Contemporary Challenges for Franciscan Life in Light of the Post-Capitular Document 2021

Abstract

It is no secret today that we live in times of the most dynamic development of human thought and at the same time the utmost crisis of human identity. Over the past few decades, we have created a society that wants to prove with all its might that only total freedom can give a rational man the full reason for his existence and make him happy, a society who no longer needs an „nonfigurative god”, the alleged creator and master of all of the universe.

We must seriously realize that we are not only affected by a crisis of human identity, but this very crisis has a huge impact on the quality of the faith we profess, and thus on the proper understanding by ourselves of voluntary surrender and dedication of our lives fully to the Lord through religious consecration. We therefore want to take a closer look at the “Final Document of the 2021 General Chapter” of our Order, which was adopted by the Friars on July 17 of this year. It is not without significance that the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), since the beginning of the pandemic, was the first order in the Church that „gathered to fulfill the obligation to hold a general chapter in a worldwide facet” (no. 4). As the newly elected Minister General, Fr. Massimo Fusarelli writes – „also our times, though not easy, offer an opportunity to listen to the Gospel and find the purpose and words of life that will help us renew our vision”.

Despite the changing eras, Saint Francis and his way of life are still surprisingly relevant today, and new followers do not hesitate to adopt the way of life he the Poverello has decreed for the entire Order: “to live in obedience, chastity and without possessions, and to follow the teaching and the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.” However, for many of those called today, this path proves to be extremely difficult to reconcile with the mentality and expectations of the modern world. Hence, disappointments, frustrations, failed ambitions, imaginary diseases or even false accusations of others are born in their hearts, only to justify themselves as well as interpret the way of religious life and personal happiness in their own way.

Both the unceasing personal desire for conversion and the peripheries of the modern world are the most right field for our mission and vocation. It is there that the Franciscan spirit of prayer, penance and piety can contribute to changing the mentality of the spirit of this world, selfishly focused on its own strengths and achievements. Therefore, we must not give up striving for the full truth at any price, closing ourselves internally against the power of the Holy Spirit that animates our minds and hearts.

The future of the Order will always be clear to the extent that its members are constantly ready to receive the Gospel in a spirit of penance and mortification, and are not concerned only for themselves, but have open minds and hearts as a missionary and evangelizing community. The lack of openness, enthusiasm and creativity only fosters dissatisfaction, and thus the slow demise of such a vocation. For St. Francis, the absolute rule was the Gospel. His ideal was Christ and total spiritual adherence to Him in order to truly profess „my God and my all,” and vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity made sense only to implement his passionate love for the Savior.

Love must have the flavor of noble compassion and dignity. Only in this way will every brother in the Order be able to fully realize his mission and consecration according to the needs of the Church, the Community and his abilities. No one on this path is either excluded or less important. The Gospel that for St. Francis of Assisi “became the beginning and the place from which he constantly extracted strength and inspiration, is the most important issue in the school of Christ. Faith always retains an aspect of the cross that is our strength in the fight against the powers of darkness. It is also thanks to faith that we have been included in this fraternal community with which we want to share our downfalls and misery to the end. Therefore, we are obliged to listen carefully to one another, to get to know and understand each other as best as possible, to rejoice in the successes of others, and to help responsibly our spiritually weaker brothers rise from their failures. The spirit of brotherhood and religiousness gives us such freedom to enrich each other with a strong faith without hypocrisy, remembering that God still trusts us and sends us to brothers who want to give Him all their lives out of true love for Him.