SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 3 - N. 29 - 1997 - July - III
From: Koinonia, 1997, N. 3
Benitius Brevoort OFMCap
(Part -I)
Ongoing formation is required by daily life with its many changes. Besides, for the Secular Franciscans, it is a requirement of their call to the perfection of charity.
The SFO General Constitutions say about it, "The journey of formation, which should develop throughout life, begins with entrance into the Fraternity" ( Const. 37,2).
Let us consider various aspects of ongoing formation, then we will say a few things about the agents of formation and those responsible for it.
2. Objectives
"The fundamental objective of the formation of the lay faithful is an ever-clearer discovery of one's vocation and the ever-greater willingness to live it so as to fulfil one's mission" ( ChL 58).
a. Vocation
Ongoing formation is first of all a requirement of the very vocation of the Secular Franciscans who, "led by the Spirit, strive for perfect charity in their own secular state" ( Rule 2). Today more than ever the call to perfect charity needs new initiatives to be able to respond to the new challenges thrown up to society and to the Church. Ongoing formation is first of all "an aid in the conversion of each and everyone and in the fulfilment of their proper mission in the Church and in society" ( Const. 44,1).
So, ongoing formation sets out from hearing the Word of God, "going from gospel to life and from life to the gospel" ( Rule 4,3; Const. 44,2). Precisely as we hear and meditate on the Word of God, the Spirit teaches us all things (cf. Jn 14,26). From here springs the creative power of the Spirit that can "renew the face of the earth" ( Psalm 103,30).
Ongoing formation "finds its proper foundation and its original motivation in the dynamism of the gift received, the vocation in which one must walk in a way worthy of it (cf. Eph 4,1), so as to make it unfailing (cf. 2 Pet 1,10), under the action of the Holy Spirit, who strengthens the inner person, making each one know the greatness of the mystery of Christ and his love (cf. Eph 3,16-19)" ( Guidelines Chap. II,3 =Guidelines for Formation, CIOFS, Rome, 1992).
Understood in this way, ongoing formation is nothing other than the development of the Secular Franciscan vocation: to live the perfection of charity in the secular state. They must develop so as to be truly experts in their own field of work, committing themselves "both to the generous fulfilment of the duties proper to their occupation and the professional training that pertains to it" ( Const. 20,2). Precisely in virtue of the vocation to the perfection of charity, the Secular Franciscans must perfect their competency in their own field of work. There must not be mediocre Secular Franciscans wherever they may be. Only in this way will they truly be able to carry out "their preferred apostolate", which is "personal witness in the environment in which they live" ( Const. 17,1).
The mission of the Secular Franciscans is to witness to Christ with their life and word, in full communion with the Church in an "open and trusting dialogue of apostolic effectiveness and creativity" (cf. Rule 6). This mission requires a continual renewal of one's life when faced with the rapid evolution of daily society. It will be impossible to give true and effective witness or to enter into a trusting dialogue of apostolic creativity without continual and permanent formation.
In virtue of their mission, the Secular Franciscans should take clear positions in front of the challenges posed by the development of the sciences and by ever more ample technological possibilities in every field of life. It is enough to think of the developments in genetic engineering, the conquest of extraterrestrial space, computer science, politics, social communications, the use of the planet's resources, international commerce. In all these fields, the Secular Franciscans are sent to take a clear position consistent with their faith, and this is possible only on the base of a continual renewal of understanding, both professional and of faith.
Called to the mission of making Christ present in the various surroundings of social life, the Secular Franciscans will have to update themselves in the developments of society on the one hand and of the Church's teaching on the other. Only by updating themselves in the developments of society will they be able to speak knowledgeably of causes and take an adequate and rational position on the real problems of society. They will have to know exactly what they are talking about, grasp the essence of the question with all its implications and practical consequences. Only in this way will they be able to evaluate the situations in the light of the Gospel and make the light of the Gospel shine on them. It is evident that no one individually can be updated in all the changes or in all the new problems of society. Everyone is called to give witness in one's own work place and professional activity, which needs a continual updating of competence. But what is impossible for the member alone is possible for the whole Fraternity.
But the updating of one's professional competence alone does not make possible the adequate carrying out of the Secular Franciscans' mission. In order to give witness to Christ in the concrete situations of every day, the Secular Franciscans must live the faith and have a deep grasp of it. The new developments in the sciences and in social life call for new answers. Hence the importance of trusting and open dialogue of apostolic creativity that the Rule speaks about. It is necessary to be updated in the Church's teaching, not passively but actively. It is not enough just to receive the Church's teaching; one must enter into open and trusting dialogue in order to seek solutions that are adequate for concrete circumstances. Here also updating must be done in the Fraternity, because the isolated person will never be able to assimilate all the aspects of the faith of the Church or of the teaching of the magisterium.
(To be continued)