By National Executive Committee Members

At the last National Executive Council meeting, minister Jane De-Rose Bamman asked members to share either their favorite article of the Rule, scripture quote or story about St. Francis.  This is a compilation of their sacred thoughts.

President-in-turn Conference of National Spiritual Assistants Fr. Marek Stybor, OFM Conv.

 -“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Minister Jane De-Rose Bamman

– “Go into the whole world and tell the Good News.”  Mark 16:15

Vice minister Diane Menditto

– But how happy and blessed are those who love God and do as the Lord Himself says in the Gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. (Mt 22:37; Mt 22:39) (St. Francis of Assisi FA:ED, vol. 1, 46 Later Admonition and Exhortation) and The story of St. Francis kissing the leper with the emphasis not only on how it changed Francis, but on how the leper felt and was changed.

Secretary Susan Ronan

–“Praise the Lord for His loving kindness will never fail.” Psalm 136:1

Treasurer Claudia Kauzlarich

– “Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46:10

YouFra Commission Chair Kathleen Molaro

– We are called to be “messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance,” and to “strive to bring joy and hope to others.” OFS Rule: Article 19

Councilor Cherryle Fruge

– “Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they shall seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon. Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others. Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father.” OFS Rule: Article 19

International Councilor Mary Frances Charsky

– “The Greatest Commandment: Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22: 37-29 from Matthew 22: 34 to 40

Formation Director Layna Maher

 -“Let them, individually and collectively, be in the forefront in promoting justice by the testimony of their human lives and their courageous initiatives.”  OFS Rule: Article 14 and “He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:45

Councilor Donna Hollis

– Parable of the Good Samaritan

JPIC Commission Chair Joe Makley

– “Come now, let’s put things right.”  Isaiah 1:16-17

Councilor Josh Molidor

–”Ready and willing Spirit for the community.” OFS Rule: Article 21

(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Spring 2025  Issue #115)

 Regional Roundup

In this issue, five of the 30 regions are highlighted.

Los Tres Compañeros Region

The Los Tres Compañeros Region covers the central swath of Texas from the southern tip in the south to Dallas and Fort Worth in the north and has 18 established fraternities.

When the region was formed, many names were suggested by the members. To “walk with Francis,” the name “Los Tres Compañeros” was decided upon to express the diversity within the great state of Texas. The three portions within the region are Leo, Angelo, and Rufino.

It is a diverse region where members respond to the cultural blessings provided by the various members. They assist with migrant issues and have members that help with many of those needs within their local parishes. Everything they do – they do as Franciscans.

Mother Cabrini Region

The Dioceses of Joliet, Rockford and Chicago are in the northeast corner of Illinois and are within the Mother Cabrini Region. It has 19 established fraternities and one emerging community.

The shrine of Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini is in Chicago. Local lore is that Benet Fonck, OFM, was the Spiritual Assistant, and that he attributed his own medical cure to her intercession. So, her name was chosen for the region.

The fraternities within Mother Cabrini Region are geographically close, allowing members to drive to be together. The usual gathering place for the region is Mayslake Village, which was founded as a retirement home in 1965 by the Franciscans under the direction of Fr. Mark Hegener, OFM, one of the earliest advocates for the needs and rights of the elderly. Over 75% of its residents are in HUD Section 8 housing.

The oldest fraternity in the region was founded in the 1870’s. Mother Cabrini Region is blessed that over 100 people attend their regional formation events.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary Region

The region of St. Elizabeth of Hungary covers all of Northern New England – Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as eastern Massachusetts – the Boston area and Cape Cod, and one fraternity in easternmost New York. Within the region are 24 established fraternities and two emerging communities.

After members in the region were asked to submit names, St. Elizabeth of Hungary was selected by the vote of the regionalization committee, and the NEC approved it. St. Elizabeth is the co-patroness of our Order.

The region has over 400 members and is made up of six districts. In the Boston area there is a Cape Verdean fraternity, a Spanish-speaking fraternity, and a Korean fraternity. Multiple members from the region have served and continue to serve at the national level.

St. Katherine Drexel Region

St. Katherine Drexel Region covers southern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania (Reading to Philadelphia) and one fraternity in Delaware. It has 23 fraternities and three emerging groups.

When the region was established, Katherine Drexel had been beatified. She was a Philadelphia native, and was the daughter of Francis Drexel. Her mother, Hannah, died five weeks after giving birth to Katherine, who was canonized in 2001. The region is blessed with a strong Franciscan presence of life-giving union: The motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Philadelphia is in Aston, PA; the Franciscan Bernardine Sisters are in Reading, PA; the OFM friars share their ministry to the poor and homeless in Kensington, PA; there are two Franciscan universities nearby (Neumann and Alvernia); there are Poor Clares in Langhorne, PA, Chesterfield, NJ, and Wilmington, DE; and there are Capuchin friars in Wilmington and Center City Philadelphia.

The oldest fraternity dates back to the late 1800’s. Within the region, the Franciscan spirit illuminates six dioceses.

Juan de Padilla Region

The Juan de Padilla Region covers all of Oklahoma and Kansas, and the Kansas City (KS and MO) metro area. There are 14 fraternities within the region.

Fr. Juan de Padilla was a priest and the first Franciscan who came to spread the Gospel and establish the Church in a new area. In 1540 he accompanied Coronado’s expedition to New Mexico. The next year Juan went with the expedition to Kansas, going up through Oklahoma. He met the Quivira Indians and remained to work among them after the explorers returned to Mexico. He was killed by several of the Quivira as he was making his way to the Kaw Indians, traditional enemies of the Quivira. He is the first Christian martyr in what is now the USA.

Juan de Padilla was the last region to be formed. Within the region are the following: a marker at Fort Dodge in Kansas recognizing Coronado’s journey to look for the “Seven Cities of Gold” – Cibola; the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City; the World Center of Prayer for Peace in Beloit, KS; and, until it was removed, there was a marker in Herington, KS, noting Fr. Juan de Padilla’s activities in the area.

There are fraternities in the region that have been established for more than 100 years. Brother Jacoba Fraternity has outreach to First Nations People and members travel hours to Indian Reservations four times each year to deliver goods that have been collected for the tribal people using a large moving van.

Juan de Padilla Region also has an excellent website. Check it out: www.jdpofs.org