SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 3 - N. 18 - 1997 - May - I
From: CIOFS Bulletin, 1997, N. 1
Tina Garau Guadagnini
It might seem just conventional speaking of charity in the SFO environment, referring to a particular time, because our vocation "to perfection in charity" must constantly keep engagements and bring fruits in charity. However, we must underline the fact that the Church proposes charity in different circumstances and tells us that there are strong moments when we are asked to live our charity intensely.
The SFO Rule affirms "that the Secular Franciscans engage themselves with the Profession to live the Gospel by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi..." (Cf Rule 2:4); the Profession, in fact, is a promise to lead an evangelical life. Therefore it is living the Gospel out of our heart that we will attain from Christ, our only Master, the indications on how to be charitable in giving concrete answers to the men of today.
A careful reading of the Gospel in the light of charity is therefore proposed to the SFO along the two paths meditation and operation being considered a valid preparation for the Jubilee year 2000.
The Lord said, "I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. If you do this everyone will know that you are my disciples" (Jn 13:34,35).
And in Matthew 25 we find the well known verse about the final judgement which can be summarized "that we shall be judged by the concrete love we have for our brothers".
The reciprocal love Jesus is asking for makes us immediately think about life in our fraternities, and undoubtedly also with our life in any human community.
The love He wishes is not a generic love for one another, but the measure is HOW He loves us. The Secular Franciscan is called to mirror himself in a more profound way in Christ and to search in His person and the way He lived the model to imitate. Consequently he will have to intensify his permanent conversion asked for by the Rule and conform himself to greater involvement in the "way of life" that Chapter 2 of the Rule asks for.
This transformation of the behavior and interior life, in fact, is the concretization of the answer to the evangelical vocation to be which precedes and accompanies always that to act.
Practicing charity has had a deserving past in the SFO, but certainly we have not yet arrived at "giving our lives" for our brothers. The Papal exhortation in "Tertio Millennio Adveniente" urges us to pay more attention to the sick, the elderly, the lonely, and the unemployed present in our territory. But it also asks for more generous help in all sectors of human need, from East to West and from North to South, wherever there are lepers, abandoned children, terrible forms of new poverty, refugees, innocent victims of wars and racial persecution.
Let us open our eyes and hearts: materially we shall do with renewed generosity what we can, but with prayer and compassion we can be present everywhere, asking God to move the will of the rich and of the governors so that the much acclaimed and invoked "Justitia et Pax" be not reduced to an empty slogan without concrete initiatives.
Emanuela De Nunzio
The Immaculate Virgin accompanied the serene departure of Fr. Léon Bédrune OFM on Her feast day.
He had been Assistant General of the SFO for many years also dedicating himself to the creation of the Pauline Rule with enthusiasm and competence. He was also the author of the voices "Franciscan Secular Order" and "Rule of the Franciscan Secular Order" in the Franciscan Dictionary [Ed. Messaggero di Padova, 1983.
His most recent article sent to me [we always kept in contact after he returned to France is entitled "Reflections on how we can develop our spirit and our missionary action", and so I desire to transmit it as a message for the Secular Franciscans worldwide.
"Our era - where humanity is moving, searching - requires new impulse for the missionary activity of the Church. The horizons and the possibilities of Mission become greater. As Christians we are called to have apostolic courage founded on faith in the Spirit: He is the protagonist of the Mission.
In the history of humanity many meaningful events stimulated the missionary movement; and the Church, guided by the Spirit, has always answered with generosity and with fruitful results. Recently the millennium of the evangelization of Russia and the Slavs has been celebrated, and the 500 year anniversary of the evangelization of the Americas was also celebrated. There were also anniversaries for the l00 years since the first missions were sent to numerous countries in Africa and Oceania.
The Church must face other challenges, advancing towards new frontiers both for the beginning evangelization and for the re-evangelization of other peoples. The same courage that animated the missionaries of the past and the same listening to the voice of the Spirit is now asked of all Christians.
Within these few lines the words "spirit" and "courage" are often repeated. I think that the spiritual testament of Fr. Léon to the Secular Franciscans whom he loved greatly and for whom he sacrificed himself lay in these two words.
Confirmation of National Fraternities
Three new National Fraternities have been confirmed according to the norms of the General Constitutions and are full members of the International Council of the SFO. All three of them are on the African Continent: Madagascar and Mauritius which already had obtained the approval of the Major Superior Franciscans in obeyance to the norms existing before the General Constitutions of the SFO. The third National Fraternity, constituted by the CIOFS Presidency according to art. 65.2 Gen.Const., is that of the Republic of Central Africa.
With those provisions the formally erected National Fraternities in Africa rise to 5 (after those of the Republic of South Africa and Zambia).
National Elective Chapters
On September 15, 1996, the Chapter of Venezuela was celebrated, presided over by the Councillor of the Presidency Rosalvo Mota (Brazil), in the presence of Fr. José Rafael Arias OFM, representing the Conference of the General Assistants (CAG). Maria Consuelo de Nuñez was elected National Minister.
From October 11 to 13, 1996 the Chapter of the Republic of Central Africa took place and was presided over by Mimi Def (France), in the presence of Fr. Christophe Nortgat, National Assistant SFO. Jean de Dieu Dessandé was elected National Minister.
From November 8 to 11, 1996, the Chapter of Portugal took place and was presided over by the International Councillor Maria Remei Garcia Miguel (Spain). Fr. Eloy Gómez, National Assistant SFO Spain, represented the CAG. Carlos Melo Coelho de Moura was confirmed National Minister.
From November 16 to 17, 1996, the Chapter of Corea was held under the presidency of the International Councillor Sallie Orbigo (Philippines). The delegate of the CAG was Fr. Agapito Diez OFM. Tomas Kim was elected National Minister.
From November 15 to 17, 1996, the Chapter of Germany took place and was presided over by the Councillor of the Presidency Wilhelmina Visser-Pelsma (Netherlands). Fr. Ben Brevoort OFMCap represented the CAG. Klara Renz was elected National Minister.