Franciscan
One way of learning about
Franciscan life is through the magazine, franciscan, published three times a
year by the First Order brothers and sisters which includes articles on
Franciscan themes, as well as book reviews and news of our Society. Subscription
is £7 per year in the UK; £8 Europe and Surface (outside Europe); £9 Air Mail,
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Francis'.
Audio franciscan
Link to September 2010 audio edition
Link to January 2011 audio edition
franciscan - January 2011
this an abbreviated version of this edition can be found
below. It includes the articles from the magazine only.
Guest Minister’s
Letter
Rev’d Joanna Coney TSSF,
Minister Provincial of the Third
Order in the European Province, writes:
Dear Friends,
It is a great
delight to be invited to write the Minister's Letter for this edition of the
franciscan - devoted as it is to the Third Order. It is always a joy to
foster opportunities to further deepen the interdependent relation-ship between
our three Orders within SSF which we all value so highly.
Jesus
said, "The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few," and challenges us
"to go and make disciples of all nations." So as individual Christians, and as a
Franciscan community, we hold this gospel imperative always before us and strive
to discern how the Third Order can contribute to the bringing in of God's
Kingdom.
In my two years as Minister Provincial of the Third Order in the European
Province I have been privileged to visit many of our 43 Areas and meet many
individual tertiaries. This is always a humbling and encouraging - and, yes,
some-times frustrating - experience. But as I talk and worship with them
it never fails to excite me when I learn of their faithful devotion to
Christ, and of the mature seriousness with which individual
tertiaries live out their vocation and commitment as members of a Religious
Order.
It is evident in the depth of prayer and vibrant worship.
It is evident in the stunning things initiated and maintained by
tertiaries in many parish churches up and down the country and throughout
the whole Province. It is evident in the self-giving involvement by
individuals and tertiary groups in local communities and in the
wider world in amazingly varied and heart-warming ways. It is evident too in the
quiet and devoted living out of our life vows:-
To spread the knowledge and
love of Christ;
To promote the way of love and harmony with all creation;
and
To live joyfully a life of simplicity and humble service.
We may be a dispersed community of 2000 souls of widely differing background
and experience, but we are firmly held together by our shared vows, our
Franciscan values and our constant shared prayer for one another. As
an Order we are growing. We do not recruit, God does that - but we do joyfully
make ourselves known to all who might be interested in exploring their vocation
with us.
So, as we pray and grow together in the twenty-first century we now ask
ourselves:
What are we for?
What is God now asking us to be and to
do?
How are we to change and develop?
How can we become more effective
labourers in God's vineyard?
Pax et Bonum
Community Routes
Franciscan ways
Helen Julian writes:
Richard Rohr is an American
Franciscan friar with an important international ministry of speaking and
writing, as well as the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. As part of his 2010 UK Tour, the Third Order organised
a two day conference in central London, and four sisters and a brother were
fortunate enough to be able to attend. Several brothers also attended other
events, in Oxford and Birmingham.
Many of those packing into St James' Church, Piccadilly, were tertiaries, but
others, both Christian and non Christian, had come to hear Richard speak.
He took four themes - non-dual thinking; creation; emerging Christianity; and
action and contemplation today - and in wide-ranging talks, and considered
responses to questions asked, opened up the themes in thought-provoking and
stimulating ways, always with a Franciscan flavour.
It's impossible to summarise such an event; but I was excited by his
identification of both the Franciscan movement and the emerging church as forms
of 'alternative orthodoxy' - not a rejection of the past, but a rediscovery of
what is at its heart. This might mean moving to 'the inside of the
edge'.
Another key idea for me was that the incarnation actually began not 2000
years ago, when God became human, but with the big bang, when God
materialised. Hence all creation is inherently sacred - a central
Franciscan intuition.
And it was good to hear someone else say that if you try to live a life which
combines action and contemplation you can often feel as though you're not doing
either properly, certainly by the standards of those who focus on one or the
other.Franciscans often feel torn between the two dimensions, tempted to major
on one at the expense of the other.These two days certainly helped to encourage
me to persevere in the difficult but life-giving task of combining the two; and
enthused me once again for the very particular insights of the Franciscan way.
Judging by the buzz of conversations at breaks others too were encouraged,
enthused and refreshed.
A Mission in Walsgrave
Chris CSF writes:
From 16 to 26
September, Chris, Gerardo and John Gibson TSSF were involved in 'Mission 2
Grow', a Parish event in Walsgrave in the Diocese of Coventry. The parish had
had a Franciscan mission 25 years ago, and those who remembered it were keen to
have a similar experience again. The main focus of the mission was house groups,
where the people were encouraged to discuss life issues and the presence of
Christ in their lives.
The three missioners spent a day in the local primary school talking to the
children in each class about someone we greatly admired, and the children were
asked to do the same. We spent lots of time making visits to individuals in
their homes or in hospital and residential homes. This one to one contact, I
always feel, is so valuable and meaningful both for the visitor and the person
we visit.
Sometimes during a mission we put tremendous energy and preparation into one
event. On this occasion it happened to be a five minute rhyming conversation,
which was written for the three of us to perform at a talent show on the final
Saturday. Whenever I suggested a rehearsal, the others groaned. But in all
aspects we got on really well as a team, and I valued having two helpful
enthusiasts as my team members.
Seeing the parish from the outside, as it were, we were able to ask people
what they valued and hoped for in their worship and the ongoing life of the
parish. I was delighted to see a good turn out for the final evening meeting,
"Where do we go from here?" The people's thoughts and ideas formed the basis for
our feedback report to the parish. I felt this had really been the people's
mission, an event which they had worked for and would hopefully want to repeat
in another 25 years' time.
Live the Word
From 25-29 October, the first Walsingham
Bible Week took place at the Shrine of Our Lady. Every year many thousands of
people come to Walsingham to discover the ways that God's love impacts on their
lives through shared worship, times of quiet and the Sacraments of the Church.
This exciting new event offered 180 people the opportunity to focus on this
experience of encountering the Lord particularly through the truths revealed in
Holy Scripture.
Each day commenced with a keynote address led by Bishop Lindsay Urwin OGS,
the Shrine Administrator and Meg Evening (formerly of CSMV and now living the
single consecrated life). The focus for the week was the Pastoral Epistles of
Saint Paul to Timothy and Titus. Following the address, Holy Hour before the
Blessed Sacrament provided the prayerful centre to each day, and the space to
reflect on the Lord's Word in His Presence. During the afternoons various
seminars were available. Br Paschal led a seminar focusing on finding
wisdom in the company of Jesus through the Psalms, and Br Maximilian offered an
introduction to praying with the Scriptures through Lectio Divina. Adam Kendry,
Head of Divinity at Ardingly College, explored the Creation stories and the
theme of Covenant. A daily sung Mass preceded supper which, as with all the
meals, was shared in the refectory, ensuring plenty of opportunity for
fellowship within the full timetable.
The evenings concluded with a liturgy in the Shrine Church, wherein the
Scriptural theme was further explored through Tuesday's meditation on Our Lady,
a liturgy of healing and reconciliation including the laying on of hands,
anointing and confession on Wednesday and a rousing Songs of Praise with
testimonies on Thursday.
Truly a dynamic encounter with Christ through Word and Sacrament, this is now
an annual fixture at the Shrine.
An Urban Friary on Tyneside
At the Annual Brothers'
Meeting at Pentecost 2009 the decision was made to seek to open a new urban
house in the North East of England that would have a role in Novice Formation.
After discussions and explorations with dioceses in that region, Alan Michael
has now been instituted and inducted as Vicar of St Peter's Cowgate in Newcastle
upon Tyne. In time it is hoped he will be joined in the vicarage by another
professed brother and also by up to two novices who will be able to gain
experience of urban ministry and undertake various placements in the city. The
parish of St Peter's is situated in an Urban Priority Area, straddling a busy
arterial road for the city: the congregation is enthusiastic about the brothers'
hopes to build links and a ministry with the particularly challenging area on
the far side of that road.
CSF moves to Lincolnshire
CSF now has a new home in the
village of Metheringham, Lincolnshire. The house was purchased in the middle of
the year, but as it had by then been empty for 12 months, the brambles had
rather taken over, including invading the drains. Damp course work also
revealed that part of the house had been built without proper foundations, so
the place took on the appearance of a builder's yard for a few months, while the
necessary repairs were undertaken. Liz oversaw the building work and assisted by
chipping plaster off walls, cleaning and painting. Judith Ann and Maureen
moved there in October.The house was blessed by the Bishop of Lincoln on 16
November. The local people as well as diocesan personnel have been very
welcoming. It is hoped that the house will become a centre for spirituality as
well as various other forms of ministry according to the gifts of the sisters
there. The house is set in large grounds which include trees belonging to an old
woodland. There is room for one resident guest and up to 24 people in a day
group.
Round up
Peter made his profession in First Vows on 23
October and has moved to Alnmouth from Hilfield. Alan Michael has moved
from Alnmouth to Cowgate, where he was inducted as Vicar on 17 November. Jason
Robert is the new Guardian of Alnmouth. Martin John has moved to Hilfield
after a three months' stay in the Solomon Islands. Athanasius Faifu, from
the Solomon Islands, is spending six months in the UK, based mainly at the
friary in Canning Town.
Korean Brothers Stephen and Lawrence made their Profession in Life Vows as
members of the Society of Saint Francis on 31 October in Seoul Anglican
Cathedral. They are now part of the Australia - New Zealand Province, who
held their Provincial Chapter Meeting at Gangchon Friary in Korea after the
Profession. The next issue of franciscan will include photos of the event.
In Assisi, the friary is moving to new accommodation nearby, so will be
closed to guests until 1 January 2011.
St Francis Convent at Compton Durville has now closed and the sisters are no
longer resident there. f
First and Third
Anselm SSF
If your memory is long enough to encompass life in the 50's, you'll recall
that 'first' and 'third' class described railway seats - 'second' had
mysteriously disappeared. Not so with the Society of Saint Francis, for
that comprised First, Second and Third Orders and if there was a mystery it was
that which veiled the Third Order from the view of any but the chosen few.
It was the creation of Father Algy and the legendary Dorothy Swayne, and there
was no talk of Areas or Regions or statistics or names even - in fact, among the
rank and file there was no talk at all, which opened the door to all kinds of
speculation.
This issue of franciscan explores the subsequent development and expansion
(in all directions) of the Third Order from various viewpoints. My task is
to give an impression of how the First and Third Orders interrelated over the
period, decade by decade, in an unashamedly personal and anecdotal manner.
I shall not hesitate to drop names (you will have already noticed two), so here
is evidence from one who was successively a Hooke brother, a roaming brother, a
Scunthorpe brother, a Cambridge brother, a Birmingham brother and a Glasshampton
brother. Let me say at the outset that I simply offer these memories as
impressions, with no attempt at any kind of analysis - if the reader can spot
any developing trends in the way First and Third Orders connect over this
period, let her or him do so - never forgetting the role of the Second Order,
our sisters at Freeland, whose prayers from 1950 onwards have been crucial to
the life of the Society of Saint Francis.
In the 60's and 70's I was a Dorset brother, mostly as the 'headmaster' at St
Francis' School, Hooke, near Beaminster and have one memory during those
eventful years of a Third Order contact. There was to be a gathering in
Exeter, and I was invited to speak to the group - inevitably, about
the life and work of brothers at the school. I
drove down to Devon; there was the eucharist in a lovely little church in the
cathedral close, and I suppose sandwiches and talk, organised by Joan
Levett. Before dropping that name, I looked it up and found that she now
lives in Axminster. I wonder whether she can remember that day?
The 70's (long hair, and growing disillusionment) gave way to the 80's
(Thatcher, the Falklands, yuppiedom) - and I spread wheels and wings as the
First Order brothers’ European Minister Provincial. Ex officio, I attended
Third Order chapters usually held at St Columba's in Woking, in order to
acquaint those tertiaries with the doings of our brothers in the province which
then included houses in England (from Cornwall to Northumberland), Wales,
Northern Ireland, Scotland and Tanzania with a population of about 100
friars. With my recent experience as a teacher of science I was an enemy
of waffle and a firm believer in visual presentation, so there accompanied me on
my travels a camera, and a slide projector. My slot at the TO chapters
always included the latest transparencies from the First Order houses and left
me with memories chiefly of Mary Johnson, then Guardian of the TO European
Province and firmly in the chair at chapter, and many others - for me Mary was
my top tertiary and I miss her very much.
From time to time Provincial Chapter (FO) has become concerned about
leadership in the First Order, and to help with the brain-racking process it was
decided to assemble a think tank at St Edward's House in Westminster. We
discovered that in the ranks of the Third Order there was a General, no less,
and Hugh Beach generously gave of his time and wisdom to come and help us to
grapple with this perennial problem.
As well as being a roving minister, I was from 1984 a Scunthorpe brother
(half time) - and this brought lots of contacts with Lincolnshire
tertiaries. Foremost among them has to be Rachel Ollard whose conviction
it was that First Order brothers were in dire need of lavish hospitality.
Twice a year, on Boxing Day and Easter Monday, we all went in the car over to
Scallows Hall for a splendid lunch straight from the Aga, and on one such
occasion we were able to express our gratitude by giving her a hare which had
come into fatal contact with our radiator twenty minutes earlier.
When the house was opened by the Bishop of Grimsby (David Tustin, a Companion
of SSF) the Third Order was there in force. Later I became a regular
visitor to St James', Louth to hear confessions at the invitation of David Owen,
team rector, and yes (later), a tertiary. The late Madeline Ruddock was
another of that valiant band who visited the Scunthorpe house regularly.
Also while in Scunthorpe we had links with the RC Secular Franciscan Order at
St Bernadette's. And, an invitation came from the Midlands TO to help with
a regional event to be held at St Paul's, Balsall Heath in Birmingham - and this
included a planning day with Elisabeth Stirling, Daphne Cook and Doreen
Lambert. Subsequently, over the years, Elisabeth shared her generous
hospitality in Ketton, conveniently situated between Cambridge and Birmingham on
the railway.
However, it is in the nature of Franciscans to come and go, and after
thirteen years the Scunthorpe house closed. Five years earlier, I had
become a Cambridge brother, and parish priest at St Bene't's. Waiting for me in
the congregation and in leading positions were Pamela Hill - soon to become
churchwarden , Pamela Middleton (PCC Treasurer), Elizabeth Walser, Alice
Knewstubb, Pam Yates and the late Thelma Frost. It was a very real bonus
to have a Franciscan presence in the congregation - many more, of course, in the
Cambridge neighbourhood - and to know that it's still there though the brothers
have (sadly) moved on.
At the turn of the millennium my time in Cambridge came to an end, and I
exchanged Botolph Lane for Claerwen Grove in which stood the Birmingham friary
of SSF on the Ley Hill Estate in Northfield. There was no Third Order
presence on Ley Hill, and a scattering of tertiaries in other parts of the city
- so there was an opportunity for providing a meeting place in the shape of a
good old fashioned festival at Francistide. The place was found - St
Francis' Church, Bournville. At midday, Sung Eucharist, preacher, David
Walker TO, Bishop of Dudley, bring your own lunch, a talk by Brother Desmond
Alban, about seventy people (yes, mostly elders) and a good TO presence
including Peter Dixon the Area Minister. This was all in the noughties,
and a part of the background to the brothers' work among young people with very
little in the way of stability or education to give them a start in life.
Andrew Anderson invited me twice in those years to Yorkshire to speak to his
Area Meeting, in Ripon first, and then Pickering.
I write from Glasshampton which is a sort of crossroads for First and Third
Orders - seldom are we without tertiaries in retreat or on a shorter visit, at
present Bob and Margaret Bell from near Lincoln. Local tertiaries - Guy
and Mary Smith, John and Cathryn Parkes - help us with the garden. We were
able, with some of the Birmingham sisters, to join the Third Order at a recent
Cluster Meeting and so meet with Joanna Coney, Ruth Wintle and others at a
special occasion, including friends from Birmingham.
And that's the story so far. And the lesson? For me, that the
Society of Saint Francis comprises in three orders and the Companions a body of
people whose faith and vocation find strength and grace in mutual friendship -
and for whom those friendships are enriched by a common membership of Christ.
F
Reflections of a Minister General
Dorothy Brooker
TSSF
Peace, love, hope and joy to all.
Touch the earth lightly, use the earth
gently,
Nourish the life of the world in our care;
Gift of great wonder,
ours to surrender,
Trust for the children tomorrow will bear.
So begins a hymn from two of our New Zealand songwriters, Colin Gibson and
Shirley Murray. For me it expresses what the Society of St Francis and
more specifically our Third Order represents. As Minister General I have
been privileged to have moments of walking on holy ground as I have engaged,
prayed, lived amongst our many tertiaries throughout our five provinces, all
living out our Principles in their daily living.
One of my great joys was to suggest to our newly ordained bishop in the
diocese I serve, that he become a Companion of our Society, because he had as
Dean in another diocese walked closely with the Third Order. He quickly
responded with a yes, and I am conscious that as he serves Christ in this part
of God's world, his journey as a Companion with us who follow the Franciscan way
will be seen in his leadership and commitment to show Christ by how he lives and
to share Christ in all he meets. He recognises the Christ in everyone.
"To know Christ and to make Christ known."
As I have met and walked beside
my brothers and sisters following in the way of Francis and Clare, we are very
conscious that we have made a promise to make Christ known and loved everywhere;
to spread the spirit of love and harmony; to live simply; and to do this by our
prayer, study, work, and do it in the spirit of humility, love and joy.
I am always aware that I need to walk gently as I greet my brother or sister
who is not always where I am in my journey with Christ. Sometimes I walk
in front and sometimes I walk beside and often I walk behind, but what unites me
with those I meet is a realisation that where they are, Christ is also, and how
I share Christ with love, tenderness, and yet sometimes with a tough challenge
can help in breaking down obstacles and the barriers that can divide us.
"To help us all see that we are all made in the image of God."
As I visit
my brothers and sisters I know that the places and people I visit become holy
ground. Their hospitality, their inclusive love, and their voice that
expresses concern in our diversity gives me the courage and the wisdom that with
God's help we can share a wider and more inclusive and hospitable picture of who
we are.
I remember a moment of visiting a village in the Solomon Islands and a chief
of that village expressing a prayer and wish as he thanked me, acknowledging me
not only as Minister General but as a priest and that one day he may welcome me
back to be the celebrant at the altar. His church is not yet there, but I
rejoiced in the desire by him for change and a recognition that I was part of
who he was in our journey together.
In Papua New Guinea I spent time living with one of my Franciscan sisters in
her home surrounded by her family, and the care and love I received there, and
the wonderful gathering of tertiaries as we explored and learnt more about St
Clare of Assisi were for me part of a bigger picture of us as followers of
Christ. Similarly, the time of prayer and community as we gathered each
day at Greyfriars in Canterbury during the Lambeth Conference and the quiet
words of thanks from the bishops who knew of our prayer presence. And on
my visit to Brazil, travelling many miles to formally welcome the groups into
our Third Order, and a special moment of prayer at one place as we recited a
psalm with four of the sentences in Portuguese and one in English. A
recognition of offering praise and worship, and without the barrier of language
separating us. Other events that stand out for me are the Chapter meeting
in Johannesburg and the sharing together around the theme of love, and being
part of Convocations and General Chapters in Europe, America, Australia and New
Zealand all with a special mess-age of what it really means to follow in the way
of Francis and Clare in our following of Christ, and to discover Christ in one
another.
As Minister General I have been honoured to join us together in our unity and
also in our diversity, to recognise as Francis did the uniqueness of each part
of creation, and especially we, as the human part.
I acknowledge our gratitude and love for the nurturing and care that the
First Order brothers gave to the Third Order in its growing to full
maturity. As a mother, my two children were dependent on me in their
growing years, but now as adults I greet them and listen to them and learn from
them and know that as we share we are not dependent on one another but connected
with a bond that can never be broken. My concern for them and their
concern for me is to do with love. So it is with our relationship with the
First and, may I say, our Second Orders.
I have a special icon that shows Christ walking beside a disciple, with an
arm across the disciple's shoulders, one of love, support and yet not of
superiority. My prayer is that as we journey together as a Society that
image will show me who we are and how we relate to one another.
As I pray my daily Office and Community Obedience, and as I read the
Principles for each day I have found it helpful to also place beside my daily
reading those of my Brothers and Sisters in the First Order, and to reflect on
what each part of the Principles is saying to each Order and for me especially
as I pray for our Society. What I discover over and over again is that we become
one in Christ, living in the footsteps of Francis and Clare.
Each province has its own way of living out our Principles and each province
has its own challenges. Each province tells a story that completes a whole
of who we are, and what they share shows a wider picture of who we are.
As one of my brothers in the Solomon Island shared, what they do in mission
and outreach they do representing each of us.
It has been, and continues to
be a journey of discovery, a journey of encouragement, a journey of inclusive
love, a journey of challenge.
We are many, we are one,
when the work of
Christ is done,
when we live in true community.
(From another hymn by
Colin Gibson.)
As we pray for one another and as we strive to be
an Order, I conclude with these words of St Francis, said when he was
dying:
"I have done what was mine to do; may Christ teach you what is yours."
f
Sixty years in the Third Order
Hugh Beach TSSF
When I joined the Third Order in 1949 it had been in existence for only a
dozen years. Formally, that is, because the roots go back much further.
Towards the end of World War II I spent a few months on the staff of the Land
Forces Headquarters in Kandy (Ceylon) and then Singapore. The head of my
branch was a sapper major called James Fenwick and he took me under his
wing. He was a man of remarkable gifts; he was also a convinced, devout
and persuasive Christian. It was his forceful personality coupled with his
evident conviction that got me going; emerging from a rather lukewarm public
school religiosity with a determination to go for sainthood!
The following year I found myself back at Cambridge, reading mechanical
sciences, but immersing myself in most of the available brands of Christian
enthusiasm: the Christian Union, Student Christian Movement, mission to
hop-pickers and of course college chapel. James soon appeared on the
scene, himself by now determined to leave the army and to become an Anglican
Franciscan friar. He introduced me to the friary on Lady Margaret Road, a
large Victorian mansion inhabited by such striking figures as Fathers Denis and
Michael, SSF. I attended occasional services at the friary, one or two
retreats and a couple of Easter visits to the mother-house at Cerne Abbas (now
called Hilfield). There I met Father Algy, effectively the Founder of the
Society of Saint Francis as we now know it and a famous eccentric.
Bird-like and charismatic, he preached about wild flowers and the origins of
best loved hymns.
In my last term at Cambridge, having been defeated in an effort to leave the
army and train for ordination, I was summoned to Lady Margaret Road for an
interview with Fr. Algy, there on a short visit. He invited me to become a
member of the Third Order of the Society - a body which he himself had created
with the help of a femme formidable called Dorothy Swayne. I was delighted
at this suggestion and was duly noviced on 4 October 1949. Meanwhile I was
invited to a house group at Peckham Rye and on the way home was joined by a
young fellow-tertiary and medical student also making her way to Victoria.
The acquaintance blossomed (rather slowly on my side) and a year or so later we
became engaged. We were invited to attend upon Dorothy Swayne at her house
in Wokingham and apparently passed muster - at all events we got married in
1951, being the first pair of tertiaries to do so.
A few weeks later I was professed. During the previous two years my
novitiate had been guided by another stalwart of Lady Margaret Road and Vicar of
St. Bene't's Church, Fr. Lothian SSF. He had been my wife's spiritual
director before I even knew her. He told us once that he had been praying
for us together long before we became engaged. Lothian was a quiet,
understated man, diffident to a fault. "I think", he once said, "that I
could just bring myself to say 'I believe in God'." His sense of humour
was dry, and clumsy use of the English language caused him great pain. The
rule of life that I wrote under his guidance has served me well to this day.
We began our married life at Chatham, my wife a house physician in a local
hospital and myself a teacher of mathematics at the School of Military
Engineering. The Third Order in those days was a select body, only about
400 strong countrywide, mainly consisting of ladies in the caring professions
(often clergy wives) with a smattering of priests and very few laity. It
was not exactly a secret society but was certainly a reticent one. The manual
was classified as 'Confidential' and only senior friars, and other church people
closely connected to them, were expected to invite newcomers to join.
There was an annual meeting, normally at St. Margaret's Westminster, at which
several brothers would speak, followed by what was delightfully known as 'tea
and conversazione'. Other gatherings were rare.
The Army stipulated that, in exchange for three years' expensive education, I
must serve for five years before they would release me. They would waive
this rule only if I declared myself a conscientious objector, but since I had
recently completed two spells of active service that would hardly wash.
When the five years were up I had already fathered two offspring, graduated from
the Staff College, and been posted to the operations branch in the War
Office. With mounting responsibilities this was the wrong time to
quit. Successive postings took us to Germany (three times), Kenya, and
back to the Ministry of Defence (as it had by then become - also three times),
interspersed with tours at the Staff College (twice more) and to Cambridge and
Edinburgh Universities. As each new job came up - and it was always a
demanding and interesting one - I kidded myself that I would do just this one
more and then retire. But until my time ran out (aged 58) I never did!
In about the mid-1970's the Third Order started to expand, largely due to the
work of Br. Edward SSF, a priest with a genius for friendship. Twenty
years later the Order was over 2000 strong and had developed a strong sense of
its own identity as an Order, largely independent of the Friars. While I
was in the army my connection with it had been somewhat episodic, and most
unfortunately my wife decided to resign from the order, due entirely to the
ham-fistedness of the brother who received our annual reports. This set
her free to rib me mercilessly about my failure to live up to the Rule,
particularly the commitment to poverty which was difficult to reconcile with the
style of life that a general was expected to put on.
After leaving the army I became warden of the Christian conference centre in
Windsor Castle, running courses for the clergy and able to attend every service
in St. George's Chapel for five years. At the same time, through the
offices of Br Edward, I was catapulted into the upper echelons of the Third
Order, serving as a Regional Guardian for two tours and as Assistant to the
Minister Provincial. That stint completed, I sank gratefully back into the
rank and file, where I have served happily for the past fifteen years.
As things have turned out my membership of the Church of England has become
more a matter of loyalty to an institution than of a search for sainthood, or of
devotion to God or to the person of Our Lord. But underlying all of this
has been membership of the Third Order as kind of Cantus Firmus or ground
base. In old age I am able to spend much more time in private prayer (dare
I call it contemplation - probably it is more like dozing) and I have become
more aware of life as a succession of daily miracles, invoking gratitude.
Sixty years as a member of the Third Order is one of the things I can be most
grateful for. F
TSSF's networks of service
Eight hundred years ago, Francis is reputed to have sought out the advice of
his best friend and mentor, Clare, about what was holier: to pray or to
work? Should he continue to lead a life of humble service amongst
the excluded people of society, as he had been doing, or retreat into a
monastic life committed to silence and prayer? Her response, after
considerable prayer, was full of wisdom: his vocation was to combine both
vocations into his own unique form of spirituality: a life of compassionate
service grounded in contemplative prayer.
This spirituality is embedded in our Three Ways of Service: Prayer, Study and
Work. Over the past 10 years, several networks have either
evolved within TSSF or have engaged members of the Third Order (having
been established by members of the First Order). These have encouraged and
supported fellow members as well as establishing deeper ties with the other
Franciscan Orders. They include: the Contemplative Group; TSSF Study and Prayer
(S&P); the JPIC Network; Franciscan Aid; and the Provincial Engagements
Group (PEG).
The Contemplative Group
A workshop at the 1999
Residential Chapter led to a group of 18 tertiaries discussing 'Leading the
Solitary Life in the TSSF'. Afterwards they hoped to keep in touch with
each other, and find others who shared this vocation.
Dorothy and John
Dennis write:
We became linked together by providing our names to each other and publishing
some news in a six monthly 'Solitaries Newsletter'. Among us are some with
a strong vocation, others in whom it is less marked and many who have become
solitary by reason of age or infirmity and who give more space and time to this
life of prayer because they are no longer easily able to go to meetings.
Backing of Provincial Chapter was gained with the recommendation that a
minimum requirement might be: 1. to submit the annual report that all tertiaries
make to their Area Formation Guardian and to attend the Renewal of Vows at
Francistide; 2. to have our name on the list of our local group and honour
that attachment by praying regularly for our brothers and sisters; 3. to
discuss with our spiritual director what is appropriate regarding attendance at
meetings.
The local groups have been encouraged to be aware of a tertiary who is taking
a more solitary path. Many of them do attend local group meetings
regularly and frequently hold office as well. The local group also needs
to include that person in their fellowship by prayer, the imparting of news,
making requests for prayer, and establishing regular contacts. Thus the
possibilities of this way of life can be explored and monitored for the benefit
of the whole Order.
The newsletter has recently changed its name to the 'Contemplatives
Newsletter', abandoning the word 'Solitary' with its connotations of the hermit
life, as few, if any, tertiaries are living as hermits. Their role is
simply to be more contemplative than active.
There are now a little over 100 of us. Two things firmly
bind us to each other. The first is the circulated inter-cession sheet,
laid out in Areas, so that we can all pray for each other. We can also
make contact with those who live nearby and support each other in that
way. The second is the newsletter itself, intended as a means of
encouraging those who receive it to continue on their own journey.
For more
information:
John and Dorothy Dennis, 01962 868881. or johndor_dennis@talktalk.net.
TSSF Study and Prayer Group
Our Principles (Days
17 and 18) and the TSSF Basic Rule encourage us to study in an individually
suitable way. The Study and Prayer steering group defines study very
broadly as a part of our formation, seeing it as "what tertiaries are thinking,
reading, discussing and maybe writing about". For some years we have been
organising study events in our Franciscan houses, always grateful to SSF for
their hospitality. An annual study week takes place each October at
Alnmouth Friary, plus a weekend event in the spring which has often been at the
Clares' guest house at Freeland, though in 2010 it was at Hilfield Friary.
At the study week tertiaries choose their own topic; it is always stimulating to
see new ideas and connections emerge about the Franciscan life and about the
Third Order. The weekend events are themed (Obedience; the work of Fr
Richard Rohr; the Enneagram). Written papers form the staple diet of these
events, and can be anything from simple, serious reflection to something more
academic. Many of these papers are on the Study and Prayer page of the
TSSF website (http://www.
tssf.org.uk/Members/TSSF_Studies.html)
Tertiary creativity is expressed in a variety of forms: apart from the
papers, we have enjoyed a meditation on icons painted by a participant; a guided
spiritual walk; and an artist in residence.
At these events, we share the life and worship of a First or Second
Order Franciscan community for a short time. We find this deepens
vocations and Third Order fellowship, and indeed it is partly why these
activities are called "study and prayer". A more recent focus has been on
encouraging study by individual tertiaries and within their local groups and
areas. It is encouraging that local initiatives are increasingly taking
place, such as the 2010 pan-London area meeting on "Obedience". In
September 2010 we organised our largest event on behalf of TSSF, a conference
led by Richar Rohr on 'Action and Contemplation: Franciscan Spirituality Today'
at which most of the 450 people present were from the Franciscan Orders.
The two days spent together were challenging and inspiring.
TSSF Study and Prayer is intended to be a mainstream part of Third Order life
and of our collective formation as tertiaries, encouraging the sharing of ideas
and spiritual formation.
For more information:
John Wiltshire:
katherine.wiltshire1@
ntlworld.com or 07717 547672; or Tom Keighley: nurprc@nursing.u-net.com
The Justice Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Network
This Network was set up in April 2003 by Averil Swanton with
the encouragement of Dick Bird, then Minister Provincial, at a time when Br
Damian was trying to build closer links between the First Order and Christian
Aid. She invited all Areas to nominate a JPIC representative and the
Network now has JPIC Area Representatives in nearly 75% of the T O Areas as well
as representatives from SSF, CSF and SFO. It has operated primarily as an
e-mail communication network, keeping its members informed of JPIC news, events
and campaigns.
JPIC has hosted a few study weeks in partnership with the TSSF Study and
Prayer group. The first two took place at Alnmouth, and the third was at
Hilfield. We wanted to actively show our support of Hilfield Friary and
the way in which it promotes "the Franciscan values of care for creation,
working for peace and justice, and seeking respectful dialogue with people of
other faiths."
In 2008 the Network was invited by Br Hugh to send a delegate to the annual
conference of the JPIC Links Group of Religious (which until then had only
included members of Religious communities within the Roman Catholic and Anglican
Orders). Nancy Adams attended on behalf of TSSF in 2008 and 2009, after
which the Links Group invited TSSF, along with other secular Orders, to join as
a full member. Chapter agreed to this in 2009. The most recent
meeting of JPIC Area Reps set up a Steering Group with representatives of
TSSF, SSF and SFO to take the JPIC Network forward over the years ahead.
For
more information:
Nancy Adams: nancy@newbigging.org
Franciscan Aid
This charitable trust was set up by Br.
Geoffrey SSF in 1982 with Mary Johnson and Bob Diaper (Guardian and Treasurer
respectively) of the European Province of TSSF. Its object is "to relieve
poverty and advance education of deprived people from third world countries
whose needs may not be covered by other agencies and those with whom the
Franciscans are in contact and whose needs are known so that they can be aided
quickly and precisely." The trust is now managed by a group of UK
tertiaries, in consultation with the Minster General and Ministers Provincial
TSSF and the Minister General and European Minister Provincial SSF. The
trustees meet three times a year to review applications from TSSF and SSF
members throughout the world. Some recent examples of our work are:
A
refrigerator for an Evangelical Lutheran Boys' Home and replacing 20 computers
for Hope Secondary School, both in Beit Jala, Palestine.
A sanitation project
for disabled people in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Payment of registration
fees for two nurses for midwifery training in Zambia.
A Franciscan Reading
Room in Brazil's largest favela (shanty town).
Refurbishing wells for
Mongolian horses after two years of terrible winters.
Providing fans,
blackboards and desks for Deedhandu school, Delhi.
We generally do not fund
building costs or tertiary education fees. Detailed funding guidelines and
an application form can be obtained from the Secretary: Helen Mossop: hmossop@doctors.org.uk
The Third Order and Mission
One of the ways the
Third Order seeks to fulfil our Profession Vow "to spread the knowledge and love
of Christ" is our involvement, with the First Order, in the Provincial
Engagements Group: PEG, for short. It is where all applications for
Franciscan participation in missions are received and considered. PEG
consists of the First Order Provincial Ministers, Br. Martin as secretary and a
member of the Third Order Provincial Chapter.
Requests received are for parish missions, teaching weeks, and preachers for
Holy Week. In addition brothers and sisters are selected to run the
Families Camp and the Youth Camp at Hilfield and to be a presence at large
gatherings such as Greenbelt, New Wine and Soul Survivor. Arrangements for
Missions is quite a lengthy procedure: with review points by PEG along the way,
to ensure that it is an appropriate project for us to take on. Sometimes
the Team Leader will ask for a tertiary to join that team. The TO
representative chooses a person who has volunteered for missions, matching their
skills and strengths to the situation.
Third Order involvement in this group provides another opportunity for
fellow-ship and feeling a part of the Society of St. Francis as a whole, and it
is hoped the outreach of this group will continue to be a useful resource for
the church.
For more information:
Pam Saunders: pam_saunders77@hotmail.com
f
Two thousand tertiaries strong: the development of TSSF from small
beginnings.
Denise Mumford TSSF
'"Thou art the Man," cried Fr Winslow, as at that moment Algy Robertson,
always late, walked into the room.' This quote is from an unpublished
paper by Dorothy Swayne, who may be best described as the Founder of the Third
Order. She and fellow Franciscan associates had grouped together during
the late 1920's under an umbrella body, the Fellowship of the Way. They
passionately hoped for the development of an Anglican Franciscan Order to which
they might be attached as tertiaries.
Dorothy Swayne, at a time of spiritual crisis, had written to her friend,
Deaconess Carol Graham, a missionary in India, for advice. Carol Graham
was a member of the Third Order of Christa Seva Sangha, a Christian Ashram,
started in 1920-22 by the Revd Jack Winslow, who hoped thereby to offer
Christianity to India in an Indian rather than European guise. CSS had
recently been reformed as a Franciscan Religious Order. Fr Algy Robertson,
a First Order Brother of the Sangha, had been invalided out of India, and become
Vicar of St Ives, Hunts. There he had founded a tiny English branch of CSS
in his vicarage.
Meanwhile Jack Winslow was on furlough, and had been asked to attend a
meeting of the Fellowship of the Way to advise the Franciscan associates in
England. His finger pointed to Algy Robertson, the man for the task, and
Algy willingly accepted the proposal to set up a Third Order, attached to his
fragile, English, first Order branch of CSS. Shortly after, Father Algy
and Dorothy Swayne met at her Club in Central London, where they adapted the
Rule of CSS for the new Franciscan Third Order, which came into being in January
1931. The Principles, to which tertiaries turn every day in their prayers,
had been written by Jack Winslow for CSS, and are still an important part of the
Rule of the Society of St Francis.
It took another six years before the CSS in St Ives and BSFA (another small
Franciscan Order) in Dorset finally agreed to a merger, and the Society of St
Francis was formed. Thus, in 1937, TSSF, as we know it today, began its
life, with Fr Algy, who had moved to Cerne Abbas (now Hilfield Friary) as Father
Guardian and Dorothy Swayne as Assistant Guardian of the Third Order and Senior
Novice Mistress.
The Third Order in its early days was very dependent on the First. The
Guardian and Chaplain General were First Order priest friars. Tertiaries
(as now) served six months as postulants and two years as novices before
profession. Numbers rose steadily, by 1951 reaching a plateau of 300
plus. There was a high level of commitment to the Aims of the Order;
Dorothy Swayne, the leading tertiary, who had lived in voluntary poverty while
working alongside the poor of South London, was uncompromising about simplicity
of life: 'Members of the Third Order shall strictly limit their personal
expenditure to such things as are necessary for the health and efficiency of
themselves and those who are dependent on them.' (Early Days, 1953, p.5.)
Growth of the Third Order was restricted partly by the fact that new members
were generally invited to join: for example, Hugh Beach, who was at Cambridge
after war service, and became involved with SSF, was 'summoned to see Fr Algy,'
whom he found in bed clutching a hot water bottle. 'In his threadbare
little voice, he said, "We think it would be a good idea if you became a member
of the Third Order." In a sense this struck me as another posting from a
higher authority, so naturally I took up his suggestion.' (Memoir, 2003,
p.58). Fr Algy's word was law; Dorothy Swayne writes: 'Fr Algy was
particularly insistent on the importance of "hiddenness" for the Third Order,
and for that reason any outward badge or habit, any publicity, any talking about
the Third Order to all and sundry, was prohibited.' (Letter, 1962).
Hiddenness was seen as an encouragement to humility in the religious life.
Looking back, some tertiaries feel that during the early years, TSSF was like a
secret society, but the intensity and obedience of that period must be
remembered.
Fr Algy was also 'very insistent that we should not join together to run
tertiary "good works",' continued Dorothy Swayne, (Ibid, 1962). Again the
intention was 'hiddenness.' This remains general practice within the
Order. Although most tertiaries in their separate lives are involved in
prayer and works, there is reluctance among Third Order members to band together
in social or political action on behalf of the poor - as First Order brothers
have done from the start. (The classic example is of Br Douglas, the
original Father Minister of SSF, in his work with wayfarers.)
The person probably most responsible for the growth of the Third Order was Br
Edward SSF, who died only in 2010 at Alnmouth, and to whom tertiaries owe a huge
debt of gratitude. In 1974, he was asked to become Guardian of the Third
Order. Hugh Beach writes: 'It was an inspired choice…. He toured the land,
constantly expanding the number of tertiaries by his talent for making
friends. Under his rubric, the Order became the very opposite of
reclusive." (Talk, 1998). The membership in the European Province stands
now at over 2000.
Br Edward also encouraged the Third Order to become more independent in its
leadership: "He was successively Guardian, Chaplain General, Chaplain and
finally Assistant Chaplain - a series of demotions which was the direct result
of promoting tertiaries into all the positions held by friars." (Ibid,
1998). Edward stepped down in 1994, and was the last friar to hold office
in the Third Order. This was seen as 'a virtue rising out of necessity,'
and 'time for the Third Order to come of age.' (Platten, 2009). However,
many tertiaries still owe their membership of the Order to the inspiration of
First Order members.
In 1998/9, after the period of fast growth, the Provincial Chapter of TSSF
felt it was time to review the organisation and formative processes within the
Order. A questionnaire, sent out to all tertiaries, allowed feedback on
these important issues. A report found: 'There is a tension between a
vision of the Order as a relatively minimal association of individuals, each
personally exploring a pattern of discipleship, and a contrasting vision of a
relatively strong community fellowship where much is shared and done in common.'
(Shackley, 1998.) Consultants, (Sr Joyce CSF and the Ven Malcolm Grundy)
worked with five teams of experienced tertiaries to produce a Final Report in
1999, with a new vision for the Order: "It would see the Order as a real
community, but one committed to becoming non-hierarchical;" there would be
cooperative, collaborative methods in making decisions. Proposals were
made for a new structure. A very important recommendation was for
"lifelong formation" from cradle to grave; the consultants recommended the
formation of local groups: "a family-sized place where Franciscan spirituality
can be discovered and shaped."
Over the last ten years, the new structures have been put into
practice. Some tertiaries are not entirely reconciled to the new ethos,
which emphasises working in community rather than as a collection of
individuals. However, according to another questionnaire (2009), the
majority of respondents felt that community building was very important.
One tertiary wrote: "Community in the local sense means a given group of people
with whom I try to work out what it means to be a Franciscan - a group with
loving inter-dependence. In the wider sense it means belonging to an
international order, which attempts to live with Franciscan ideals based on our
Principles." f
Learning peace in the Solomon Islands
The 2010 International
Formators' Conference
Desmond Alban SSF
The ‘Community Routes’ of January 2010 reported on the first C/SSF
International Formators' Conference which had been held in New York and Boston
in the summer of 2009. That meeting marked the start of a series of events
to bring together from across the world those concerned with the initial
formation of our sisters and brothers, and in July 2010 a group of us met
together again, this time in the Solomon Islands.
Beginning and ending in the capital, Honiara, we spent most of the time
staying as guests of the brothers at the large and stunningly beautiful rural
house of Hautambu, La Verna, and meeting too with their next door neighbours at
Little Portion, also known as 'the farm': It was from there that the meat
for our feasts and other meals arrived, as well as the extra diesel-generated
electricity, paid for as a luxury and convenience for several hours each
morning and evening during the conference. It was also at Little Portion
that we occasionally joined in the volleyball and football which are part of the
timetable in these youthful SSF houses.
In the middle of our conference, by way of a group-building exercise and a
chance to see something of Melanesian village life, we 'canoed' across a choppy
but azure blue sea to spend a night on the Island of Savo. Our memorable
visit began on that island with the wonderful village welcome, similar to that
which the brothers had arranged for us at Hautambu; 'warriors' first challenging
us before children garlanded us with flowers and the village catechist, a
tertiary, made his welcoming speech. That was followed by a hair-raising
hike up the route of a washed-away path and an ever hotter stream to the caldera
of the active volcano which forms the island. On our return we enjoyed a
wash in water from a well on the beach - the geothermal heat giving us our only
'hot shower' in three weeks - before our feast with the villagers, after which
we shared together something of our lives and stories. We joined them too
for Sunday Mass in the church before our return across the sea.
Apart from that night, we spent the whole time on the main island of
Guadalcanal, but even Hautambu was for many of us one of the most remote places
we had ever visited. So why there?
Well with its abundance of enquirers, postulants and novices Hautambu is a
good place to think about formation, but it was also because the previous year
the brothers in the Pacific had invited the rest of us to come and see for
ourselves what life is like as an SSF brother in that part of the world, as we
thought about our life in a post-colonial context. But we also did so
because we wanted to reflect on our Franciscan calling to be Instruments of
Peace and to hear first hand about the literally 'front line' work that our
brothers had been engaged in during a recent time of unrest and civil war, 'The
Tension', that afflicted the country for several years just a decade ago.
For the first week of our conference two Australian facilitators led us in
an intensive journey through all three workshop levels of the 'Alternatives to
Violence Project'. The next part of the programme was more 'home-grown' as we
discussed how to use the early stories of Francis as sources for peace and
reconciliation. Bishop Terry Brown was with us that week, and explained
the background to 'The Tension', but most movingly several local brothers spoke
directly about their own experiences during that dangerous and frightening time
as they placed themselves between the warring parties, befriending and praying
with both sides in turn, or as they navigated their little boat far out to sea
and back again to bypass the roadblocks which isolated them and other local
people from the important source of various supplies in Honiara. The story
best known in the UK perhaps is that of seven young members of another Anglican
Community, the Melanesian Brotherhood, who were tortured and killed in 2003, and
we visited the graves of those 'Seven Martyrs', now commemorated in the Church
of England Calendar, but it was clear that our SSF brothers had also made an
important contribution at significant personal risk to that vital work of
reconciliation.
To learn first hand from the brothers themselves in the place where these
recent events actually happened was reason enough for our journey, but the
experience of living the gospel life together in the context of one of the most
beautiful but underdeveloped nations on earth is one that will probably help to
form our attitudes and Franciscan vision for years to come. F
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page
Knowing Francis and Clare
Books, study
courses and magazines can all contribute to a better knowledge of Francis and
Clare. But perhaps the best way of all to grow in the Franciscan tradition is to
meet other people who have been influenced by their spirituality and theology,
and who are shaping their lives by the examples of Francis and Clare.
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So visiting Franciscan communities both in this country
and around the world, perhaps spending some time in retreat there, can flesh out
the stories from the thirteenth century with examples of twenty-first century
Franciscan living. Third Order groups give their own picture of Franciscan
living amidst the demands of career and family life. And of course making a
pilgrimage to Assisi is a very particular way of bringing the founders vividly
to life.
Definitions
Aspirant
A person who
hopes (aspires) to become a sister or brother, and who has been accepted by a
particular community, but has not yet begun to live with them.
Chapter
The council or meeting of elected brothers or sisters which deliberates and makes decisions about the community is known as the Chapter.
Community of St Francis (CSF)
Now the oldest surviving
Anglican Franciscan community, CSF was founded in 1905 by Sr Rosina Mary. In
1964 the sisters became part of the Society of St Francis (SSF), adopting The
Principles as their Rule. In 1973 they were recognised as the sisters of the
First Order.
First Order
The first of the Orders to be created by Francis consisted
of those men who followed Francis taking the Evangelical Counsels of poverty,
chastity and obedience as vows, and were received into the fellowship of the
community. The Roman Catholic Church recognises that there are three branches of
the First Order: the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), the Coventuals (OFM Conv) and
the Capuchins (OFM Cap). For Anglican Franciscans, the First Order also include
a women’s community (CSF) who follow the same Rule as their First Order
Brothers.
Guardian
Guardians are heads of houses or local communities
and have the care and charge of brothers and sisters living in their friary or
convent. Francis deliberately chose the terms Minister and Guardian in direct
contrast to Superior, Abbot and Prior, indicating that those in positions of
leadership in the Order should be seen as the servants of the community.
Habit
The distinctive clothing of a community,
common to all, is known as the habit. In some community houses the habit is worn
at all times, in others only at certain times or for certain activities, in
others only on formal occasions. The white, three-knotted cored is a Franciscan
symbol reminding its wearers of the three vows.
Minister
Ministers have the care and charge of brothers and
sisters in a Province (Minister Provincial) or of the whole Order (Minister
General). Francis deliberately chose the terms Minister and Guardian in direct
contrast to Superior, Abbot and Prior, indicating that those in positions of
leadership in the Order should be seen as the servants of the
community.
Novice
A member of a community who is in
the formation stage of their Religious Life, when he or she learns the mind,
work and spirit of a particular community whilst living among its members, is
normally known as a novice. The Noviciate is a name for the whole group of
novices. Novice Guardian The member of the community with particular
responsibility for the care, training and education of novices; this is often
referred to as formation.
Office
The round of
liturgical services of prayer and worship, which mark the rhythm of the daily
routine in the religious life, is called the Office. Religious communities may
use the services laid down by the Church or may have their own particular Office
book. Anglican Franciscans have their own book, The Daily Office SSF, which
contains Morning, Mid-day, Evening and Night Prayer.
Postulant
Someone who is in the first stage of
living the religious life. The postulancy usually begins when the aspirant
begins to live in the community and ends when he or she becomes a novice and
receives the habit. Postulants usually wear secular clothes, perhaps with some
distinguishing feature to mark this initial commitment.
Principles Click here for details regarding the
Principles
The Principles are the Rule of the First Order Anglican
Franciscans. They are in large measure derived from the documents of the Christa
Seva Sangha, a brotherhood established in 1922 in Poona, India. They were
revised in 1930 for the Brotherhood of the Love of Christ, St Ives,
Huntingdonshire, England and again in 1937, when the Brotherhood of the Saint
Francis of Assisi, Hilfield, Dorset, England amalgamated with them to form the
Society of St Francis (SSF). The Community of St Francis, founded in 1905,
became a part of the Society in 1964 and adopted The Principles as their Rule,
as did the Order of St Francis, a men’s community in America when they became
part of SSF, in 1967. The Principles are arranged for daily reading over a
month, and are read corporately each day in Franciscan houses.
Profession
The ceremony at which a religious
brother or sister makes promises (or vows) to live the Religious Life with
integrity and fidelity to the Rule. The profession of these vows may be for an
initial period of some years, or for life. The pattern in the Anglican
Franciscans is to make a ‘first’ or simple profession in which the vows are made
to the community. After three or more years, a Life Profession may be made,
which is to the church, and so the vows are received by a
Bishop.
Rule
The written text containing the
principles and values by which the members of a community try to live. The Rule
is not simply a set of regulations, although it may contain such; it is an
attempt to capture the spirit of a community in written form. Some Franciscan
communities follow traditional Rules, such as that of St Francis and St Clare;
others have written their own in the spirit of Francis or Clare. The Rule of the
First Order of the Society of St Francis is called The Principles.
Rule of Life A short rule adopted by an individual or a
community laying out clearly the obligations and duties of the individual or
each member of the community, such as prayer and attendance at Office and
Eucharist; penance; study; work and leisure; retreats and quiet days,
etc.
Second Order
The Order of the Poor Ladies of
Assisi, who came to be known as the Order of St Clare, or simply, the Poor
Clares, constitute the Second Order of the wider Franciscan family. They live
the contemplative life, concentrated on prayer within the convent, rather than
on work or ministry outside the house.
Society of St
Francis
SSF is both the name for the First Order brothers among
Anglican Franciscans, and also of the umbrella organisation which includes First
Order brothers and sisters, Second Order sisters and Third Order sisters and
brothers.
Stigmata
The five wounds received by our
Lord on the cross are traditionally known as the stigmata. They were made by the
nails penetrating Christ’s hands and feet when he was nailed to the cross, and
by the lance of the soldier in the side of Christ (John 19:34). The stigmata of
St Francis was the occasion in 1224 when St Francis received in his own body on
Mount Alverna the stigmata of Christ, during a vigil of prayer following Holy
Cross Day. This incident in the life of Francis is usually celebrated on
17September.
Third Order
(TSSF) Members of the
Anglican Third Order are known as the Tertiaries; in the Catholic Church they
are called the Secular Franciscans. They are men and women who take vows
modified so that they are able to live in their own homes and have their own
jobs. They may also marry and have children. They have a Rule of Life and are
linked to other Tertiaries through regular
meetings.
Vows
The promise or
promises made by a religious sister or brother at profession. Traditionally they
are vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
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Other sections
Section 1
Click here for the "About
section", where you will find more information regarding St Francis, St Clare,
the time the saints lived in, the Pilgrimage to Assisi, Franciscan tradition and
why after you?
Section 2
Click here for the "Franciscan
Praying" section, where you will find relevant prayer/praying details: Centred
on Christ, Christ in Creation, Christ in the crib, Christ on the cross, Christ
in The Eucharist, a Franciscan icon, Prayers of St Francis, Praying with SSF,
How I pray, Join us in chapel, Pray for us
Section 3
Click here for the "Living as
Franciscans" section, where you will find: Life in community, A passion for
justice and peace, Sharing the gospel, A day in the life, The Anglican Francisan
Story, The wider picture of being Franciscan
Section 4
Click here for "Franciscan
News" section
Section 5
Click here for "Pray for us"
section - containing the prayer diary and intercessions list for our brothers
and sisters
Section 7
Click here for the "Becoming a
Franciscan" section - where you will find: Franciscan calling, Some of our
stories, Living as Franciscans, What next? and Growing into the life
sections
Section 8
Click here for "Where we are",
where you will find details of our contacts, houses, guest and retreat
accommodation
Section 9
Click for links external
organisations and bodies
