1. Secular Franciscan Order Asia-Oceania Congress
Profession in the SFO:
Gift and Commitment

3. Prayer for Guidance
Most high and glorious God, Bring light to the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity, Most high and glorious God. Lord, give me insight ... And wisdom ... So that I might always discern Your holy and true will.

4. Introduction 2008 General Chapter Theme:
Profession and Sense of Belonging
2 Keynote addresses:
Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment
(Felice Cangelosi, OFM Cap
Belonging to the SFO
(Emanuela De Nunzio, OFS)

5. Objective of Presentation
To further explore these topics (break open)
Profession (Doug); Sense of Belonging (Lucy)
Working groups will then have an opportunity to dialogue on this subject
Presentation will be interspersed with music

6. Objectives of Presentation
Paper has already been circulated and participants in congress have already read (assumption)
16 sections to the paper
Would take an hour to read paper in its entirty with 3-4 minutes for each section
Will focus on 3 or 4 points in each section
Group work will afford another opportunity to further explore content of paper
References to the Ritual

7. Outline Introduction I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit
II The Commitment of Profession
Conclusions

8. Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment
I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit
(9 sub-sections)
II The Commitment of Profession
(7 sub-sections)

9. I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit
The grace of Profession
Profession: an action of the Church
Profession and Fraternity
Ministries in the celebration of profession (candidates, fraternity, presbyter)
The gift of the Spirit in the celebration of Profession
Profession and Eucharist
Baptism of Profession
Relationship with the Church
Witnesses and instruments of the Church’s mission

10. Profession, A gift of the Spirit (Context)
Profession - Foundational moment of the identity of the professed
God is committed to his people – prior commitment of God to man – saving event
Profession is men and women’s response to God’s loving action
Response – our promise to live the Gospel life - profession

11. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 1. The Grace of Profession
Profession comes about through the grace of God
God gives us the grace to consecrate ourselves to the service of His kingdom
Because of this grace, we are able to dedicate ourselves to serving God
The Holy Spirit urges us to strive for perfect charity in our own secular state (Rule 2)
It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to pursue our Gospel project

12. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 2. Profession: an action of the Church
Profession comes about because of God’s intervention
God always acts through Christ, “the meeting point between God and man”
Christ lives and acts through the Church, the body of Christ
Profession is simultaneously the action of Christ and the action of the Church – an ecclesial act

13. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 3. Profession and Fraternity
Profession is made in the presence of the fraternity, a visible sign of the Church
Through profession, the individual entrusts him/herself to the fraternity – covenant relationship which can never be disregarded
Profession incorporates and individual into the Secular Franciscan Order” – and into the Franciscan Family
Reciprocal action
Incorporation cannot be thought of as simply adding one thing to another (1+1) but rather as the creation of something new – both the individual and the fraternity are changed

14. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 4
Profession, A gift of the Spirit 4. Ministries in celebrating of profession
Multiple ministries involved
Profession is a “priestly action” – proper to someone who has been baptised and is conformed to Christ - priest, prophet and king
Candidates – baptised, confirmed, performs priestly act of Profession
Fraternity – visible sign of the Church made present in Minister – receives the candidates commitment to the gospel life in the name of the Church and of the fraternity
Presbyter / Priest – witness (sacramental), guarantor and the one who confirms on behalf of the Church

15. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 5. Outpouring of the Spirit
Holy Spirit is invoked – through prayer of invocation, we ask the Holy Spirit to be poured out on those called to follow in the footsteps of Christ
The Spirit comes when invoked ... Is present, acts and transforms
Profession takes on the form of a “Pentecost”
Spirit consecrates and transforms those who make the promise to live the Gospel life

16. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 6. Profession and Eucharist
Profession is celebrated within the context of the Eucharist - expresses sacrificial dimension of self-giving
By promising to live the Gospel life, candidates make themselves entirely available to God and place themselves on the altar of Christ’s sacrifice as a holy victim pleasing to God
Profession is a commitment of life and for life - profession places the individual in the “state” of being professed, linked to the rhythm of the Eucharist (from the Eucharist to the Eucharist)

17. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 7. Baptism and Profession
Relationship between Baptism and Profession forms the basis of the relationship of Secular Franciscans with the Church
Baptism establishes the Christian’s fundamental relationship with the Church
Through baptism, we are consecrated, sacramentally configured to the paschal mystery of Christ, and are made living members of the People of God
Profession helps people live their baptismal grace and consecration with greater intensity of commitment and diligence

18. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 8. Relationship with the Church
Profession develops and intensifies the person’s relationship with the Church, giving rise to a “stronger” and “closer” relationship with the Church
“Do you wish to bind yourself more closely to the Church?” (Ritual)
“They have been united more intimately with the Church by profession ...” (Rule 6)

19. Profession, A gift of the Spirit 9
Profession, A gift of the Spirit 9. Witnesses and instruments of the Church’s mission
“they should go forth as witnesses and instruments of (the Church’s) mission among all people, proclaiming Christ by their life and words.” (Rule 6)
Essential feature of Mission: Building up the Church – linked to mission entrusted to Francis by the Crucified of San Damiano
Sons and daughters of Francis are called to “insert themselves into the living fabric of the people of God”
Called to live as authentic members of the Church – living a bond of communion which must be affirmed in everyday life

20. Laudato Sii, O mi Signore
Laudato sii O mi signore, Laudato sii O mi signore! Praise to you, Most High all powerful Yours, the glory, honour and blessing. Praise to you, Lord, through all that you have made. Praise and bless you, Lord god of all creation.

21. Profession in the SFO: Gift and Commitment
I Profession, A Gift of the Spirit
(9 sub-sections)
II The Commitment of Profession
(7 sub-sections)

22. II The Commitment of Profession
10. Consecration
11. The value of Profession in the SFO
12. After the manner of St. Francis
13. Gospel life for discipleship of “following Christ”
14. Christ, centre of life
15. The original penitential identity
16. Secularity

23. The Commitment of Profession 10. Consecration
“I, N.N., by the grace of God, renew my baptismal promises and consecrate myself to the service of his kingdom” (Ritual)
Profession – act by which a person places him/herself into the hands of God, enabling God to take hold of him/her
Through consecration, God takes possession of the person, making him/her his own exclusive property – person no longer belongs to him/herself but becomes God’s property – becomes “sacred”
Consecration is lived out in the world

24. The Commitment of Profession 11. The value of Profession in the SFO
Constitutive Elements of Profession of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance (Propositum vitae):
Obligation contracted before God;
Commitment to observe a form of life or Rule
Definitive incorporation into the Order
Same elements also constitutive of religious profession
Promise of Franciscan Penitents equivalent to religious profession
“Order of Penance” is a “religious” Order in the wide sense of the word and Franciscan penitents were not “laymen” or ordinary faithful but “secular religious”

25. The Commitment of Profession 11. The value of Profession in the SFO
Elements of Profession in the SFO
Solemn and religious commitment
Assumed before God and the Church
to observe the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis
Expressed lay persons (married or unmarried) and members of the secular clergy
Intending to live in the normal conditions of secular life
Cannot be considered inferior to “religious” profession – different but not inferior
Church has always recognized and validated the value of profession in the Secular Franciscan Order

26. The Commitment of Profession 12. After the manner of St. Francis
Distinguishing element of Profession
into the SFO: Reference to St. Francis
Francis’ intent: return to the
Gospel of Jesus
Life of Secular Franciscans depends
on the Gospel,
mediated by the inspiration and experience of Francis of Assisi
As Franciscans, we are called to live according to the instructions given by Francis, which today are gathered together in the Rule

27. The Commitment of Profession 12. After the manner of St. Francis
We learn from Francis and, like him, strive to know no other rule of life except that of the Gospel of Jesus
Church takes “ownership” of the SFO Rule and, by its authority, proposes it to Secular Franciscans
The Rule and Constitutions set the standard, the norm, and are not optional for the professed

28. The Commitment of Profession 13. Gospel life for discipleship
In profession, individuals promise to follow Christ and to live the Gospel in fraternity
Francis linked “following Christ” with “observing the Gospel” – to follow Christ depends on the observance of the Gospel – through the Gospel, Francis came to know Christ personally
Francis sensed the presence of Jesus in the Gospel – the Lord spoke to him directly, beyond the limits of space and time, through the biblical Word
Gospel – not something to be known, but a living person to be followed
For Francis, to follow Christ did not mean repeating the events of Jesus’ earthly life, but rather to
structure the whole of one’s life on the set of
evangelical demands, sharing in and
imitating the action of God

29. The Commitment of Profession 14. Christ, centre of life
Francis ... “made Christ the inspiration and the centre of his life with God and with people” (Rule 4)
Secular Franciscans are encouraged to constantly assess their lives against the standard of Him who is the way, the truth and the life
To follow Christ is to be conformed to Him – to carry out the commitment involved in profession by living all the demands of the Gospel to its very depths ... to the very end.

30. The Commitment of Profession 15. The original penitential identity
Gospel message opens with a call to conversion – “Repent and believe the Good News” (Mark 1:15)
In Profession, Secular Franciscans commit themselves to living a penitential life
Rule’s Prologue (“Letter to all the Faithful”) provides the context for this penitential life and is the source and inspiration of the entire tradition and spirituality of the SFO
As brothers and sisters of penance, we are called to conform our thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel itself calls conversion (Rule 7)

31. The Commitment of Profession 16. Secularity
Our consecration is lived in the world
Identity and Mission of SFO is understood within the context of our “secular state” (or secularity) and the “world”.
Secularity: (1) being in the world as human creatures and as communities of men and women, a dimension of being human; (2) acceptance of God’s intervention in human history and placing one’s whole life at the service of the Kingdom of God (the secular state that is consecrated to God)
World: being and action of Secular Franciscans take place in the context of “the world” – called to live their lives in the ordinary situations of the world, the “place” where discipleship is lived and where one becomes holy

32. The Commitment of Profession 16. Secularity
The world can only be changed through discipleship, because it is the new men and women, redeemed by Christ and constantly purified by penance, who builds the new society; it is the new men and women who usher in a new way of being at the service of humanity. Our time is now. Let us go forward as disciples of Christ to build a new world!

33. Wherever The Spirit Leads Us
Wherever the Spirit leads us, Wherever we go, Wherever the journey takes us, Together, we’ll go!