by Ron Semenoff OFS, JPIC Animator, St. Mary’s Fraternity
INTRODUCTION
Over the past short while I have had the pleasure of examining three pivotal works within our Franciscan family on gaining an understanding of what it means for us to have a spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. These works include two works written especially for the Friars Minor, “Pilgrims and Strangers in this World: Resource for Ongoing Formation, From Chapter IV of the OFM General Constitutions” Rome 2008 and “Guidelines for the Animation of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” (JPIC) Rome 2009. The third work written especially for the Secular Franciscans is, “Understanding JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation): A Primer for Formation and Animation.” Canadian Edition by Andrew Conradi OFS National JPIC Animator, National Fraternity of Canada 2013.
With this report, I wish to share with you a few poignant ideas from these works that may assist us as we chart a course for proclaiming our spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, to the Secular Franciscans of Calgary.
The Three, Or Is It Four Conversions?
The OFM work “Guidelines for the Animation of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation” (JPIC) Rome 2009. supports an understanding of the spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation that was first presented by Father Donal Dorr of the St Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers) in 1984.
To be engaged in the work of Justice and Peace one must engage in the truths shared by the prophet Micah who said,(Micah 6:8) ”O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” This calls for 3 conversions.
The first conversion is the “Religious” or “Personal” conversion. To walk humbly with God, one must engage in the deep personal relationship with Christ. With the God who knows even the number of hairs on our head. And, like Jesus, we must take the time to be alone with God in prayer and study, to grow close, and thus walk humbly with him.
The second conversion is the “Moral’ of “Interpersonal” conversion. To love kindness, one must in fact work to become kind. This is to be concerned and to offer our support to everyone in need. From those who are close to us and those who are strangers in our midst. We follow Jesus by imitating his caring for others.
The third conversion is the “Political” conversion. In the spirit of doing what Christ did, we are called to challenge the injustices of our world. We must know what is happening in our world, we must question all injustices, and we must do what ever we can to address those issues.
In addition to Father Dorr’s three conversions the Friars Minor add a fourth conversion, the “Ecological” conversion. As stewards of creation, not exploiters of creation, we are called to actively engage in caring for all that God has created.
In our rapidly changing world the need for an “Ecological” conversion, becomes just as essential as our “Religious” or “Personal” conversion, our “Moral” or “Interpersonal” conversion, and our “Political conversion.
The Ongoing Conversion
Within the OFM work, “Pilgrims and Strangers in this World: Resource for Ongoing Formation, From Chapter IV of the OFM General Constitutions” Rome 2008 address the concept that the spirituality of JPIC is, if anything, within the life blood of the Friars Minor and all Franciscans.
The title of Chapter Four of the General Constitutions of the OFM is titled “Pilgrims and Strangers in this World,” which reflects that the Friars Minor are to feel a deep bond with all fellow Pilgrims and Strangers. Here the Constitution deals with the life of the friar “ad extra” or outside the Fraternity. Underlying this is Article 66 which states in Subsection Two:
“By their way of life, as a fraternity and as individuals, the friars are to behave in such a way that no one is kept from them, particularly those who usually are socially and spiritually neglected.”
As Friars are “Minor” they must respond with unity and Godly love to all persons of “minority”. In being “one” with all persons of “minority” the Friars are called reflect upon the condition of the world. In contemplating a truly Franciscan response to these conditions, Friars are to be continually guided by the Scriptures, Catholic Social Teaching, and the model of St. Francis, as they collectively and individually dare to live as an active sign of the Gospel of Christ to “refute the false values of our age.” To do this the Friars must engage in a process of personal asceticism so that they can continually be transformed and converted into a “sign of the new humanity that God desires.”
FIVE INFLUENCES TO ASSIST THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN’S CONVERSION
In “Understanding JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation): A Primer for Formation and Animation.” National Fraternity of Canada 2013, five influences are presented that we Secular Franciscans need to continually engage in order for us to to grow in our spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation. These are:
- The Bible
- Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
- Franciscan Spirituality as expressed in the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (FIT)
- Prayer and Action (with its Summit – The Eucharist) and,
- The Rule and General Constitutions of the OFS
With rigorous personal effort, and with the assistance of the Fraternity, each influence is to be continually engaged with through out the entire life of the Secular Franciscan. Growing ever more familiar with each influence assists in the ongoing Formation, Transformation, and daily Conversion of the Secular Franciscan.
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, A REALITY TO FACE
Let us remember that differences of opinion do happen, even among Christian (Imagine that!) “Understanding JPIC…” reminds us of how our fellow Secular Franciscan, Pope John XXIII addressed this topic:
“Differences of opinion in the application of principles can sometimes arise even among sincere Catholics. When this happens, they should be careful not to lose their respect and esteem for each other. Instead, they should strive to find points of agreement for effective and suitable action, and not wear themselves out in interminable arguments, and, under pretext of the better or the best, omit to do the good that is possible and therefore obligatory.” (John XXIII, Mater and Magistra, 1961)
ISSUES PRESENTED BY OUR NATIONAL FRATERNITY
The “National Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Action Plan” was officially affirmed by the National Chapter of Elections, in May of 2012. In the “Action Plan” 10 issues were presented that the National Fraternity recommended a response by all Canadian Secular Franciscans. These issues are:
1. Extreme poverty and the excluded
2. The ethical use of resources: especially water, mining and fair trade
3. Food: security and sovereignty
4. Human Trafficking and Contemporary Forms of Slavery
5. Care of Creation: particularly one or more of the following: Pollution; Climate Change; the Alberta Oil Sands and/or Hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
6. Peace, conflict resolution and active non-violence
7. Treatment of Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants
8. Solidarity with, and support for, Christians in countries threatened by hostile cultures
9. Current issues regarding Aboriginal Peoples in Canada 10.Other topics at the discretion of the fraternities.
Certain of these issues would undoubtedly lead to differences of opinion amongst the Secular Franciscans in the Calgary area. In spite of this, exploring some of these issues as a fraternity could be of great benefit in the deepening of each members spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.
CONCLUSION
In this report I have presented my personal reflections on just five of the possible hundreds of topics presented within the three sources cited. Developing a deeper sense of JPIC and our spirituality of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation will be an ongoing process for all of us. I highly recommend we all strive as Article Seven of our rule states:
“United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.
On this road to renewal, the sacrament of reconciliation is the privileged sign of the Father’s mercy and the source of grace.”