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Affiliates reflect on 25th anniversary celebration

This year marks the 25th anniversary of affiliation, and a three-day gathering was held Aug. 11-13 for sisters and affiliates to come together and celebrate Joy in our Journey, Hope for our World. About 140 people attended the event in La Crosse, including affiliates and sisters from as far away as Texas and California. Perspectives asked several affiliates to reflect on the celebration and its meaning to them.

Vicky Freybler, a covenant affiliate since 1990 who made a lifelong commitment in 2005, says she left the celebration feeling a greater sense of hope and peace, and she feels even more committed to affiliation now. “The celebration was for me a chance to reflect on the movement of affiliation and express my hopes for the future. I was more than pleased to hear the hope for establishing “common ground” as we, sisters and affiliates, move ahead in time. It seems to me that focusing on common ground will provide for easier transitions and help to alleviate the expressed fears that exist. The energy of the weekend was profound!”

A discussion group at the anniversary celebration focuses on a Franciscan topic. Currently there are 206 affiliates. From left, Violeta Abitia, affiliate; Linda Vermeersch, affiliate-in-process; Charlotte Nesseth, affiliate; Marci Madary, affiliation co-minister, and Sister Anita Beskar, with back to camera.

Theresa Washburn, a covenant affiliate for three years, says the words of affiliate Earl Madary rang true for her, when he said affiliates and sisters share a common Franciscan heart. She explains, “This is our common ground, from this place we form one great circle and in the center we have our sights on Francis and Clare. From this common circle the Holy Spirit will lead us in the dance, the kicking of our heels upward, followed by a deep bending of the knees and twisting at the hips. With arms locked and hands on shoulders, the 25th anniversary celebration appeared to be the outward commitment to remain together and to be willing to see what our collective Franciscan future will be.”

Affiliate Chet Corey, who began the process of becoming an affiliate in 1995, says the anniversary was truly a co-celebration. “That the FSPA community in 1980 expressed her desire to invite laity into a parallel relationship—moreover, for her to have carried that desire forward into the dynamic parallel community it has become—speaks to me of the FSPA community’s undeniable willingness to grow where she has been planted. However, perhaps only now, with this coming of age for affiliation, will the cross-pollination fully begin, perhaps only now will affiliation be able to enrich FSPA as she has enriched her laity.”

Chandra Sherin, a prayer affiliate since 2001, says the anniversary of affiliation is testament to the bravery and wisdom of the FSPA women. “It is an honor and an exciting joy to be a part of a community relationship that actively seeks growth, healing and balance for all beings. The FSPA have taught me the importance of celebrating the significant milestones. This celebration was well rooted in balance, reverence, elegance in simplicity and eloquent utterances filled with the Holy Spirit. Relationships are held sacred here, and this milestone invests me with esteem in being Franciscan at this point in time with such courageous and devoted women and men. Dancing seemed the most appropriate way to mark the time as holy—both in prayer and in leisure, like Saints Francis and Clare.”

Affiliation co-minister Marci Madary says affiliation has a bright future ahead, as evidenced by the energy and success of the gathering. “The Franciscan spirit and the FSPA charism are being brought forward by affiliates into society and making FSPA more alive and more relevant. The FSPA influence is longer reaching because of affiliates,” she says. “In the future, I hope affiliation becomes more deeply integrated with the FSPA and grows in ways I can’t even imagine.”

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