Listen, Discern, and Go Forth, national minister urges in national State of the Order Address delivered at Chapter
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Jan Parker, OFSFranciscan discernment starts with listening, and National Minister Jan Parker, OFS, called upon fraternity members to do just that in her State of the Order address delivered at the National Chapter meeting on Oct. 11-15 in Detroit.
Jan said contention within local and regional fraternity groups has taken up time and energy from the National Executive Council that could have been spent on projects and priorities.
“We are not modeling fraternity, we’re not embracing each other in reconciliation, we’re not bringing the Gospel to life. Rather than being salt and light, we are mimicking society,” she said.
Jan urged Franciscans to Listen, Discern and Go Forth as a way of addressing issues that are pervasive among fraternities. She noted that the process begins with listening to each other because it becomes an encounter with God and others that directs our discernment.
“We strongly recommend this process of Franciscan discernment as a starting point for each of us as we seek God’s will for our own lives, and also as we discern where our National Fraternity is being called in the next three years,” Jan said.
“We need conversion. Like Francis, we must be tireless in pursuit of holy newness. Like Francis, we must constantly hope to begin again,” she said.
Listen to the State of the Order in its entirety on the 2022 Chapter page of the https://secularfranciscansusa.org/ website.
The Latest from National Chapter
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Louise Sandberg, OFSLouise Sandberg, OFS, was announced Wednesday as the 2022 recipient of the National Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Award presented at the Secular Franciscan Order’s National Chapter held Oct. 11-15 in Detroit.
Look for a story and a video of her inspiring acceptance talk soon on the website.
In other news, the time and place of the 2023 NAFRA Chapter were announced Wednesday.
Christine Blood, OFS, minister of the St. Clare Region, said that it would be Aug. 23-27 at the Pallottine Renewal Center in St. Louis, MO.
This year’s Chapter continues at the Sheraton Hotel in Detroit with meetings and renewal. The election of a new National Executive Council on Saturday will conclude the week.