CNSA USA members Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, T.O.R, and Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM, are in Rome this week (November 10 – 15, 2019), attending the Congress of National Spiritual Assistants to the OFS. Fr. Christopher arrived on Friday, November 8^th, and enjoyed some fraternity time at the Motherhouse of the Third Order Regular, The Basilica of Saints Cosmos and Damian, (courtyard shown at left), situated in the Roman Forum. Fr. Joined T.O.R. Friars from the Philippines, Paraguay, Croatia and Brazil.

The congress, a gathering of National Spiritual Assistants to the OFS and YouFra from around the world, is being held at the Pontifical University of St. Bonaventure, commonly called the Seraphicum. The Seraphicum is the international study center of the Friars Minor Conventual in Rome.

Some of the topics and presenters at the Congress are:

• OFS History and Identity – Fr. Pedro Zitha, OFM, (General Spiritual Assistant)
• OFS Official Documents – Tibor Kauser, OFS, (OFS General Minister)
• OFS Spirituality – Fr. Amando Trujillio-Cano, T.O.R., (General Minister and General Spiritual Assistant) (The full text of his presentation is available here Franciscan Spirituality .
• Spiritual and Pastoral Assistant to the OFS-YouFra, and Formation Process in the OFS-YouFra – Fr. Francis Bongajum Dor, OFM Cap. – (General Spiritual Assistant)
• Relevance of the Franciscan Charism for Today – Fr. Alfred Parambakathu, OFM Conv. – (General Spiritual Assistant)

Among those in attendance were some familiar faces. Tibor Kauser, our General Minister, pictured here with Fr. Alejandro Isare, T.O.R., from the Philippines, and our own Fr. Christopher, and Fr. Francis Dor, who was with us at Chapter in 2016 and 2018.

We look forward to our CNSA Friars sharing insights and inspirations from the Congress when they return, and wish them safe travels.

Greetings from our General Minister, Tibor Kauser, OFS

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/12/congress-of-national-spiritual-assistants-in-progress-in-rome/

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

By Mary Soledad Batista, OFS

Dear Brothers and Sisters:
I can’t believe I have been a Secular Franciscan for 50 years. While reading our roster, my dear sister, Isela Sanchez, noticed that it had been 50 years. Shementioned the date I professed, which was March 1969, at our meeting and even had a beautiful card for me that everybody signed. That was a beautiful feeling.

My parents were Secular Franciscan all their lives. They met at their fraternity meetings. Later they got married. In their wedding pictures, they are wearing their brown scapular and their white cord.

I remember they used to take us to their fraternity meetings at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Juarez, Mexico, when we were little. I joined the Nifra, which they used to call “Jardin Seráfico” or The Seraphic Garden for Children. I remember our teachers were very sweet to all of us.

Later, I joined Youthfra.It was the most memorable part of my youth. There I received my formation to become a Secular Franciscan. I was 17 years old when I professed. That took place at Senecu in Juárez, México.

We moved to El Paso when I was 20 years old. We joined The Saint Luis Rey fraternity. While we were at this fraternity, I served as minister twice, as vice-minister, and as a councilor, and at the regional level, I served as an Area Rep. Recently, I joined the Mary Immaculate fraternity, because it is much closer to my house. My mom passed away eight years ago, and my dad is no longer attending our meetings. I have been in this fraternity for about six years. At thistime, I’m serving as an Area Rep for three fraternities.

I can say I have been a Secular Franciscan all my life, and it has been such a wonderful blessing. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Assisi. It was an indescribable feeling to be there. Our Father Francis has been with me all this time and he won’t let me go. I can’t imagine my life without being a Franciscan.

It is an honor for me to share my life story as a Franciscan with you, my brothers and sisters. I anticipate seeing the wonderful blessings our Father Saint Francis has gained for all of us.

Thank you!
Maria Soledad Batista, OFS

Mary Immaculate Fraternity

El Paso, TX

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/10/my-franciscan-life/

In late October, Jan Parker, OFS, our National Minister, received a letter from Fr. Michael Zielke, OFM Conv., Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Bonaventure, OFM Conv., appointing Fr. Chris Shorrock, OFM Conv., as the OFM Conv. representative for the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants, USA.  Fr. Chris replaces Fr. Giles Gilbert, OFM Conv., who had to step down from the CNSA due to health reasons.

Fr. Chris is a native Australian, and currently lives at St. Bonaventure Friary in Chicago, IL.  Fr. is assisting with classes to Postulants at the House of Formation, and is also an adjunct lecturer at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corner, WI.  Fr. Chris was a member of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants for Australia.  He holds a doctorate in Theology, and has taught at Catholic Theological College in Melbourne, Australia and the Franciscan International Study Centre, Canterbury, UK. His academic interests are Franciscan Spirituality, Church history and Mariology.

Fr. joins Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, T.O.R., Br. Alexander Escalera, OFM Cap., and Fr. Jerome Wolbert, OFM, making the USA CNSA fully representative of the four obediences of Friars.  Welcome, Fr. Chris!

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/09/welcoming-fr-chris-shorrock-ofm-conv-to-the-cnsa/

Franciscans International: A voice at the United Nations

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

Dear Sisters and Brothers,                                                         

For most of us ‘human rights’ is a vague and abstract term.  It seldom moves us until we’re confronted with what it means to lack human rights. Here’s an example:

Try to imagine living without an official identity such as a birth or marriage record. As Americans our main concern is ‘privacy’ and how to protect our health and identity records.  But have you ever imagined what it’s like to have no legal recognition of your existence?  No Social Security number or legal ID?

With a legal identity, an individual has improved access to essential services, such as healthcare, education and social welfare.  Far too many in this world lack an official identity, and as mundane as this sounds, human rights advocates work on matters such as this.

This simple issue caught my attention several years ago and caused me to follow the work of Franciscans International (FI) more closely ever since.  I subscribe to their newsletter and follow their activities online.  Human rights and Gospel values are truly linked, and our Franciscan family has a voice that’s heard at the United Nations through Franciscans International.

I encourage YOU to learn more about the mission of FI.  Try utilizing their inspirational resources with your local fraternity.  Please join in with prayer and financial support.

Jim Thomas, OFS,  Bl. Solanus Casey Regional Vice Minister

 

““It truly is notable that Franciscans International is one of the few non-governmental organizations that have general consultative status.  What this means is that Franciscans are really listened to because they are on the ground all around the world and know firsthand the suffering that is caused by injustice.”

Jan Parker, OFS,  National Minister – OFS-USA

 

“The first thirty years of FI have been dedicated to a program promoting values of the Gospel, a Franciscan ethics capable of dialogue and collaboration with people, structures and mechanisms of the UN…” 

Br. Michael Perry, OFM,  Minister General!

Conference of the Franciscan Family Celebrates 30 Years at the UN Memory and Prophecy: Franciscan Voices at the United Nations

Thirty years ago, the Franciscan Family established a voice at the United Nations.  As part of the celebration to mark this thirty-year presence, the Conference of the Franciscan Family (CFF) organized a gathering on 16 July in the Auditorium Antonianum in Rome.

Themed ‘Memory and Prophecy’, the event brought together over 90 sisters and brothers to reflect on the accomplishments of the past three decades as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead.  The keynote address was delivered by Br. Michael Perry, Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor. Tracing the history of Franciscans International (FI), he acknowledged the particular contributions of the late Sr. Elizabeth Cameron, OSF, and Br. Dionysius Minthoff, OFM – who, at age 88, continues to work with vulnerable migrants in Malta.

Their conviction that Franciscan spirituality and ethics shared many common values with the founding charter of the United Nations ultimately lead to the establishment of FI as the first ever common ministry on the international and intra-familial scale in the history of the Franciscan movement.

For the full article see FI’s  home page at www.franciscansinternational.org

The Conference of the Franciscan Family is the collaborative body which unites Franciscans worldwide. The Secular Franciscan Order is a member of this conference.

We are a Franciscan voice at the United Nations protecting the vulnerable, the forgotten, and our wounded earth through advocacy.

 Financial support is needed

Franciscans International is entirely dependent on donations from Franciscan Orders and Congregations (including the OFS-USA), funding agencies and institutions, parishes, and people sensitive to Franciscan values of solidarity, peace, social justice, and respect for the environment.

Make a difference with your donation and help us protect human rights.

To donate – make a check payable to:

National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order – USA (NAFRA)

Please note in the memo: “Franciscans International” and send to:

Claudia Kauzlarich OFS / 2007 Maverick Trail / Harrisonville, MO / 64701-1545

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2019/11/05/30-years-of-human-rights-advocacy-at-the-un/