Formation Project Recommendations of SFO General Chapters

Formation Project • Recommendations of SFO General Chapters 2002 & 2008 – 1 st Priority is Formation – Forming the Formators • CIOFS Manual

Comparison between a “Third Order” & the Secular Franciscan Order THIRD ORDER 1. SFO Not affiliated or associated to the Franciscan First Order or the Third Order Regular (TOR). The SFO is born autonomous and is equal and complementary to the other Orders of the Franciscan Order. 1. Affiliated, associated to a religious house (e. g. Benedictine, Dominican, Carmelite) 2. Participates in the spirit of the religious house to which it is associated 2. The SFO is part of the religious family founded by Francis of Assisi, in its 3 -fold articulation, and participates in the spirit of the entire Family, and not simply a single part of it, as the SFO is a direct depository of the common charism of our common Seraphic Father. It is equally and directly Franciscan at its inception as are the other orders within the Franciscan Family. 3. It exists under the authority of a religious house 3. The SFO is born autonomous and remains such, under the authority of the Holy See, who has entrusted assistance to the SFO and vigilance to the First Order & TOR 4. A member of a religious institute (house) may belong to the third order of another religious house, without any incompatibility 4. SFO General Constitutions contemplates the exact opposite i. e. exclusive via perpetual profession (Gen Const Art. 2. 1) -- The vocation to the SFO is a specific vocation. Those who are bound by a perpetual commitment to another religious family or institute of consecrated life cannot belong to the SFO. 5. The same individual may belong to the third orders of several different religious houses without any special authorization 5. Contradicts Gen Const Art 2. 1 cited above 6. Any religious institute/house may have its own third order without requesting any privilege of the Holy See 6. The SFO is erected and granted its juridic person by the Supreme Pontiff and not by any religious house. None of the Franciscan First Orders nor the TOR hold the SFO as its own third order. The single SFO is its own entity and has the privilege of being assisted collegially by its own brother religious rather then by local bishops

Focus of CIOFS • Current : Forming the Formators • Newly elected International Presidency – Formator formation – Initial formation – recommended topics – On-going formation – recommendations on line – All else – Minister General

Phase 1 -- 2009 & 2010 • NFC tasked to develop/adapt the CIOFS Material for use in the US – In conjunction with current and former SFO Formators – Core list of formation topics – Promote understanding of our identity as SFO and awareness of the Nature of the Order.

Phase 2 National Workshop 2011 • May 2011 – Possibly at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine near St. Louis – Thursday evening – Sunday lunch – 2 per region target – Distribution of new FD Manual

Phase 3 – Assist Regional Workshops • Supply a member of the NFC to assist in presenting regional workshops, based on request from the regions • Aimed at training the local formation directors • fraternity on-going formation

Phase 3 a -- cross referencing • NFC to develop a cross reference to existing (approved) formation materials • New plan is directed at forming the formators & is not mandated for general initial formation

Suggested formation plan • Subsidiarity – Forming the formators (NFC) – Regional Council will be the ultimated decision makers as to their initial formation programs

• Suggested Orientation • O-1 CREED from CCC (IN BRIEFS) • • O-2 ECCLESIOLOLGY OF THE LAITY (BAPTISM) • • O-3 THE FRANCISCAN MOVEMENT

Suggested Inquiry – assign reading • I-1 VOCATION & Discernment • • I-2 CHARISM OF THE FOUNDER / MISSION OF THE ORDER • • I-3 FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE/SCRIPTURE •

• I-4 NATURE OF THE SFO STRUCTURE & GOVERNANCE • • I-5 INDENTITY OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN • • I-6 DISCUSS - BIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS

• C-1 - 3 RULE of The SFO (3 sessions) • • C-4 & 5 JPIC (2 -sessions) APOSTOLIC ACTIVITY – LIVED RULE • • C-6 CONVERSION – PENANCE [CIOFS]

• C-7 FURTHER ELEMENTS ON CONVERSION [CIOFS] • • C-8 & 9 PROFESSION (2 -sessions) • • C-10 FRATERNITY AS FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF ST FRANCIS [CIOFS]

• C-11 FRANCIS AND DIVINITY [CIOFS] • C-12 & 13 SPIRITUALITY OF ST FRANCIS • C-14 FRANCIS AND THE BLESSED MOTHER • C-15 ST. CLARE

• C-16 HISTORY OF THE SFO AND ITS RULE C-17 FRANCISCAN SAINTS – SFO • C-18 GC & National Statutes • C-19 Franciscan Youth/FYYA • C-20 Pastoral/Spiritual Assistance