Up to Now Newsletter of the St. Margaret of Cortona Region of the Secular Franciscan Order Covering the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and portions of West Virginia and Pennsylvania Philippus Philippus, OFMCap Fr. Volume 19 Issue 2 Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing. November 2015 Words of Wisdom – Our National Visitations and Regional Chapter t was a brisk cold morning on November 12, 2016, but a difference in an ever changing world. We need to be a at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Crofton, Md., the visible sign to all. We need to be involved in the political Ihall was filled with Franciscan warmth. Fifty-five of arena. our professed sisters and brothers from the St. Margaret “We wear our habit, the TAU Cross, we can blend into soci- of Cortona Region came together for their annual Regional ety, just like yeast, hidden in a mass of dough, and we can Chapter. We were also blessed to have two visitors from Na- quietly make improvements in anything we touch with- tional (NAFRA) Mary Stronach, OFS. and Father Christopher out notice. As Franciscans we can change the outside of Panagoplos, TOR. to conduct our Fraternal Visitation and ourselves; with God’s mercy, transformation has already taken place.” Pastoral Visitation. This event occurs every three years, just as our regional council conducts its visitations. The National Anne Mulqueen spoke of Our Blessed Mother’s Fiat (Mag- visitors assess the life and vitality of the region and provide nificat) and gave us ten examples of Mary’s yes: guidelines for the next three years. 1. Openness to the Spirit The day was busy, with lots of agenda items to cover, 2. Spirit of Spontaneity (Mary Visits Elizabeth) but what stood out most were talks by Mary Stronach, Fr. 3. Spirit of Courage Panagoplos, Anne Mulqueen (Regional Spiritual Assistant 4. Spirit of Joy Delegate, OFM Conv) and Brother Michael Meza (Regional 5. Spirit of Readiness Spiritual Assistant, OFM Cap). 6. Spirit of Humility Mary Stronach, National Visitor, met with the regional 7. Spirit of Adventure council the night before the Chapter and reported to the 8. Spirit of Hospitality local Ministers the following day about how excited she 9. Spirit of Wonder and Awe was about what was happening in our Region. Mary con- 10. Spirit of Thanksgiving veyed to those in attendance that what we had shared with her and what she has learned about St. Margaret of (See “Chapter” on p. 6) Cortona Region has greatly enriched her as a person. In This Issue. Mary talked about the struggles many local fraternities experience: they are the same at the Regional, National Regional Minister’s Message ....................................... 2 and International level, and we were encouraged. We Websites of Interest .....................................................2 were asked to consider and share the vision, the charism Regional Formation Director’s Message ....................... 3 and mission of the Secular Franciscan Order. It starts with Spiritual Assistant’s Message ......................................4 each one of us. Mary quoted the saying, “We are only as Within the Word: Awash in God’s Mercy .................. 5 strong as our weakest link,” so it starts with each of us Mark Your Calendar ..................................................... 5 to be strong, to support our Order as much as possible, Pray the Rule ..............................................................6 whether at the local, regional, national or international Photos from Regional Chapter ......................................7 level. Franciscan Mission Service .......................................... 8 Our National Pastoral Visitor, Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, Formation Directors Workshop .....................................9 shared with us, as Franciscans, the need to be more in- Around the Region ..................................................... 10 volved in what is happening in our country, be a more Beatification of Eight Friars Minor ............................... 12 powerful voice for the marginalized. Father offered sev- What Are We Doing? ....................................................13 eral examples of how we as Secular Franciscans can make Franciscan Saints and Blesseds .................................. 14 Regional Minister’s Message Six days after returning from the national chapter, we began our annual regional chapter. FOUR FRATERNITIES Ministers or their representatives from 26 of Our former regional and our 33 fraternities attended, and, ironically, national minister, the it was our region’s triennial national visitation. late Tom Bello, would Mary Stronach, our national executive council’s always remind me that we international councilor, and Fr. Christopher are all members of four Panagoplos, OFM TOR, a national spiritual fraternities. There is, of assistant, conducted the fraternal and pastoral course, our local fraternity, visitation. what our Rule calls “the basic unit of the whole I love attending my fraternity meetings. I find Order and a visible sign of Francis and Clare, and their charism, in the the Church, the community faces and words of the sisters and brothers of love.” (22) of Saint Anthony of Nagasaki Fraternity. I am sure that you do as well, when you attend your But our Rule also says, “The Secular Franciscan fraternity meetings. But sometimes, I forget Order is divided into fraternities of various levels that I am part of a larger community. The Secular – local, regional, national, and international. Each Franciscan Order is truly a self-governing Order one has its own moral personality in the Church. of the Church, as I witnessed at the national These various fraternities are coordinated and and regional chapters. Our first Rule, Memoriale united according to the norm of this rule and of Propositi, was approved in 1221. Our current Rule the constitutions.”(20) was approved in 1978 by Blessed Pope Paul VI. We are members of ALL four fraternities, and While sometimes our fraternities might feel like this reality was brought home this month. As a parish organization, or a devotional group, or your regional minister, I was one of 30 regional “just another club,” remember that each of us ministers who attended the annual national chapter made a permanent profession to this Rule, and at San Pedro Retreat Center in Orlando, Florida. our Rule’s interpretation “belongs to the Holy See In addition to prayer, formation, social time, and its application will be made by the General and a little business (Tom’s description of what Constitutions and particular statutes.” (3) Our every fraternity meeting should be, in order of international fraternity, national fraternity, importance), the chapter included the triennial regional fraternity and local fraternity are bonded international visitation. Chelito Nunez, the Vice together by these documents and our shared Minister General of our Order (from Venezuela), Franciscan charism. and Father Francis Dor, OFM Cap, a General On page 6, there is a copy of “Pray the Rule,” a way Spiritual Assistant (from Cameroon), conducted to remind us through prayer of our commitment a fraternal and pastoral visitation to the national to our Rule and the way of life to which it calls us. fraternity of the United States. Kathleen White, the regional minister of Our Lady There are 110 countries with a Secular Franciscan of Indiana region, and the keeper of the “TAU presence. Our international executive council Daily” listserv, recently shared this with us. I hope (called the CIOFS Presidency; CIOFS stands that our fraternities will take the opportunity to for “Consilium Internationale Ordo Franciscanus incorporate this prayer into their regular prayer Secularis”) is, as you can imagine, quite busy with life. visitations, elections, and the other business of an Patrick Martin Order of the Church. Regional Minister Websites of Interest Where Moses Saw the Holy Land http://catholicregister.org/home/international/ The Right to Religious Freedom item/23396-memorial-marking-where-moses-saw- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops promised-land-reopens-in-jordan?platform=hootsuite released this powerful video explaining and defending Thank you, John Clem the right of all people to freedom of religion. https:// www.catholicvote.org/video-the-right-to-religious- freedom/#prettyPhoto Thank you, Bob Longo Volume 20, Issue 2 November 2016 Page 2 Regional Formation Director’s Message Dear Brothers and Sisters of Christ! Peace be with you! From time to time, we need to ask ourselves, “How am I serving God, my family, my neighbor, my fraternity? Do I I want to thank all those who attended the Formation Di- put God first by making time to commune with Him and by rectors Workshop at Loyola Retreat House October 14-16. obeying His holy precepts?” Your presence was a blessing to everyone in the Region. For those who were unable to attend, flash drives will be Brothers and Sisters, we cannot share the love of some- given out; one per fraternity, at the Regional Chapter on one we do not know with others. And we cannot claim to November 12. The flash drives contain helpful informa- know someone if we do not spend time with them. The tion, that can be downloaded and revised to suit each same is true with Christ. fraternity’s needs. You may also print out the materials I would like to close my letter to you with a story from the contained on them to use in a binder for reference or to book The Little Flowers of Saint Francis. It is a reminder give to those in formation. The events of that weekend are for us to pray for our beloved dead during this month of highlighted in another article on page 9. November. Therefore, while performing corporal works of As your formation director for the Region, I highly encour- mercy, let us not forget our obligation to perform spiritual age you to take the time to study our Rule, the Constitu- ones as well. tions, and the Catholic Catechism. If you are able to at- “Once while Brother John of LaVerna was saying Mass, on tend daily Mass, that is an added blessing.