Up to Now Newsletter of the St. Margaret of Cortona Region of the Secular Franciscan Order Fr. Philippus Philippus, OFMCap Fr. Covering the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and portions of West Virginia and Pennsylvania Volume 20 Issue 1 Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing. August 2016 2nd Annual Virginia Gathering of OFS uly 30th was a most beautiful day as Secular Francis- Jcans gathered for inspiration and community in the heart of the Virginia mountains. Nearly 50 OFS mem- bers attended, representing 13 fraternities from Virginia, as well as from Delaware and Maryland. Mount LaVerna Fraternity hosted the event at Church of the Incarnation in Charlottesville, Va. The day began with morning re- freshments and a warm welcome The room was fi lled with Franciscans of peace and love sharing the from Carl Stacy, OFS, minister of Mt. topics of the day. LaVerna Fraternity. He shared a card from the Poor Clares of Alexandria Carl Stacy, OFS, ing the Franciscan charism and incorporating The stating that they would keep our Minister, Mt. LaVerna Rule into our everyday lives was thought-provoking. Fraternity gathering in prayer that day, and that Together we celebrated Mass presided over by Fr. Grego- they hold ry Kandt, pastor of the Church of the Incarnation. Follow- all Fran- ing, we enjoyed a lunch of barbecued chicken and pork ciscan brothers and sisters and all the fi xins’. close to themselves. Fr. Kandt spoke to us about the sacraments and some of Having begun with song and our practices as Catholics. It was an important presenta- the Liturgy of the Hours, the tion, as Fr. Kandt discussed signifi cant truths about our morning presentation con- Catholic faith. tinued with Bill Bouff ard, OFS, from Tau fraternity. His presentation, “The Rule: Bill Bouff ard, OFS presents Catch the Charism,” on liv- (see “Gathering” on page 5) “The Rule: Catch the Charism” Mass In Th is Issue. celebrated by Fr. Gregory Regionaal Mini ister’r s MeMesss age......................................... 2 Kandt Regionall Formaationon Direector’s MMeessssagage .... ..................... 3 Franciscan Miissssiiono Serrvivicece.... .......................................................4 Around thhee Reggioon .... ..................................... ............. ....................... 5 Mark YYour CCallenddaarr................................................................... 5 Formation Trraiainin ng Regisstrtratatioion............... ....... ...................... 6 Franciscan Saia nnts and BlBleessseedsds......................................... 7 What Are We Dooining?g?............................ ....................................8 Volume 19, Issue 1 August 2015 Page 1 Regional Minister’s Message LAUDATO SI‛ AND THE Laudato Si‛ confi rms this: FRANCISCAN CHARISM “Because all creatures are connected, each must be In late 1224, Francesco cherished with love and respect, for all of us as living de Bernardone wrote a creatures are dependent on one another. (LS42) poem. He was seriously ill, suffering from an eye “The ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be disease which was blinding found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward him. He had also received with us and through us toward a common point of the stigmata by this time. arrival, which is God. .” (LS83) In less than two years, he “Nature cannot be regarded as something separate would be dead at the age of from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. 44. The poem he wrote was We are part of nature, included in it and thus in the fi rst ever written in the constant interaction with it. (LS139) Italian language, or, more accurately, in the Umbrian Likewise, as our Rule 13 calls Secular Franciscans “to dialect of Italian. And nearly place themselves on an equal basis with all people, 800 years later, it is one of the most beloved poems especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to of European and world literature. create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ,” so, too, does Laudato Si‛ call all Christians Last year, Pope Francis used a line from that poem as to do the same. the fi rst line of his encyclical on the environment. “. a true ecological approach must integrate At the recent Quinquennial in St. Louis, one of the questions of justice in debates on the environment, so speakers, Brother Keith Douglas Warner, OFM, as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of Director of Education and Research for the Miller the poor.” (LS49) Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, said, with great emphasis: Laudato Si‛ is “ . we continue to tolerate some considering the most Franciscan encyclical EVER! themselves more worthy than others. We fail to see that some are mired in desperate and degrading Brother Keith says that Laudato Si‛ is a Franciscan poverty, with no way out, while others have not the vision of Christian engagement with society and the faintest idea of what to do with their possessions. environment. leaving behind them so much waste which, if it were For better or worse, St. Francis will always be the case everywhere, would destroy the planet.” identifi ed in popular culture as the “bird bath saint.” (LS90) But we Franciscans know him as so much more, and the Francis and the Franciscans are held up as authorities little man who would talk to the birds and creatures and examples in Laudato Si‛. The Holy Father brought us a much richer and complex attitude to our specifi cally references Francis at least nine times in relationship with all of God‛s creatures, both animate the encyclical. My favorite reference was early on, in and inanimate. paragraph 10: Pope Francis recognized this when he chose “Laudato “I believe that St. Francis is the example par Si‛” as the title of his encyclical. And you don‛t have excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an to look very hard to fi nd our charism refl ected integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically. throughout the document. He is the patron saint of all who study and work in The keynote speaker of the Quinquennial was Father the area of ecology, and he is also much loved by non- Dan Horan, OFM, and his theme was “Mercy and Christians. He was particularly concerned for God‛s Minority in the Franciscan Tradition.” In the fi rst creation and for the poor and outcast. He loved, and of his talks, “Creation and Poverty,” he visibly and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, convincingly demonstrated that our Franciscan way his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim of life is best refl ected in the “Kinship Model” of who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with creation. We are not stewards of creation. Rather, we God, with others, with nature and with himself. He are in relationship with creation, with Brother Sun and shows us just how inseparable the bond is between Sister Moon, with Brother Wind and Sister Water, concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment with Brother Fire and our Sister Mother Earth. In to society, and interior peace.” fact, our own Secular Rule specifi cally states this in All Franciscans should rejoice that our charism is Rule 18: “Moreover they should respect all creatures, presented to the world as an example of living in animate and inanimate, which ‘bear the imprint of the harmony with nature and the world. Most High,‛ and they should strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan Peace and all good, concept of universal kinship.” (my emphasis). Patrick Volume 20, Issue 1 August 2016 Page 2 Regional Formation Director’s Message Brothers and Sisters! Peace be with you! I am writing this ar- good—right?—He is the man who gives us this spirit ticle on August 2nd, the great feast of the Portiuncula. How of peace, the poor man.… Oh, how I wish for a Church blessed we are to have such a holy founder, who truly thought that is poor and for the poor! of the soul and its importance in being reunited with God for My brothers and sisters, we must contemplate these words all eternity. Nine days from now, we will celebrate the feast of often. We must be poor and for the poor! We must pray on St. Clare. By the time you read this, the feast will most likely a daily basis, receive Holy Communion as often as possible have passed. I hope that you were able to take advantage and confess our sins as often as needed. In this great year of of both of them by spending time in prayer and Franciscan mercy, we must entreat God’s mercy upon our nation and the self-renewal. whole world. Let me start out also by saying a BIG thank you to all those Article 10 of the SFO Constitutions states: “Christ, ‘poor and who sent in their registrations to the October Formation crucifi ed,’ victor over death and risen, the greatest manifes- Workshop Weekend. So far, we have approximately 27 peo- tation of the love of God for humanity, is the ‘book’ in which ple attending, with the possibility of more. If you have not yet the brothers and sisters, in imitation of Francis, learn the pur- responded, please do so as soon as possible. Loyola Retreat pose and the way of living, loving, and suff ering.” House would like a head count before the end of this month. You can fi nd the registration form on p. 6 of the UTN. Please Franciscanism, therefore, is a continual individual formation consider joining us for a weekend of sharing, as well as re- process, where we should constantly be striving to live the ceiving valuable formation and profession tools. Gospel in order to bring the peace of Christ into our families and into the whole world.