Our Priorities
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
An OFS sister in the Philippines e-mailed me with a question about a report by Mary Frances Charsky, OFS “17th OFS General Chapter, Rome. November 7-17, 2024.” This report appeared in TAU-USA issue #114 on page 9.
The report states: Quote "“You are love” was the theme of the 17th General Chapter of the Secular Franciscan Order held in Rome in November of 2024 during the 8th Centenary of the Stigmata. This idea was expanded upon by fellow Franciscans with explanations that God loved us first. Our Franciscan way of life begins with love. Love of God, love of self, and love of neighbors and our families. Testimonies and examples were shared. Our level of concern was elevated for struggling fraternities and for marginalized people throughout the world."
And also:
"Three priorities emerged from the week of reflections, discussions and deliberations:
- Formation should help us live our Franciscan spirituality in a way that deepens our relationship with God who is love and leads us to become a community of love.
- Family life is the essence of our human life. As Secular Franciscans, we are called to live the love of God in the family, either as single or married persons. Family life should help us see the important role that family plays in our Franciscan life. We belong to another family - the Franciscan Family.
- Promotion of vocations is the third priority. Article 45 in our General Constitutions states that promoting vocations to the Order is the duty of all the brothers and sisters. It is a sign of vitality in fraternities. We need to promote the OFS vocation with courage, creativity, and validity of the Franciscan way of life. Unquote.
Reflection
- God loves us (people) so much that He loved us before we were even born. Ps. 139: 13, “You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.”, and, Jer. 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
- We love God because He loved us even before we were born. Our Franciscan profession is His gift to us. I thank God daily for allowing me to be a Franciscan. This leads to more prayer, and greater love on our part of God and His Church. It also leads to more suffering. That’s because the more our Love for God intensifies, the more suffering will happen. That’s all right, Lord, bring it on … "All for Thee, Jesus and Mary, Thy Kingdom come."
- We experience Formation through our Franciscan Fraternities, and also by reading Holy Scripture.
- Family life is more complicated for me because I am single. Soon I’ll be 86, but despite that, I manage. If I didn’t have such a strong relationship with God (Thank you, St. Francis!), my life would be a great deal more challenging. Being a Franciscan (for 32 years now), I have a family, my sisters and brothers in my fraternity, and in other fraternities in Florida.
Secular Franciscans belong to a local fraternity, which in turn belongs to a Secular Franciscan region, belonging to a national fraternity, one per Nation. And then there is a Minister General. That’s how it works. And it works well! Thanks to modern communications (Internet, e-mail, etc.), we all manage to keep in touch.
Peace and Good,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
August 17, 2026