BUILDING A CARING COMMUNITY

Growing up, I always knew to respect my great aunt Sr. Deotilla who was a Franciscan Sister from Dubuque, Iowa. My young thoughts of her were of how athletic she was and how she liked to pray the rosary. I have been blessed with some of her prayer books and reflections of her commitment to God and the Franciscan way of life. My older self sees her vision through her writings and her dedication to the Holy Trinity. Sr. Deotilla was a devoted individual who put others before herself and believed in the power of prayer.

As I work at Briar Cliff University, I reflect on the Franciscan Value of “Building a Caring Community”. This Value has been dear to my heart from the very beginning of my social work career at Briar Cliff. A sign of a caring community is when each person feels valued and respected.

Because of this Value, I try to be someone who values all life, and provides dignified care and leadership. I was told by a wise person to pray for the people who challenge you. This is what we ask every time we pray the Our Father. This aspect of building a caring community is believed to offer calmness and helps us to be forgiving as Christ taught.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
and the power,

and the glory are Yours;
now and forever. Amen.

Melanie Berte-Hickey LMSW, CSW, MPS

Associate Professor of Social Work & Director of Mission and Catholic Integration

Briar Cliff University

Comments

THEMES IN FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY

I have been an official Franciscan since 2001 when I joined my community- the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. One part of Franciscan spirituality that deeply resonates with me is the wonder of the Incarnation. Francis was so amazed that the mighty God of the Universe would become a helpless infant. He contemplated the Incarnation throughout his life, but he could never get over his awe. God became humble; God chose to be human. The Humility of God is a Franciscan concept that sounds like a contradiction. But Francis was able to see the truth in this. Jesus came to earth as an infant born of a woman, like the rest of us humans. He was not born into privilege, in fact, very much the opposite. He wasn’t even born at home. He was born in another city, Joseph’s ancestral home. And why would God send His son to earth as a human? Because He loves us. Francis knew this. He knew that love is God and God is love. God’s love is the driving force of the universe. It is why there is a univ...

The Beauty of Storytelling in Revealing God’s Presence in Humanity: A Franciscan Reflection

“What Francis wanted to recapture and live was what the earliest companions of Christ had experienced: the presence of God coming alive in the human community. He wanted that to be the universal way.” Ahlgren, Gillian. The Tenderness of God: Reclaiming Our Humanity . Fortress Press, 2017, 57. One of the great joys I have in working with graduate students and serving as a certified spiritual director is to hear the stories of students and directees. Oftentimes, these stories continue to be told more than once but not always in the same exact way. For me, one’s sharing of their experiences, acquired wisdom, yearnings and struggles gathered along life’s journey, reveals the presence of God. Like what is stated in the quote above, Francis discovered God to be fully present in our relationships with others and creation. His sending out of his followers two by two or in groups, traveling to various parts of the countryside and then coming back together to community must have led to the...

A MOVEMENT OF SERVICE

I first became aware of the Franciscan tradition when I was 12 years old. My dad got a new job at Alvernia University (then College), a school rich with Franciscan traditions. I was at an age where I could appreciate what that meant, but I was also a pre-teen in middle school, so learning about St. Francis was not at the forefront of my mind. Still, I learned a little. I met the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and learned about the importance of their role on Alvernia’s campus as the founders and sponsors of the school. Through my dad’s job, I saw the importance of prayer, peace and, my most favorite, service. Eleven years later, I have found myself back at Alvernia in a role where I get to encompass all of the parts I love most about St. Francis. St. Francis was determined to help the poor and to live among them. After experiencing a life of wealth and prosperity, he chose a life of poverty. A great sacrifice for anyone to make. But in doing so, he started a movement that has lasted cen...

Franciscan Month Reflection Series

Search This Blog