1. The Franciscan Charism
The Charism: In the beginning . . .
“Charism” is a gift of the Spirit given for the benefit of the whole church…and is a word used by Pope Paul VI in a motu proprio in 1971, as well in the conciliar document Lumen Gentium (#12). We need to know and understand the word “charism” before we can pass the tradition on to others. The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition is rooted in the life and social milieu Francis Bernadone and Clare Favarone, and has different characteristics according to historical contexts.

2. The Franciscan Charism
The questions:
How can we be confident in our knowledge of the Franciscan tradition so that we can effectively incorporate that knowledge in our curriculum and activities at St. Francis Prep?
How can we integrate into our academic programs the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition?
These are the primary questions that the members of a Franciscan-sponsored institution must grapple with. Knowledge of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition should be part of the mission of our schools, and should inform the pedagogy and spirit of the constituencies of our schools.

3. The Franciscan Charism
The Meaning of Charism:
The Franciscan charism is the gift given by God to Francis and to Clare and then passed on to all who attempt to live/work within the Franciscan tradition.
It is the gift of relating to all creation, and especially human persons, with utter respect because all is a gift of God through Christ
Charism has many faces: Jesuit, de la Sallian, Augustinian, Dominican, Franciscan. Each of our colleges and universities gives a particular face to the Franciscan charism. One way of talking about this would be to identify the founding group and the core values that are part of the institution’s identity.

4. The Franciscan Charism
Elements of the Charism Lived
by Francis and Clare:
Believes that God is totally self-giving
Rooted in the primacy of Christ
Affirms always the dignity of the human person
Builds Community/Relationship
Acts with reverence for creation/creatures
Reconciliation of Brokenness
Service
Francis and Clare took the experiences of family, society and Church and created a new vision of how life could be lived, and theologians took those lessons even further.

5. The Franciscan Charism
Social Structure in Assisi in the 13th Century
Maiores
Minores
Serfs
nobles
laborers
slaves to the land/master
knights
artists
merchants
lived outside city walls
boni uomini
“freemen”
had no money
paid no taxes
paid taxes
obliged to protect the minores
The lives of Francis and Clare should be understood in light of the social realities of the 12th and 13th centuries. Francis’s family was part of the minores – part of the rising merchant class. Clare and her family were part of the noble class, with seven members identified as knights. The two classes were at odds when Francis and Clare were adolescents.

6. The Franciscan Charism
nobles & boni uomini
Military safety
Artists / merchants
PEASANTS
and
SERFS ASSISI
PILGRIMS
WORKERS
This is a simple visual representation of the social structures of the city at the time of Francis and Clare.
Assisi was a walled city, approximately the shape of the black outline. Insiders were the military, the nobles, and the merchants and other workers. The outsiders might be admitted to the city in times of conflict for their protection, but once a leper was cast out, he/she could not return.
ELDERLY SICK
LEPERS 6

7. The Franciscan Charism
Note the wall descending from the Rocca Maggiore…; note the tower in the center-left of the photo—it is in the center of the piazza commune. That was the size of the city in the lifetimes of Francis and Clare.

8. The Franciscan Charism
Medievals saw themselves as ALWAYS as part of a group, always in relationship to others.
Maiores, boni uomini, merchants, serfs were hierarchical terms/vertical relationships.
“Sisters” and “brothers” connote a particular type of relationship.
Horizontal relationships are based upon good communication and understanding that “the other” may have needs I/we can meet.
Context and culture are always an important element of how the Franciscan charism was and is lived. The simplest way to summarize what Francis and Clare did was to embrace a life of simplicity and powerlessness, and reject money, ownership of property, and social status. “Lesser” is a key concept for their lives. It also should be seen as foundational to the intellectual tradition that developed in the latter half of the 13th century.
Our responsibility is to embed the Franciscan charism in our own contexts and culture.

9. The Franciscan Charism
Religious Life in the Time of Francis and Clare
Monasticism required withdrawal from the world and society to find God in an enclosed society.
A vow of stability — always in the same house.
Neither Clare nor Francis sought monastic life.
Francis found God by living in society and by being itinerant.
Related more to the serfs than the maiores yet rejected a class structure.
Community was necessary, less for economic security than true fraternity.
The Franciscan form of “meeting” was called a “chapter.” In these gatherings all had a voice; all had the opportunity to share their experience of living the gospel, and all ministered to one another. The brothers were brothers to all, and the Poor Ladies were sisters to all.

10. The Franciscan Charism
13th Century Historical Influences
Wars
Trade
Money
Power
Social Status
and Influence
Both Francis and Clare experienced social upheaval, the changing of class privileges, the clash of church and state. In many ways, our 21st century American life has the same issues.

11. The Franciscan Charism
The Conversion of St. Francis
St. Francis as a youth had a very unfruitful experience of war, both in the civil fighting of Italy and within his inner self.
Both Francis and Clare experienced social upheaval, the changing of class privileges, the clash of church and state. In many ways, our 21st century American life has the same issues.

12. The Franciscan Charism
Francis and Community
Francis did not start out to form a community but to live the life of a penitent.
Others joined him: “a certain man of Assisi,” Bernard, Peter, Giles, Philip
They were all lesser brothers - Friars Minor
Francis and Clare took the experiences of family, society and Church and created a new vision of how life could be lived, and theologians took those lessons even further.
Photo: a street in modern Assisi

13. The Franciscan Charism
The Life of the Community
Regula non bullata
“Let all the brothers who have been designated the ministers and servants of the other brothers frequently visit, admonish and encourage them spiritually. Let all my other brothers diligently obey them in those matters concerning the well-being of their souls and which are not contrary to our life.”
(The Earlier Rule, IV, 2-3)
Armstrong, Regis J., Hellman, J. A. Wayne, & Short, William J., eds. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents. Three Volumes. New York/London/Manila: New City Press, , Volume 1:66

14. The Franciscan Charism
The Life of the Community
“[Lady Poverty] rose and asked to be shown the enclosure. Taking her to a certain hill, they showed her all the world they could see and said: ‘This, Lady, is our enclosure.’”
(The Sacred Exchange between St. Francis and Lady Poverty, 63)
No enclosure, no stability, only itinerant preaching and witness for the followers of Francis.
Text is from Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume 1: 552.

15. The Franciscan Charism
St. Clare’s Conversion
Nobility
Arranged Marriages
Inspired by St. Francis
Formed the Poor Ladies
Composed the Rule of Clare
The Lord reveals what is best to the least among us.
The study of Clare is fascinating, but complex. She did not originally choose a monastic form of life, but the decree of the fourth Lateran Council against new religious orders had a major impact on the life of Clare and her companions. She was wise enough to preserve her original vocational idea (following Francis and living poorly) while accepting some of the external formalities of monastic life. However, she held fast and composed her form of life when she knew she had to, and gained papal approval shortly before her death.

16. The Franciscan Charism
Clare and Her Sisters
“Let the abbess, on her part, be so familiar with them that they can speak and act with her as ladies do with their handmaid. For this is the way it must be: the abbess should be the handmaid of all the sisters.”
(The Form of Life of Saint Clare, X, 4)
Armstrong, Regis J., ed. Clare of Assisi: Early Documents, New York: New City Press, 2006: 123

17. The Franciscan Charism
Clare and Her Sisters
“[In chapter] let [the abbess] consult with all her sisters concerning whatever concerns the welfare and good of the monastery, for the Lord frequently reveals what is better to the youngest.”
(The Form of Life of Saint Clare, IV, 17)
Clare of Assisi: Early Documents: 115

18. The Franciscan Charism
Clare and the Outside Community
Many Poor Clares went to newer communities to help them in their formation.
The sick came to the monastery
to be healed.
Others came to bring alms or to
received spiritual consolation.
Even the brothers of Francis came
to Clare to be healed.
San Damiano

19. The Franciscan Charism
So, What has this to do with us?

20. The Franciscan Charism
Franciscan Attributes in Education
Reverence for the dignity of each individual.
Service to others in the local and global community.
Hospitality as expressed in an openness to all.
Formation of a caring community.
Education of the whole person—
mind, body, heart and spirit.
Gospel-centered values.
Reverence for all creation
We are called, as educators, staff, Board members, to take the example of earlier generations of Franciscan men and women and discover for ourselves what it means to live the charism in our world, in our schools, today. Each of us should be able (and willing) to reflect on each of these concepts and assess how they shape our individual lives and how we share them with others.
Image: page of medieval gospel book known as The Missal of St. Francis, The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD.

21. The Franciscan Charism
Franciscan Attributes in Education (continued)
Belief in the basic goodness of life as demonstrated through the expression of joy and optimism.
Demonstration of the Franciscan intellectual tradition in education.
Commitment to social justice.
Demonstration of a sense of responsibility to others.
Development of moral integrity.
Suggestion: when using these with groups, it would be interesting to have table conversation about how we measure these things in our own lives, and how we help our students and others embrace them.

22. The Franciscan Charism
Our Responsibility To evaluate how systematically, simultaneously and experientially [we] are addressing the demands of a quality education in the Christian and Franciscan tradition, and whether it is an education that invites each and every one to be conscious of their dignity, awakens their desire to search for truth while remaining open to the fount of all truth, and asks everyone to be responsible for the ways in which they use their gifts and capacity to care not only for themselves but for the sake of others.
Have participants choose a phrase or two that challenges them, or perhaps challenges the whole institution. Or share ways in which our responsibility is being met.

23. The Franciscan Charism
Discussion Questions
What are the qualities of relationship in my life? my work?
Are the relationship skills we use horizontal or hierarchical?
How should we address the presence/absence of Franciscan and Christian principles in our teaching?
How do we ask one another to be responsible for the ways in which we use our gifts and our capacity to care about our students and their futures?