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Members consider Franciscan Intellectual Tradition and respond

Kathleen Moffat, OSF

About 100 FSPA and affiliates attended a workshop recently featuring facilitator Kathleen Moffat, OSF, from Aston, Pa. The workshop, held Oct. 20-22, included new information about the Franciscan intellectual tradition throughout history. Insight asked attendees to share their thoughts on the workshop.

Sister Beatrice Merkes
“To live gratitude is to be Franciscan.”

Even the title of the workshop was The Canticle of a Grateful Heart. The first evening, to my delight, we had a nine-page prayer and reflection service by the same title. Although Francis in his canticle does not name gratitude, it is the invisible thread that ties that whole canticle together. We know well how strong an invisible thread can be.

As a member of the Assembly Leadership Committee, I appreciated hearing the way this event came about. The desired outcome is “By 2009 to intensify the collaborative model of leadership reflected in Unity and Diversity, #41. What one person can do! Sister Sue Ernster’s hunger for the Franciscan spirit inspired her to begin talking about it and this soon developed into a group of four. You may remember the invitation to form an interest group. This was 2004.The group of about 10 was inspired as they gathered and studied whatever Franciscan material they came across. One of them learned about Kathleen Moffat’s work. You know the rest of the story.

A model of collaborative leadership in action!

Sister Dorothy Schneider
The idea that came through to me was that sisterhood/brotherhood is the heart of the evangelical life. Fraternity is the word, not to be substituted by community. It implies a love and service open to all.

By this, I recognize the dignity of all human persons, accepting one another in faith, readiness to forgive and ask pardon. All this leads to peacemaking.

We are called to loving presence, gratitude, by being simply sister to each other. One cannot be a brother (sister) alone. It implies that I need others. This is the fraternity that Francis set up as the core of his order.

Sister Marcella Anibas
“God is love and goodness is diffusive of itself.” Pondering this through the weekend simplifies life for me and I am led to reflect that all that is, is “God-seed,” whose very being is to proclaim this love and the immediacy of God
always and everywhere.

The language of Franciscan evangelical spirituality is one with which my heart resonates and speaks of a theological vision I can readily embrace.

Perhaps what stands out for me is the simplification of life; the realization that evangelical life “calls” me to be “sister”
to all in the human family and all of creation. While the implications for this are very challenging, it does give me a context for “being with my story” at the end of each day and reflecting on how I was or was not “sister” that day to all I met, those who came to mind, and to all creation with which I had experience that day.

It invites me to reflect on how I am or am not “sister” to each person and aspect of creation I hear about in the news or that is brought to my attention in some way. The expression of evangelical spirituality then, appears simple; the living of it invites me to a contemplative presence to all of life as I attempt to live in the moment. For me, that is not simple!

As I reflect further on the richness of this spirituality, which is my inheritance, I recognize elements of life that have long been important to me: the deepened realization of our “call to birth this vision of being human, the recognition of the interconnectedness of all life, the lived experience of the primacy of relationship, and a renewed reverence for the cosmos, as I attempt each day to ‘be sister’ to all; a simplification of life in which there is no dichotomy between mission, charism, prayer. All are one!”

I am grateful for these days to share and reflect with my sisters and have a deepened appreciation for who we are and are to become as Franciscans.

Sister Sue Ernster
I, along with 99 other FSPA, had the privilege of hearing Kathleen Moffat speak on the evangelical life the weekend of Oct. 20-22. Not knowing what to expect, I went in hoping to hear about Francis’ life and how that relates to today.

My expectations were far exceeded. What struck me the most in the weekend was when Kathleen spoke about the Franciscan mission, which all Franciscans have, which is to be in relationship with each other and all of creation as brother/sister. Our mission is to witness to the world how to be in relationship with each other and the importance of relationships, rather than place or ministry. I had heard that Franciscans were to be in relationship, but to hear it is our mission and our gift to the world that weekend had and has a profound impact. The person is of utmost importance always, not just 9-5 or only those I live with for a while.

I now look at how I interact with each person at work and ask how am I witnessing and being in relationship to and with them. Is this a sister relationship where there is a deeper level of connection or superficial? Do I allow myself to see Christ in them and enter into the interaction with the intent of how am I in relationship with this person and how can I most fully be a witness of Christ in this relationship? Am I willing to put the necessary energy into this interaction for the potential of a healthy relationship?

I have not unpacked all of this yet and believe it will take a lifetime for me to grow into the mission. I am excited to live out our mission, and will need the help of my fellow FSPA to continue on the journey.

Sister Rochelle Potaracke
One of the statements shared at this meeting was to ”see the good, or else make good excuses.” This reinforces our need to focus on who we are as an FSPA community. We are part of a common heart and we must continue to foster our mission of giving glory to God. This will not happen if we fail to recognize the presence of God in each person.

We are continually focusing on the value of local communities and their responsibility to support the Gospel values. There is a need to stand up and speak the truth in justice issues to those in our surroundings. As FSPA we can empower the members to spread the peace and love of Francis and Clare. This would indeed be a gift to the world!

Sister Karen Grochowski
“The Franciscan Order(s) exist for the purpose of brotherhood/sisterhood which defines the character and spirit of its presence and ministry in the world.” Of all the ideas presented by Sister Kathleen Moffat it is this one that stuck with me over the course of the weekend. I see this statement as encompassing both the gift and the challenge that is ours as Franciscan women. Gift in that it provides us with a degree of freedom to choose to do a variety of ministries because for us it isn’t so much about what we do, but rather how we are in relationship with those we are in ministry with. The challenge is of course that if our faithfulness to our Franciscan charism is measured by the quality of our relationships rather than what we have accomplished, then it calls us to pay attention to how we are in each of our relationships, and to witness to God’s love and presence in each person we meet. This is a tremendous call, but it is also one that if lived faithfully, I believe, has much to offer a world which is desiring to witness people who live with authenticity
and integrity.

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