, which St. Marianne Cope represents, is kind of what made the city what it is today” with “a spirit of giving” that propels the area’s generosity in fundraising and being open to immigrants and refugees.  He also singled out city sign department supervisor Mark Sokolowski for expediting the project.

Common Council President Michael Galime read a proclamation from Mayor Robert Palmieri, honoring the fraternity. The fraternity also received a proclamation from County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr., declaring Aug. 18 as St. Joseph Fraternity Day in Oneida County.

State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon was on hand to present an Assembly proclamation, recognizing the fraternity as the second oldest in the U.S. (founded in March, 1859), and joined in honoring several individuals for their charitable works.

Fraternity Minister Robert Stronach, OFS, presented the Silent Giver Award to Jo Ginnity, OFS, “for lifetime achievement for service to the Order, Church and Community.” Since she was in a nursing and rehab facility at the time, Stronach surprised her via a cell phone, with the audience giving a loud ovation and singing “Happy Birthday” to her.

Stronach then presented the St. Mother Marianne Cope Award to three individuals:

• Ed Morgan, director of Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen at St. Joseph-St. Patrick Parish, for coordinating the soup kitchen operation that served over 53,000 meals in the past year to the jobless, underemployed and homeless.
• Marion “Duffy” Geary, OFS, for her work with soup kitchens, food pantries and prison ministry. She is a member of Holy Family Fraternity in Vernon, NY.
• Elizabeth “Betty” Frank, OFS, for her ministries at St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church as a professed Secular Franciscan for 70 years. Among other things, she co-founded Perpetual Adoration at the parish (still going strong after 27 years with some 300 volunteers).

Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, TOR, national spiritual assistant, addresses the 160th anniversary celebrants. Photo by Alex Stronach.

Stronach expressed his gratitude to a community of lay Carmelites from New Hartford, NY, which sent a congratulatory message citing “160 years of faithful service in the spirit and love of the Franciscan charism” and announcing a $400 donation in the fraternity’s honor to Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen. The message was signed by Diana Evans, president of the Community of St. Joseph the Protector, Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCDS).

Stronach also quoted from a congratulatory letter from Minister General Tibor Kauser, OFS. Writing from Rome, Italy, he cited the fraternity’s “significant past” and “praiseworthy present” with its various ministries.

Fraternity Vice Minister Katie Koscinski, OFS, who serves on the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Regional Executive Council, presented a gift on behalf of Regional Minister Alfred Picogna, OFS – a framed collage of congratulatory messages from fraternities across the region.

Fr. Richard Dellos, pastor of St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church, offered the invocation at the afternoon banquet, citing the beginnings of the Franciscan charism when Francis of Assisi heard Christ’s call to “rebuild my church.”

The celebration began earlier in the day with Mass across the street at St. Joseph-St. Patrick Church, where National Spiritual Assistant Christopher Panagoplos, TOR, spoke of the fire of faith in a world that both subtly and overtly erodes Christian values and beliefs. He urged Christians to stand up for what they believe.

In his banquet talk, Father Christopher referred to the polarization taking place in public discourse, where people of different viewpoints argue even to the point of hatred, rather than listen and communicate. Secular Franciscans have a role in bridging such division.

“The heart of Franciscan living is relationship. Relationship with God, with others, and with creation.”

He added: “For St. Francis, fraternity summarized his radical living in solidarity with all of humanity and creation…Francis’ starting point rested in the faithful recognition of his relationship to the other.”

He pointed to St. Joseph Fraternity’s 160 years of striving to live the Gospel not only in the footsteps of St. Francis, but also in the spirit of St. Marianne Cope, who grew up in the parish and who is believed to be one of the first fraternity members (before she became a Franciscan sister).

“You have been and still are responding to immediate needs and specific situations: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for and healing the sick, visiting those in hospitals and prisons; focusing on people’s distress, focusing with empathy.”

A video message from National Minister Jan Parker, OFS, brought the celebration to a close, with her singing the Blessing of St. Clare, “May you always be with God wherever you may be and may God be with you always.”

Silent Giver Award recipient, Jo Ginnity, OFS.

Mother Marianne Cope Award recipients Duffy Geary, OFS, Ed Morgan, and Betty Frank, OFS, with New York State Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon. Photo by Alex Stronach.

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/14/160-years-utica-ny-fraternity-celebrates-with-awards-and-street-signs/

Co-Responsibility in the Church’s Mission to Serve Better

“Secular Franciscans are the vast majority of Franciscans; they live immersed in the things of the world, and with their contribution it is not possible to convert and restore the world to Christ, in its most intimate and vital ways. The laity and the Seculars are therefore essential. For this reason, the First, Second and Third Orders of St Francis must rediscover the meaning of the common mission, each coordinating with the other two Franciscan Orders. It is an essential mission in God’s plan for Franciscans.” Benedetto Lino, O.F.S.

In August, 2019,, fifty-five Franciscans journeyed to St Louis in our country’s heartland. Three days of dialogue and discernment, with passion and the flame of the Holy Spirit in our hearts—a true gathering of the Franciscan Family—the dream of many sunsets became a reality. Those attending were Provincial Ministers, Friar delegates of the Provincial, Regional Spiritual Assistants, and OFS leadership of the National Executive Council. We celebrated our “Life-Giving Union” as one Family. The keynote addresses were presented by Father Michael Higgins, T.O.R., Eighth President of the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego. With his affection for the OFS as a “tertiary,” he and Benedetto Lino, O.F.S., (who is quoted above), gathered our desires and concerns which gave rise to the manner in which our service to the Church is to be understood.

Seven years ago, Pope Benedict XVI spoke on “Ecclesial and Social Co-Responsibility” to the 6^th Ordinary Assembly, International Forum of Catholic Action:

“co-responsibility demands a change in mindset, especially concerning the role of lay people in the Church. They should not be regarded as “collaborators” of the clergy, but rather as people who are really co-responsible for the Church’s being and acting.”

On the 40^th Anniversary of the Rule, Encarnacion del Pozo, O.F.S., believes that “the future of formation in the Order must be oriented towards being. By only doing, without being, the Order will not mature, and gradually regress to simple and tiresome routine.”

At the great “Franciscan Jubilee,” inaugurating the Third Millennium, Roger Cardinal Etchegary spoke on the Franciscan charism. “Never has the Franciscan charism been so needed than today in order to offer the total Christ to a disintegrating world which fears a brotherhood of solidarity among all human beings without exclusion. It is the total Christ, all of Christ, every aspect of Christ, which we Franciscans must, like St Francis, bear within us and offer to the world. The areas of service to which we are called are, therefore, unlimited and demanding.”

We live in a time of “spiritual myopia and moral shallowness” that try to impose on us as normal the “culture of lowness,” where there is obviously no place for transcendence and hope. Pope Francis

Below are links to documents from the gathering, including Fr. Michael Higgins’ PowerPoint presentation on Altius Moderamen, a list of participants, and the Recommendations made by the Participants.

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/13/our-life-giving-union-discernment-and-discussion-august-2019/