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ONGOING FORMATION
PROJECT MONTHLY DOSSIER JULY 2010 – YEAR 1 – No. 7 |
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SECTION I: MONTHLY THEME |
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Topic II-1: Sense of Belonging to the Secular Franciscan
Order Belonging to the SFO, by Emanuela De Nunzio, SFO (n. 1, 6, 2, 4, 3) Summary and comments by Ewald Kreuzer, SFO and Patrizia
Morelli Premise: The sense of belonging is the basis of true
brother/sisterhood. In an age of individualism, we need to rediscover the
meaning and value of the SFO as a Franciscan family, where we all belong to
each other as brothers and sisters and where everyone takes care of the
other. The sense of fraternal belonging will help us to construct our sense
of identity, to be aware of whom we are, and to assume our proper place and
our specific vocation in the Church. In practice, it will help us to live the
Gospel in the manner of St. Francis, in fraternal communion (Const. 1.3; 3.3), bringing trust where
is distrust, collaboration instead of competition, acceptance and love instead
of hostility and refusal. Introduction.
The Crisis of the sense of belonging in post modern
times 1. The general picture.
In the present time, those certainties that used to provide solid structures
have become scarcer: the national state, institutions, the family, and work.
Nothing is fixed or guaranteed any longer. Even interpersonal relations have become
more superficial. 6. The Main Connection.
Every talk on belonging is connected closely to identity and presupposes
it. There is no identity without belonging
and there is no belonging without identity. 2. Belonging to the family. The family is the greatest resource for the person and for
society. It provides generosity, unconditional welcome, and solidarity in
different life circumstances. Besieged today by many challenges of the modern
world, the family becomes weakened and is attacked by proposals that equate
it to cohabitation under the same roof. As result we see the progressive
losing of its specific identity and role. 4. Belonging to a nation. The sense of belonging to a specific territory is profoundly
changed, not only because of mobility, but also because the national reality,
which at one time made one feel deeply rooted and with a personal identity (I
am Italian, Spanish, English. ..), is being replaced with a “supranational”
entity. On the contrary, attention grows toward regional realities, to a
restricted environment where one’s interests lie, with other social
consequences: 1.
The
fragmentation of society: deprivation of the culture of solidarity, that
makes individuals live "near" or "opposite", and not
"together"; 2.
The
little-appreciated sense of the social: highly guarded privacy, which creates
a permanent conflict between the good of the individual and the good of the
community; 3.
The culture
of suspicion: Suspicion and distrust undermine the base of civil society. 3. Belonging in professional life. The effects of precariousness are also heavily seen in the
working life. Many accept the type of work for which they do not feel drawn.
For this reason they feel like strangers without roots in their profession. Questions for reflection and discussion in fraternity 1. How do you experience “the crisis of the
sense of belonging in post-modern times” in which you are living? Why is the connection between belonging and
identity so important? 2. How can Secular Franciscans address the
challenges around belonging to a family, to a nation and to a professional
life? 3. Do you think this is a time of crisis or an
opportunity for Secular Franciscans to exercise their particular mission in
the world? |
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SECTION II:
SPIRITUAL INSIGHT |
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Topic VII: Saint Bonaventure: Searching for true wisdom and creative fidelity
in times of change. Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR In this article, we focus
our attention on one of the major players in the history of Franciscan
thought and institutional organization whose liturgical feast is celebrated
by the Church on July 15: Saint
Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. Through his
life and legacy, we can learn many things of great value for our
Franciscan journey at the present time. A central figure in Franciscan identity development In his introduction to
the edition of Bonaventure’s works: The
Soul’s Journey into God, The Tree of Life, and The Life of St. Francis, Ewert Cousins – a renown specialist on
our author, summarizes the relevant role of this saint’s contribution to the
development of the Western spirituality and, in particular, of the Franciscan
spirituality, as follows: In the history of
Western spirituality, Bonaventure holds a central and pivotal position. The
13th-century friar, professor at the University of Paris, minister
general of the Franciscan Order, cardinal and adviser to popes, played a
major role in the spiritual ferment of the high Middle Ages. Viewed within
the religious context of the Middle Ages as a whole – when Islamic Jewish and
Christian spirituality were flourishing – he produced one of the richest
syntheses of Christian spirituality. (p.1) Where true wisdom lies Bonaventure was known
by his wisdom and simplicity and, before receiving the title of Seraphic
Doctor by John Gerson (+1429), Bonaventure was widely known in Church circles
as the Doctor Devotus, the Devout
Teacher, since one can find in his sermons and other writings a true sense of
devotion and unction which are signs of the presence and action of the Spirit.
His work, The Soul’s Journey into God invites us to search the Lord not
only with the mind but also with our heart and God’s grace: First, therefore, I
invite the reader to the groans of prayer through Christ crucified, through
whose blood we are cleansed from the filth of vice – so that he not believe
that reading is sufficient without unction, speculation without devotion,
investigation without wonder, observation without joy, work without piety,
knowledge without love, understanding without humility, endeavor without
grace, reflection as a mirror without divinely inspired wisdom. (Prologue 4) Fidelity to the Franciscan charism and adaptation to
the new realities In his recent book Saint Francis, Grado Giovanni Merlo recalls
the role of Bonaventure as minister general at a time when the Order had
grown and dramatically changed, some friars were assuming unprecedented roles
in the Church and society, while others had fallen into vices or adopted Joachimite
positions: In his program of
restructuring the Order, brother Bonaventure looked in two directions: one
was juridical-institutional and the other, theological-hagiographical. (p.
203) Bonaventure can be seen
as a model for acting with determination, dedication and wisdom to maintain
the Franciscan charism alive and, at the same time, favoring its creative
adaptation and implementation in new circumstances, always in communion with
the Church and dialogue with the world. It only seems fitting to conclude
this brief commentary with some more words from The Souls’ Journey into God: Therefore, open your
eyes, alert the ears of your spirit, open your lips and apply your heart so
that in all creatures you may see, hear, praise, love and worship, glorify
and honor your God lest the whole world rise against you. For because of this
the whole world would rise against the foolish. On the contrary, it will be a
matter of glory for the wise, who can say with the Prophet: You have
gladdened me, Lord, by your deeds and in the works of your hands I will
rejoice. How great are your works, Lord! You have made all things in wisdom;
the earth is filled with your creatures. (1, 15) Questions for reflection and discussion in fraternity 1.
What has been your
experience in searching God, not only with your mind, but also with your
heart? 2.
Describe how your life
as a Secular Franciscan can favor creative adaptation and implementation of
our charism in new circumstances, always in communion with the Church and
dialogue with the world? |
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SECTION III: SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH |
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Block II: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church Part 4 of 9: The universal destination of goods Excerpts and questions by Fr. Amando
Trujillo Cano, TOR 171. Among the numerous implications of the common good,
immediate significance is taken on by the principle of the universal
destination of goods […] God gave the earth
to the whole human race for the sustenance of all its members, without
excluding or favouring anyone [...] The human person cannot do without the
material goods that correspond to his primary needs and constitute the basic
conditions for his existence…. 172. … The right to the common
use of goods is the “first principle of the whole ethical and social order”
and “the characteristic principle of Christian social doctrine”[…] It is
first of all a natural right, inscribed in human nature and not merely
a positive right connected with changing historical circumstances; moreover
it is an “inherent” right. […] All other rights, whatever they are, including
property rights and the right of free trade must be subordinated to this norm…173.
[…] in order to ensure
that this right is exercised in an equitable and orderly fashion, regulated
interventions are necessary, interventions that are the result of national
and international agreements, and a juridical order that adjudicates and
specifies the exercise of this right. 175. The universal
destination of goods requires a common effort to obtain for every person and
for all peoples the conditions necessary for integral development, so that
everyone can contribute to making a more humane world… B. The universal destination
of goods and private property 176. …Private property is an essential element of an
authentically social and democratic economic policy, and it is the guarantee
of a correct social order. The Church's social doctrine requires that
ownership of goods be equally accessible to all… 177. …the right
to private property is subordinated to the right to common use, to the fact
that goods are meant for everyone… 178. …Individual persons may
not use their resources without considering the effects that this use will
have, rather they must act in a way that benefits not only themselves and
their family but also the common good… 179. …New technological and scientific knowledge must be placed at the
service of mankind's primary needs, gradually increasing humanity's common
patrimony […] “It is necessary to break down the barriers and
monopolies which leave so many countries on the margins of development… 180.
…Individual property is not the only legitimate form of ownership. The
ancient form of community property also has a particular importance […] An
equitable distribution of land remains ever critical, especially in
developing countries and in countries that have recently changed from systems
based on collectivities or colonization… 181. …Owners who
heedlessly idolize their goods (cf. Mt 6:24, 19:21-26; Lk
16:13) become owned and enslaved by them... c. The universal destination
of goods and the preferential option for the poor 182. The principle of the universal destination of goods
requires that the poor, the marginalized and in all cases those whose living
conditions interfere with their proper growth should be the focus of
particular concern. To this end, the
preferential option for the poor should be reaffirmed in all its force… 183.
Human misery is a clear sign of man's natural condition of frailty and
of his need for salvation […] “Our Lord warns us that we shall be
separated from him if we fail to meet the serious needs of the poor and the
little ones who are his brethren” …184. The Church's love for the
poor is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, by the poverty of Jesus and
by his attention to the poor. This love concerns material poverty and also
the numerous forms of cultural and religious poverty […] the Church
teaches that one should assist one's fellow man in his various needs and
fills the human community with countless works of corporal and spiritual
mercy […] the practice of charity is not limited to alms-giving but
implies addressing the social and political dimensions of the problem of
poverty […] The Council Fathers strongly recommended that this duty be fulfilled
correctly, remembering that “what is already due in justice is not to be
offered as a gift of charity”. Love for the poor is certainly “incompatible
with immoderate love of riches or their selfish use” (cf. Jas 5:1-6). Questions for
reflection and discussion in fraternity 1.
How can my SFO fraternity
be part of the common effort to obtain for every person and for all
peoples the conditions necessary for integral development? 2. How are critical goods such as new technological and scientific
knowledge and land being distributed in your region, country and
continent? Why so? 3. How can my SFO fraternity be involved in works of corporal and spiritual mercy and in addressing the social
and political dimensions of the problem of poverty? |
PRESIDENCY OF THE SFO INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL