Feast of Saint Francis

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1 Page 1 Feast of Saint Francis The Gospel on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Francis (Mathew 11,25-30) is meant for all people whose wisdom is not influenced by intellectual arrogance and whose wisdom should not be confused with selfish ingenuity. Ironically so, these people are considered immature as they do not brag, yet they are active as the real achievers of human existence and humanity. Mathew (about 80) passed on this prayer of Jesus to His Father; it conveys the Lightness of Being, which is a thorn in the flesh for do-gooders everywhere: for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. But what does this have to do with Saint Francis (1181 to 1226) and with us (2016)? It is Francis unbroken fascination. The Minor Brother, the little poor man, he is a big man for his human brothers and sisters. The name Assisi will be connected with him forever, and his name is connected with the city. And this is what is so secretive and mysterious about the life of this well-known man that can only be spotted occasionally when the curtain lifts once again when studying history or during meditation of his life through the encounter with himself even across the gap of time. At that time, people already believed that Saint Francis was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Maybe Chesterton provides us with a new approach to this mysterious poor man of Assisi by the description in his remarkable book about Saint Francis of Assisi (1959). Chesterton compares the change in Saint Francis life with the Tumbler of Our Lady when his world literally turned upside down. Everything depends on God. Nothing can maintain or has to maintain itself. Everything is being held (depends). We are being held. God holds all. We sometimes suspect that this is the way it is. And we sometimes hope that this is the way it could be, but then we think that doing a tumble would be ridiculous. Francis has become a New Creation when he followed The One who asked him in his dreams in Spoleto: Who can do more for you, the servant or the Lord? Francis gave the only logical and correct answer: The Lord!. And the Lord s question in his dream was merely rhetorical: Then why do you seek the servant? From that moment on, the knight s armor was no longer the right attire for Francis just like the fine cloth of his father, who served the haute volée. Even the thin habit was still too much. And Francis died as he had come into this world: naked. Francis had turned into a new creation, the Brother of all of humanity. Francis did not distinguish between classes and casts, masters and servants, slaves or free people. He only knew brothers and sisters on the inside and on the outside. During the crusade, he visited the Muslims (1219), certainly a rather daring sign. But Francis Praise of the Cross of Christ was the opposite of the arrogance that stirs up mankind: God wants it! God wants peace and mercy. In order to think along these lines, you still have to do tumbles today; and you should not be afraid of getting wounded. Doing tumbles and being certain that all of mankind friends and enemies alike- are God s children you have to be quite crazy, far away from the limitations influencing our common thinking and life. Francis knew that his Rule of Life was not above the Gospel or not above Jesus Christ, who had not come to make the just even more just, which quite often also means self-righteous. Go ahead and do a tumble and you will see what things really depend on. Hadrian W. Koch OFM

2 Page 2 Africa Feast of Saint Francis in Kenia has become a tradition For the second time the Franciscan Family of Kenya has celebrated a Franciscan Family Day. Following the success of the first feast of this kind on 5 September 2015, the Second Franciscan Family Day took place this year on the first Saturday after the end of the holiday period; the date for the next event has already been set for 2 September Fr. Hermann Borg OFM enthusiastically reports about the preparations as well as the event itself: invitations had been sent to the 35 Franciscan orders and congregations with about 1,500 members of the Franciscan Family (registered as a legal entity since the year 2000), but also to other groups and persons. The celebration began with a festive procession followed by a Holy Mass, which was particularly characterized by the presence of the Nuncio, Archbishop Karl Balvo. At the beginning of his speech, the Nuncio referred to the blazing sun as a reference to Saint Francis Canticle to the Sun, Fr Hermann Borg writes in his report. The Vatican Representative had been visibly moved by the number of Franciscans present in the tents that had been set up for this festive occasion. Archbishop Balvo had mentioned some of the activities by Franciscans hands and minds as a mission of the words of the Gospel. After a brief introduction on the different fields of educational offers of the Franciscans of Kenya, the celebration ended with an entertainment program. Asia India: Franciscan Spirituality in Indian Context Fr. Nithiya OFM Cap, CCFMC Coordinator for South Asia reports about a comprehensive and lively program for the national training of CCFMC Formators in India. From 4 to 9 November 2016, a seminar on Franciscan Spirituality in Indian Context will be conducted at the Pastoral Centre in Bhopal/India. The organizers of this event, which are to provide the formators with four full days of intensive involvement with the CCFMC Lesson Units, is the Association of Franciscan Families in India/AFFI) and the South Asian Franciscan Initiative/SAFI). About half of the

3 Page 3 Lesson Units (Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23 and 24) are to be covered in detail. The other half is to be dealt with during another similar event. Last month, a special four-day training on institutional concerns and legal matters took place in Lucknow/India; a similar event is scheduled for September in Aluva, South India. 130 persons have already signed up for this training. Extreme poverty and hunger in India how do Franciscans deal with these circumstances and what is their response? This was the issue of a special event held from 11 to 14 September 2016 in collaboration with Franciscans International. The Franciscan Network in India is vibrant and is growing very strong. The CCFMC Lesson Units are gradually taken up by all formation centers. This is my dream and it will become true, Nithiya writes. Philippines Outlook and Review of CCFMC Activities Sr. Dorothy Ortega SFIC has sent us a detailed report about outstanding plans and activities of the regional CCFMC Coordinators for Southeast Asia/Oceania on international as well as on national level for 2016 and International Program Joy Fanmini Fabic OSF and Sr. Dorothy Ortega SFIC Currently preparations are underway with special care and great dedication for the CCFMC International Seminar for Southeast Asia/Oceania, which is to be held from 18 to 28 January 2017 in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, called 2017 CCFMC-KK for short. The event is designed as a formation program for CCFFC Coordinators and Animators. Members of religious formation programs from different Franciscan groups as well as coordinators of Christian formation programs in schools, owned or managed by Franciscans, have also been invited to participate. The program wants to address the basic values of the course and also serves to emphasize their significance in connection with personal and communal needs.

4 Page 4 The planned program is to focus on today s requirements and place the mission for the realization of the values of peace, justice and the integrity of creation (central Franciscan values) at the center of attention. The program is outlined by the topics and the planned lectures and contributions. The lecturers and animators are, among others, Father Andreas Müller OFM, longtime Managing Director of the CCFMC International Center in Würzburg. He is and remains the moving spirit That s the place for the CCFMC seminar of the CCFMC, even though he is gradually withdrawing from daily business. His enthusiasm will keep the history of the CCFMC alive for the next generations and he will present a lecture on this topic. Fe de la Rosa OSF and Sr. Dorothy Ortega SFIC will show a Power Point Presentation on God s Plan for the World and Saint Francis Payer before the Crucifix in San Damiano; both presentations serve as an introduction to the 2017 CCFMC-KK Program, because the 25 CCFMC Lesson Units draw their main substance from the Bible, the Franciscan Sources, the basic text of the Council and the Signs of the Times. An honest search for God s will and decisive action in order to fulfil God s will in the here and now that is what the CCFMC is all about. In their contributions, Evelia Orbeta OFS and Sr. Lilian Epi will cover the question about the effect of the amendments that had been included in the course on the significance of the Second and Third Order as well as Secular and Regular Orders during Global Congress of the Franciscan Family in Assisi 94. This has to become visible in the written history of the Franciscan Family. Fr., Benedict Mertens OFM will present his study entitled Mission in A Challenging World: Franciscan Identity Rooted in Historical Memory and Pulsating in Creative Prophecy. This is not the chronological history of the Franciscans, yet rather the description of the values and works characterizing the Franciscan Family in the 800-year history and also beyond the present. Fr. Cristino Pine OFM, President of a College in Quezon City, will present his study and reflections on The Triune God as the Overriding Principle of Franciscan Life and Mission Charism. Fr. Baltazar Obico OFM, an experienced CCFMC resource person will guide the participants towards a keen awareness of the causes and consequences of events that either promotes the values of the Kingdom of God or that are inimical to God s Plan of Salvation. Pope Francis Encyclicals, particularly

5 Page 5 Laudato Si, will play an important role in his presentation. Fr. Christopher Tibong OFM, Director of the Franciscan Institute of Asia will talk about the Franciscan Mission Mandate in Chapter XVI of the Rule of At the end of the seminar, we hope that the participants will come up with the following results: 1. Proposals for the updating of the CCFMC Lesson Units requiring revision. 2. Concrete plans of action for the promotion of the Franciscan spirituality and mission charism. 3. Pledge for committed involvement in this international, intercultural and inter-franciscan venture. National News The CCFMC Courses are offered to interested Franciscan Sisters and Brothers in the Philippines in three phases. Between 40 and 50 participants from different groups of the Franciscan Family attend these courses and then they actively promote the Franciscan Mission Charism in their home communities. Belinda Inao OFS, a quite active CCFMC Regional Coordinator, stated that the Secular Franciscan Order in Visayas und Mindanao would no longer exist without the CCFMC formation program. However, lack of time and finances often prevent the participation in these international programs. During the same informal conversation, Ms. Rizalie Calibo, OFS from Siquijor, came up with the suggestion of opening a national CCFMC Office for Visayas and Mindanao. This suggestion was taken up gladly as the SFIC Centre for Franciscan Spirituality had been closed. The festive opening of the new CCFMC Regional Office and an attached library will take place in the City of General Santos on 30 October This will coincide with the closing of the third phase of the CCFMC Program in A big day for the CCFMC in the southernmost region of the Philippines!