Provincial Letter- Spring 2008

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Peace and Good Things!

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�...we strive to live the Gospel through gentleness, hospitality and service��

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This is a sentence taken from the recently revised Mission/Vision Statement of our Province.� A cursory scan of the index to the Franciscan sources reveals a myriad of citations for the words �gentleness�, �hospitality�, and �service.�� These were characteristics woven into the fabric of Francis� nature and which subsequently became hallmarks of the early Franciscan movement.� Whether it was in the way he interacted with the Sultan of Egypt, the manner in which he welcomed and cared for the lepers, or his efforts at rebuilding San Damiano and other neglected and abandoned chapels, gentleness, hospitality, and service were as much a part of Francis as his love for creation, his fidelity to the Church, or his devotion to Christ crucified.� It was his regular practice of these things that gave authenticity to his witness of the Gospel and prompted others to see him as a �second Christ.�

These references from the sources, as well as those contained in our Rule of Life, and Constitutions, make it clear that our living of the Gospel must be modified by gentleness, hospitality, and service, as it is stated in our Mission/Vision Statement.� While they may not make these intangible qualities any more concrete, they do make it clear that these qualities must mark all that we are and all that we do in the name of the Gospel.� Whether in the daily give-and-take of living the fraternal life, ministering in parishes, hospitals, retreat centers, or any apostolic work, these are primary among the qualities that should characterize our witness to the Gospel.

In the course of our most recent Regional Day of Reflection, Giles Schinelli shared with us a reflection on the San Damiano Cross.� In a slim volume on the San Damiano Cross and the Gospel of John, Michael Guerin, OFM suggests that

the community gathered under the arms of the crucified Christ was an inclusive community defined not by gender, race, economic status, or class in society.� Indeed, all are one in Christ.� This has something significant to say to us about the way we strive to live the Gospel and about the implications of gentleness, hospitality, and service.�

Like Jesus who always welcomed individuals �where they were� and gently challenged them to live lives reflective of the Kingdom of God, so must we strive make all feel welcome in a non-judgmental and inclusive way.� This is a gift that is at the heart of Francis and the Franciscan movement and which is much needed at a time when there is a growing tendency to see narrowly and define very specifically who is within and who is outside of the Church.� It may sometimes place us at odds with the institutional Church, but it must be a fundamental posture we bring to our life as brothers and in whatever we do in service of the Gospel.

During this Easter Season, may we know abundant life, new possibilities, and the courage to live the Gospel�with gentleness, hospitality, and service.

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Fraternally in Saint Francis,

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������������������������������������� (Very Reverend) Anthony M. Criscitelli, TOR
Minister Provincial

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