Responding to God's Love: A Franciscan Moral Vision
Franciscan Federation Conference, Indianapolis, June 19-21, 2015
By: Margaret Magee OSF
The following are insights from the three
keynote presentations:
Mary Beth Ingham CSJ stated that
Franciscan Discernment, that is, how
Franciscans make decisions is very different
from strategic planning and is very different
from Ignatian discernment. Ignatian
discernment moves in the more orderly
fashion of lining things up, looking at the
pros and cons. It is a process of coming to
a decision with the information gathered
then waiting for confirmation. A Franciscan
Franciscan Federation Conference keynote speakers
Left to right: Mary Beth Ingham CSJ, Joe Chinnici OFM,
process of discernment emphasizes the
Tom Nairn OFM
centrality of experience, it is acting on the
Spirit and being confident in the Spirit's guidance at the moment. This Franciscan way of
discernment is grounded in a formed and informed spirituality seen as a path to wholeness
where Divine Love and the Abundance of God's grace is always the starting point and the
context in which all moral and ethical decisions are made. Mary Beth identified four key
elements of Franciscan discernment:
see the whole as the locus for beauty - NOT isolating one aspect
let oneself be drawn by the heart - NOT turning life into a puzzle or a dilemma
focus on praxis and action - NOT seeking an abstract solution
follow the Spirit's lead - NOT trying to 'figure it out' on our own
Tom Nairn OFM spoke of the critical need to understand and live from our Franciscan
tradition and teaching of conscience as taught by St. Bonaventure. For Bonaventure
conscience is God's herald and messenger. Conscience does not command things on its own
authority but commands them as coming from God's authority and wisdom. Bonaventure
held that conscience is communal knowledge and is borne of the relationship of Trinitarian
love and our call to incarnate Divine Love and make it visible and vibrant in our world today.
A Franciscan moral vision will always be counter-cultural. It is the "Portiuncula," the "little
church" standing within and before the greater institutional church. It is our call as
Franciscans to be prophetic, challenging in pastoral ways the dominant position with
humility in non-defensive and non-competitive ways. The moral absolute for Franciscans is
always to act out of love, in humility and poverty of self.
Joe Chinnici OFM focused on poverty as a form of life. Our understanding of poverty has
moved from an internalized practice of poverty to a more integrative poverty throughout all
of life, in our ministries and our interaction and relationship with the wider world and the
real issues of poverty, unemployment, homelessness and the concern for those who are
marginalized. We must grow in our stance of being sisters and brothers to all people and all
creation.
When we see ourselves in the relationship of gift, we hold onto nothing, reserve nothing
of ourselves and share openly with all. This enables us to appreciate the beauty of all
creation and our place within all of creation. The Trinitarian gaze of God, Creator and
Redeemer, produces and gives rise to Spirit which is the unity of Divine Love. Franciscans
are those who see the world full of the Spirit of Divine Love. Our Franciscan way of life is
not to become poor rather it is to dwell in the richness and beauty of infinite Goodness and
Divine Love.
This was a conference rich in the insights and inspiration of our three keynote presenters,
the wealth of our gathering as Franciscan sisters and brothers to share our oneness and
unity in the charism of the Third Order Regular Rule and Life. Our next Annual Conference
will be June 17-20, 2016 in Milwaukee, WI, and marks the celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of the Franciscan Federation.