The Franciscan Internovitiate Program
The year 2006 is the 20th Anniversary of the “Franciscan Internovitiate Program.” Novices and their Ministers come together from the three Orders twice a year for a week. When I returned from Senegal, Africa, I was asked to organize and coordinate this program and although the numbers have decreased from 60 – 70 to 45 – 55, it continues. This past November, 44 Friars and Sisters were registered. The themes of the Programs are (1) November: “Franciscan Conversion and Contemplation (Prayer).” In March: “Franciscan Minority (humility), Poverty and Fraternity/community.” The lectures (twice a day) are taken from the Writings of Francis and Clare and Sources for Franciscan Studies (Volumes I, II, and III). Each year different Franciscan Scholars are requested to present these themes to those gathered. Following each lecture, we have small faith sharing groups of Novices (6-8). Novices from the various Orders/Congregations reflect on the themes from the talks.
After supper and night prayers, recreation brings everyone together for games and sharing of snacks. On the last evening a team of Novices puts together a talent show. Both Novices and Novice Ministers participate. It is a gathering of fun, laughs and joys that only Franciscans (men and women) would be free to do – some have said it is the “highlight” of the program. This is traditionally followed by a Pizza Party. The Novice Ministers meet together daily for faith sharing in the morning and for planning and sharing in the evening (while the Novices are in their small faith sharing groups). This past November the Novice Ministers afternoon sharing centered on “community.” We considered the topic as described in each one’s Rule and Constitutions and the fact that Franciscan Life is to be lived in community/fraternity.
This March (2006), Sister Rose Margaret Delaney, SFP and Father Tom Hartle, OFM were the presenters. The focus was on Minority (humility), Poverty and Community/Fraternity. Lively discussions followed each presentation, especially on the theme of Community and Fraternity. Father Tom and Sr. Rose Margaret spoke of the characteristics of each and then spoke of the importance of “fraternal” relationships as brothers and sisters in “Community.” All of the Novice Ministers present live with the Novices, some for two to three years, and the Friars, for example, for one year. Then the Friars move to a formation house in Washington, DC for continued study. As we reflected on our Formation Programs, we observed that there was a period of time in the 1970’s, 1980’s and the beginning of the 1990’s when there was a movement out of community. This has been reversed and many of the experimental forms of formation just have not worked as noted by some. Today there is a renewed effort and emphasis on community and Franciscan Spiritual Development. One of the many positive transformations in Franciscan “Initial Development” is the rich Intercongregational Programs which have been initiated, developed and offered for Pre-Novitiate, Novitiate and the Temporary Professed Sisters in the Northeast and available to all congregations. The Ossining Program in New York was the first in the U.S. Since it incorporates an overnight stay, considered by many to be the best. Qualified, outstanding professors are employed to teach courses on the Spiritual Life, Liturgy, History of Religious Life, the Vows, Psychological Aspects of Community, etc.
For those of us who are Third Order members, there is the Eastern Franciscan Common Novitiate Program. This is a nine-month program. Sister Rose Margaret teaches as part of the program: “Scripture and the Franciscan Tradition.” I have the joy and privilege of putting together the Franciscan Curriculum (courses and professors) for the year. We were part of the original group who met for two to three years to plan and establish the program, which began in 1998. As our planning meetings moved around from Motherhouse to Motherhouse; we bonded with the Franciscan Congregations in the Eastern U.S.A. There are fourteen Third Order Congregations that belong to the EFCN and only one novice for the next year. For this reason the Major Superiors Board of Directors are suspending the Program at the end of this year. They will keep the structure of the program in place until 2008. At that time the EFCN will either have to be terminated and/or renewed. The principal concern among the Novice Ministers is this: when the Novices leave the Novitiate and look for local communities of Sisters who pray together daily, share life, engage in faith sharing and who are willing to accept newly professed and assist them in their continued growth and spiritual development of one’s charism and Franciscan spirituality they do not always find communities with whom to live and pray. In one study presented to us, it was recorded that the largest number of initial formation persons in the U.S. leave in their first year out. I share these comments because I believe all of us are concerned about our future, vocations and the continuation of our particular call and charism. I also share to give us enthusiasm, joy, and courage that each year there are groups of men and women entering the Franciscan Family. In our small Franciscan parish in Brooklyn, NY, Our Lady of Peace, two Spanish young women entered Religious Life this September. I meet their parents occasionally at morning Mass and they say the women are doing well. They are in the Pre-Novitiate of two different congregations. Pray for them and all of our brothers and sisters in “Initial Formation.” As we open our hearts and local communities even more, I believe God will shower us with vocations. We have a rich and needed charism for today’s world. Jesus requested Gertrude Frank to ask Frances to found a congregation “to heal his wounds in poor suffering humanity.” As we contemplate Jesus’ love and the wounds he willingly endured for us, we cannot help but desire to go out to poor suffering humanity. Sister Mary A. Maloney, SFP |
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Franciscan Sisters of the Poor
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