05102003 JPII OFM General Chapter
May 10, 2003: Address of HH John Paul II to the General Chapter OFM, in Rome
From May 25 to June 21, 2003, the Franciscans celebrated their 185th General Chapter in Assisi, in which Fr. José Rodríguez Carballo was elected Minister General, succeeding Fr. Giacomo Bini in office. On the occasion of the chapter and before its opening, the Pope sent the message.
To the Reverend Father Giacomo Bini,
General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor
A. Romano: S. Francisco1. I am pleased to extend to you, Reverend Father, and to the entire Order of Friars Minor my cordial greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the Ordinary General Chapter, convened in the city of San Francisco and Santa Clara. It is celebrated in the Porziuncula, and this revives the happy memory of the origins of the Order, which was born under the gaze of Saint Mary of the Angels, whom you venerate as a special patron with the title of "Immaculate".
The capitular assembly "at Pentecost", prescribed by the Rule (cf. 2 R 8) highlights the fundamental role that Saint Francis recognizes to the Holy Spirit, whom he used to define as "General Minister" of the Order (cf. 2 Cel 193 ). The Holy Spirit purifies, illuminates and sets hearts on fire with the fire of love, leading them to the Father in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus (cf. LtO 50-51).
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In this significant circumstance, I am pleased to renew my sentiments of gratitude to this religious family for the service it has rendered to the Church for many centuries now, continuing the work begun by Saint Francis of Assisi and his disciple Saint Clare. Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to offer to the members of the General Chapter and, through them, to all the Friars Minor, some useful elements for a community review of the path traveled up to now and for a more effective apostolic action in the world of today.
2. At the end of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, with the Apostolic Letter Novo millennio ineunte, I wanted to remind all the Christian people of the spiritual priorities of the third millennium, and I did not hesitate to affirm that the entire pastoral journey must be placed in the perspective of the holiness (cf. n. 30). I stressed that in every program of evangelization the "primacy of grace (...), the primacy of Christ and, in relation to him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness" must be emphasized (n. 38). In addition, the institutes of consecrated life are called to play a unique role, since their specific mission is the prophetic witness of the kingdom of heaven. This implies a constant tension to holiness. In this way one can better understand what is read in the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Vita consecrata, that is, that “today a renewed commitment to holiness on the part of consecrated persons is more necessary than ever to favor and sustain the effort of every Christian for perfection.” » (No. 39).
If it is true that "the paths of holiness are multiple and appropriate to the vocation of each one" (Novo millennio ineunte, 31), in the Rule and in the Constitutions of your Order "contains an itinerary to follow, characterized by a specific charism recognized by the Church" (Vita consecrata, 37). This is the itinerary traveled by many of your brothers, Franciscan saints and blessed, who have fulfilled with heroic fidelity until death the commitments freely assumed on the day of their religious profession. It will be of great help to make constant reference to them, teachers and models of holiness, inspiring you by their example, deepening their knowledge, devoutly invoking them and commemorating them in their liturgical festivals.
3. The General Chapter is celebrated in the city of Assisi, where the voice that Francis heard coming down three times from the cross toward him resounds: "Go and repair my house, which, as you can see, is completely destroyed!" (LM 2.1).
Also in recent years, characterized by notable social transformations, the Order has felt stimulated to actualize this singular call, deepening its meaning in order to live its charism coherently. This reflection has prompted your religious family to place more emphasis on the missionary and ecclesial service that Christ entrusted to the young Francis and that, later, Pope Innocent III confirmed with the words: "Go with God, brothers, and as he sees fit inspire yourselves, preach penance to all" (1 Cel 33).
It is important that the Order preserve its own missionary style, centered on poverty and fraternal life, and animated by the spirit of contemplation and by the sincere search for justice, peace and respect for creation. In addition, it is essential that all its members and all the fraternities collaborate in building the one Church of Christ, in agreement and in full communion with the pastors of the local Christian communities.
In this way your Order, in agreement with the diocesan Ordinaries, will contribute to "consolidating and spreading the kingdom of Christ, taking the proclamation of the Gospel everywhere, even to the most distant regions" (Vita consecrata, 78), thanks to a renewed spirit of collaboration and a sincere desire for ecclesial communion.
4. Your sole objective, in all apostolic options and decisions, must be the salus animarum, as it was for the Poverello of Assisi, who was always and solely driven by zeal for the salvation of his brothers. Considering "that the Only Begotten of God deigned to be nailed to the cross for souls", "he did not consider himself a friend of Christ, if he did not love souls, whom he loved" (2 Cel 172) and "chose to live for Him who died for all, aware of having been sent by God to conquer the souls that the devil tried to subtract» (1 Cel 35).
The salus animarum also prompted him to promote the dignity and rights of the person, created and formed "in the image of the beloved Son according to the body and like him according to the spirit" (Adm 5,1), as well as to defend the safeguard of creation, since all things were created by Christ and for Christ, and all have their consistency in him (cf. Col 1,16-17). The life of Francis is distinguished, above all, by a constant spiritual tension, which led him to see and understand everything in the light of the "definitive happiness that is in God" (Vita consecrata, 33). From that love of his for God sprang the ardent desire to preach "to the faithful the vices and the virtues, the pain and the glory" (2 Kings 9). Dear Friars Minor, may this continue to be your apostolic "style" in the Church. I hope that the Chapter works give opportune indications so that it is more and more adapted to the challenges of the modern age.
5. "The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few" (Mt 9,37). These words of Christ come to mind in the face of the breadth of the field of action and the limited number of arms available. To speak of a missionary drive seems unrealistic also for your Order, taking into account the reduction in the number of its members and the increase in the average age that has been verified during these years. But this, instead of leading to discouragement, should lead to intensify, on the one hand, prayer, so that the Owner of the harvest "send laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9,38), and, on the other, to seek new pastoral and vocational strategies.
Why lose confidence, if Jesus himself assured Francis that he was precisely "the main person in charge" of the Order? Did he not promise him: "I have called, I will preserve and feed, and in place of those who perish I will make others grow. And if they are not born, I will make them born»? (LM 8.3). With this certainty, promote and accompany vocations with prayer and the witness of life, trusting in "God, who can make children of Abraham arise from the stones (cf. Mt 3,9) and make barren breasts fruitful" (Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Starting Afresh from Christ, 16). The Order has done well to devote much energy to vocation ministry and the formation of aspirants to the consecrated life, in collaboration with other Franciscan-inspired institutes and with the dioceses.
The attraction of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi is very great for young people, and it must be used to also propose to the generations of the third millennium "an attentive reflection on the essential values of life, which are clearly summarized in the response that each one is invited to give to God's call, especially when he asks for the total dedication of himself and his own strength for the cause of the Kingdom» (Novo millennio ineunte, 46).
In this regard, the celebrations organized by the four General Ministers of the Franciscan families on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the death of Saint Clare can be a very opportune occasion to better recognize vocations to the contemplative, apostolic, hermitic and religious life. secular Franciscans and Poor Clares.
6. Be yourselves men passionate about Christ and the Gospel, men of incessant prayer and joyful witnesses of a radical option for the kingdom of heaven. Your commitment will be all the more effective the more you strive to offer eloquent signs of "the primacy that God and evangelical values have in Christian life" (Vita consecrata, 84).
The traditional smock, which you usually wear, already recalls at first impact the style of penance and poverty, of meekness and welcome, of simplicity and total surrender to God that should distinguish you. Remain faithful to your typical charism, opening yourselves with wisdom and prudence to the demands of the apostolate of our time.
May the Holy Spirit, with his light and his strength, enable you to carry Christ "in your heart and body with love and with a pure and sincere conscience", and to engender him "through holy works, which should shine before you." others as an example» (2CtaF 53).
Saint Francis, Saint Clare and all your patron saints accompany the chapter work and make it fruitful for the good of the Order and the Church. May the Virgin Mary, "Star of the new evangelization", help you to remain faithful to the missionary commitment to which Saint Francis continues to exhort you with the beautiful expression: "Trust in the Lord and he will take care of you" (1 Cel 29).
To the "Virgin made Church" (SalVM 1), to the Queen of the Apostles, to the "Advocate of the Order" (2 Cel 198), turn yourselves every day with the recitation of the rosary, an eminently evangelical and Franciscan prayer.
With these sentiments, while I assure each one of constant remembrance before the Lord, I cordially impart to you, Reverend Father, to the capitulants and to all the brothers throughout the world, a special Apostolic Blessing.
Vatican, May 10, 2003.
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