CIE 2008

The morning prayer was done at 8:15AM by language groups.

The moderator of the day Alirio Urbina Rodriguez greeted everyone with a pleasant morning and called the attention of the secretariat to make a summary of what had happened the previous day.

As a continuation of yesterday’s activity, the Spanish, French and Italian-speaking groups made their respective reports on the talk and guide questions given by the JPIC Director General Joseph Rozansky.

Some important insights of the sharing here the following: To recover the JPIC values, consider JPIC as an integral part of evangelization; the need to improve networking and communications within the different entities; many tangible JPIC works with the poor, and the prisoners; evaluate our relationships with our workers and employees; JPIC encompasses all the dimensions of our life; it should be gospel-based, and faith as the point of reference,  not ideology; the importance on working as a team and collaboration with the laity; the General Chapter should pass JPIC resolutions that are brief but attainable.

Rozansky upon closing his report announced that the JPIC Office is completing a  JPIC handbook to be distributed to all the friars especially to JPIC animators.

Report of Miguel Vallecillo President for the Commission on Dialogue

Guide questions for group sharing discusions:

1. How do you believe dialogue should be present in evangelization and what role can lay Christians play in this task?
2. How can collaboration and work in common with the other members of the Franciscan Family be encouraged? Are there inititatives in this respect in your Conference?
3. Has a Delegate for dialogue been appointed in your Province? Is there a Commission for dialogue in your conference? What are the difficulties? Do you know what use is made of the aids published by the Service for Dialogue in the Province and fraternities? What influence do they have in formation of the friars on this topic? How are they valued and accepted?

Some issues noted during the reporting were: dialogue is an integral part of evangelization; dialogue is listening; dialogue from the grassroots;  experience of difficulties doing dialogue in the Provincial and personal levels; improving dialogue within the fraternity; collaboration in doing dialogue; the needs for structure;  the role of lay  in the dialogue;  different levels of dialogue; dialogue in highly secularized world; dialogue in formation.

Miguel acknowledged the rich content of the sharing and concluded his report with the humble words of Francis: “... let us begin brothers, for until now we have done nothing...”

Report of Joaquin Arturo Echeverry,  Animator General for Pastoral Education,

Joaquin gave a little the background of this new office and its being part of the Office of the Evangelizationn. Through this office, the Order was able to gather information on the extent of friars’ involvement in school ministries and and other educational centers. Just recently, the office had published the first directory of franciscan schools all over the world.

Joaquin made a brief presentation of the document on Pastoral Education and assigned a portion for each language group to reflect and discuss.

The important issues highlighted from the sharing in plenum include: Franciscan formation of teachers and professors; the Human, Christian and Franciscan dimensions of education; the document is applicable only to educational centers under our control, must consider also the institutions that are beyond our control; education of the poor; education in the context of dialogue; education of families; school as locus of evangelization. 

The moderator conveyed appreciation to the reporter and announced that the Holy Eucharist will start at 6:15PM. The eucharistic celebration was presided over by Marcel Tshikez.

Report of Ivan Matic, General Spiritual Assitance to the SFO and Youfra

(In communion and collaboration with the Secular franciscan Order (SFO) and the Franciscan Youth)

In his report Ivan emphasized that the Secular Franciscan is an integral part of the Franciscan family and have a very important contribution to the work of evangelization. As secular people and living in the world, they are the collaborators of friars in evangelization and mission of bringing Christ into the world.

Guide questions for group sharing and discussions:

1. Indicate some directions and formulate concrete proposal for the collaborations with the SFO and Youfra in evangelization and in the missions, leeping in mind the areas indicated in the letter.
2. In what way can the Secular Franciscans make a significant contribution to the renewal of our way of evangelizing today?

Several ideas came out during the reporting in plenum: the enthusiasm of Ivan was evident and very much appreciated; a more creative way of the Franciscan spirituality; a new form of volunteer lay missionaries; to improve the formation of friars involved in SFO assistance;  a need quality formation for secular franciscans; take our responsibility as SA to the secular franciscan seriously; we have to reach out to them; a need to organize programs in the Provincial and Conference levels; they are not totally independent from us but belong to the Franciscan family.