Rekindling the Flame for the Next Generation of Franciscans

New moment, new logo for TOR FCN; Former Governing and Advisory Boards of the Common Franciscan Novitiate worked together to form a new entity.

For the past three years, I have been working on a Task Force of Franciscan Sisters from both the East and Mid-West to help plan together a new common Franciscan Novitiates in the United States. Our goal was to have one entity for all U.S. Franciscan women in formation. In the past we had two novitiates, but because there are so few vocations, neither one of them had enough participants to warrant keeping both open. We also thought that bringing people together from different areas of the United States would add richness and diversity, and encourage peer sharing during this important phase of the novice’s journey.

At a joint April meeting of the Governing and Advisory Boards in Syracuse NY, the Task Force presented the new Constitutions and Guidelines we had worked out over the past several years. The group approved them and also elected a new Advisory and Governing Board for the new entity. The Constitutions and Guidelines were sent to Rome for the Vatican approval and I am happy to say, on the Feast of the Portiuncula (August 2, 2009), we heard from Rome that they had been approved.

We are now finalizing the plans to begin this TOR-FCN (Third Order Regular Franciscan Common Novitiate) in the Fall of 2010. The Novitiate will be located in St. Louis, Missouri, so it will have a central location for all Franciscans in the United States. The Governing Board is appointing the Novice Ministers, the Program and Presenters at this time. We are enthusiastic about this new entity and how all of our plans are working out. As a member of the New Advisory Board, I will continue to keep you informed about its functioning. I ask your prayers and support for this important ministry.

- Sr. Mary Madonna Hoying, SFP
Coordinator for Initial Membership Development in the U.S. Area