2. SEMINAR FOR SPIRITUAL ASSISTANTS TO THE SFO

Conducted by the Franciscan Institute of Asia

Our Lady of the Angels Seminary, Novaliches, October 28-30, 1991

The topics treated were the following. Some have been updated to 2004:

A. SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER:

1. The laity in the Church.

2. The third orders in the Church:

(a) The Franciscan Third Order: history and development into the Secular Franciscan Order.

(b) History of the SFO in the Philippines.

B. SFO: SPIRITUALITY AND CHARISM

1. Secular and Franciscan.

2. Sources of Franciscan spirituality.

3. Key concepts for spirituality in the third millennium:

4. Primary mission to the "domestic Church": the member's family.

C. SFO: DOCUMENTATION:

1. Rule of 1978: history of the text.

2. Ritual of 1984.

3. General Constitutions of 2000.

4. Statutes: international, national, and regional.

D. SFO: STRUCTURE:

1. Organization.

2. Administration.

3. Formation.

E. SFO: ROLE OF ASSISTANTS:

1. SFO in the General Constitutions of the four Orders of friars.

2. How to conduct pastoral and fraternal visits.

3. What to do during meetings of the Fraternity and of its Council.

4. Forms of assistance to Fraternities, Councils and members.

5. Support and collaboration among regional and national Assistants.

6. The key role of the Assistant in fostering Franciscan family spirit among the First, Second and Third Orders, and in promoting existing Franciscan activities, e.g. Franciscan Youth, Franciscan Missionary Union, Franciscans International, Franciscan Institute of Asia, Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation.

F. OTHER TOPICS:

1. Job description of the Spiritual Assistant.

2. Assistant's special role in formation.

3. Relationship between the SFO and the Spiritual Assistant.