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 24 Issue 3 Let us begin again, for up to now we have done nothing. February 2021 Regional Minister’s Messeage Regional Council Regional Council Elec- tions on April 24, 2021 St. Margaret of Cortona Region Minister: Regional Spiritual Assistants: Dear Sisters and Brothers in Francis Bob Longo, OFS Fr. Iggy Harding, OFM and Clare, Vice Minister: Br. Michael Meza, OFM Cap Michael Huether, OFS Anne Mulqueen, OFS My message for our February 2021 (OFM Conv delegated) Secretary: Fr. Kevin Queally, TOR Up to Now newsletter is short be- Vera Stewart, OFS cause I want to focus on our up- Regional Youth and Young Treasurer: Adult Commission Co-Chair: coming elections for 2021–2024. Peter Noyes, OFS Mike Coleman, OFS On April 24, the local ministers/ Formation Director: Regional JPIC Chair: delegates will come together to Monica Zevallos, OFS Gil Donahue, OFS Regional Councilor (MD/PA): Regional Interfaith/Ecumenical vote on the newly elected council. Michael Huether, OFS Committee Chair: Every member who has been professed for at least three Regional Councilor (VA): Mike Huether, OFS Peter Farago, OFS years is eligible to hold a position on the regional council. Regional Multicultural Chair: Regional Councilor (MD/DE): Monica Zevallos, OFS All positions are open. I encourage all professed members Barbara Countryman, OFS Regional Archivist to pray and think about serving on the 2021–2024 new re- Regional Councilor (DC/Metro): Bob Longo, OFS Bob Longo, OFS gional council. Regional Newsletter Editor: Mary Lou Coffman, OFS In this newsletter, please find on page 3 a fillable nomi- nation form to be returned to one of the members of the nomination committee listed on the form. The open council http://saintmargaretofcortona.org/ positions are Minister, Vice-minister, Secretary, Treasurer, Formation Director, Area Councilor MD/DE, Area Councilor In This Issue. MD/PA, Area Councilor Metro D.C., and Area Councilor VA/ Regional Minister’s Message .............................1 WVA. Below is a description of the offices, Regional Council Nominations Form ................... 3 From the General Constitutions of the Secular Pope's Monthly Intentions ................................. 4 Franciscan Order: Catholic Interreligious Dialogues in the USA ....... 5 The Offices in the Fraternity Lessons from St. Francis in a Time of COVID Article 51 Pandemic ..................................................... 6 Mark Your Calendar ........................................... 7 1. While firmly upholding the co-responsibility of Statement from the United States Secular the council to animate and guide the fraternity, the Franciscan Youth and Young Adult minister, as the primary person responsible for the Commission .................................................8 fraternity, is expected to make sure that the direc- Prayer of Consecration of the OFS tions and the decisions of the council are put into to the Virgin Mary ........................................... 8 practice and will keep the council informed about Developing Gratitude ........................................ 9 Around the Region ...........................................10 what he or she is doing. Franciscan Saints and Blesseds ........................ 11 2. The minister also has the following duties: a. to call, to preside at, and to direct the meetings of the fraternity and council; to convoke every three years the elective chapter of the fraternity, (See “Minister's Message” on page 2) ( “Minister's Message” from page 1) riod of initiation formation, and the newly pro- having heard the council on the formalities of fessed; the convocation; c. to inform the council of the fraternity prior to b. to prepare the annual report to be sent to the profession, concerning the suitability of the council of the higher level after it has been ap- candidate for a commitment to live according to proved by the council of the fraternity; the Rule. c. to represent the fraternity in all its relations 4. The treasurer, or bursar, has the following du- with ecclesiastical and civil authorities. When ties: the fraternity ac- quires a juridical personality in a. to guard diligently the contributions received, the civil order, the minister becomes, when pos- recording each receipt in the appropriate reg- sible, its legal representative; ister, with the date on which it was given, the d. to request, with the consent of the council, the name of the contributor, or the one from whom pastoral and fraternal visits, at least once every it was collected; three years. b. to record in the same register the items of ex- e. to put into effect those acts which the Constitu- pense, specifying the date and the purpose, in tions refer to his or her competence. conformity with the directions of the fraternity Article 522 council; 1. The vice-minister has the following duties: c. to render an account of his or her administration a. to collaborate in a fraternal spirit and to support to the assembly and to the council of the frater- the minister in carrying out his or her specific nity according to the norms of the national stat- duties; utes. b. to exercise the functions en- Additionally, the council has four re- trusted by the council and/or by gional area council members, repre- the assembly or chapter; senting the minister at fraternal visi- c. to take the place of the minister tations and local elections. The four in both duties and responsibili- areas are: the Maryland/Delaware ties in case of absence or tempo- area, the Maryland/Pennsylvania rary impediment; area, the metro D.C . area, and the d. to assume the functions of the Virginia area. minister when the office re- mains vacant. Your Franciscan brother in Christ, 2. The secretary has the following duties: Bob Longo, OFS a. to compile the official acts of the fraternity and St. Margaret of Cortona Regional Minister of the council and to assure that they are sent to http://saintmargaretofcortona.org/ their respec- tive proper recipients; Remember brothers and sisters, we are all called b. to see to the updating and preservation of the to evangelize both verbally and by our actions. records and the registers, noting admissions, professions, deaths, withdrawals, and transfers from the fraternity ; c. to provide for the communication of the more important facts to the various levels and, if ap- propriate, to provide for their dissemination through the mass media. 3. The master of formation has the following duties: a. to co-ordinate, with the help of the other mem- bers of the council, the formative activities of the fraternity; b. to instruct and enliven the inquirers during the time of initiation, the candidates during the pe- Volume 24, Issue 3 February 2021 Page 2 ST. MARGARET OF CORTONA REGION CHAPTER OF ELECTIONS SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021 Name__________________________________________ Fraternity_______________________________________ I would like to serve as: Select: q Minister q Area Councilor Metro DC q Vice Minister q Area Councilor VA q Secretary q Area Councilor MD/DE q Treasurer q Area Councilor PA/MD q Formation Director Candidates must have been professed for at least three years. Year professed: _________________________________________ How I serve my fraternity/the region: _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Why I feel called to serve the region: _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________ Return to: Gary Burton ([email protected]) Mary Lou Coffman ([email protected]) Bob Eves ([email protected]) Margie Petrizza ([email protected]) DUE NO LATER THAN SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2021 Volume 24, Issue 3 February 2021 Page 3 Volume 24, Issue 2 November 2020 Page 8 The Pope's Monthly Intentions for 2021 January Human Fraternity May the Lord give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers and sisters of other religions, pray- ing for one another, open to all. February Violence Against Women We pray for women who are victims of violence, that they may be protected by society and have their suffer- ings considered and heeded. March Sacrament of Reconciliation Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God. April Fundamental Rights We pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritar- ian regimes and even in democracies in crisis. May The World of Finance Let us pray that those in charge of finance will work with governments to regulate the financial sphere and protect citizens from its dangers. June The Beauty of Marriage Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience. July Social Friendship We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship. August The Church Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself