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| Offices and Services - Assistant to SFO |
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| Service to the SFO | Serving the Capuchin Order | Contacts | Statutes of the SFO (PDF - Word) | Letter of the General Assistant (PDF - Word) | SFO: Documents |
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 The
Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), as its name implies, is the secular
or lay Order which is part of the Franciscan Family. Its members
commit themselves to live the Gospel after the example of Francis
of Assisi. Whereas Franciscan friars and sisters are divided into
various families (for example, Friars Minor, Conventuals, Capuchins,
etc.), the SFO is a single Order made up of an organic union of
local, regional and national fraternities, run by the members themselves
under the guidance of the International Council and its Presidency.
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Service to the SFO |
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The four General Assistants are appointed by the General Ministers of the Friars Minor, Conventuals, Capuchins and Third Order Regular (TOR), and are members by right of the International Council. They share responsibility with the other members of the Council executive for the co-ordination, guidance and animation of the SFO worldwide. Their specific task is to give spiritual and pastoral assistance to the SFO, working together as a group. As the Conference of General Assistants they meet nine or ten times a year to plan their activities and share information and responsibilities in the various parts of the world. In particular, they make pastoral visits to the national Councils and attend national Chapters. The Capuchin General Assistant is Br Irudaya Samy (Prov. Of Tamil Nadu, India). He works closely with the other General Assistants and with the Presidency of the SFO International Commission. |
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Serving the Capuchin Order |
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Each of the four General Assistants does important work within
his own Order. Br. Irudaya Sami helps the Capuchin friars to “show
a fraternal spirit towards members of the Secular Franciscan Order,
to support them by their example in fidelity to the gospel way of
life and effectively promote the Order itself both among the diocesan
clergy and among the laity" (Const. OFMCap 95,4). Spiritual
assistance to the SFO is not an apostolate to be entrusted to experts,
but is a part of the life of gospel brotherhood, which we live in
communion with the seculars. This Office can assist you if you need to get in touch with the spiritual assistants and directors of the SFO in the various countries We are also more than willing to help with the formation of the
brothers of your Province regarding the SFO. We can tell you where
to find formation resources, texts and materials, and also assist
in finding people to give formation courses to the friars, or perhaps
even do so personally. Such courses need to be prepared at least
6 months in advance, since it is rarely possible to find people
able to come at only a few weeks notice. The same applies when you
would like a visit from the General Assistant. |
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Contacts |
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