Gratitude & Dream for the Capuchin life in 2060 … & beyond! (Part-I)

Brother Francis and Sister Clare were dreaming of the fraternal life according to the beauty of the Gospel and the brothers and sisters of the order have witnessed to that dream. We belong to an Order with a most beautiful history and traditions. Our predecessors were men and women who have responded with a faith that was perfectly incarnated into the needs of their time, while at the same time being open to the continued prompting of the Holy Spirit and to His newness. And we therefore, have to continue to dream asking the help of the Spirit in prayer and the intercession of our brothers and sisters who bore witness to the Charism before us. All of us have dreams about our life and future. And it is important to have dreams about our Capuchin life, for the Church and for the world. Time is ripe now that we friars have to dream and define our future together.

Only Jesus will remain with his friars:

Br. Mauro our General Minister has shared the following thoughts with the friars of the General Curia on this year's Easter day: "We need not have fear about the future of Capuchin life in Europe and other Countries." He was referring to the book of a French biologist Jean-Guilhem Xerri, À quoi sert un chrétien? This author is talking about the future of Christianity saying, 'the Christian life lived for many years in the past in Europe is getting over. Only one thing will remain: Jesus, His influence will remain'. Br. Mauro continued his reflection saying, "The Christian community will be small, perhaps without influence, but will have Jesus with her; and the believers with Him will live a new life. We Capuchins will have to find a new way of witnessing and living our life, moving forward and leaving aside the fear that blocks us. We need openness to not to close ourselves in pessimism." Some of us experience fear and indifference, a certain provincials are ready to close down the friaries, some want to die out alone refusing the help of other brothers who might be ready to help and a few leave the Order without hope. In this context, our young friars, who have joined us with enthusiasm, search to find a new way. What are we concerned about today? Perhaps is it about the lack of vocations? Is it about the need of friars to be adequately prepared to face this world? Is it about the abuses and even killings of clerics and religious? What can we do?

Our possible responses:

Holistic Integration: It is a continued spiritual journey into wholeness and holiness. It is an individual and collective journey of faith and trust. Here Jesus is inviting us to walk on the new road of integration: to resemble him in serenity, in the spirit of contemplation and in the charity that makes us commit ourselves in the service of others. The serenity and holistic integration are possible only when one heals the wounds of his past.

The Fraternity: It is sad that some friars are not happy and are not able to have healthy relationship with other friars because they are closed within and are not able to see the positive side of life. Sometimes, they are not able to look with kindness into the eyes of their confreres who live with them. As our General Minister said, setting aside the fear we have to involve ourselves into the day-to-day reality inspiring our young people with the fraternal life which confirms our hope that 'living together in the name of Jesus is a blessing!' It is also necessary to give space for our young people to grow by encouraging them with our joy, generosity and creating affectionate fraternity.

Collaboration with others: Like fraternity, collaboration is a gift and a hope. Our Order is already moving ahead with the collaboration among the friars from different countries, other religious and also with the laity. It is important to prepare ourselves well for these new forms which stimulates us to renew our capacity to collaborate. It is also important to clarify our plans and to have global vision designed for the Franciscan mission of our time. Collaboration is a necessary strategy for an optimistic vision, a flexible and dynamic commitment for today's Capuchin witness.

Updating to inspire: The challenge for us all is to update our vision (make it a global one), the theological ideas and the understanding of the fraternity. Updating will make us relevant due to the new wisdom acquired in grace & contemplation. He who does not have the wisdom and the grace of Jesus in his heart, illumined by the contemplation in silence cannot inflame others. The need is to a new, flexible and universal language that can attract; it is to a deepening of the Christian/Franciscan spirituality with the life witness; it is to a basic & well-formed humanity. Dear brothers, let us begin to dream with Brother Francis, to make this world a fraternity of peace and life!

Motivation & Ongoing Formation: Some friars, like guardians of the fraternity, involved in the animation within the province, lament often that the friars are not leading a good life and are closed in their individualism. These brothers have forgotten the help and the motivation that can come to their friars from the ongoing formation. They underestimate the importance of the ongoing formation and its necessity all through the life. All of us need inspirations that could come from the courses of ongoing formation, updating and above all from the closeness to the needy at the periphery. The provincial ministers could inspire the friars of the province about these formative courses and the initiative of the Order that could take us to the Spiritual Testament of Brother Francis, to his universality and to our commitment to fidelity. To dream anew would stimulate us to have a global vision, overcoming the limits of provincialism for the well-being of the Order, the Church and the world.

What do you think, dear brothers ...? What are all your dreams... ? Share with us your idea and your vision.

Charles Alphonse e Jaime Rey OFMCap

To be continued...