The following was received from Les Alberti, our regional Minister.
Dear Friends and Ministers
Peace and all blessings to you.
In keeping with my commitment to timely communication please find a short report on the highlights of our most recent Regional Fraternity meeting on November 10 and communications received during the last months from different sources.
International News from the pen of our International Vice-Minister
Pope Benedict XVI canonized seven saints on October 21, 2012. Doug Clorey, International Vice Minister, attended and sends these words: I was pleased to have been able to attend the canonization ceremony. As a Canadian Secular Franciscan, three of the 7 individuals being canonized were particularly relevant. Anna Schaeffer, from Germany, was a Secular Franciscan, Marianne Cope was a Franciscan sister from Syracuse, NY who followed the Third Order Regular and, of course, Kateri Tekakwitha was the first Native American saint, linked to both the US and Canada.
National News
The National Vice Minister for the Anglophone Regions, Mr. Tom Wilkinson ofs, kindly sent to the Regions the first National Bulletin called Secular Franciscan, the fruit of an initiative launched following the National Chapter of Elections. The Bulletin, started in October 2012, contains articles on the International program orientation and National Spiritual Assistants’ articles. Other topics covered in the Bulletin relate to all programs of the National Fraternity including Membership and Fraternity issues, Formation, Justice and Peace, finances and an article on YOUFRA by Colleen MacAlister, the National Youth Animator.
We entertain the hope that this National Bulletin will become a prominent and permanent feature of the National website shortly. http://www.ofsnational.ca/Index_EN.asp
Regional News
The Regional meeting of November 10 had as its main theme - Planning for the next two years. Council found it important to provide a reliable structure around which the our activities can better be planned and acted upon with advance preparation including an assessment of their impact on the regional budget.
A number of initiatives past and future emerged. Among these perhaps the pre-eminent one is ensuring that all viable Fraternities are canonically established in the Trillium Region. In this respect Fr. Peter Knaapen ofm conv. continues to lead. At this meeting four more Fraternities’ documents were signed signaling the start of the establishment process. With great joy we anticipate that the Region can proceed with the establishment ceremonies for these Fraternities in their own locations prior to July 2013. We hope that as dates get solidified we can advise you of the times and locations. We hope that you can make plans to attend and share the joy of new Fraternities and to welcome them more firmly into this unique Order of St. Francis.
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