FRANCISCAN FAMILY - I
GUIDELINES FOR THE FORMATION OF THE FRIARS
FOR UNDERSTANDING AND ASSISTING THE SFO
FOREWORD
The
present Guidelines for the Formation of
the Friars for Understanding and Assisting the SFO have been developed by
the Conference of General Assistants of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO) They
are intended to respond to the felt need of the Franciscans, religious and
secular, to prepare themselves better to "walk together in the ways of the
Lord" (1).
A
reciprocal understanding and vital communion required by belonging the same
spiritual family does exist and should continue to be developed among all
Franciscans (2). The various components "can
and must unite their efforts, with a view to cooperation and exchange of gifts,
in order to participate more effectively in the Church's mission" (Vita consecrata, 54). This exchange of gifts "often brings unexpected and rich
insights into certain aspects of the charism, leading
to a more spiritual interpretation of it and helping to draw from it directions
for new activities in the apostolate"(VC 55).
The
Rule and the Constitutions of the SFO (3) frequently confirm the principle of
belonging to the same spiritual family. They refer to the vital, reciprocal
communion and to the duty of the First Order (OFM, OFMConv,
OFMCap) and Third Order
Regular (TOR) to provide pastoral care and spiritual assistance. There is, in
fact, a double substantial relationship between the SFO and the First Order and
TOR:
- sharing the common charism:
The Rule of the SFO speaks of
the "life-giving union" with one another that must exist between the seculars and all the
branches of the Franciscan Family, in
order to make present, in various ways and forms, the charism
of their common Seraphic Father in the
life and mission of the Church (cf. Rule SFO 1).
- spiritual
and pastoral Assistance:
In virtue of this
"communion", according to a longstanding tradition, it is the competency of the Superiors of the First
Order and TOR to assure thespiritual
assistance through "suitable and well prepared religious", and
the pastoral visit to the Fraternities
of the SFO (cf. Rule SFO 26).
The
Secular Franciscan Order, pledged to
"renew its own life, its own formation and the organization of the
Fraternities", must count on a spiritual assistance updated and
dynamically coordinated with the other components of the Franciscan Family in
its single mission. "Consecrated persons should remember that before all
else they must be expert guides in the spiritual life, and in this perspective
they should cultivate the most precious gift - the spirit " (VC 55).
The
SFO General Chapter of
The
General Chapter SFO, held in
The
religious Franciscan Orders, to whom belongs the altius
moderamen, have made their own the principle
of "life-giving union with each
other" and have made it evident in their legislation, but also the
General and Provincial Ministers, in Letters and various interventions,
continually exhort the friars to know the SFO still more and better, and require an
adequate preparation of the spiritual Assistants.
The
present Guidelines are presented to all Franciscan religious, possibly to be
inserted in their "formation programs", for the knowledge of the SFO
within the Franciscan Family, in its mission in the Church and in the world,
and to prepare those who are called to serve as Spiritual Assistants.
I. PROGRAMS FOR TEACHING ABOUT THE SFO
a. In
Initial Formation
1. Postulancy
a) Life
of St Francis; Francis, "founder"
of the three Orders.
b) General
introduction to the Franciscan Family:
-- First Order, the Friars Minor
(OFM, OFMConv, OFMCap);
-- Second Order, Order of St Clare;
-- Third Order of the "Brothers and Sisters of Penance";
-- Secular Franciscan Order( SFO, Franciscan
Youth, Franciscan Children,
Associated
Members, Friends of St Francis);
-- Third Order Regular, male and female;
-- Secular Institutes;
--Other Franciscan movements.
c) First
contacts with an SFO Fraternity and with the Franciscan Youth.
(Continued: See
Course for Novices
and Course for Junior Professed friars)
_______________________
(1) Cf. Letter
of the Ministers General on the
occasion of the consignment of the Rule,
(2) Cf. Statutes
for the Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the Secular Franciscan Order,
(3) Cf. Rule 1; Const. 1.4; 85-91; 92, 94, 95.
(4) Cf. Conclusions of the General Chapter SFO,
(5) Cf. Koinonia 1996,
n.4; Internet http://www.ciofs.org/PER/1996/LC96EN28.HTM