With
religious life in Europe declining, the sight of 300 young Franciscan friars
filling Assisi’s narrow medieval streets the week after Easter almost seemed
out of place, a page out of a glorious past.
From April
10 to April 14 the Order of the Brothers Minor Conventual called together in
Assisi all of its European friars who have not yet taken life-long vows of poverty,
chastity and obedience. Franciscan seminarians from Poland, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Austria, England, Italy, Czech Republic,
Malta, France, Spain, Turkey and Lebanon were present for a week of prayer,
fraternal sharing and testimonies in the small Italian where the order was
originally founded in the 1200’s.
Yet despite
the “success” of the large number of participants, I did not sense that the
week was about glorying in our numbers.
Rather, two
prevailing sentiments flavored the entire week: a realistic awareness of the
order’s need for renewal, and a contagious joy at discovering the breadth of
our fraternity that crosses linguistic and cultural barriers in a united desire
to follow Christ.
“We need friars who are in love with the Lord,
not friars who are good at doing things,” stated Minister General Marco Tasca
in his homily at the week’s closing mass, held on Mount La Verna. Tasca said
that he feared that within the order in Europe the focus of “being” in a deep
relationship with Christ has shifted in the direction of “doing” lots of
activities that are not essential.
Life
testimonies of friars from unique mission experiences were one way that the
event’s organizers attempted to stimulate new thinking within the young
Franciscans gathered in Assisi. One of the most controversial testimonies was
the experience of a Franciscan community in Cholet, France which has attracted
thousands to its family conferences and youth meetings with its deliberate
poverty, community oriented lifestyle, and charismatic worship.
The French model
was praised by many of the friars gathered in Assisi, but raised questions for
others. “How can you refuse to receive a salary and then ask for money from
others, especially during this economic crisis,” said one friar. “It’s not real
poverty and it’s not right.”
The second
theme that flavored my experience of the week was the richness of being
together with brothers from all walks of life who are seeking to follow Christ.
Whether meeting up with old friends, or talking with a Polish brother from a
Catholic rock group about various worship bands, or listening to an English
brother who had previously been part of a monastic order share about the grace
of silent Eucharistic adoration, I was struck by a deep joy at being a part of
this diverse Franciscan family.
a brother from the community
