SFO International Council
Volume: 1 - N. 14 - 1995 - October - II
From: CIOFS Bulletin, 1995, N. 2
Maria Sveva Capranica del Grillo
EUFRA! This up-to-date word of five letters expresses what the meeting was all about: a Franciscan Europe.
In fact, the aim of these annual meetings is to offer the European SFO a real image of how we live and what the Franciscan charism is in each country, and to reach - where possible - at a European unity within the diversity of cultures and traditions.
This year, the EUFRA meeting took place from April 19 to 23 in Hungary at the house "Mater Salvatoris" at Godollo-Mariabesnyo, 30 km from Budapest, where we were welcomed by sunshine, trees in flower and by the hosts' Franciscan kindness.
The countries represented were: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Rumania, Slovenia, French speaking Switzerland, Ukraine, Hungary.
The central theme was "Youth - Our Future". As Secretary of the CIOFS I presented an outline of the actual situation of the young people in the SFO on an international level. A lively exchange of information was the result: Hungary has no generation problem in contacts among its members; in Germany young people are searching for their identity and for what they want to be. There is a Youth Group which comprises all German young Franciscans which meets one a year. But there are also scattered groups; in Austria there is no Youth group at the moment. Young people who want to follow the Franciscan spirituality come to the SFO. However, recently fraternities with young people have professed members and others are participating just in prayer and discussion; in the Ukraine the SFO does not yet exist. During the past 6 years young people got acquainted with the Franciscan spirituality through the friars, but their identity is strengthening. Since they belong to the Hungarian speaking minority, they understand that particular ethnic life. There are 2 groups of young people that cannot organise a fraternity because of the great distances. There are no Secular Franciscans so they depend on the friars, but these have very little time for them; in Rumania a Secular Franciscan began to renew the SFO 4 years ago and there are several young Franciscans. Here work is easier because the members of the fraternity live in the same region. They organise seminars in different cities in order to exchange experiences and to deepen the Franciscan spirituality. They meet in summer camps and at Easter they renew the Profession and welcome new members. Now they are 19.
The Rumanian Father spoke about youth quoting from "Christi fideli laici" and underlining the thirst for prayer among young people. He said that St. Francis too went searching God. We should stimulate the love of the sacraments to be celebrated in the fraternities. The Secular Franciscans should get involved together with the young people in charitable social work.
There is a mention of the marches organised in France in which many young people had participated.
The second paper, presented by the National Hungarian Minister, was about "our responsibility towards young people". According to the speaker, one must underline the importance of personal decisions. Our responsibility is to bring young people to Christ. Some of our responsibilities are: my life, my faith, my spiritual and material well being, the persons the Lord has put beside me, the Church, nature, the sick etc. He went on saying that if we assume our responsibilities and try to pass them on, we may hope that young people shall do the same.
The third intervention on liturgy and its importance in the life of the Church was presented by a Hungarian Secular Franciscan who underlined the importance to find the adequate words and symbols for illustrating the mystery.
Work went on in the study groups - often outside under shadowy trees. The evenings were animated by choirs and meetings with many local Secular Franciscans.
The next EUFRA meeting will take place from April 9-13, 1996, in Alto Adige (Italy). It was decided that the meeting shall be animated by the young people, and the older ones shall listen.
Morana from Croatia shall co-ordinate the organisation. So everybody who wants to give suggestions or make proposals or present papers should contact her. Take courage Young Franciscans and prepare the future of the SFO!
Morana Glavàs Trg. pobjede 23 35000 Slav Brod (Croatia) Tel.: +385-35-237780
Mimi Def
Togo lies between Ghana and Benin, faces the Atlantic on about 50 km and confines at the North with Burkina Faso.
The Franciscan Fraternity exists since 1958 and has 76 professed members who belong to the 5 local fraternities in Lomé. There are some groups in formation at Tsévie, Sokodé and Dapaon. I had the joy and the pleasure to meet the sisters and brothers of the SFO in December 1992. The country was politically in a difficult moment, living in the fear of an impending riot. I have seen a group of Christians gathered to pray for help; I have seen an exhausted population who swept the own town clean and defended its dignity. Because of this tension I could not circulate freely and could not leave Lomé.
We had a fraternal exchange of ideas on our way of living in the world and in the Church in the light of the Gospel and in the footsteps of St. Francis. Several members of the fraternities are active in their parishes as catechists of big groups of children.
We also spoke about the economic difficulties in a country which does not succeed in democratising, and also about difficulties in the families. It has been underlined that the way of living is getting international. Anyway, it is a lively fraternity eager to make part of the international fraternity and which is having relations with Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.
I have also had a talk with a group of young people who meet with P. Jean-Paul. Their slogan: "To live together our youth listening to Jesus in the spirit which animates Francis". They do good work of reflection and have put up an exigent structure, elaborated and accepted by all of them, which allows a deepening at the source of the true life.
At Lomé, the Franciscan Family is not a mere word. I wish the sisters and brothers in Togo good progress on their way!