www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Leaving the Secular Franciscans for...???

Dear Byzcath Friends,

I wanted to share with you a struggle that I have been having for some time now. I was received into the Secular Franciscan Order while studying at Franciscan University of Steubenville back in 1990. I made my profession - after an extended absence due to marriage, moves, family life, etc - in 1999. My fraternity is in covenant with a wonderful group Franciscan Brothers (of Peace) that I have discussed here on different occasions. (They host our BCC parish's once a month outreach.) I have served as Formation Director and on the Fraternity Council for the fraternity over the years, and have been approached twice by others about becoming Fraternity Minister or moving up to a Regional level.

Over the past few years, though, as my desire to live more deeply this mystery of Orthodoxy in Communion with the Apostolic See of Rome has increased, I have sensed some difficulty in reconciling my Franciscan vocation and my desire to serve and live out the Byzantine path. I know that the two are very compatable and that there exists a Byzantine Catholic region of the Franciscans here in the US. I also know that many of our BCC Bishops have come out of the Franciscan Order. But I don't feel that my heart is in this vocation any longer, and that I am longing for something deeper and richer for me. (that is not to disparage the SFO calling in any way - it is more of a personal sense that I have.) My life in the SFO feels very much like an add-on to my spiritual life, rather than a wellspring.

I spoke with my spiritual father about this (he is a Melkite Archimandrite) and he is not surprised at all - in fact he wondered why this growing detachment did not occur sooner! I think perhaps it is because of my family's very close relationship with the brothers, as well as my desire to fulfill my promises to the order. I do not believe a change in my relationship with the fraternity, however, will hurt this relationship.

My point?

As inspiring as I find the Ominbus of Sources on the life of Holy Father Francis, I then pick up the life of the St. Simeon the New Theologian, St. Seraphim of Sarov or the Way of a Pilgrim, and my heart sings with the praise of God. I read the Philokalia, and I know that this is what I deeply desire for my own poor spiritual practice...

I am wondering if there are those who are (or were) part of a traditional Western order or institute that have sensed the same tension or feel that they are trying to fit the proverbial square peg in a round hole?

As I write these words, I feel somewhat sad at what appears to be the letting go of something that was so familiar and familial. At the same time, I cannot help but recognize that I do not feel any sense of attachment to the Order. (Although knowing my own sinfulness, the vocation to be a penitent is still quite fresh!) I also feel like my obligations within the fraternity actually take time away from my desire to serve my parish and our Eparchy. I am concerned about the continued existence of the BCC (in all its various rescensions!) and want to contribute to its growth!

I have co-founded a group that I have mentioned called the Byzantine Companions of the Holy Cross. Our little mustard-seed group desires to live out the Byzantine spiritual path as humble missionaries in every context, especially by spreading hesychast spirituality and the use of the Jesus Prayer. (The "Jesus-Prayer Starter Kits" has been one of the ways that we have sought to do this.) While there are some interesting similarities with Franciscan penitential spirituality, I have tried to write our statutes in such a way that it reflects an authentic Eastern vocation - living the Gospel as we serve at the three altars of life: the church, the home and the marketplace.

Our "Little Rule of the Companions" is simply:

Come and follow Christ as Companions of the Holy Cross
Acquire the Spirit of Peace and Love, and
Evangelize the world
Living each day as pilgrims of the Holy Trinity, along the path of Catholic
Unity, a life of constant and ongoing
Metanoia.

(The main parts of the Little Rule form the word "CAELUM" which is Latin for "heaven" - our desired destination!)

My inclination is to release myself (at least on a trial basis for a year) and focus on the Companions. Bishop John has approved our group for a year to exist officially at St. John the Baptist in Minneapolis (we have been in existence since 2001). We are to then re-submit our statutes to Bishop John and a canon lawyer for possible establishment as an Eparchy-wide organization.

Sorry for the long message. Please, if you would, pray for me as I discern the next move.

You byzcath brother in Christ,

Gordo

PS: I must also admit that I feel drawn to Byzantine Carmel, but I fear that I would find the same situation - despite the marvellous posts of Alex and Carmelitum!

Brother Caelum,

I think we all have a day or so when we question our spiritual paths and rules. I wrestle with this more then I should.

Prayers for your path and enlightenment.

james

Gordo,

I can certainly relate to your loyalty to the Secular Franciscans having been part of the Benedictine Oblates for nine years myself.

When we found it necessry to move across our state to another town it was then time to discontinue my annual oblation to that group, but I continued for a while longer than I probably should have. An important part of being an oblate is to associate and attend meetings at a monastery as well as locally. The monastery was far from my new home, a two day drive, and local meetings with a group in our area were not easily attended either being in a huge city with heavy traffic...for me a hectic three or four hour drive away.

I found it hard to leave, but harder to stay. And... I gradually realized that my growing love of Eastern Sprituality although could be very compatible was not compatible with the particular Benedictine community to which I had belonged. So, I made the decision to not renew my oblation. Health, growing age problems, and the expense also added to the decision. This was over four years ago but I continue to keep the fruits of the oblate experience and the Benedictine Way in my heart.

It sounds to me that the Holy Spirit is drawing you to focus more on your new path with the group you have co-founded. And that sounds challenging and exciting to me...albeit hard work as well.

We have only so much time and energy. As St. Paul said, "...this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil 3:13-14

Whatever you do you will bring the fruits of your experience with the Secular Franciscans with you.

Today I am praying for your discernment.

In Christ,

Porter...

Gordo,

Follow your heart.

Take what you have learned from the West and build on it with the Spirituality of the East.

Trust that God will guide you.

Peace,

Sam

Yes, keep what you have that is good and build on it in the east. I think you have too much sincerity to be one who comes east, but is eastern in name only. You can distinguish what is good in the west and incorporate it into your eastern spirituality.

Thank you all for your encouragement, as well as for sharing your own experiences. (I have also received a few PM's on this as well.)

I trust that God will guide me into his will. I only pray that I have the courage to follow it!

God bless!

Gordo

I never joined the SFOs, not being much of a joiner, but from what I could see, I found it hard to reconcile with Franciscanism, let alone Byzantine spirituality!
I never have seen a reason to leave behind my love of St Francis, though, or for that matter any of the Western saints....
-Daniel

Dear Gordo,

As someone who feels very close to both the Carmelite and Benedictine oblate traditions, I can well appreciate your feelings!

(I don't know why Michael the Carmelitanum left here and I can't convince him to return! If it was anything I did or said, I'm ready to accept any penance he would impose!)

The problem, as I see it, is that the "Third Order" isn't something that is an integral part of Eastern spirituality per se.

And by being so closely connected to the Latin Orders, it makes trying to follow one's Eastern Christian spirituality more difficult (but not impossible).

This is what we were trying to do with the Internet Carmel here, redefining a Byzantine Carmel (which was Eastern to begin with).

The Franciscan spirituality is a different kettle of fish as it is entirely a Western spiritual thing.

Met. Andrew Sheptytsky encouraged Eastern Catholic branches of Western religious Orders, including the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the Redemptorists - but these tended to be very Latinized and had no real connection with Eastern spirituality (and how can they?).

But the ideal of living in connection with Eastern monasticism and praying the Horologion etc. is something that truly IS integral to Eastern Christian spirituality.

The Old Believers are experts in this and promote the praying of the daily Office etc. in accordance with the rules of St Basil (who himself, in his writings, sees his rules of life as something that belongs to all Christians and not just monastics).

Your group is fulfilling a great mission in restoring the relationship of the laity to Eastern monasticism in daily life.

Monasticism, in and of itself, is essentially a "lay movement" and St Benedict himself didn't really want priests as monks.

(And St Francis of Assisi never got ordained a priest himself and didn't encourage his brother monks to do so - to get ordained a priest in his age would have been to become part of the power structure of the Church, something antithetic to the Franciscan ideal).

So monasticism belongs to us as the people of God in the first instance!

Alex (unhappy with Carmelitanum's leaving)

Alex,

Brother Michael did not care for politics, he is at the ICC blog, if needed I can PM the address, I don't want to trouble the waters here.

james

Dear Brother James,

If that is all right, I'd love to converse with him!

Alex

Dr. Roman,

Your info is in your PM box.

james

(you must have performed a spring cleaning, eh ?)

Jakub,

Out of curiosity, what is the ICC (I assume - Internet Carmelite Community) blog? Is that somehow associated with this forum?

Gordo

Dear Gordo,

It was and I had hoped that it still would be.

But the one James refers to is a separate site where Prior Michael (and he was blessed as a Third Order Carmelite Prior) is now located.

Alex

Is it having religious order in the Eastern church is highly incompatible with Eastern spirituality? Or is it deemed un-neccessary?

Why don't just built an authentic Eastern religious order?
But think about that, if religious order is indeed can be erected, is church jurisdiction can become an obstacle (especialy for the Orthodox church)?

What I observe is that in the East, monastic order is more like contemplative order of the West.

~just wondering~

Dear Gordo,
I am a permanently professed Secular Franciscan. I also feel called to join the Byzantine Catholic Church. The spirituality that you mentioned like the Jesus Prayer found in the Philokalia, The Way of the Pilgrim, and other such Eastern devotions and spirituality are very compatible with the OFS. The Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order in the back discusses different liturgical prayers in Appendix II, page 103. #6 states the following: "Other forms of liturgical prayer, approved by the spiritual assistant." This I feel includes the Trisagion morning and evening prayers and specifically if you can incorporate it the Horologion.

Since we have a Byzantine Catholic in our group, and I am also inspiring to become Byzantine Catholic... I am hoping to try to incorporate as a means of showing the diversity of the Church at least once a year praying an Eastern liturgical prayer form. This would mean that I would have to print out the liturgical prayer for each member in attendance. The whole point to me is finding a means to live the Gospel and bring it to life. I am finding unique ways to enrich my fraternity; I have had a Byzantine hand-written by a Greek Orthodox convent in Etna, CA (St. Elizabeth) to include the Theotokos of Seven Arrows (our OFS fraternity name being "The Seven Dolors of the BVM") with Christ the Pantocrator. I have a hanging votive lamp on an art easel that really highlights the icon and have used it for our fraternity meetings as well as giving to Latin parishes for display on feast days of Our Lady. It is a matter of finding a vision of "Building up the Church" and chasing after it. I find that incorporating Eastern spirituality in our fraternity has only increased participation. People like the diversity of the Church, even if they prefer only one form. We have one traditional Catholic who only attends the Tridentine Mass. If you lack vision for building up the fraternity, then you will find yourself growing away from the permanent profession you solemnly made. However, there are several in the history of my own fraternity from 1915 to present who became nuns of a different order and another who became a Franciscan brother. So moving to a different vocation should not be seen as a negation of your permanent profession in the OFS, but rather in building up the Church you are in essence living in the footsteps of St. Francis to follow the move of the Spirit. You may officially request to remove your status from the OFS, but does not mean you should stop your devotion to the Gospel (Rule #4) "going from gospel to life and life to the gospel." Indeed, it seems you are continuing in that life by fully immersing yourself in the Byzantine spirituality.
Anyways, I have a huge vision that is very ambitious for my fraternity; I intend to create an anachronistic guild for improvisation and morality plays in hopes that I can establish a booth at the Renaissance fair to promote Catholic ministries and different lay orders and spiritual expression within the Catholic Church like the Eastern Catholics. If the Renaissance fair is unfriendly to a booth, I can still do improvisations as a means of presenting the Gospel in a fun way and still hand out rosaries and prayer ropes for free. If the networking takes off, I hope to include Gregorian chant and pray out of the Monastic Diurnal in a secluded corner of the fair grounds. At any rate, this vision is a five to ten year plan and I feel the OFS fraternity is a great conduit, especially since we are connecting to the Lay Dominicans in our region. There is great potential if you are prayerful and think creatively.
Pax et bonum, Stephen Brace, OFS