Skip to main content

WITH FRANCISCAN GRATITUDE!

It is hard to believe we have already come to the end of October.  And what an incredible Reflection Series it has been for Franciscan Month!

We cannot thank enough everyone who contributed to this Series.  We are also grateful to those who subscribed, and anyone who commented on the wonderful depth and breath of the reflections.

Special thanks go to Timothy Nagy of our Office.  Without his outstanding coordination, the Series would not have been possible.

This Series has greatly assisted in moving forward the dream of October being designated as Franciscan Month.  Our vision includes national and local events in 2024, with global recognition in Assisi in 2026 for the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of Francis' reunion with God!

Looking forward to continue walking the Franciscan journey with you.  May you do so in God's Peace and Love!

Deus Meus et Omnia,

St. Francis College Office of Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue


Comments

  1. Thank you all for tuning in for this reflection series! If you have any feedback, please contact me at tnagy@sfc.edu. Happy Halloween!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...