June 1998

Secular Franciscan Order: Holy Spirit Fraternity

COMING EVENTS

Anniversary of Rule. On 24^th June, two days before our June meeting, it will be twenty years since the approval of our revised Rule by Pope Paul VI.

Last month we provided papers on the Rule by Peter Keogh and Fr Alban.

Below you will find a prayer based on the Rule. The International Council sent it to us. It provides a wonderful summary of key items that we tend to bring to mind again and again.

We have sent to Fraternity members a small leaflet of three poems by a Canberra poet, Tom Stewart. Tom wrote them after a visit to Assisi and his subsequent reading of the lives of Francis and Clare that the visit inspired. It is published in commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of the Rule.

June Meeting. The meeting will be at 8pm on Friday 26^th at Marian Hall, Stutchbury Street, Page. Pat has kindly agreed to lead us in consideration of "The Sacrament of Confirmation". Council has asked that members come prepared to honour the Rule by sharing a reflection on what the Rule has meant to us personally.

July Social Function. Don’t forget that we will meet at the Vietnam Village Inn in the Page shopping centre, corner of Petterd Street and Ogilby Crescent Page at 6:30pm on Saturday 4^th July. Please advise Pam by June 27^th if you will be attending so that a booking can be made. Hopefully some partners, families and friends will come too. It is proposed that we share one of the fixed-price banquets at $15 per head.

Elections. At our meeting on August 28^th, we will elect a Minister, Vice-Minister, Formator, Secretary, Treasurer and possibly an Infirmarian. Council has asked that all professed members make a special effort to be present; including those who often have difficulty getting to meetings. Articles 49 to 52 of the Constitutions may be worth reading in preparation.

OTHER MATTERS

Isolated Member. Lori Grosvenor sfo, who lives at Galong, may be getting a flat in Lyons. She has a sighted friend who is interested in things Franciscan and may be willing to drive her to meetings. It would enrich us if she could come.

Absences. Kathy is back in Canberra and seems to be in good spirits. After talking to Fr Alban, she will be taking it very quietly for a few months.

Prayers. Please remember that we agreed to keep up our prayers for vocations to the SFO! Please pray that the Holy Spirit will be with the novices who are receiving instruction.

Next Council Meeting. 8pm Tuesday July 14^th at Cec’s place.

Input for the ‘Canberra Franciscan’ and requests to Jack Smith: phone 61-2-62583824 fax 61-2-62583151 jacksmth@ozemail.com.au

Available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~jacksmth/canfran.htm

PRAY THE RULE

O Lord, our God, we intend to make present the charism of our Seraphic Father Francis in the life and mission of the Church, in various ways and forms but in life-giving union with one another.

By our profession, we pledge ourselves to live the Gospel in the manner of St Francis by means of our Rule approved by the Church (Arts. 1-3). Help us, we pray, so that daily we may:

observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of St Francis, going from gospel to life and from life to the gospel (Art. 4);
seek to encounter the living and active person of Jesus Christ in our brothers and sisters, in sacred scripture, in the Church and in the Eucharist (Art. 5);
go forth as witnesses and instruments of the Church's mission among people, proclaiming Christ by our life and words (Art. 6);
conform our thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by the radical interior change which the Gospel calls "conversion", making use of the sacrament of reconciliation on the way to renewal (Art. 7);
let prayer and contemplation be the soul of all we are and do (Art. 8);
imitate the Virgin Mary's complete self-giving in her openness to your every word and call (Art. 9);
faithfully fulfil the duties proper to our various circumstances in life (Art. 10);
seek the proper spirit of detachment and purify our hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power (Art. 11);
acquire the purity of heart needed to set ourselves free to love God and our brothers and sisters (Art. 12);
accept all people as your gift, Lord, and an image of Christ (Art. 13);
exercise our responsibilities competently in the Christian spirit of service (Art. 14);
be in the forefront of promoting justice by the testimony of our human lives and by courageous initiatives (Art. 15);
esteem work both as a gift and as a sharing in the creation, redemption and service of the human community (Art. 16);
cultivate the Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity and respect for life in our families, striving to make it a sign of a world already renewed in Christ (Art. 17);
respect all creatures, animate and inanimate "as bearing the imprint of the Most High" (Art. 18);
be bearers of peace and messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, as immersed in the resurrection of Christ, we serenely tend towards Sister Death and our ultimate encounter with you, our Father (Art 19).

All this we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Brother.

Amen.