SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DOCUMENTS Basis for Spiritual Assistance to the Secular Franciscan...

SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE IN ASSISTANCE IN

THE THE DOCUMENTSDOCUMENTSBasis for Spiritual Assistance Basis for Spiritual Assistance

to the Secular Franciscan to the Secular Franciscan OrderOrder

SFO Rule, 26SFO Rule, 26

1.1. As a concrete sign of communion and As a concrete sign of communion and co-responsibility, the councils on co-responsibility, the councils on various levels, in keeping with the various levels, in keeping with the constitutions, shall ask for constitutions, shall ask for suitable suitable and well-prepared religious for and well-prepared religious for spiritual assistancespiritual assistance. They should . They should make this request to the superiors of make this request to the superiors of the four religious Franciscan families, the four religious Franciscan families, to whom the Secular Fraternity has to whom the Secular Fraternity has been united for centuries.been united for centuries.

SFO General SFO General ConstitutionsConstitutions

Art. 1, 4Art. 1, 4The Holy See has entrusted the The Holy See has entrusted the pastoral pastoral

care and spiritual assistancecare and spiritual assistance of the of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), because it belongs to the same spiritual because it belongs to the same spiritual family, to the Franciscan First Order family, to the Franciscan First Order and Third Order Regular (TOR). These and Third Order Regular (TOR). These are the "Institutes" who are responsible are the "Institutes" who are responsible for the for the altius moderamenaltius moderamen, referred to , referred to by Canon 303 of the Code of Canon by Canon 303 of the Code of Canon Law. Law.

SFO General SFO General ConsitutionsConsitutions

Art. 85, 2Art. 85, 2

The spiritual and pastoral care of the The spiritual and pastoral care of the SFO, entrusted by the Church to the SFO, entrusted by the Church to the Franciscan First Order and the TOR, Franciscan First Order and the TOR, is the duty, above all, of their is the duty, above all, of their general and provincial ministers. general and provincial ministers. TheThe altius moderamen altius moderamen, of which , of which Canon 303 speaks, belongs to them. Canon 303 speaks, belongs to them.


Art. 85, 2 (cont.)Art. 85, 2 (cont.)

The purpose of theThe purpose of the altius moderamen altius moderamen is to guarantee the fidelity of the is to guarantee the fidelity of the SFO to the Franciscan charism, SFO to the Franciscan charism, communion with the Church and communion with the Church and union with the Franciscan family, union with the Franciscan family, values which represent a vital values which represent a vital commitment for the Secular commitment for the Secular Franciscans.Franciscans.


Art. 86Art. 86

1.1. The general and provincial The general and provincial ministers exercise their office with ministers exercise their office with respect to the SFO through:respect to the SFO through:—— the establishment of fraternities;the establishment of fraternities;

—— the pastoral visits;the pastoral visits;

—— the spiritual assistance to the the spiritual assistance to the fraternities at the various levels.fraternities at the various levels.

They may exercise this office They may exercise this office personally or through a delegate.personally or through a delegate.


Art. 86Art. 86

2.2. This service of the religious This service of the religious ministers completes but does not ministers completes but does not substitute for the secular substitute for the secular councils and ministers to whom councils and ministers to whom belong the guidance, co-belong the guidance, co-ordination, and animation of the ordination, and animation of the fraternities at the various levelsfraternities at the various levels


Art. 88, 1Art. 88, 1The provincial ministers and the other The provincial ministers and the other

major superiors, in the area of their own major superiors, in the area of their own jurisdiction, jurisdiction, guarantee the spiritual guarantee the spiritual assistance to the local fraternities assistance to the local fraternities entrusted to the jurisdictionentrusted to the jurisdiction.. They They see to it that their own religious are see to it that their own religious are interested in the SFO and that interested in the SFO and that capable capable and well-prepared personsand well-prepared persons are are appointed for the service of spiritual appointed for the service of spiritual assistance.assistance.


Art. 88, 2Art. 88, 2

It is the specific competence of the major It is the specific competence of the major superiors, in name of their jurisdiction:superiors, in name of their jurisdiction:a.a. to establish, canonically, new local to establish, canonically, new local

fraternities and guarantee them spiritual fraternities and guarantee them spiritual assistance;assistance;

b.b. to animate spiritually and visit the local to animate spiritually and visit the local fraternities assisted by their own jurisdiction;fraternities assisted by their own jurisdiction;

c.c. to keep themselves informed on the to keep themselves informed on the spiritual assistance given to the SFO.spiritual assistance given to the SFO.


Art. 88, 3Art. 88, 3The major superiors are responsible for the The major superiors are responsible for the

spiritual assistance to the local fraternities spiritual assistance to the local fraternities which they have established.which they have established.

Art. 88, 4Art. 88, 4The major superiors with jurisdiction in the The major superiors with jurisdiction in the

same territory, are to establish together the same territory, are to establish together the most adequate means to guarantee spiritual most adequate means to guarantee spiritual assistance to local fraternities which, assistance to local fraternities which, because of causes beyond their control, because of causes beyond their control, could remain without such assistance.could remain without such assistance.


Art. 88, 5Art. 88, 5

The major superiors with jurisdiction The major superiors with jurisdiction in the same territory, are to in the same territory, are to establish together the most establish together the most adequate means for carrying out adequate means for carrying out collegially their mission with respect collegially their mission with respect to the regional and national to the regional and national fraternities of the SFO.fraternities of the SFO.


Art. 89Art. 89

1. By virtue of the 1. By virtue of the vital reciprocityvital reciprocity between between the religious and the secular members of the the religious and the secular members of the Franciscan Family and in regard to the Franciscan Family and in regard to the responsibilities of major superiors, spiritual responsibilities of major superiors, spiritual assistance to the fraternities of the SFO at all assistance to the fraternities of the SFO at all levels must be assured as a fundamental levels must be assured as a fundamental element of communion.element of communion.

2.2.The spiritual assistant is the person The spiritual assistant is the person designated by the competent major superior designated by the competent major superior to carry out this service for a specific to carry out this service for a specific fraternity of the SFO.fraternity of the SFO.


Art. 89, 3Art. 89, 3

To be a witness of Franciscan To be a witness of Franciscan spirituality and of the fraternal spirituality and of the fraternal affection of the religious towards the affection of the religious towards the Secular Franciscans, and to be a bond Secular Franciscans, and to be a bond of communion between his Order and of communion between his Order and the SFO, the spiritual assistant should the SFO, the spiritual assistant should be a Franciscan religious, member of be a Franciscan religious, member of the First Order or the TOR.the First Order or the TOR.


Art. 89, 4Art. 89, 4

When it is not possible to give such a When it is not possible to give such a spiritual assistant to the fraternity, the spiritual assistant to the fraternity, the competent major superior can entrust the competent major superior can entrust the service of spiritual assistance to: service of spiritual assistance to: a.a. religious brothers or sisters of other religious brothers or sisters of other

Franciscan institutes;Franciscan institutes;

b.b. diocesan clerics or other persons, diocesan clerics or other persons, specially prepared for such service, who are specially prepared for such service, who are members of the SFO; members of the SFO;

c.c. other diocesan clerics or non-Franciscan other diocesan clerics or non-Franciscan religiousreligious..


Art. 89, 5Art. 89, 5

The previous authorization of the The previous authorization of the superior or the local ordinary, when superior or the local ordinary, when needed, does not exempt the needed, does not exempt the Franciscan major superior of the Franciscan major superior of the responsibility for the quality of the responsibility for the quality of the pastoral service and of the spiritual pastoral service and of the spiritual assistance given.assistance given.


Art. 90 Art. 90 1.1. The principal task of the assistant is to The principal task of the assistant is to

communicate Franciscan spirituality and communicate Franciscan spirituality and to co-operate in the initial and continuing to co-operate in the initial and continuing formation of the brothers and sisters.formation of the brothers and sisters.

2.2. The spiritual assistant is by right, with The spiritual assistant is by right, with vote, a member of the council of the vote, a member of the council of the fraternity to which he or she gives fraternity to which he or she gives assistance and collaborates with it in all assistance and collaborates with it in all activities. The spiritual assistant does not activities. The spiritual assistant does not exercise the right to vote in financial exercise the right to vote in financial questions.questions.


Article 91 Article 91 1.1. The council of the fraternity at each The council of the fraternity at each

level requests suitable and prepared level requests suitable and prepared assistants from the competent superiors assistants from the competent superiors of the First Order and the TOR.of the First Order and the TOR.

3.3. The competent major superior, The competent major superior, having heard the council of the fraternity having heard the council of the fraternity concerned, appoints the assistant concerned, appoints the assistant according to the norms of these according to the norms of these Constitutions and of the Constitutions and of the Statutes for Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the Secular Franciscan OrderSecular Franciscan Order..

Statutes for Spiritual and Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistance to the Pastoral Assistance to the

SFOSFOArt. 2Art. 23. The purpose of spiritual assistance 3. The purpose of spiritual assistance

is to foster communion with the is to foster communion with the Church and with the Franciscan Church and with the Franciscan Family through witness and sharing Family through witness and sharing of Franciscan spirituality, to of Franciscan spirituality, to cooperate in initial and on-going cooperate in initial and on-going formation of secular Franciscans formation of secular Franciscans and to express the fraternal and to express the fraternal affection of the religious towards affection of the religious towards the SFO.the SFO.


SFOSFOArt. 7Art. 7

1. The major superiors of the First 1. The major superiors of the First Order and the TOR are to establish Order and the TOR are to establish together the most adequate means together the most adequate means to guarantee spiritual assistance to to guarantee spiritual assistance to local fraternities which, because of local fraternities which, because of causes beyond their control, could causes beyond their control, could remain without such assistance.remain without such assistance.


SFOSFOArt. 7 (cont)Art. 7 (cont)

2. They also take care to keep in touch 2. They also take care to keep in touch with local Ordinaries who have erected with local Ordinaries who have erected local fraternities of the SFO in local fraternities of the SFO in accordance with its specific legislation, accordance with its specific legislation, taking upon themselves the taking upon themselves the responsibility for their spiritual responsibility for their spiritual assistance and pastoral care or assistance and pastoral care or entrusting it to one of their priests or to entrusting it to one of their priests or to a religious Institute.a religious Institute.


SFOSFOArt. 11Art. 11

1. The provincial Ministers and the 1. The provincial Ministers and the other major superiors assure other major superiors assure spiritual assistance to the local spiritual assistance to the local fraternities entrusted to their own fraternities entrusted to their own jurisdiction.jurisdiction.


SFOSFOArt. 15Art. 15

4. When it is not possible to give the fraternity a 4. When it is not possible to give the fraternity a spiritual Assistant who is a member of the First spiritual Assistant who is a member of the First Order or the TOR, the competent major Order or the TOR, the competent major Superior can entrust the service of spiritual Superior can entrust the service of spiritual assistance to: assistance to: -- religious brothers or sisters of other -- religious brothers or sisters of other Franciscan institutes;Franciscan institutes;-- secular Franciscans, cleric or lay, specially -- secular Franciscans, cleric or lay, specially prepared for such service; prepared for such service; -- other diocesan clerics or non-Franciscan -- other diocesan clerics or non-Franciscan religious.religious.

SPIRITUAL ASSISTANCE IN THE DOCUMENTS Basis for Spiritual Assistance to the Secular Franciscan...

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