Franciscan Focus - Regional Formation Corner

Franciscan Focus

12 Steps to get some of the humility our world so badly needs

11/11/2018

Let's start with ourselves, but let's also pray that everyone grows in this virtue a bit.

Ultimately, what the world needs is a lot more humility, and a lot less pride, which is the root of all vices.

One of the Church’s greats, St. Benedict, proposed Twelve Steps to grow in humility.

His writing on each step is extensive, so here we present you with a summary of each.

He began his list with this preface: Luke 14:11: “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

No-Te Eksarunchai | Shutterstock
Aleteia

Step 1: Fear the Lord
Man must keep the fear of God always before his eyes, and never forget His commandments. The fear of God means reverence for God; what we often forget is that by offending God, we offend ourselves.

Step 2: Not my will, but yours O Lord (from John 6:38)
This means that in order to be humble, we must avoid taking inordinate pleasure in our own wants and desires but always strive to do God’s will before all else.
READ ALL OF THE 12 STEPS Download PDF Version

Secular Franciscans and the younger generation: a legacy to share

9/28/2018

Our guest speaker for the Regional Spiritual Conference in August, 2018 was Dr. Richard Shields. Comments from those that attended found Dr. Shields an excellent speaker and his talks were realistic and current to our day and time. We asked Dr. Shields to consider sharing future thoughts with us to be put on our Regional newsletter "Franciscan Focus" and he agreed. This is Dr. Shields first sharing. - Sherrill Guimond, Regional Formation Director

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As Pope Francis recently stated in Rejoice and Be Glad, the call, the invitation to the fullness of life in Gospel commitment is especially addressed to youth. World Youth Day has become an essential dimension of the Church’s ministry to young people (ages 16-35). As Sisters and brothers of penance, as men and women who have heard and accepted Jesus’ summons to “Repent and believe in the Good News,” secular Franciscans have a vision and way of life to share. Yet many of us are at a loss over how to do that......
…. Before asking what has happened to youth today, we need to ask ourselves some questions. “”Are we really open to youth?” “How well do we understand their needs and expectations?” “Can we empathize with their gnawing yearning for meaningful experiences?” “Do some of our judgements stand in the way of valuing young people?”

40th Anniversary of the Pauline Rule 1978

7/1/2018

Fr. Peter Knaapen OFM Conventual and National Spiritual Assistant gave the following presentation to the National Chapter of May 17 to 20 in Loretteville, Quebec. His talk gives us a reflection of the rich history of Third Order Rule and how it has evolved over the centuries to the 1978 Pauline Rule we now follow. His presentation is very insightful and it would be worthwhile for fraternities to review it and consider following up with some fraternal sharing.

40 YEARS OF THE RULE - VIDEO

6/19/2018

CIOFS is excited to present you a special gift to help you celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Rule. CIOFS has prepared a 12-minute video, entitled, “Forty years of the ‘New' Rule, A Treasure for the OFS" which provides a historical perspective on the rule of 1978 and a beautiful summary. Please share this video with your brothers and sisters. View the video and celebrate the rule together. Take some time to discuss and contemplate its message. Celebrate this great treasure in your hearts and carry it with you throughout the day. https://youtu.be/Y2eUXrAuWO4

Murray Bodo, OFM, discusses St. Francis' Canticle of the Creatures

5/26/2018

How can we sum up the spirituality of St. Francis? One way to start, Murray Bodo, OFM, says, is to consider his “Canticle of the Creatures.” “He praises God,” Fr. Murray says, “by being a part of all of the created world.”
- OFS member, Jim Milton shared this site with us. Thanks Jim.

Coming Together for Our Common Home

3/28/2018

Earth Day, which falls on Sunday, April 22, is an opportunity for Catholics around the world to come together and lift our voices as one to protect our common home.

Jesuit Father Thomas Reese developed A Reader's Guide to Laudato Si' that speaks to our Franciscan charism and may assist your Fraternity in honouring our commitment to "respecting our common home". The guide goes through Pope Francis' encyclical, chapter by chapter with a short commentary on each chapter followed by a selection of discussion questions. For those of you who have not already made a study of the encyclical, Laudato Si', this would be an excellent way of taking each month one chapter to include in your On-going Formation study. - Sherrill Guimond. ofs, Regional Formation Director

The Scandal of Service - Jesus Washes Our Feet by Jean Vanier

3/20/2018

Book Review

The Scandal of Service: Jesus Washes Our Feet is a meditation on what Jesus did at the Last Supper when he laid his outer clothing aside and washed and dried his disciples' feet, a task ordinarily performed by the lowly household slave. The author pursues the connection of this gesture of humility and service to Jesus' actions at the supper with the bread and wine, to the beatitudes and the rule of God (and the OFS Rule) in Jesus' ministry, and to the actions of Judas and Peter at the end of Jesus' life. In calling us to follow Jesus' example, the author invites us to break down the barriers which separate human beings and to put ourselves at the service of the weakest among us. This book speaks to all who want the teaching of Jesus to the sewn into the fabric of their daily lives. Novalis

This book speaks to us as Secular Franciscans who are called to "service of the human community" - Rule 16.

One of our Regional Priorities for 2017-2020 is Servant Leadership. In his book, Jean Vanier speaks about "the word 'authority' coming from the Latin augere (to grow). All authority ... is intended to help people grow towards greater freedom, justice and truth. Often, however, it is used for the honour, power, privilege and positive self-image of those who exercise it. By stooping down to wash the disciples' feet, Jesus calls us all to exercise authority humbly, as a service."
- Recommended

12 months of Franciscan Peace

3/3/2018

Let there be Peace on earth and
let it begin with me!

Adapted from the 12 Weeks of Franciscan Peace by Carolyn D. Townes, ofs. Sherrill Guimond, ofs, Formation Director, Eastern Canada Region, has provided twelve one-page documents for JPIC use in monthly fraternity meetings. Each month focuses on one specific PEACE building block as follows:

Prayer
Empathy
Listening
Compassion
Evangelical Love
Mindfulness
Humility
Poverty
Kindness
Silence
Conversion
Peace

Each page includes a connection to the previous month, a short explanation of the month's theme, a Psalm fragment, a Reflection Question and a prayer for the Month. Download the 12-month pack here.
View Carolyn's' Peace Video. Using St. Francis' prayer sung by Robert Kochis, this video introduces the 5 Peace Principles: Prayer, Empathy, Active Listening, Compassion and Agapé (Evangelical Love)..