Secular Franciscan Order

Asia-Oceania Congress

Profession in the SFO:Gift and Commitment

Most high and glorious God,Bring light to the darkness of my heart.Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity,Most high and glorious God.

Lord, give me insight ... And wisdom ...So that I might always discernYour holy and true will.

Prayer for Guidance

2008 General Chapter Theme:

Profession and Sense of Belonging 2 Keynote addresses:

Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment (Felice Cangelosi, OFM Cap Belonging to the SFO

(Emanuela De Nunzio, OFS)

Introduction

To further explore these topics (break open)

Profession (Doug); Sense of Belonging (Lucy)

Working groups will then have an opportunity to dialogue on this subject

Presentation will be interspersed with music

Objective of Presentation

Paper has already been circulated and participants in congress have already read (assumption)

16 sections to the paper Would take an hour to read paper in its

entirty with 3-4 minutes for each section Will focus on 3 or 4 points in each section Group work will afford another opportunity

to further explore content of paper References to the Ritual

Objectives of Presentation

Introduction

I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit

II The Commitment of Profession

Conclusions

Outline

I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit(9 sub-sections)

II The Commitment of Profession(7 sub-sections)

Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment

1. The grace of Profession2. Profession: an action of the Church3. Profession and Fraternity4. Ministries in the celebration of profession

(candidates, fraternity, presbyter)5. The gift of the Spirit in the celebration of

Profession6. Profession and Eucharist7. Baptism of Profession8. Relationship with the Church9. Witnesses and instruments of the Church’s

mission

I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit

Profession - Foundational moment of the identity of the professed

God is committed to his people – prior commitment of God to man – saving event

Profession is men and women’s response to God’s loving action

Response – our promise to live the Gospel life - profession

Profession, A gift of the Spirit (Context)

Profession comes about through the grace of God

God gives us the grace to consecrate ourselves to the service of His kingdom

Because of this grace, we are able to dedicate ourselves to serving God

The Holy Spirit urges us to strive for perfect charity in our own secular state (Rule 2)

It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to pursue our Gospel project

Profession, A gift of the Spirit1. The Grace of Profession

Profession comes about because of God’s intervention

God always acts through Christ, “the meeting point between God and man”

Christ lives and acts through the Church, the body of Christ

Profession is simultaneously the action of Christ and the action of the Church – an ecclesial act

Profession, A gift of the Spirit2. Profession: an action of the Church

Profession is made in the presence of the fraternity, a visible sign of the Church

Through profession, the individual entrusts him/herself to the fraternity – covenant relationship which can never be disregarded

Profession incorporates and individual into the Secular Franciscan Order” – and into the Franciscan Family

Reciprocal action Incorporation cannot be thought of as simply adding

one thing to another (1+1) but rather as the creation of something new – both the individual and the fraternity are changed

Profession, A gift of the Spirit3. Profession and Fraternity

Multiple ministries involved Profession is a “priestly action” – proper to someone

who has been baptised and is conformed to Christ - priest, prophet and king

Candidates – baptised, confirmed, performs priestly act of Profession

Fraternity – visible sign of the Church made present in Minister – receives the candidates commitment to the gospel life in the name of the Church and of the fraternity

Presbyter / Priest – witness (sacramental), guarantor and the one who confirms on behalf of the Church

Profession, A gift of the Spirit4. Ministries in celebrating of profession

Holy Spirit is invoked – through prayer of invocation, we ask the Holy Spirit to be poured out on those called to follow in the footsteps of Christ

The Spirit comes when invoked ... Is present, acts and transforms

Profession takes on the form of a “Pentecost”

Spirit consecrates and transforms those who make the promise to live the Gospel life

Profession, A gift of the Spirit5. Outpouring of the Spirit

Profession is celebrated within the context of the Eucharist - expresses sacrificial dimension of self-giving

By promising to live the Gospel life, candidates make themselves entirely available to God and place themselves on the altar of Christ’s sacrifice as a holy victim pleasing to God

Profession is a commitment of life and for life - profession places the individual in the “state” of being professed, linked to the rhythm of the Eucharist (from the Eucharist to the Eucharist)

Profession, A gift of the Spirit6. Profession and Eucharist

Relationship between Baptism and Profession forms the basis of the relationship of Secular Franciscans with the Church

Baptism establishes the Christian’s fundamental relationship with the Church

Through baptism, we are consecrated, sacramentally configured to the paschal mystery of Christ, and are made living members of the People of God

Profession helps people live their baptismal grace and consecration with greater intensity of commitment and diligence

Profession, A gift of the Spirit7. Baptism and Profession

Profession develops and intensifies the person’s relationship with the Church, giving rise to a “stronger” and “closer” relationship with the Church

“Do you wish to bind yourself more closely to the Church?” (Ritual)

“They have been united more intimately with the Church by profession ...” (Rule 6)

Profession, A gift of the Spirit8. Relationship with the Church

“they should go forth as witnesses and instruments of (the Church’s) mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by their life and words.” (Rule 6)

Essential feature of Mission: Building up the Church – linked to mission entrusted to Francis by the Crucified of San Damiano

Sons and daughters of Francis are called to “insert themselves into the living fabric of the people of God”

Called to live as authentic members of the Church – living a bond of communion which must be affirmed in everyday life

Profession, A gift of the Spirit9. Witnesses and instruments of the Church’s mission

Laudato sii O mi signore,Laudato sii O mi signore,Laudato sii O mi signore,Laudato sii O mi signore!

Praise to you, Most High all powerfulYours, the glory, honour and blessing.Praise to you, Lord, through all that you have made.Praise and bless you, Lord god of all creation.

Laudato Sii, O mi Signore

I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit(9 sub-sections)

II The Commitment of Profession(7 sub-sections)

Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment

10. Consecration11. The value of Profession in the SFO12. After the manner of St. Francis13. Gospel life for discipleship of “following Christ”14. Christ, centre of life15. The original penitential identity16. Secularity

II The Commitment of Profession

“I, N.N., by the grace of God, renew my baptismal promises and consecrate myself to the service of his kingdom” (Ritual)

Profession – act by which a person places him/herself into the hands of God, enabling God to take hold of him/her

Through consecration, God takes possession of the person, making him/her his own exclusive property – person no longer belongs to him/herself but becomes God’s property – becomes “sacred”

Consecration is lived out in the world

The Commitment of Profession10. Consecration

Constitutive Elements of Profession of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance (Propositum vitae):◦ Obligation contracted before God;◦ Commitment to observe a form of life or Rule◦ Definitive incorporation into the Order

Same elements also constitutive of religious profession

Promise of Franciscan Penitents equivalent to religious profession

“Order of Penance” is a “religious” Order in the wide sense of the word and Franciscan penitents were not “laymen” or ordinary faithful but “secular religious”

The Commitment of Profession11. The value of Profession in the SFO

Elements of Profession in the SFO◦ Solemn and religious commitment◦ Assumed before God and the Church◦ to observe the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis◦ Expressed lay persons (married or unmarried) and

members of the secular clergy◦ Intending to live in the normal conditions of secular life

Cannot be considered inferior to “religious” profession – different but not inferior

Church has always recognized and validated the value of profession in the Secular Franciscan Order

The Commitment of Profession11. The value of Profession in the SFO

Distinguishing element of Profession into the SFO: Reference to St. Francis Francis’ intent: return to the Gospel of Jesus Life of Secular Franciscans depends on the Gospel, mediated by the inspiration and experience of

Francis of Assisi As Franciscans, we are called to live according to

the instructions given by Francis, which today are gathered together in the Rule

The Commitment of Profession12. After the manner of St. Francis

We learn from Francis and, like him, strive to know no other rule of life except that of the Gospel of Jesus

Church takes “ownership” of the SFO Rule and, by its authority, proposes it to Secular Franciscans

The Rule and Constitutions set the standard, the norm, and are not optional for the professed

The Commitment of Profession12. After the manner of St. Francis

In profession, individuals promise to follow Christ and to live the Gospel in fraternity

Francis linked “following Christ” with “observing the Gospel” – to follow Christ depends on the observance of the Gospel – through the Gospel, Francis came to know Christ personally

Francis sensed the presence of Jesus in the Gospel – the Lord spoke to him directly, beyond the limits of space and time, through the biblical Word

Gospel – not something to be known, but a living person to be followed

For Francis, to follow Christ did not mean repeating the events of Jesus’ earthly life, but rather to

structure the whole of one’s life on the set of evangelical demands, sharing in and imitating the action of God

The Commitment of Profession13. Gospel life for discipleship

Francis ... “made Christ the inspiration and the centre of his life with God and with people” (Rule 4)

Secular Franciscans are encouraged to constantly assess their lives against the standard of Him who is the way, the truth and the life

To follow Christ is to be conformed to Him – to carry out the commitment involved in profession by living all the demands of the Gospel to its very depths ... to the very end.

The Commitment of Profession14. Christ, centre of life

Gospel message opens with a call to conversion – “Repent and believe the Good News” (Mark 1:15)

In Profession, Secular Franciscans commit themselves to living a penitential life

Rule’s Prologue (“Letter to all the Faithful”) provides the context for this penitential life and is the source and inspiration of the entire tradition and spirituality of the SFO

As brothers and sisters of penance, we are called to conform our thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel itself calls conversion (Rule 7)

The Commitment of Profession15. The original penitential identity

Our consecration is lived in the world Identity and Mission of SFO is understood within the

context of our “secular state” (or secularity) and the “world”.

Secularity: (1) being in the world as human creatures and as communities of men and women, a dimension of being human; (2) acceptance of God’s intervention in human history and placing one’s whole life at the service of the Kingdom of God (the secular state that is consecrated to God)

World: being and action of Secular Franciscans take place in the context of “the world” – called to live their lives in the ordinary situations of the world, the “place” where discipleship is lived and where one becomes holy

The Commitment of Profession16. Secularity

The world can only be changed through discipleship, because it is the new men and women, redeemed by Christ and constantly purified by penance, who builds the new society; it is the new men and women who usher in a new way of being at the service of humanity.

Our time is now. Let us go forward as disciples of Christ to build a new world!

The Commitment of Profession16. Secularity

Wherever the Spirit leads us,Wherever we go,Wherever the journey takes us,Together, we’ll go!

Wherever The Spirit Leads Us