PRESIDENCY OF THE SFO INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

ONGOING FORMATION PROJECT

MONTHLY DOSSIER

FEBRUARY 2010

SECTION I: MONTHLY THEME

Topic I: Profession in the SFO

Ewald Kreuzer, SFO

Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment, by Fr. Felice Cangelosi, OFMCap, (n. 1-3) Summary and comments

n. 1. Those who make profession in the SFO say: “since the Lord has given me this grace, I renew my baptismal promises and consecrate myself to the service of His kingdom” (Formula of Profession). The Holy Spirit is the source of the vocation of secular Franciscans (Const 11), since they are urged on by the Spirit to reach the perfection of charity in accordance with their own secular state (Rule 2). The candidates declare their intent to live the gospel life after the Holy Spirit has been invoked upon them: “Lord, watch over these your servants. May the Spirit of your love penetrate their hearts, so that your grace will strengthen them to keep their commitment to the gospel life.”  (Ritual II,30).

Although it seems that we are "making" the Profession, it is indeed the wonderful work of our Lord. Before we decided to serve Him, He had already chosen us to follow Jesus Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis within the Secular Franciscan Order.

n. 2.  Profession comes about through God’s intervention. Today Christ lives and acts through the Church. Therefore, Profession is simultaneously the action of Christ and of the Church. The language of the Constitutions is significant (42,1), defining Profession as a solemn ecclesial act (action), it is by its nature a public and ecclesial act. Profession is not only an action, it is also an event, or rather, a saving kairos (καιρός), a moment of salvation.

Similar to the sacraments of the Church, Profession is a public and ecclesial act. The SFO is no "secret service" but a public international association of the faithful. Profession is the "entrance" into a Franciscan Fraternity, the beginning of a common spiritual journey.

n. 3. By Church the Ritual understands a particular liturgical assembly, made up of the people and the community of brothers and sisters, in other words, of the local fraternity of the Secular Order. The local fraternity makes the presence and action of the Church visible primarily in the Profession. The local fraternity into which the candidate is incorporated is “the basic element of the entire Order and a visible sign of the Church, a community of love” (Rule 22; cf. Const 47,1).

The Holy Spirit guides each professed member directly into a concrete form of community: the local fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order. We are not alone on our journey. We are members of a family, the worldwide Franciscan family, and within this family, we are member of the SFO. This is a very personal and specific vocation. Let us be thankful for it.

Questions for reflection and discussing in fraternity:

1. Why is the Holy Spirit the source of the vocation of Secular Franciscans (Const 11)?

2. In which way is Profession simultaneously the action of Christ and of the Church?

3. Why is the role of the local fraternity important for the SFO Profession?

SECTION II: SPIRITUAL INSIGHT

Topic II: The Presentation of the Lord.

Jesus, light of the world and the grace of the SFO profession

Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR

“…my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (Lk 2:30-32).

The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated 40 days after Christmas and commemorates the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple to fulfill the ritual prescriptions of the Law: the mother’s purification (cf. Lev 12:1-8) and the redemption of the firstborn (cf. Exod13:2,12). The gospel passage (Lk 2:22-40) and the feast emphasize the latter more than the first. According to Jewish thought, since Jesus was a firstborn male child, he belonged to God by right. Through the offering of two turtledoves the child was ‘bought back’ and returned to his parents. Paradoxically, it was him who later ‘paid the price’ for the salvation of the world, through his death and resurrection, and returned us to God.

It is the faith-filled intervention of the prophet Simeon and that of the prophetess Anna that help us understand the real meaning of the event. The child Jesus was a very special one; in him, God was indeed fulfilling the promise of salvation for Israel and all peoples; he was indeed the king of glory. On his first presentation in the Temple – through the inspired words of two aged Israelites – Jesus was “revealed by the Spirit as the glory of Israel and the light of all peoples” (Preface of the feast). Early on in the eighth century, a candlelight procession was introduced in this celebration by Pope Sergius. Distributing and blessing of candles were fully incorporated into the celebration by the end of the same century, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas. This tradition continues to this day.

The light of the candles we hold during the joyful liturgy of Candlemas represents Christ, light of the world, but also our faith in him, which we received in baptism. Last month we recalled that Profession in the SFO deepens our identity as baptized Christians and members of the Church and impels us to live the gospel in Fraternity after the example of Francis of Assisi. This month, we are reminded that Secular Franciscans have been given the special grace of Profession, a gift of the Spirit that empowers them to be witnesses with the light of the Gospel in their secular state.

Faith in Christ enables us to see his presence and rejoice in it, like it happened to Simeon and Anna. This faith is to enlighten our everyday life at home, work, school, and in society at large. It should also guide our participation in Fraternity life and our service in the community of faith. Let us conclude with some words from the Gospel:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:14-16).

Questions for reflection and discussion

1. What impresses me the most from the Presentation of the Lord and why?

2. Why was Saint Francis a bright light for the society of his time?

3. Do I consider my Profession in the SFO as a gift of light to me and the world? How do I share that light with others?

SECTION III: SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

Block 1: Pope Benedict XVI Message for the 2010 World Day of Peace

IF YOU WANT TO CULTIVATE PEACE, PROTECT CREATION

Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR

Part II: Excerpts from n. 7-10

7. “… The goods of creation belong to humanity as a whole. Yet the current pace of environmental exploitation is seriously endangering the supply of certain natural resources not only for the present generation, but above all for generations yet to come. It is not hard to see that environmental degradation is often due to the lack of far-sighted official policies or to the pursuit of myopic economic interests, which then, tragically, become a serious threat to creation. To combat this phenomenon, economic activity needs to consider the fact that “every economic decision has a moral consequence” and thus show increased respect for the environment. [...] To protect the environment, and to safeguard natural resources and the climate, there is a need to act in accordance with clearly-defined rules, also from the juridical and economic standpoint...”

8. “… Universal solidarity represents a benefit as well as a duty. This is a responsibility that present generations have towards those of the future, a responsibility that also concerns individual States and the international community”. […] In addition to a fairer sense of intergenerational solidarity there is also an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity, especially in relationships between developing countries and highly industrialized countries: “the international community has an urgent duty to find institutional means of regulating the exploitation of non-renewable resources, involving poor countries in the process, in order to plan together for the future…”

9. “…[T]echnologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency. At the same time there is a need to encourage research into, and utilization of, forms of energy with lower impact on the environment and “a world-wide redistribution of energy resources, so that countries lacking those resources can have access to them”. The ecological crisis offers an historic opportunity to develop a common plan of action aimed at orienting the model of global development towards greater respect for creation and for an integral human development inspired by the values proper to charity in truth…”

10. “…Encouragement needs to be given, for example, to research into effective ways of exploiting the immense potential of solar energy. Similar attention also needs to be paid to the world-wide problem of water and to the global water cycle system, which is of prime importance for life on earth and whose stability could be seriously jeopardized by climate change. Suitable strategies for rural development centered on small farmers and their families should be explored, as well as the implementation of appropriate policies for the management of forests, for waste disposal and for strengthening the linkage between combating climate change and overcoming poverty. […] Technology in this sense is a response to God’s command to till and keep the land (cf. Gen 2:15) that he has entrusted to humanity, and it must serve to reinforce the covenant between human beings and the environment, a covenant that should mirror God’s creative love”.

Questions for reflection and discussion

1. How can Secular Franciscans help to raise awareness about the fact that “every economic decision has a moral consequence” and should show respect for the environment?

2. How can the Secular Franciscan Order help to generate “a fairer sense of intergenerational solidarity” and “a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity”?

3. What are some of the ecological crises in your region? And how can Secular Franciscans help society to use technology “to reinforce the covenant between human beings and the environment, a covenant that should mirror God’s creative love”?