Chapter II Agents of Formation Guidelines for Initial Formation in the Secular Franciscan Order in the United States

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Chapter II Agents of FormationGuidelines for
Initial Formationin the Secular Franciscan
Orderin the United States

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Vatican II calls for ongoing con-version in the
life of the Church

• The Church, containing sinners in its own bosom,
  is at one and the same time holy and always in
  need of purification and it pursues increasingly
  penance and renewal under the action of the
  Holy Spirit, it does not cease from renewing
  itself until, through the cross, it arrives at
  the light which knows no setting. (Lumen gentium
  8 and 9)

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Formation

• A continuous process of conversion of candidates
  and members of the SFO.
• A personalized procedure involving
• the totality of the human person,
• the charism and
• the spiritual growth of the person.
• In the process of formation, there is a necessary
  interaction between those forming and those who
  are being formed all are continually being
  formed and are forming one another.

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• General Constitutions Article 37.2
• Mindful that the Holy Spirit is the principal
  agent of formation and always attentive with
  collaboration with Him, those responsible for
  formation are the candidate, the entire
  fraternity, the council with the minister, the
  master of formation, and the assistant.

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Agents of Formation

1. The Holy Spirit
2. The Candidate
3. The Local Fraternity
4. The Fraternity Council
5. The Formation Director and the Formation Team
6. The Spiritual Assistant
7. The Sponsor
8. Higher Levels of Fraternity

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A. THE HOLY SPIRITThe Primary Agent of
Formation

• The Holy Spirit
• calls and prompts human beings to holiness,
• inspires and conforms us to the image of the Son,
  
• draws us into the Franciscan Family, and
• is the primary agent of formation.

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Candidate must

• be open to the Spirit, and to the Word of God
• become more aware of the importance of prayer and
  of spiritual direction
• to hear,
• to seek,
• to understand
• the action of the Spirit
• in the Church and
• in the Fraternity

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• General Constitutions Article 37.3
• The brothers and sisters are responsible for
  their own formation, developing in an ever more
  perfect way the vocation received from the Lord.

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B. THE CANDIDATE The Primary Responsibility

• The candidate, who is the center around whom
  every formation activity revolves, bears the
  primary responsibility for his/her own spiritual
  growth, and shares and interacts in the formation
  process.

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1. Formation the development of the total
human personality

• Formation is not instruction alone, but rather
  the development of the total human personality
  which must be loved, respected and understood.
• Formation is the process of a gradual unfolding
  of a persons identity as a child of God.

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• Certain consequences follow from this
• Candidates
• Self-Formation
• Contribution
• Disposition

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A) Self-formation

• is primary in the development of the adult
  person, and
• this reality must be communicated to the
  candidate by the Formation Team.

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B) The candidate brings to the Fraternity

• natural abilities and values, and
• supernatural gifts
• which enrich all the sisters and brothers in
  their mutual sharing of Gospel experiences.

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C) The candidate

• is a free person
• who seeks to follow Christ Jesus in the
  footprints of St. Francis and
• through a process of discernment,
• strives to clarify his/her own vocation to the
  Secular Franciscan Order.

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General Constitutions Article 38.1

• The time of initiation is intended for the
  discernment of the vocation and for the
  reciprocal acquaintance between the fraternity
  and the aspiring member.
• It should generate the freedom and the
  seriousness of entrance into the SFO.

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2. Requirements for Membership (Gen. Const.
Art. 39.2)

• Freedom from impediments as found in the General
  Constitutions and in the Code of Canon Law.
• To show clear signs (positive indications) of a
  vocation

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Positive indications of a vocation

• A strong desire for conversion and spiritual
  growth
• A spirit of hope and optimism
• A spirit of renewal and a desire for updating
• A good sense of humor, common sense, and the
  proven ability to get along with others
• A whole-hearted dedication to Christ and the
  Church which is both personal and ecclesial
• A desire to study the spirit of Franciscanism.

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3. Expectations of the Fraternity and the
Formation Director/Team

• A willingness
• To take an active part
• in dialogue and study,
• in the Formation process and
• in the life of the Fraternity
• To share
• talents, charism and gifts,
• both personal and material,
• with the Fraternity and with others
• And ability of being the active agent of their
  own formation and personal spiritual growth.

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C. THE LOCAL FRATERNITY

• The local Fraternity has a special place in the
  Formation process since "the entire community is
  engaged in this process of growth by its own
  manner of living" (SFO RULE 23).
• The fraternity is called to help the brothers
  and sisters in their journey by means of a warm
  welcome, prayer and example. (Gen. Const. Art.
  37.3)

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1. The shared life experience of the local
Fraternity

• Is a continuous formative experience shared by
  all the members, both candidates and professed.

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Some elements in this formation process are

• Personal interaction with the sisters and
  brothers of the Fraternity
• Sharing of lived experiences in our Franciscan
  way of life
• The continuous formation and education process of
  ALL MEMBERS
• Fraternity prayer and reflection, Retreats, Days
  of Recollection, Franciscan Community
  experiences
• Sharing in common ministries and apostolic
  activities.

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2. A formative or educating community

• The Local Fraternity is truly a formative or
  educating community when it presents itself as
• a warm, human group an extended family and a
  primary support group for all the members
• a living ecclesial community celebrating the
  mystery of salvation
• an opportunity to experience fraternity in the
  Franciscan tradition

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2. A formative or educating community (Cont.)

• a community open to other ecclesial communities,
  cooperating with them in the work of the Kingdom
  of God
• a Christian community striving to be a basic
  ecclesial community (BEC) in the correct
  theological sense by engaging its members in
  worship, education, ministry, communication and
  leisure.

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Discussion Questions

• Give an example of when you felt the Holy Spirit
  directly call, inspire, draw or influencing you.
  How did you know?
• How can you assist a candidate in discerning a
  vocation? Give some examples.
• Share some ideas as to how you discerned your
  vocation or that of someone in your fraternity.