Mission Statement:We as Secular Franciscans are committed to seeking and promoting a closer relationship with God for ourselves and others by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by following St. Francis’ and St. Clare's example of simplicity, humility and service using the Rule of Life of the OFS as our guide.

May 2018 Waseca/Janesville/Owatonna MN Volume 12 Issue 5

May ~ Month of MaryMonthly Gathering: Our next gathering will be May 27th at 1:00 pm at the Parish Center. Your attendance is extremely important as we will need a quorum (at least 9) professed members for elections. Mona Wolney, ofs from the Queen of Peace Region will be

there to direct us. Those not professed are not required to attend, Professed members who will not be able to attend must notify Arlys Fell in advance to ensure we have the number needed out of courtesy to the regional person traveling. Also remember to bring your Liturgy of the Hours and Ritual Book.

Orientation Formation: Michelle will meet on May 8th

with Pat at 1:00 in Michelle’s office. Please read chapter 2 in The Franciscan Journey.

Inquirer Formation: Matt read Chapter 7 in The Franciscan Journey and answer the questions at the end of the chapter.  Sister Lois and Arlys Fell will lead.

Candidate Formation: Theresa read Chapter 11 in the Franciscan Journey and answer the questions on page 129. Bonnie Johnson will lead

Ongoing Formation: There will be no Ongoing Formation due to Elections. Sarah Gahlon will lead discussion on Chapter 16 in The Franciscan Journey in June.

Spiritual Buffet: Our next Spiritual Buffet will be May 10th at 11:00 in the Youth Room at the Parish Center. We will discuss the Franciscan approach to Creation. Don’t forget to write your own Canticle of Creation. Pat Yunker will lead.Council Meetings: Our next Council meeting will be May 8th at 11:00 in the Parish Center

Gospel Sharing: There will be no Gospel Sharing in May due to elections.

Gifted as Co-Leaders in ServiceSr. Lois Erpelding, OSF, Spiritual Assistant

Each liturgical season urges us again to experience life anew. This May we celebrate feasts of Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity. Each feast holds its own beauty and challenge. Each feast is celebrated with our personal stance as well as with our Franciscan vision.

On May 13, the feast of Jesus’ ascension, we live Jesus’ command to the apostles: “Go proclaim the Gospel.” Recently Theresa became a Secular Franciscan candidate; she promised to be a leaven of the Gospel in the world. Just as the apostles were sent forth, we, too, carry on the comforting and challenging Word of God.

On May 20 we are again bolstered by the feast of Pentecost. The apostles had previously focused on time and space of prayer to ready themselves for the coming of the Spirit. On Pentecost they were open to receiving in peace the gifts of the Spirit. “Receive the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Truth will guide you.” (John 16:12-15) As Franciscans we spend time leading up to Pentecost to avail ourselves openly to accept the Spirit’s gifts and to respond with acknowledging the deepening fruits of the Spirit. I invite each of our members to pray for our upcoming elections later this month in a Pentecost stance of openness for service.

On May 27 we welcome the feast of the Trinity. Trinity Sunday afternoon our Fraternity will gather in prayer. Inspired by the Trinity’s love and enlightenment, we will elect our new council. “The brothers and sisters are co-responsible for the life of the fraternity to which they belong.” (Constitution, Article 30:1) How do each of us openly hear and respond to this call to fraternity service? We give thanks for our steward leaders of the past three years and rejoice with our members graciously accepting to be steward leaders for the next three years.

Let us daily pray our prayer before elections taken from our Ritual for Elections: “Almighty, most high and supreme God... we trust in You and we ask for Your light so that we may choose those who will properly serve our fraternity through their leadership. Help us to select those who are able to animate and guide us by their example, their virtue and prudent decisions, so that the Gospel of Jesus in the spirit of St. Francis may come alive in our community. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Ritual, p. 41)

We Are Excited to Welcome Our Newest Aspirant ~ Michelle Muff

Pictured are l-r: Michelle Muff and Joan Dahle, ofs.

Michelle and Joan are both graduates of Steubenville.From Rule 19 of the SFOMindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon. Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others.

Welcome to Candidacy ~ Theresa Widmer

Theresa was joyfully welcomed as a Candidate at our April meeting. Pictured are Arlys Fell, ofs, Minister, Theresa Widmer, Candidate, Bonnie Johnson, ofs Formation Director, Pat Yunker, ofs, Theresa’s Sponsor, and Sr. Lois Erpelding, OSF, SA. Also shown seated is Doreen White, ofs.

Pictured are Arlys Fell, ofs, Theresa Widmer, Candidate, Sr. Lois Erpelding, OSF, Bonnie Johnson, ofs & Pat Yunker, ofs

Pictured is our Candidate Theresa Widmer and peeking from

behind the banner is Carol Tollefson, ofs. 👼

A Franciscan Blessing from Fr. Hibernicus’ ~Franciscan Ponderings

Gospel Sharing Leaders - 2018Jan Prayer Partners Jul CarolFeb Retreat Aug JeniseMar Sarah Sep PicnicApr Bonnie Oct PeggyMay Elections Nov Gerri/PatJun Kyle Dec Christmas

Ongoing Formation Leaders - 2018Jan Prayer Partners Jul PeggyFeb Retreat -Sr. Lois Aug KyleMar Bonnie Sep PicnicApr Carol Oct PatMay Elections Nov Jenise/ArlysJun Sarah DecA Christmas

2018 Snack ScheduleJan Jean, Bonnie Jul Kyle, SarahFeb Doreen, Peggy Aug Jenise, KathleenMar St. Lois, Gerri Sep Picnic (All)Apr Arlys, Carol Oct Jean, LisaMay Pat, Bonnie Nov Doreen, PeggyJun Matt, Theresa Dec Sr. Lois, Gerri

Author UnknownMay this uncomfortable invocation open us to a more profound Gospel life.

May God bless you with discomfort, at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears, to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness, to all our children and the poor. Amen.

Please Offer Prayers For: Sr. Lois’ sister JoAnn

Lisa Falensheck’s son Neal

Gerri Cotner Bonnie Johnson’s son

Mark

A Note from Your Formation Director

This month has been busy with Spring Cleaning, removing leaves etc. from the flower beds, meetings, and apostolates, so I have elected not to write an article but instead to share with you the wisdom of others whose writings I enjoy. Below is something from Pope Francis and our founder St. Francis on something this world needs so badly…Peace, compassion. brotherly love and selflessness.

THE LORD GIVE YOU PEACE

“Francis of Assisi - for me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation. He is the man who gives us the spirit of peace, the poor man. St Francis tells us we should work to build peace. But there is no true peace without truth! There cannot be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights, without at the same time caring for the good of others, of everyone, based on the nature that unites every human being on this earth.”

Pope Francis

Since you speak of peace, even more so must you have peace in your own hearts.

Let none be provoked to anger or scandal by you, but rather may they be drawn to peace and good will, to kindness and unity through your gentleness.

We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.

St Francis Speaks to the Friars.