SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 3 - N. 32 - 1997 - August - II
From: Koinonia, 1997, N. 3
Benitius Brevoort OFMCap
(Part -IV)
Ongoing formation must help the members to realize their Franciscan vocation, giving specific importance to the integral formation of the person. In the life of the Secular Franciscans there cannot be two different life-styles, the spiritual life and the secular life, or life in a family, at work, in social relationships, in the responsibilities of public life and in culture (cf. ChL 59). "By their vocation... they live their membership both in the Church and in society as an inseparable reality" ( Const. 20,1). The contents of ongoing formation must favour the organic synthesis of life and promote the unity of being and of acting of the Secular Franciscans.
"There is no doubt that spiritual formation ought to occupy a privileged place" in the life of the Secular Franciscans" (cf. ChL 60). So ongoing formation should help the members "to listen to and meditate on the Word of God, 'going from Gospel to life and from life to the Gospel'" ( Const. 44,2). Thus the "intimate union with Christ in the Church is maintained by the spiritual helps common to all the faithful, chiefly by active participation in the liturgy" (Vatican II, AA 4). Thus "the Fraternities will take care to make the most of each occasion for prayer, formation, and active collaboration with other ecclesial groups" ( Const. 103).
Doctrinal formation is urgent in order that the Secular Franciscans can "'give a reason for their hoping' in view of the world and its grave and complex problems. Therefore, a systematic approach to catechesis... and a more decided Christian promotion of culture" are necessary ( ChL 60). Doctrinal formation serves "to reflect on events in the Church and in society in the light of faith and with the help of the documents of the teaching Church, consequently taking consistent positions" (Const . 44,2).
Doctrinal formation spurs the Secular Franciscans "to a faith-inspired reflection on the Church, its mission in today's world and the role of the Franciscan laity within it. They should take up the challenges and accept the responsibilities that this reflection will lead them to discover" ( Const. 14,1). The members should prepare themselves "for spreading the Gospel message 'in the ordinary circumstances of the world' and for collaborating in the catechesis within the ecclesial communities" (Const. 17,2).
c. Social doctrine of the Church
"... for the lay faithful who have responsibilities in various fields of society and public life. Above all, it is indispensable that they have a more exact knowledge of the Church's social doctrine" ( ChL 60).
"The Secular Franciscans are called to make their own contribution... towards a civilization in which the dignity of the human person, shared responsibility and love may be living realities" ( Const. 18,1). They must know well the social doctrine of the Church to be able to collaborate "as much as possible for the passage of just laws and ordinances" ( Const. 22,1) They need that formation still more to "engage themselves through 'courageous initiatives', consistent with their Franciscan vocation and with the directives of the Church, in the field of human development and justice" ( Const. 22,2).
"The cultivation of human values finds a place in the context of a totally integrated formation... [the lay faithful should also hold in high esteem professional skill, family and civic spirit" ( ChL 60).
"As the primary and fundamental contribution to building a more just and fraternal world, [the Secular Franciscans should commit themselves both to the generous fulfilment of the duties proper to their occupation and the professional training that pertains to it" ( Const. 20,2). "They should be committed to 'create worthy conditions of life' for all and to work for the freedom of all people" ( Const. 18,3). "They should collaborate with efforts to fight pollution and to conserve all that is valuable in nature" ( Const. 18,4). "They should collaborate in overcoming the exclusion of others and those forms of poverty that are the fruit of inefficiency and injustice" ( Const. 19,2). "They should see to the proposal and spreading of peaceful ideas and attitudes; they should collaborate with those movements and institutions which promote peace while respecting its authentic foundations ( Const. 23,1).
The promotion of all these human values requires great professional competence, a spirit of justice, sincerity, courtesy and moral courage (cf. ChL 60). It will not be possible to do it without an adequate ongoing and continually updated formation.
The ongoing formation of the Secular Franciscans is situated in the context of dialogue between God who calls and the person who is called to exercise responsibility. It is nothing other than "a continual process in the individual of maturation in faith, and a likening to Christ according to the will of the Father, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit" ( ChL 57). So, ongoing formation must be included among the priorities of the Fraternities at all levels.
"Some convictions reveal themselves as particularly necessary and fruitful. First of all, there is the conviction that one cannot offer a true and effective formation to others if the individual has not taken on or developed a personal responsibility for formation.... In addition, there is the conviction that at one and the same time each of us is the goal and principle of formation: the more we are formed and the more we feel the need to pursue and deepen our formation, still more will we be formed and be rendered capable of forming others. It is particularly important to know that the work of formation, while having intelligent recourse to the means and methods available from human science, is made more effective the more it is open to the action of God" (ChL 63).
(The end)