Address JPII CIOFS 1986
St. John Paul II: Address to the International Council of the Secular Franciscan Order
Thursday, June 19, 1986
Dearest brothers and sisters!
1. I am pleased to be with you today, members of the Presidency of the International Council of the Secular Franciscan Order, gathered in Rome to deepen the outline of the new Constitutions, based on the suggestions of the specific Commissions and Fraternities around the world.
These days of reflection and prayer are of particular importance for you since the study of the draft Constitutions has its fundamental point of reference to the Rule, which was approved and confirmed by my predecessor Paul VI through the Apostolic Letter Seraphicus Patriarcha of 24 June. 1978, a few months before his pious death. He said he was happy that the Franciscan charism still sprouted vigorously today for the good of the Church and of human society, despite the winding of accommodating doctrines and the emergence of tendencies that distance men from God and supernatural realities (cf. Pauli VI Seraphicus Patriarca , 24 June 1978: AAS 70 1978 454 5).
In addition, the next Synod of Bishops will be dedicated to the theme of the vocation and mission of the laity in the Church and in the world. This is a privileged occasion for Secular Franciscans to give their contribution of prayer, experience, ideas and particularly committed Christian witness. In fact, for over seven and a half centuries you have been present in the Church, with the purpose of loving and serving her, continually referring to the original charism, that is, to the teaching and life of St. Francis of Assisi.
The ancient biographer of the Poverello clearly mentions the foundation of the so-called "Third Order", when, speaking of St. Francis, he writes: "through his example, his Rule and his teaching the Church of Christ is renewed in its faithful, men and women, and the triple militia of the elect triumphs. He gave everyone a rule of life, and indicated the way of salvation to each according to his or her condition ”(I. Tommaso da Celano, XV: Fonti Francescane, nn. 384-385).
The "Fioretti" give us news of a noble Knight, "very devoted to St. Francis", named Messer Landolfo, who had received from his hands "the habit of the Third Order" (cf. Franciscan sources, n. 1956).
2. In the context of the great Franciscan family, the Secular Order is configured as an organic union of faithful who, "pushed by the Spirit to reach the perfection of charity in their own secular state, undertake by profession to live the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis "(Regula, 2).
A fundamental element of your charism is the full and complete observance of the Gospel of Christ: this involves a continuous and assiduous meditation on the figure, the person, the work, the message of Jesus, which is the center of our faith. In this, St. Francis is one of the most fascinating guides in the history of Christian spirituality: he wanted to know and live the Gospel "sine glossa", that is to the letter, realizing its most radical needs, so much so that he was privileged by Christ Crucified with the mystical phenomenon of "stigmatization". To the crowds of the faithful, at the beginning of the thirteenth century, Francis of Assisi appeared as an authentic "alter Christus".
And Francis recommends to his spiritual sons and daughters who live in the world to always know how to seek the living and working person of Christ in their brothers, in Sacred Scripture, in the Church and in liturgical actions; to make prayer and contemplation the soul of one's being and of one's work, in imitation of Jesus who was the true worshiper of the Father (Ibid, 8); to live in full communion with the Pope, the Bishops and the Priests (Ibid, 6); to realize the spirit of the "Beatitudes" in daily life, seeking in detachment and use a right relationship to earthly goods, purifying the heart from any tendency and greed for possession (Ibid, 11); a to continually practice a radical interior change, that is, "conversion", which finds in the Sacrament of Reconciliation the privileged sign of the Father's mercy and the source of all grace (Ibid. 7); to know how to treat and welcome all men as a gift from the Lord and as an image of Christ, and to seek the ways of peace, unity, love, forgiveness (Ibid, 13.19). In this spirit, all the Secular Franciscan Fraternities have for some time been in prayer for the success of the “Day of Peace”, which I have called for next 27 October in Assisi. This shows how the members of the Secular Franciscan Order feel, by vocation, bearers of peace and messengers of joy.
3. To you who have a delicate and great responsibility in the Order, I wish an intense mutual communion to be enlightened guides and ardent animators, giving your brothers and sisters a clear example of deep love for the Gospel, of ardent faith in Christ, of serene trust and fidelity to the Church. And to all the members of the Order I renew the invitation I addressed a few years ago to the participants in your International Conference: "Love, study, live your Rule, because the values it contains are eminently evangelical. Live these values in fraternity and live them in the world in which, for your own secular vocation, you are involved and rooted. Live these evangelical values in your families by transmitting the faith through prayer, example and education and live the evangelical needs of mutual love, fidelity and respect for life "(Ioannis Pauli PP. II Allocutio ad Sodales Consilii Generalis OFS, 2, die 27 sept. 1982: Teachings of John Paul II, V, 3 1982 613).
With these wishes, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you.
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