24th June 1978 - 24th June 2003
Formation and the Secular Franciscan Order
Michael J. Higgins, TOR - General Assistant
Part I
The brothers and sisters are responsible for their own formation, developing in an ever more perfect way the vocation received from the Lord. The fraternity is called to help the brothers and sisters in this journey by means of a warm welcome, prayer, and example.
At every Franciscan gathering, whether it is an informal meeting of the brothers and sisters, a monthly meeting of a local fraternity, or a canonical chapter, the topic of formation inevitably arises. The attention given to this aspect of Franciscan life is a manifestation of the important role it plays on all levels in the individual lives of the sisters and brothers - and in the life of the fraternity of the Order.
It is appropriate, therefore, that the topic of formation be discussed in this issue of Koinonia. Along with this reflection, the General Spiritual Assistants would like to invite all local fraternities to devote at least one or more periods of ongoing formation to review and discuss the role formation has in the life of the fraternity.
Formation and Information
Before turning to a discussion of formation as envisioned in the Constitutions of the Secular Franciscan Order, it is important to recognize the distinction between "formation" and "information."
Most formation programs focus primarily on information that is, the intellectual development of new and current members of the fraternity. Much attention is given to "teaching" the members about St. Francis by studying his writings, the documentation/literature about him, the history of the Order and its structure on various levels, and a host of other topics that concern Franciscan life and spirituality. This is well and good and should continue to be fostered at all levels in the Order.
Formation, however, involves more than intellectual knowledge. Formation is fundamental to the life of the brothers and sisters and carries more importance than how much knowledge one may have about Francis or about the Order. Formation deals with spiritual and human development at every level and dimension life. It is the process of a gradual unfolding of a person�s identity as a child of God made in the image and likeness of Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Even a cursory reading of the Franciscan sources demonstrates that this is what energized Francis in his own conversion experience. At the beginning of his conscious movement to God, his heart was in darkness and he cried out to God for illumination so that he could find faith, hope and charity - virtues which were absent in his life at that time.
Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command. (PrCr)
Toward the end of his life, after passing through the turmoil of the fraternity, the development of the Rule, and many physical challenges including the Stigmata, he finally found peace when he turned to God and cried out in his Praises to God:
You are our hope, You are our faith, You are our charity. (PrsG 5)
Everything that Francis prayed for as he knelt before the cross at San Damiano he found in God. In a real sense, it can be said that Francis found himself when he lost himself in an intimate relationship with God.
The challenge of formation in the Secular Franciscan Order is to encourage the sisters and brothers to embark on this same journey, that is, to be people of the charism and to find their life, and its meaning, in relationship to God. However, this is not the sole focus at the initial stage of formation in the Order. The journey begins during the inquiry period and continues throughout this process. The brothers and sisters are continually nourished in the daily life of fraternity and in relationship to their fellow Franciscans. It is no exaggeration to state that formation is a constitutive part of a secular�s life-long journey.
24th June 1978 - 24th June 2003
Formation and the Secular Franciscan Order
Michael J. Higgins, TOR - General Assistant
Part II
Key Franciscan Charisms
The prologue of the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order is taken from St. Francis� Earlier Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. It provides a wonderful lens through which the rest of the Rule can be read and appreciated. Based on this text, formation can be viewed as process by which sisters and brothers become people who love God, love their neighbors, are conscious of and work to address their sinful natures, have an appreciation and hunger for the sacraments, and who produce "worthy fruits of penance." In a word, formation asks them to become "people of mercy" and to be actively and conscientiously involved with growing in holiness at every level of their lives, that is, they accept a specific "Franciscan" direction and spiritual outlook as their own.
Seculars share in the basic charisms of the Franciscan family in terms of the example of holy and integrated lives given by Sts. Francis and Clare and spiritual identity as articulated in the Rule. They are encouraged to be people of poverty, minority, contemplation and ongoing conversion and to find a way to live these charisms in a vibrant and real way in their secular state.
Poverty
St. Francis understood that everything is from God and the guiding force of his life was to be in right relationship with God. With poverty, one's only wealth is in the Lord. All creation and every possession can then be seen and appreciated in its proper place before the Lord.
For seculars, Franciscan poverty is not the same as it is for the other branches of the Order. Rather than the "most high poverty" embraced by the First Order and Second Order, or the religious poverty embraced by the Third Order Regular in which all is shared in service to the mission, seculars are invited to have their priorities in the right perspective.
Trusting in 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. Thus, in the spirit of "the Beatitudes," and as pilgrims and strangers on their way to the home of the Father, they should strive to purify their hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power. (SFO Rule art. 11)
Article 18 of the Rule takes this one step further by stating that seculars should "strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kinship." Poverty in this sense allows creation to be in proper balance before the Lord.
Minority
Minority, or humility, teaches the brothers and sisters to accept every aspect of their lives and encourages seculars to grow in self knowledge. This requires a willingness to face the reality of sin and weakness in a positive, straightforward manner and to accept and develop personal gifts and talents.
Too often, humility is presented as the recognition of one's faults and as a prod to turn to God for mercy and forgiveness. In reality, humility is an invitation to accept the totality of who one is before God. It requires that the sisters and brothers recognize and accept those areas in life which are sinful, broken or deformed and to ask that God to help them deal with those areas. However, humility also means that the good and graced aspects of life be accepted and affirmed as well. Our faith teaches us that people are made in the image and likeness of God; that Jesus died so that they may have everlasting life; and that the Holy Spirit is graciously poured out so that men and women might have life in abundance.
When people wholly accept these truths about human identity, they can truly be said to be humble before the Lord and one another. It also leads them to see the Divine image in everyone they come into contact with. As the SFO Rule states so well:
As the Father sees in every person the features of his Son, the firstborn of many brothers and sisters, so the Secular Franciscans with a gentle and courteous spirit accept all people as a gift of the Lord and an image of Christ. (SFO Rule art. 13)
Contemplation
With contemplation, the brothers and sisters grow in an appreciation and love of all aspects of prayer in its personal, fraternal and ecclesial dimensions. These include, but are not limited to, meditation, contemplation, hermitage or retreat days, the Liturgy of the Hours, the Eucharist, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Franciscan and Catholic devotions such as the rosary, Franciscan Crown, Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic adoration and benediction, litanies, and a host of other devotions and prayers.
As Jesus was the true worshiper of the Father, so let prayer and contemplation be the soul of all they are and do. Let them participate in the sacramental life of the Church, above all the Eucharist. Let them join in liturgical prayer in one of the forms proposed by the Church, reliving the mysteries of the life of Christ. (SFO Rule art. 8)
When seculars grow in contemplation they begin to see things differently. All of creation becomes alive with the presence of God.
Ongoing Conversion
Ongoing conversion challenges the brothers and sisters to recognize that Christian and Franciscan life is a continuous journey of faith. A necessary requirement of this journey is an open and docile spirit. The secular must be willing to accept that he or she does not have all the answers and be willing to change and develop.
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 itself 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. (SFO Rule art. 7)
The Franciscan charisms of poverty, minority, contemplation, and ongoing conversion encourage seculars to be formed as people of mercy. This means that they grow in a gentle acceptance of the importance of self-growth based on a willingness and ability to change.
As seculars grow in the spiritual life they are challenged to become ever more sensitive to others _ especially to the needy, poor and marginalized, and to recognize and be willing to address the broken conditions of culture and society. Authentic spiritual formation calls the brothers and sisters beyond the narrow concerns of self development and makes them sensitive to what is around them in their society and the world.
24th June 1978 - 24th June 2003
Formation and the Secular Franciscan Order
Michael J. Higgins, TOR - General Assistant
Part III
Formation in the Constitutions
The Constitutions state that "the time of formation lasts at least one year" (art. 40:1) and that its purpose is to give time for the vocation of the candidate to mature and to allow a new member the "experience of the evangelical life in fraternity, and a better knowledge of the Order" (art. 40:1). This process takes place over an extended period of time and does not have to be limited to one year. Regional and national statutes may be adapted to permit longer periods of initial formation.
It is important that the formation be "carried out with frequent meetings for study and prayer and with concrete experiences of service and of apostolate" (art. 40:1). It should be well planned and implemented and enjoy the full support of the fraternity. During this time, the candidates are guided to read and meditate on Sacred Scripture, to come to know the person and writings of Francis and of Franciscan spirituality, and to study the Rule and Constitutions. They are trained in a love for the Church and acceptance of her teaching. The laity practice living their secular commitment in the world in an evangelical way. (40: 2)
During formation, the candidates are exposed to the key documents of the Franciscan life: Sacred Scriptures, the writings by and about St. Francis, the Rule and Constitutions of the Order, and the national and regional statutes which have been approved for use in individual countries.
The last line of article 40:2 is particularly important; here the members of the Secular Franciscan Order are invited to see the world and their place in the world against the horizon of the Gospel as they move from "Gospel to life and life to the Gospel" as the Rule challenges them to do. In this sense, "evangelical" means a way of life which is imbued and guided by the Gospel and personal example of Jesus.
The important element of continuous conversion in the Franciscan life is strengthened in article 44 of the Constitutions. Formation is not a stage of preparation from which a secular graduates. It is rather an invitation to a way of life in which one works toward spiritual growth and maturity.
Begun by the preceding stages, the formation of the brothers and sisters takes place in a permanent and continuous way. It should be understood as an aid in the conversion of each and everyone and in the fulfillment of their proper mission in the Church and in society. (art. 44:1)
This theme is continued and strengthened in article 44:3 in the Constitutions _ and provides a powerful directive to seculars to be constantly immersed in the process of formation. It states:
Ongoing formation - accomplished by means of courses, gatherings, and the sharing of experience - aims to assist the brothers and sisters:
According to these texts, ongoing formation is "accomplished by means of courses, gatherings, and the sharing of experience" (art 44:3) and is meant to help the brothers and sisters to listen and meditate on the Word of God, reflecting on the life of the Church and society in the light of their faith and the teaching of the Church, and to constantly "deepen the Franciscan vocation by studying the writings of Saint Francis, Saint Clare and Franciscan authors" (art 44:3).
Unfortunately, many Seculars are not fully aware of what these words from this article of the Constitutions are asking them to do and to be. Seculars are encouraged to grow in an intellectual knowledge of their faith based on the Sacred Scriptures, the teachings of the Church, and the great Franciscan spiritual tradition. This is the role of "information" as discussed in the first section of this reflection. However, they should not limit themselves to an intellectual assimilation of facts.
Based on what they have learned, seculars are to listen, meditate, reflect, and constantly deepen their vocations. That is, they are to be actively and consciously involved in being formed into active and vibrant children of God. For this to really make a difference in the life of the seculars they must be willing to change - to allow their way of being in the world to be reshaped by the Gospel.
Article 37, which was quoted at the beginning of this reflection, states, "the brothers and sisters are responsible for their own formation." That is, they are the primary agents in their own formation - but the fraternity is encouraged to help them. "The fraternity is called to help the brothers and sisters in this journey by means of a warm welcome, prayer, and example."
The Franciscan life is not an invitation to a personal project of spiritual growth; rather, it is an invitation to relationship and an active involvement in each other�s lives.
24th June 1978 - 24th June 2003
Formation and the Secular Franciscan Order
Michael J. Higgins, TOR - General Assistant
Part IV
Concluding Remarks
Today, we are in a privileged position with regard to the writings of and about Saint Francis and in our appreciation of the history and spirituality of the Secular Franciscan Order, especially as it relates to the ancient penitential and secular traditions. As a result, the Order can now provide solid Franciscan formation to the men and women who are attracted to it.
At the initial stages of formation, it is important to challenge the candidates to embrace a process of authentic discernment. Seculars should be encouraged to closely examine their lives within the context of the many dimensions of the Order. If candidates show the potential to embrace this way of life, they may then move towards the profession. If not, they should consider leaving the fraternity to find a different way to serve the Lord. In guiding this process, the role of the Director of Formation is essential and must include ongoing consultation with the minister and council of the local fraternity.
It is also important for fraternities to identify those sisters and brothers who have the aptitude, personality, and dedication for the work as formators and then to train them properly. Equally important is to affirm those who are presently doing this work and support them. �Good Franciscans� do not necessarily make good formators; even in religious life, much damage has been done by well meaning friars who do not know how to be effective formators.
It is important that the sisters and brothers who work in formation are psychologically healthy, are trained in Franciscanism, and are cognizant of the dynamics of human growth and spiritual formation. A tall order, but absolutely necessary for good formation programs - after all, this is the life-blood of the fraternity and deserves full attention.
Another danger is that in some countries the levels of formation are seen as distinct entities and there is little collaboration between the directors of initial formation and ongoing formation. Since collaboration ensures the smooth continuity of the program it is recommended that the formation team work more closely, to communicate regularly with each other, and to develop a well-planned program which has similar expectations for the seculars being formed. This has implications for the choosing of the brothers and sisters who work in formation: they must have the appropriate personality traits that include working well with others and should enjoy collaborating with the associated levels of formation.
Finally, formation directors should be aware of how cultural values affect the women and men who come to the fraternity. For example, as an American, I am formed by my own North American culture and I have to deal with the American insistence on self direction and autonomy. As a result, in my country some aspirants to the Order do not seem willing or able to participate wholeheartedly in the process of formation; the spirit of openness and docility that is required of people embarking on a new journey is lacking. If they believe they have the answers, they can hardly be open to the guidance and challenge of their directors. This is something that needs to be addresses in a straight-forward manner in the United States.
Likewise, it is important for all those involved in formation within their fraternities to identify and address aspects of their own societies and to be willing to constructively criticize them in light of Franciscan and Gospel values. The goal of the formation process is to help people see and judge the world as Jesus has taught us and the as the Church guides us.
The people coming to us deserve no less and the Order can not afford anything else.
Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon. Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others. Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father. (SFO Rule art. 19)