SECTION B 1. ACTIVE 5. SECULAR 6. FRANCISCAN 7. JOYFUL GUIDELINES – Chapter I

ACTIVE Must be drawn from life’s experiences and be directed toward life’s experiences. In the Gospel’s we find: a) Jesus sent out the apostles and disciples on a mission even before Pentecost. Mark 6:30, and 9:33-35 and Matthew 17:19-21

ACTIVE b) St. Francis also formed his followers using life’s experiences. See I Celano 29 and I Celano 30b. c) II Vatican Council Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity covers: 29. Principles of Training. 30. Those who train others for the Apostolate.

ACTIVE FORMATION must therefore: Build upon and refer to the candidate’s individual life.

SECULAR The past: The SFO tended to operate out of a “religious life” model. The Vatican II documents ask us to develop a proper lay-secular spirituality.

SECULAR – Vatican II Documents a) For “ by reasons of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will”.

SECULAR – Decree of the Laity Decree on the Laity – Chapter 1 “In the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity Of mission. To the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying, and governing in His name and by His powers. But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in the world, their own assignment in the whole People of God.”

SECULAR – Vatican II Documents b) “ They live in world, that is, they are engaged in each and every work and business of the earth and in the ordinary circumstances of social and family life which, as it were, constitute their very existence.”

SECULAR – Vatican II Documents c) “The particularly graced vocation and baptismal identity of the laity is to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are so closely associated that these may be brought to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer.” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 31B). “the whole Body achieves full growth independence on the full functioning of each part.” (Eph. 4:16)

SECULAR – Vatican II Documents d) Formation, therefore, ought to be a time of personal reflection and/or critique of the candidate’s life situation in light of the gospel and of the Franciscan Rule.

FRANCISCAN Formation must: Contain Portray Reinforce the basic value-system of a Franciscan style of gospel living.

FRANCISCAN a) A penitential lifestyle was the distinctive characteristic of the first brothers and sisters who followed St. Francis. The penitential lifestyle meant a complete turning toward the Lord, a metanoia or conversion in the true biblical sense. ( Volterra letter and Rule of 1221).

FRANCISCAN b) The penitents of Assisi concretely expressed their penitential lifestyle in the specific ministries of peacemaking, reconciliation, and in ministries to the sick, dying and marginalized members of society.

FRANCISCAN c) Formation, therefore, should encourage the candidates to be peacemakers, to always seek reconciliation, to continually turn to the Lord.

FORMATION d) Articles 7, 13, 15, and 19 of the SFO Rule emphasizes these values. Let’s look at them.

The Rule of the SFO – Article 7 “ United by their vocation as ‘brothers and sisters of penance,’ and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of the radical interior change which the gospel itself calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily. On this road to renewal the sacrament of reconciliation is a privileged sign of the Father’s mercy and the source of grace.”

The Rule of the SFO – Article 13 “As the Father sees in every person the features of his son, the firstborn of many brothers and sisters, so the Secular Franciscans with a gentile and courteous spirit accept all people as a gift of the Lord and image of Christ. A sense of community will make them joyful and ready to place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they will strive to create conditions of life worthy of people Redeemed by Christ.”

The Rule of the SFO – Article 15 “Let them individually and collectively be in the forefront in promoting justice by their testimony of their human lives and their courageous initiatives. Especially in the field of public life, they should make definite choices in harmony with their faith.”

The Rule of the SFO – Article 19 “Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should 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 seriously tend toward the Ultimate encounter with the Father.”

FORMATION e) Formation should also be a time when candidates are guided and supported in the development of his/her ministry, and in the ministry/apostolate of the fraternity.

JOYFUL JOY was a virtue that was most important to St. Francis, and he desired that all of his followers cultivate this virtue as well.

JOYFUL a) “In my presence and in the presence of others, try always to be joyful, for it is not fitting that a servant of God appear before the friars or others with a sad and glum face.” (II Celano 125).

JOYFUL b) “So much, however, did he love a man who was full of spiritual joy that he had these words written down as an admonition to all at a certain general chapter: ‘ Let the brothers beware lest they show themselves outwardly gloomy and sad hypocrites; but let them show themselves joyful in the Lord, cheerful and suitably gracious.” ( II Celano 128).

JOYFUL c) Articles 13, 17 and 19 of the SFO Rule emphasize this value. We have looked at Articles 13 and 19 already, so we will only look at Article 17 now.

The Rule of the SFO – Article 17 “In their family they should cultivate the Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity, and respect for life, striving to make of it a sign of a world already renewed in Christ. By living the grace of matrimony, husbands and wives in particular should bear witness in the world to the love of Christ for his Church. They should joyfully accompany their children on their human and spiritual journey by providing a simple and open Christian education and being attentive to the vocation of each child.”

JOYFUL d) Formation, therefore, should assist the candidate to be always thankful. In this thankfulness, they will find authentic joy and real hope in life.