SFO International Council - Weekly edition
Volume: 8 - N. 5 - 2002 - February - I
From: Letter to the Assistants, 2001, N. 2
Br. Ivan Matic', ofm
(Part II)
On the international level: "the general assistants give their service to the Presidency of the International Council of the SFO, form a conference, and collegially see to the spiritual assistance to the SFO as a whole" [1 . The passage from General Commissioners to General Assistants has brought about a collegial assistance (by the Conference of Spiritual Assistants) to the International Council and to the Presidency of the SFO. This has been and continues to be a path taken with determination and in good harmony, where one works and studies collegially in accordance with the Constitutions of the SFO. The assistance, in so far as it expresses communion and co-responsibility is not a finished or closed topic but, on the contrary, is open and capable of growth and creativity among the components of the Franciscan family.
If on the general level this collegial assistance enjoys optimum stability and organization, it is necessary to make efforts to assure that the same happens on the national and regional levels.
On the national level: "the national assistants give their service to the national council, see to the spiritual assistance to the SFO in the whole territory of the national fraternity and, at the national level, to the co-ordination of the regional assistants. If they are more than one, they form a conference and give their service collegially" [2 .
On the regional level: "the regional assistants give their service to the regional council and see to the spiritual assistance to the regional fraternity. If they are more than one, they form a conference and give their service collegially" [3 .
On the local level: "the local assistants give their service to the local fraternity and its council" [4 . As is seen, in this case collegial assistance is not spoken of because normally a local Fraternity is assisted by only one Franciscan family.
Even if after the approval of the new General Constitutions of the SFO many things have to be reformulated regarding spiritual assistance, we read in the Statutes for Spiritual Assistance to the SFO:
"The pastoral and spiritual care of the SFO is entrusted by the
Church to the First Order and TOR in line with a long tradition. It
entails a double service:
a) the exercise of the altius moderamen on the part of the
major Superiors [5 ;
b) the fraternal service of spiritual and pastoral animation of the
fraternities and their councils" [6
.
The assistance is exercised according to the Statutes for the Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance of the SFO common to the four Franciscan Orders (OFM, OFMConv, OFMCap, TOR).
This service is carried out collegially on all levels, from the highest to the local levels. This service should be carried out with responsibility on the part of the Major Superiors with the purpose of guaranteeing that the SFO will be faithful to the Franciscan charism, will live in communion with the Church and in union with the Franciscan Family [7 .
John Paul II
It is indispensable to remove the barriers of diffidence, prejudice and fear that unfortunately still exist among those who belong to the different religions. In every country, dialogue and mutual tolerance are required among those who profess the religion of the majority and those who belong to minorities, often made up of immigrants, who are followers of various religions. Dialogue is the leading way to follow, and the Church invites us to walk this parth in order to move from diffidence to respect, from rejection to welcome. (...) To reach this goal, initiatives that attract the attention of the major means of social communications are not enough. What are needed are rather everyday gestures, done with simplicity and constancy, that are capable of producing an authentic change in interpersonal relationships. (...)
Dialogue is not always easy. For Christians, however, the patient and confident pursuit of it is a commitment to be constantly carried out. Counting on the grace of the Lord who enlightens minds and hearts, they remain open and welcoming towards those who profess other religions. Without ceasing to practice their own faith with conviction, they also pursue dialogue with those who are not Christians. They always well aware that to be able to authentically dialogue with others, a clear witness of their own faith is indispensable.
This sincere effort to dialogue presupposes, on one hand, the reciprocal acceptance of differences, and sometimes even of contradictions, and also a respect for the free decisions that people make according to their own conscience. It is therefore indispensable for each one, to whatever religion he may belong, to take into account the essential requirements of freedom of religion and of conscience, as stated so well by the Ecumenical Council Vatican II (cfr. Dignitatis humanae, 2) . (...)
If , in the world of human mobility, everyone would be animated by this sprit, almost as in a forge, there will arise providential possibilities of a fruitful dialogue wherein the centrality of the person will never be denied. This is the only way to nourish the hope "for warding off the dread spectre of those wars of religion which have so often bloodied human history" and which have often forced many people to abandon their own countries. It is urgent to work so that the name of the one and only God may become what it is, ever more "a name of peace and a summons to peace" (cfr. Novo millennio ineunte, 55).
-----------------