SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 4 - N. 27 - 1998 - July - I
From: Koinonia, 1998, N. 2
By Friar Valentín Redondo, OFM Conv.
(Part-III)
The Rule of Paul VI
The Rule of Paul VI "Memoriale Propositi" as well as the Rules of Nicholas IV and Leo XIII, gain in jurisdiction, but lack the force of the Word and the sense of "penance" (charism). Paul VI, 24 of June of 1978, published the current Rule with the bull "Seraphicus Patriarcha", that started with the Letter to all the Faithful, in its first draft, and recovered the value and the foundation of the Word: "to observe the Gospel" (Cf. Rule, art. 4), to seek the "operating and living person of Christ" (Cf. Rule, art. 5)... as well as the sense of the "penance", of the "conversion" 9 Cf. Rule, art. 7), the just relationship to the land goods and the testimony of the goods future (Cf. Rule, arts. 11-12.)... Furthermore, if the Rules of these long seven and half centuries are the principal sign of "union" of the SFO, at this time, the Rule of Paul VI has given the accolade to such "union", because it speaks of a single Rule, some General Constitutions, a General Minister and a single International Council... A structure that forgets the "obediences", which reflect the existing division in the First Order. The General Constitutions make no mention to "inter-obedience", because the SFO is a single and united Order that "is governed by the universal law of the Church and by its own Rule, Constitutions, Ritual and particular Bylaws" (CC.GG. art. 4,1). The Secular Franciscan Order has a proper personality: "It is divided into Fraternities, of various levels or degrees: local, regional, national and international. Each one of these Fraternities has its own moral personality in the Church". The General Constitutions repeat: "Each one (of the Fraternities in its various levels), individually, has juridical personality in the Church"(CC.GG. art. 1,5).
However, an affection bond of family, of gratefulness remains between the Fraternities of the SFO and the Communities of the friars through "the high direction" and the spiritual assistance, which try "to live in "reciprocal vital communion" with all the members of the Franciscan Family" (CC.GG. art 98,1). But, the geographical structure of the friars must not impinge in any way with the regional or national structure of the Secular Franciscan Order. "The regional Fraternity is the organic union of all the existing local Fraternities in a territory or that can be integrated in a natural union, either by the geographical proximity, common problems or pastoral realities. It assures the link between the local and national Fraternities, as regards the union of the SFO and the associated integration of the various Franciscan Obediences that eventually care for the spiritual assistance of the area" (CC.GG. art 61,1). This is repeated when speaking of the national Fraternity, which has nothing to do with the Provinces of the friars: "The national Fraternity is the organic union of the existing Fraternities in the territory of a state or national entity, united and coordinated mutually through the regional Fraternities where these exist" (CC.GG. art. 65,1). While the International Fraternity "is identified with the whole the SFO it has its own juridical personality in the Church" (CC.GG. art. 69,1).
Looking Towards the future
Juridical union, in and of itself, with its International Council and with its National and Regional Councils, is a sign of human, evangelical and Franciscan, growth and has profit for all, secular and religious, society and Church, because sisters and brothers are vessels in which are given and enriched with gifts. Friar Jaime Zudaire asserts: "the organic expression communion (common union; unity) speaks of soul and body. Soul: fraternal affection, common ideal, the desire to serve and aid reciprocally and the accomplishment of common works to promote the good. Body: organization, juridical procedures that are incarnation, sign and instrument of the vocation of living in local and universal Fraternity". It seems opportune to bring to mind the words of Francis that recall the presence of the Holy Spirit as animating the Fraternities toward the union: "The Saint always had the constant desire [... of assuring the link of the union among his children so that those which had been attracted by a same Spirit and begotten by a same Father are tapered in peace in the lap of a same mother". The unity of self-government, and the unity of the whole family in a shared charism are two expressions of the efforts for maintaining the link that unites us as brothers and sisters and the efforts to reach a mutual understanding of two realities: the friars and the secular Franciscans, animated by a same Spirit: "Between the religious and the secular there exists, in fact, and there needs to be increasingly developed a reciprocal vital communion, demanded by their belonging to the same family, though in various ways".
In Conclusion
The Secular Franciscans will achieve the desired union studying, loving and living the Rule, as John Paul II requests: "study; love; live the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order, approved for you by my predecessor Paul VI. It is an authentic treasure in your hands, in tune in with the spirit of the Vatican Council II and corresponds to how much the Church desires of you [... The Church has need of you in order for the world to recover the primacy of the spiritual values". This same exhortation of John Paul II serves us religious, as well. We should study the Rule and Constitutions of the SFO and love them, so that we can help the members of the Secular Franciscan Order to live them. Only by knowing them, will we love them, and by loving them, we shall invite and assist the brothers and sisters to live in the unity and communion of one Order, which together with the First, the Second, and the TOR can form the greater Franciscan Family.
November 10-13, 1997: Days of the "tempo forte" for the Conference of the General Assistants were celebrated in Saint Anthony Friary, of the Friar Minors in Arezzo. During those days the program for 1998 was set out in depth: articles from "Koinonia", the Rule of Paul VI, the Unity of the SFO, the Autonomy of the SFO, the Economy of the SFO. A liturgy for the meeting of the Presidency of the CIOFS in January 1998 was prepared and distributed. The first seminars for National Assistants were programmed: for Europe in the Slavic language (February 23 to march 6 in Frascati, Rome, in the Capuchins House of Permanent Formation), for Africa (June 23 to July 6, same location) and for Asia (November 10 to 23, also in Frascati). Preparation for the SFO and JUFRA (Franciscan Youth)'s celebration and festival day (May 30) at the Basilica of the XII Holy Apostles in Rome, on the occasion of the Pope's meeting with local movements. Initiation of the commemorative and festival year for the twentieth anniversary of the approval of the new Rule by Pope Paul VI. A positive response was given to the invitation to participate in the National Agreement of the Assistants in the US from September 22 to 25, 1998. The naming of the new General Assistant, Friar Nils Thompson, OFM was communicated.
December 12 : the four General Assistants in the secretariat of the SFO met and programmed the meetings of the Conference of General Assistants (CAS). They also distributed the preparation material for the prayer meetings that are held monthly at the secretariat every second Friday as moments of prayer and exchange of ideas and opinions on issues that make their way to the Center. The cost of residence for the participants at the Frascati seminar was analyzed and the presence at the National Elective Chapters and pastoral visits was updated
Meeting of the CIOFS Presidency:
From January 8 to 14, 1998 the Presidency of the CIOFS met at the House of Spiritual Exercises "Our Lady Mother of Mercy", Monte Cucco, Rome. They were days of intense work, dedicated mainly to the study and discussion of the material for the revision of the General Constitutions, elaborated by the commission presided by Francisco Cortö¸s, which was also present. To complete the inroads made in the revision of the Constitutions a new Commission was named with members of the CIOFS, formed by Sisters Emanuela De Nunzio, Minister General, Encarnación del Pozo, Vice Minister and Friar Ben OFM Cap, General Assistant to the SFO. They are to present a draft during the next meeting if the CIOFS Presidency, in the month of June. Also discussed was the preparation of a celebration program commemorating twenty years since the approval of the Rule by Paul VI, the revision of NIFRA (Franciscan Children) material, ecumenism and the inter-religious dialogue, the unification of the Italian SFO, the visits to the Zambian and Kenyan fraternities and the seminar celebrated in Tanzania by Emanuela De Nunzio and Friar Ben, preparation of the seminar in Ukraine.
January 12, 1998 : The Conference of the National Assistants met in the House of Spiritual Exercises in Monte Cuccio, Rome, ending the meeting of the Presidency of the CIOFS. During this meeting, in which the new General Assistant, Friar Nils Thompson, OFM, was already participating. They evaluated the year 1997 and made a summary of the program of the year that was beginning. The programs of the pastoral visits as well as the presence in national elective chapters were revised. Letters were sent to the national Assistants in Italy and to the regional Assistants and provincial delegates for the SFO of the Conferences of provincial ministers of Italy, inviting each group to a meeting with the Conference of the General Assistants for the SFO, in order to study together the way towards the articulation of a Conference of National Assistants and the timely Conferences of Regional Assistants in Italy.
February 21: the Conference of the General Assistants met at the Capuchin General Curia. Two issues occupied most of their time: detailed treatment of the preparation for the imminent Seminar of the National Assistants of the SFO of the Slavic tongue and preparation of the meeting with the National Assistants of Italy to be celebrated on March 10, and the meeting with the Regional Assistants of Italy and delegates for the Secular Franciscan Order of the conferences of provincial Ministers of Italy, set for March 12.