CIOFS News

CIOFS Christmas Letter 2022

12/28/2022

Prot.n. 3523 Rome, December 20th, 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

may the Lord give you his peace!

Every feast, every celebration is different, none of them are the same, but this is very much true for the Christmas of this year, for many reasons. There are many wounds in our life caused by war, natural disasters, or other tragedies of life. But when we are going to celebrate Christmas this year, we have a lot of things to give thanks for, too, in spite of our concerns that shadow our life.

Look at Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, in a difficult moment of history, in a poor place. Is it more difficult for us to live today than it was for him? Is it less comfortable for us? Are there more wars today? Are we poorer than he was? Should we move more from one place to another than he had to? Are we suffering of more persecutions than he had to? I invite you to remember all this, and to remember those who still today have the same hard conditions of life. Do not think about Christmas as a cozy feast, but let us make it a feast of being children of God.

Let's discover the Jesus in the other who deserves our worship, asks for our helpful service, awaits our presence and attention. We will also have many things to do while serving others. Let us not look at why it will be difficult to do, but at the joy of being involved in something good, together. Let Christmas deepen our vocation and mission, and inspire all of us to strengthen our dedication, move us to solidarity.

Next year we are going to begin the series of Franciscan Centenaries, first giving thanks to God for the Rule of Saint Francis and for the celebration of Christmas in Greccio, which opened the eyes of many to the endless love of God. I invite all of you to live these celebrations not only by remembering some significant moments in the life of Saint Francis, but look at these events as great possibilities to renew our faith, to renew the way we live our rich Franciscan charism. Please, find that way of celebration that fits the best to your fraternities, to the circumstances of life where you are living, so that you can live your vocation and mission more gratefully, more completely, in a renewed way.

In line of these celebrations which we begin next year, I’d like to invite you all again to come and participate at the Chapter of mats in 2024. It will be a privileged moment for the Secular Franciscan Order to meet, to rejoice, to pray together, to let God enrich all of us with an experience that might be once in a lifetime.

At the end I ’d like to turn to all those sisters and brothers of us, who have been suffering of the consequences of war, natural disaster, financial difficulties, family problems, illness, or any other hardships. I feel a special affection and closeness to all of you, and I would like to encourage you all, that in spite of every difficulty, God is in control, he knows us and knows our problems. He is on our side, together with us. This is why he decided to come „in human likeness; and found human in appearance”[1] to redeem the world and to show the glory of God in spite of all difficulties and all sufferings.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, I will bring all of you in my heart to Christ in a special way through my prayers, giving thanks to God for each and all of you. May God give peace to us all, in our hearts and in the world.

I send to you, to your families, to your fraternities my best wishes for a holy and peaceful Christmas and for the New Year.

Your minister and your brother

Tibor Kauser
CIOFS General minister

[1] 1 Phil. 2:7

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Instrumentum Laboris

4/29/2021

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Instrumentum Laboris

GENERAL CHAPTER 2020 (2021)
INSTRUMENTUM LABORIS:
Animate & Guide with Servant Leadership

Cover Letter To Questions From
2021 Instrumentum Laboris

INTRODUCTION

Memo to: Regional and Local Council members
From: Michel David,
International Councillor, OFS Canada National
Re: Questions from the 2021 Instrumentum Laboris

1. Background

The origins of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) lead us back to the Penitents of Assisi. And, of course, we have good reason to evoke this past, when it is precisely next year, 2021, that we will celebrate 800 years of the approval by St. Pope Honorius III of the Memoriale Propositi. This document became the first Rule approved by the Church for those "converts" who lived in their homes. Under this Rule, the men and women who followed Saint Francis were embraced as part of the Franciscan family, interpreting and living it according to the spiritual teachings of the Saint. The 2021 General Chapter will include time to deepen and honor our origins, focusing on the Memoriale Propositi.

This Instrumentum Laboris should serve as preparation for the celebration of the 2021 General Chapter, which constitutes the highest governing body of our OFS1. We will remind the OFS brothers and sisters around the world, first of all, of the path we have taken since in 2014, when we reflected on the topic How to manage a worldwide Order like the OFS. Not only was this the central theme of the 2014 General Chapter, but it was the basis of study, evaluation and projects, which the vast majority of the Fraternities of the world worked on for three successive years until the General Chapter of 2017. This was a theme that fit very well within the framework of the celebration of our Rule approved by St. Paul VI in 1978, as we set out to examine our commitment as Secular Franciscans in these last 40 years.

Download PDF Document

Date: April 9, 2021
Dear Council members,

On behalf of the Council of the National Fraternity of Canada, I send you warm greetings and pray that St. Joseph looks after your Franciscan families in this year of his jubilee.

A General Elective Chapter is being planned for November 13-21, 2021 in Rome, Italy. Though there is some doubt that it will be held due to the Third Wave of COVID-19 we must still prepare for its eventuality.

The theme of the General Chapter is “Animate and guide with a servant leadership” and it is meant to help Secular Franciscans around the world to reflect on what it means to animate and guide in harmony with serving and leading. To help in this reflection, a working document (Instrumentum Laboris) has been developed and is being shared with you.

The Presidency of the International Council of the OFS (CIOFS) has sent us a 17-page Instrumentum Laboris that addresses issues of concern for everyone and follow up questions for us to consider. As International Councillor representing Canada, it will be my role to bring your concerns and answers to the General Chapter.

Download

Download Questions
Here Word.

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Worldwide Day of Prayer, Nov 29

11/18/2020

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How to pray the Franciscan Crown Rosary (Download pdf)

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Vox Franciscana - Summer-Fall

10/19/2020

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Contents:

TAU History and Meaning

OFS Action Around the Globe and Chapters

The Piandarca field where Francis preached to the birds

Franciscan Youth Madagascar JPIC Project

and more...

Download VOX Franciscana

Also visit the new CIOFS Website

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Blessed Luchesio and Buonadonna

4/29/2020

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by Fr. Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR

On April 28, the Church celebrates the memorial of blessed Luchesio, who has been traditionally considered as the first member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, along with his wife Buonadonna. However, we still can keep their spiritual legacy in mind and reflect on it since it represents some of the origins of what we now call the Secular Franciscan Order. Celebrating our new life in Christ during Easter time also nourishes our desire to renew our Franciscan way of life, which shines through the example of all of our holy ancestors of the Franciscan family.

The earliest hagiographical sources on Luchesio and Buonadonna are late (XIV and XV centuries) and have come to us with very clear signs of being reworked in order to adjust to hagiographical styles of the time and place of origin. Luchesio was born in Gaggiano, Chianti, around the years 1180-1200, in a family of peasants. He married Buonadonna, from a well-to-do family of Borgo Marturi, and they had several children. He got involved in politics and became the leader of one of the political parties in Tuscany. Because the political environment became very agitated, the family decided to move to Poggibonsi, where Luchesio skillfully devoted himself to commercial activities and became rich and avaricious.

......Read more

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Minister General Tibor Kauser Easter Message 2020

4/15/2020

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Read his Easter letter - download the pdf

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Easter Greetings from Minister General

4/16/2019

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Christmas message from Minister General

12/21/2018

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Dear all,
Attached the wishes of the Minister General Tibor Kauser for the Holy Christmas to the Secular Franciscan Order.
Pax et Bonum! - Isabella Di Paola – General Secretary CIOFS