Pope: Franciscan life marked by
fraternity, littleness, peace
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| Pope Francis greets the new OFM conv. Minister General, Carlos Trovarelli |
Pope Francis invites Conventual Franciscans to live in a
spirit of fraternity, littleness, and peace, after the Order adopts new rules
to govern community life.
By Devin Watkins
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) concluded
their month-long 202nd General Chapter on Monday with a papal
audience in the Vatican.
In his address, Pope Francis complemented the Conventual
Franciscans for approving their new General Statutes, which make changes
regarding inter-culturalism, sharing, and financial transparency in community
life.
“These changes are difficult, but it is effort well-spent!”
he told the group, reminding them that Constitutions guarantee an Order’s
charism and its extension into the future.
The Gospel, Pope Francis noted, is the Franciscan’s “rule
and life” and their mission is to be a living Gospel.
Fraternity
The Pope then explored three ways Conventual Franciscans can
be a “living exegesis of the Word”.
Fraternity, he said, is a central aspect of life for those
who follow in the footsteps of St. Francis. “Fraternity is a gift to welcome
with gratitude. It is a reality ever ‘on the path’, in construction, which
requires each person’s contribution,” he said.
The Holy Father said fraternity requires everyone to “love
and nourish his brother” so that community life becomes a “school of communion”
and a “type of prophecy in the Church and in the world”.
Littleness
Pope Francis said “littleness” (Italian: minorità)
is another important characteristic of Conventual Franciscan life.
“This is a difficult path,” he said, “because it is opposed
to worldly logic, which seeks success at any cost and desires to occupy the
first place”.
St. Francis, said the Pope, told Franciscans to be humble
and to spend their lives in the service of others.
Peace
“Preach peace,” Pope Francis exhorted the group, in the
spirit of the traditional Franciscan greeting: “Pax et bonum”.
The Pope said peace can be interpreted as “reconciliation…
with ourselves, with God, with others, and with creatures.”
“Reconciliation consists in concentric circles which begin
in the heart and extend out to embrace the whole universe. But in reality, it
begins in the heart of God, the heart of Christ,” he said.
This type of peace, he pointed out, is more than an absence of
problems, because it emanates “from the presence of God within us.”
Permanent formation
Living a life of fraternity, littleness, and peace, said
Pope Francis, requires continuous formation that promotes gradual conformation
to Christ, in every sphere of life.
He called it a personalized “formation of the heart, which
changes our way of thinking, feeling, and acting; a formation that teaches
fidelity”.
Only good religious formation, Pope Francis concluded, can
help stem the “hemorrhaging” of priests and religious who are abandoning their
calling.
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