National Executive Council Elected at Chapter

From left to right, CIOFS general spiritual assistant to the OFS Fr. Tomas Ginga Panzo Suva, OFM Cap.; secretary Susan Ronan, OFS; councilor Chris Leone, OFS; international councilor Mary Frances Charsky, OFS; minister Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS; vice minister Diane Menditto, OFS; treasurer Christine Blood, OFS; council Corinne Lorenzet, OFS; and CIOFS election presider Ana Maria Raffo Laos, OFS.

A new National Executive Council was elected to a three-year term on Saturday, September 13, at the annual Chapter meeting at the Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, MD.

Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS, was re-elected minister for a second term.

Also re-elected were vice minister Diane Menditto, OFS; secretary Susan Ronan, OFS; and international councilor Mary Frances Charsky, OFS.

Elected to their first terms on the NEC were treasurer Steve Roszhart, OFS, and councilors Christine Blood, OFS; Chris Leone, OFS; and Corrine Lorenzet, OFS.

Diane Menditto was elected alternate international councilor.

The election concluded a four-day meeting of regional ministers, NEC members, Conference of National Spiritual Assistants (CNSA), and observers.

The NEC members were installed at a Mass following the election by Fr. Tomas Ginga Panzo Suva, OFM Cap, CIOFS general spiritual assistant to the OFS.  Election presider was Ana Maria Raffo Laos, OFS, of Peru.

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/09/national-executive-council-elected-at-chapter/

The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – Triumph of the Cross – Fr. Christopher

“Christ on the Cross bows His head waiting for you, that He may kiss you; He stretched out His arms, that He may embrace you; His hands are open that He may enrich you; His body is spread out, that He may give Himself totally; His feet are nailed, that He may stay there; His side is open for you, that He may let you enter there.” Bonaventure

Father’s Homily – video

Father’s Homily – text

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/09/the-gospel-through-a-franciscan-lens-triumph-of-the-cross-fr-christopher/

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FORMATION FRIDAY – Stigmata of St. Francis – September 12, 2025

The Stigmata of St. Francis September 17th

Did you know that…?

+ St. Francis received the Stigmata around the feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross in
September of 1224–two years before his death.
+He was praying on Mt. La Verna preparing for the feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Brother Leo was nearby.
+While praying, He asked God for two things. One, to let him experience the suffering Christ endured on the Holy Cross and two, for him to experience the love in which He did it.
+ Shortly thereafter, Francis saw a Seraph with six wings. (Seraphs are angels of the highest order who are closest to God and most passionate in praising Him.) Between the wings was the image of a crucified man. When the vision disappeared, Francis was marked with the wounds of Christ. (St. Francis’s encounter with the Seraph and his passion in praising the Father has caused the Franciscan Order to be called the Seraphic Order and St. Francis our Seraphic Father.
+ We celebrate the Feast of the Stigmata on September 17th
+ St. Francis is the first person in recorded Christian history to receive the Stigmata.

The Stigmata: Inspiration for our spiritual lives as Franciscans

The marks in our lives:
–What does it mean to be marked?
–What marks us in our lives?
–As Catholics, how are we marked? How are we marked as Franciscans?
–How do the things that mark us, help us to move forward in our spiritual lives?

Now, Gaze at the Cross:
–As we gaze at the wounds of Christ, what comes to mind?
–As we consider what Jesus suffered for us, how do we respond?
–As we contemplate Jesus’s willingness to die for us, what are we willing to do for our brothers and sisters?
–As we imitate Jesus in our lives, how are we willing to use our lives in the service of others?

Prayer to the Five Wounds of the Lord prayed by St. Clare of Assisi
https://digitalcollections.franciscantradition.org/document/bx4700-c6a2-2005-d035/the_prayer_to_the_five_wounds_of_the_lord/undated?searchOption=transcriptions&term=The%20prayer%20to%20the%20five%20wounds%20of%20the%20lord&searchType=exact_phrase

Prayer of Pope St. John Paul II (On a visit to Mt. La Verna in 1983)

O St Francis, stigmatized on La Verna, the world longs for you, that icon of the crucified Jesus.
It has need of your heart, open to God and to others; of your bare, wounded feet, of your pierced hands raised in supplication.
It longs for your voice so frail yet forceful with the power of the Gospel.
Francis, help the people of this age to recognize the evil of sin and to seek purification from it in penance.
Help them to become free from the very structures of sin that oppress today’s society.
Rekindle in the consciousness of those in government an urgent need for peace between nations and peoples.
Instill in young people your freshness of life that is capable of withstanding the snares of the many cultures of death.
To those injured by every type of evil teach, O Francis, the joy of being able to forgive.
To all those crucified by suffering, hunger and war, reopen the doors of hope. Amen.

Formación 12 de septiembre 2025

Los estigmas de San Francisco 17 de septiembre

 

¿Sabía que…?


+ San Francisco recibió los estigmas en torno a la fiesta del Triunfo de la Santa Cruz en septiembre de 1224, dos años antes de su muerte.
+ Estaba orando en el monte La Verna preparándose para la fiesta de San Miguel Arcángel. El hermano León estaba cerca.
+ Mientras oraba, le pidió a Dios dos cosas. Una, dejarle experimentar el sufrimiento que Cristo soportó en la Santa Cruz y dos, que experimentara el amor en el que lo hizo.
+ Poco después, Francisco vio un Serafín con seis alas. (Los serafines son ángeles del orden más alto que están más cerca de Dios y más apasionados en alabarlo.) Entre las alas estaba la imagen de un hombre crucificado. Cuando la visión desapareció, Francisco quedó marcado con las llagas de Cristo. (El encuentro de San Francisco con el Serafín y su pasión por alabar al Padre ha hecho que la Orden Franciscana sea llamada Orden Seráfica y Francisco nuestro Seráfico Padre.
+ Celebramos la Fiesta de los Estigmas el 17 de septiembre
+ San Francisco es la primera persona en la historia cristiana registrada en recibir los estigmas.

Los estigmas: inspiración para nuestra vida espiritual como franciscanos

Las marcas en nuestras vidas:
-¿Qué significa estar marcado?
-¿Qué nos marca en nuestra vida?
-Como católicos, ¿cómo estamos marcados? ¿Cómo franciscanos?
– ¿Cómo nos ayudan las cosas que nos marcan a avanzar en nuestra vida espiritual?

Ahora, mirar la cruz:
– Al contemplar las heridas de Cristo, ¿qué nos viene a la mente?
-Al considerar lo que Jesús sufrió por nosotros, ¿cómo respondemos?
–Al contemplar la disposición de Jesús a morir por nosotros, ¿qué estamos dispuestos a hacer por nuestros hermanos y hermanas?
–Al imitar a Jesús en nuestra vida, ¿cómo estamos dispuestos a usar nuestra vida al servicio de los demás?

Consideraciones sobre las Llagas de San Francisco
https://www.franciscanos.org/florecillas/llagas4.htm

Oración del Papa San Juan Pablo II (En una visita al Monte La Verna en 1983)
Oh, San Francisco, estigmatizado en La Verna, el mundo te anhela, ese icono de Jesús crucificado.
Necesita tu corazón, abierto a Dios ya los demás; de tus pies descalzos y heridos, de tus manos traspasadas alzadas en súplica.
Anhela tu voz tan frágil pero contundente con el poder del Evangelio.
Francisco, ayuda a la gente de esta época a reconocer la maldad del pecado y a buscar la purificación de él en la penitencia.
Ayúdalos a liberarse de las mismas estructuras del pecado que oprimen a la sociedad actual.
Reavivar en la conciencia de los gobernantes una urgente necesidad de paz entre naciones y pueblos.
Inculca en los jóvenes tu frescura de vida que es capaz de resistir las trampas de las muchas culturas de la muerte.
A los heridos por todo tipo de mal, enséñales, oh Francisco, la alegría de poder perdonar.
A todos los crucificados por el sufrimiento, el hambre y la guerra, reabre las puertas de la esperanza. Amén.

 
Diane F. Menditto, OFS
Vice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USA
Listen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025

 

2025 State of the Order

Jane DeRose-Bamman, minister of the Secular Franciscan Order-USA, began her State of the Order at the National Chapter on Sept. 10, 2025, with words of inspiration taken from a 2018 letter by Tibor Kauser, minister general:

“Our goal is to become holy, to show God’s love to the world, to make the life of others better, to get closer to God and to bring others closer to God.”

These words, Jane said, remain the heart of the Secular Franciscan vocation.

The Secular Franciscan Order has experienced a steady decline in membership over the past 15 years. A polished database, along with deaths and departures of members, shows that national active, professed membership has dropped from 14,000 in 2010 to just under 10,000 today.

The nation’s oldest fraternity, founded 166 years ago in Utica, NY, proudly counted Sister Marianne Cope among its members. Today, the Order includes 534 fraternities, with new ones still forming. “That means there is a spark there,” Jane said.

Twenty fraternities have deactivated in the past few months, reflecting the shifting landscape of vocations.

The age of members highlights both vitality and challenge:

  • 9% are 60 years old and younger
  • 43% are between 61 and 79 years old
  • 21% are 80 years old and over
  • 7 members are 100 years old and older
  • 27% remain unaccounted for due to incomplete age data in the database

The bottom line, Jane summarized:

  • Membership is declining.
  • Members are aging.
  • The number of fraternities has remained steady over the last 50 years.
  • Strong, dynamic fraternities remain key to attracting new vocations.
  • Outreach must be tailored to reach different generations effectively.

Despite these challenges, Jane emphasized the vibrant life of service that defines Secular Franciscans:

“Who are we? We are servants who are building homes, caring for people in need at the, supplying food pantries and otherwise ministering to the poor,” Jane said.

Most recently, regions contributed $23,000 to a leprosy center in Zimbabwe, responding to a request from General Minister Tibor Kauser. This reflects the Franciscan mission of compassion and global solidarity.  Regions also responded with financial contributions to the floods in Texas.

The past three years have been a time of meaningful activity

  • Fraternal Visitations: 7 since the last Chapter; 26 over three years.
  • Regional Elections: 15 since the last Chapter; 32 over three years.
  • Virtual connections with the National Fraternity Council, including online meet-and-greets.

These efforts have strengthened relationships and provided continuity despite the challenges of distance and changing demographics.

Jane outlined a forward-looking agenda for the National Executive Council over the next three years:

  • Revision of the National Statutes
  • Rollout of a Communications Manual
  • New branding and vocational materials
  • Updated guidelines and translations
  • Continued publication of TAU-USA
  • Preparations for the 2026 and 2031 Quinquennials
  • An Action Plan for new priorities and leadership transitions
  • Planning for the 50th Anniversary of the OFS Rule in 2028
  • Focus on youth and young adult vocations
  • Stewardship of a major bequest

While Jane acknowledged realities, she also pointed to signs of hope: the spark of new fraternities, the witness of faithful service, and the enduring Franciscan call to holiness and mission.

The State of the Order reminds Secular Franciscans that renewal is not only possible but already happening in communities across the country. In Jane’s words, the future depends on building strong, dynamic fraternities where God’s love is alive and visible in service to the world.

A PowerPoint with the statistics Jane discussed can be found on the Chapter page of the website.

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/09/2025-state-of-the-order/

Rooted and Built Upon Christ, Guided by the Holy Spirit

The 2025 National Chapter of Secular Franciscans opened with a Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit at the Bon Secours Retreat Center in Marriottsville, Maryland, on Tuesday, September 9.  The celebrant was Fr. Gary Johnson, OFM Conv., vicar provincial and director of the Shrine of St. Anthony near Baltimore.

Gathered for the liturgy were the leaders of the Secular Franciscan Order in the United States: the National Executive Council, regional ministers, committee and commission chairs, CNSA friars, and special international visitors.

Fr. Gary began by reminding those present that being together as Franciscans is about much more than “getting along” or “learning to lead.” At the very center of our vocation, he said, is praise.

“I have a sense we have it figured out when it comes to praise,” Fr. Gary reflected. “Praise is how we publicly proclaim our love of God.”

Drawing from the day’s reading from a Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, Fr. Gary invited the listeners to reflect deeply on what it means to walk in Christ: “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him, and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

He noted that the Franciscan tradition affirms this truth. Our entire world is rooted and built upon Jesus Christ. When we remain grounded in Him, our lives are nourished in ways that allow us to proclaim the Gospel with joy and integrity.

“We live in the flesh,” Fr. Gary said, “and show we are grounded in the witness of Jesus Christ, that same Christ who so enamored our founders.”

Fr. Gary said praise is never private or isolated. “We can’t praise God without each other,” he said. Praise blossoms in community through liturgy, fraternity, and service to the world.

For Secular Franciscans, this means that every act of daily life can become a song of praise: caring for family, serving the poor, fulfilling professional duties with integrity, and giving time and energy to the work of the Order. Praise draws us deeper into a relationship with God and strengthens our bond with one another.

“We recognize the call to leadership is grounded in the prayer and praise of Jesus. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus chose the leaders from among the disciples and commissioned them to go out with him and witness the faith. They knew that involved compassion, charity, sacrifice, and praise,” Fr. Gary said.

Our encounter with God heals us. That’s what happened to the disciples. They were witnessing to the fact that they needed healing, and it came forth from God, he said.

Leadership, then, is not about status or power but about a willingness to walk with Christ, to serve others, and to embody the Gospel in word and deed, he said.  In this way, Franciscan leaders continue the mission of the first disciples, proclaiming the Kingdom of God through lives marked by joy, humility, healing, and thanksgiving.

The Holy Spirit helps us to live it out in the everyday experience of our lives. Welcome the Holy Spirit into our Chapter and ask the Lord to help you be grounded in the ways our readings today invite us to lead, Fr. Gary said.

The work at the chapter will continue through Saturday when a new National Executive Council will be elected.  On hand for the election are CIOFS visitors Ana Maria Raffo Laos, OFS, NEC elections presider, and  Fr. Tomas Ginga Panzo Suva, OFM Cap, general spiritual assistant to the OFS.

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/09/rooted-and-built-upon-christ-guided-by-the-holy-spirit/

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Juan de Padilla