Candidacy

All sessions begin at 1 p.m. in Founders Room

at St. Francisof Assisi Catholic Church

unless otherwise notified.

Nov. 20, 2022

Theme is St. Clare of Assisi

Franciscan Journey, Review C3
FUN Manual C. 14, part 2, pg 18-24

Sept. 25, 2022

Franciscan Journey
C. 19 A Simple Way to Live (review)
C. 20 Freedom to Love
    There are 7 questions at the end of C.20. Please answer these in whatever fashion helps you learn best. 
 
Other:
SFO Rule: Art.12
Constitution, Art. 15.4
*What Is the Kingdom of God (Catholic Update Article)
 
FUN Manual
The Rule of the SFO by Teresa Baker, OFS, pg 12-18. (Review)

Aug. 28, 2022

Session 10: Following Christ in a Spirit of Poverty, Detachment and Freedom

Themes: Obedience, Building the Kingdom, Way of the Cross, Poverty, Simplicity, Detachment, Beatitudes 

READ: The Franciscan Journey 

Ch. 18 Being Faithful 

Ch. 19 A Simple Way to Live 

Reflect on the Question at the end of each of these two chapters.

READ: FUN Manual The Rule of the SFO by Teresa Baker, OFS, p. 12-18

READ BELOW: 

RULE of OFS:

10. United themselves to the redemptive obedience of Jesus, who placed His will into the Father’s hands, let them faithfully fulfill the duties proper to their various circumstances of life. Let them also follow the poor and crucified Christ, witness to Him even in difficulties and persecutions. 

11. Trusting the Father, Christ chose for Himself and His mother a poor and humble life, even though He valued created things attentively and lovingly. Let the Secular Franciscans seek a proper spirit of detachment from temporal goods by simplifying their own material needs. Let them be mindful that according to the gospel they are stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God’s children. 

OFS Constitution

Article 12 

1. Gaining inspiration from the example and the writings of Francis and, above all, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, each day the brothers and sisters faithfully live the great gift which Christ has given: the revelation of the Father. They should bear witness to this faith before all: – in their family life; – in their work; – in their joys and sufferings; – in their associations with all men and women, brothers and sisters of the same Father; – in their presence and participation in the life of society; – in their fraternal relationships with all creatures. 

2. Rule 10. With Jesus, obedient even to death, they should seek to know and do the will of the Father. They should give thanks to God for the gift of freedom and for the revelation of the law of love. In order to carry out the will of the Father, they should accept the help which is offered to them through the mediation of the Church by those who are given authority in her and by their confreres. They should take on the risk of courageous choices in their life in society with decisiveness and serenity.

Article 15

1. Rule 11. Secular Franciscans are committed to live the spirit of the Beatitudes and, in a special way, the spirit of poverty. Evangelical poverty demonstrates confidence in the Father, creates interior freedom, and disposes them to promote a more just distribution of wealth. 

2. Secular Franciscans, who must provide for their own families and serve society by means of their work and material goods, have a particular manner of living evangelical poverty. To understand and achieve it requires a strong personal commitment and the encouragement of the Fraternity in prayer and dialogue, communal review of life, and attentiveness to the instructions of the Church, and the demands of society. 

3. Secular Franciscans should commit themselves to reduce their own personal needs so as to be better able to share spiritual and material goods with their brothers and sisters, especially those most in need. They should give thanks to God for the goods they have received, using them as good stewards and not as owners. They should take a firm position against consumerism and against ideologies and practices which prefer riches over human and religious values, and which permit the exploitation of the human person. 

4. They should love and practice purity of heart, the source of true fraternity. 

June 26, 2022

Formation Reflection

Questions

1.  In one of his prayers, Francis writes: “…inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened, and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit.”

A: What do these words mean to you, and what practical implications do they have?B: How does your life of prayer and good works make you “…inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened, and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit.”  Give specific examples based on your experience.

2.     After reading the article Franciscan Spirituality (from OFS-Australia ):A: Describe some of the unique aspects of Franciscan spirituality that you spoke to you. B: How do you feel about living the Franciscan spirituality? C: What do you find challenging? What may come easier?

3.    Daniel Horan, OFM in his article on Relationships, discusses the word “fraternitas”. A: In your own words, describe what that term means to you. B: How have you experienced this in our Formation, Gatherings, and Retreats?

4. Our Rule 12 states: “A sense of community will make them joyful and ready to place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ.” A: How do you think living this rule will help you as a Secular Franciscan?

5. As a professed, you may be called to serve in various positions within the Order. This is why Formation, and a thorough understanding  Franciscan spirituality, Rule, The Gospel, and life in the Order, is so important. For example, concerning the Council, Rule 21 states: “Their service … is marked by a ready and willing spirit and is a duty of responsibility to each member and to the community.” A: As a Secular Franciscan, what does it mean to have a “ready and willing spirit” as a member of the Fraternity, in the Church, in family life and community life?

6.     From Fr. Gallagher’s article on Liturgy of the Hours:

A: List 4 things that you found new, or interesting, about the liturgy of the hours.

B:What do you use to pray the Liturgy of the Hours? Name some of your favorite websites, apps, or books that facilitate your prayer.

C: What do you like about praying the Liturgy of the Hours?

D: What is challenging?

E: What do you need to do to make more time, if necessary, to incorporate prayer and contemplation in your life? 

Sunday, May 22, 2022

Guided sharing of your response to the five questions sent you based on the FUN Manual, C.
13: St. Francis and His Approach to Divinity by Bob Fitzsimmons. SFO; the article, Francis of
Assisi “Theologian?” by Thadee Matura, OFM; the article, Francis as Vernacular Theologian: Alink to the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition? by Dominic Monti, OFM; and the article on The
Four Pillars of BSSF Region: Spirituality, Formation, Fraternity, Apostolate,  A Franciscan Prayer LifeREAD: The Franciscan Journey Ch. 16 When You Pray
READ: FUN Manual, The Rule of the SFO-Teresa Baker, OFS, pgs. 18-28

 

  1. Rule, Constitution
  2. Delio- Franciscan Prayer
  3. Francis Admonitions Adm.#1
  4. Lectio Divina (1)

Sunday,  March  27, 2022

THEME:

Conversion and Penance
 
READ:
The Franciscan Journey Ch. 15 Gospel, Conversion, and Reconciliation 
FUN Manual: The Rule of the SFO-Teresa Baker, OFS, pgs. 18-28 
FUN Manual: Penitence and Conversion-Ron Pihokker, OFS, pgs. 1-18
 
READ the following portions of the Rule and Constitution, set forth below:
 
RULE 7: United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily. On this road to renewal the sacrament of reconciliation is the privileged sign of the Father’s mercy and the source of grace.
 
Article 13 
 
1. Rule 7. Secular Franciscans, called in earlier times “the brothers and sisters of penance”, propose to live in the spirit of continual conversion. Some means to cultivate this characteristic of the Franciscan vocation, individually, and in fraternity, are: listening to and celebrating the Word of God; review of life; spiritual retreats; the help of a spiritual adviser, and penitential celebrations. They should approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation frequently and participate in the communal celebration of it, whether in the Fraternity, or with the whole people of God . 
 
2. In this spirit of conversion, they should live out their love for the renewal of the Church, which should be accompanied by personal and communal renewal. The fruits of conversion, which is a response to the love of God, are the works of charity in the interactions with the brothers and sisters. 
 
3. Traditionally among Franciscan penitents, penitential practices such as fasting and abstinence should be known, appreciated, and lived out according to the general guidelines of the Church.

Sunday,  Feb. 27, 2022

The Theme (Contained in Rule Art. 6) 

Profession and Rebuilding the Church 
Areas of Consideration: 
Baptism, Profession, Rebuilding the Church, Building the Kingdom, Hospitality 
 
READ: The Franciscan Journey Ch. 14, “A Rebuilding Task” 
 
READ: Fun Manual, Chapter 15, pages 1-18. Title: “Profession and the Secular Franciscan Order (By Fr. Richard Trezza).
 
READ: SFO Rule Art. 6, which states in full:
6. They have been made living members of the Church by being buried and raised with Christ in baptism; they have been united more intimately with the Church by profession. Therefore, they should go forth as witnesses and instruments of her mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by their life and words. Called like Saint Francis to rebuild the Church and inspired by his example, let them devote themselves energetically to living in full communion with the pope, bishops, and priests, fostering an open and trusting dialog of apostolic effectiveness and creativity. 
 
READ: OFS Constitution Article14-1, and Article 17, which states in full:
Subject: The Way of life. Article 14 
(1)  Aware that God wanted to make us all a single people and that he made his Church the universal sacrament of salvation, the brothers and sisters should commit themselves to a faith-inspired reflection on the Church, its mission in today’s world and the role of the Franciscan laity within it. They should take up the challenges and accept the responsibilities that this reflection will lead them to discover.
 
Subject: Active presence in the Church and world. Article 17 
(1) Called to work together in building up the Church as the sacrament of salvation for all and, through their baptism and profession, made “witnesses and instruments of her mission”, Secular Franciscans proclaim Christ by their life and words. Their preferred apostolate is personal witness17 in the environment in which they live and service for building up the Kingdom of God within the situations of this world.
(2) The preparation of the brothers and sisters for spreading the Gospel message “in the ordinary circumstances of the world”18 and for collaborating in the catechesis within the ecclesial communities should be promoted in the fraternities. 
(3) Those who are called to carry out the mission of catechists, presiders of ecclesial communities, or other ministries, as well as the sacred ministers, should make the love of Francis for the word of God their own, as well as his faith in those who announce it, and the great fervour with which he received the mission of preaching penance from the Pope. 
(4) Participation in the service of sanctification, which the Church carries out through the liturgy, prayer, and works of penance and charity, is put into practice by the brothers and sisters above all in their own family, then in the fraternity and finally through their active presence in the local Church and in society. 

Sunday,  Jan. 23, 2022

Session 3:  Focus on Christ, the Gospel and Encountering Christ  (Rule Arts. 4 and  5) The Franciscan Journey

  • Ch. 12 A Focus on Christ and Ch. 13 Encountering Christ

Other:

FUN Manual

  • The Rule of the SFO-Teresa Baker, OFS, pgs. 7-17

Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 Assignment

1. Ch 10 and 11 in Franciscan Journey. In journal, respond to all  reflection questions at the end of Ch. 10 and 11. 

2. Read the Chapter in FUN Manual titled “The Rule of the SFO”, pp. 1-6 of that Chapter. In journal, respond to all  reflection questions on page  6.
 
3. Read in the (red) Rule Book–the Prologue and Rules # 1-3.
 

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 Assignment

Main Text:  The Franciscan Journey Ch. 9- plus articles from the For Up to Now (FUN) manual

Session #1:   The History of the Secular Franciscan Order and Its Rules

      Themes:  Development of the Order, Rules of 1223, 1289, 1883, 1978

The Franciscan Journey

Ch. 9:  Vatican II and SFO Rule and Constitutions.  Complete questions at end of chapter.

FUN Manual

A Brief History of the Secular Franciscan Order and Its Rules by William Wicks, OFS

(This article can also be found in the last section of the FUN manual.)





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