Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis Region

 

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This year we will elect a new Regional Executive Council at the Annual Regional Gathering. For more information about nominations for the ballot, see this Special Election Edition of the Communio.

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Minister’s Message

Ellen Ferrone, OFS
BSSF
Regional Minister

Minister’s Letter February 2025

Greeting my dear sisters and brothers, May the Lord grant you his peace!

I have a small patio outside my dining room which looks out onto a pond rimmed with trees and plants. Two bird feeders and an endless supply of birds come and go on the patio. Ducks, geese, blue herons, and hummingbirds visit the pond in the spring, summer, and fall.

All are an abundance of gifts from God. I reflect a lot on the gifts from God–being a Secular Franciscan, wonderful family, friends, good health, a good organizer, ability to offer encouragement, more than I could have ever asked for or deserved. But we all know we don’t ask or deserve anything.

What we have are gifts from our God who loves and cares for us deeply. I’ve been reading the section in the FUN Manual on Profession. I professed over 7 years ago.

It’s worth going back and rereading. The cover page has the questions posed before we make that commitment: ….Do you wish to bind yourself more closely to the Church and to work intently to rebuild the ecclesial community and fulfill it’s mission among all people? Yes, this is what I want.

We all know who’s in charge–the Holy Spirit. We know the Holy Spirit bestows grace on us to help us fulfill the promise to “dedicate ourselves to the service of His Kingdom.”

Returning to my reflection on the gifts freely given to us, ask yourself, “Am I dedicating myself to the service of His Kingdom? Am I accomplishing a part of this by serving in my local fraternity? Am I present? Do I support the works of the fraternity? Do I serve when called?” Where are my gifts aligned? If I have a beautiful voice, do I sing at my gatherings? If I’m a bookkeeper, maybe I’m called to be treasurer. If I’m a teacher, maybe I’m called to help in formation. Have you ever complimented someone on their gifts? Have you let them know you appreciate them; maybe suggest they be a member of the council?

Sometimes we don’t see our gifts. Sometimes we think, oh, it’s just nothing, something I do on the side. Sometimes we think we’re not worthy.

None of us is worthy, yet the Lord loves us just as we are. So, by now you must have guessed where I am going with my letter to you all my dear sisters and brothers. When we said “Yes, this is what I want,” at our profession, it meant saying yes to being a servant leader.

We have many fraternity elections coming up this year and we have our regional elections in August. Please pray for all our councils, and remember the promises made at profession include being a servant leader and sharing in the gifts God so generously bestows on us. Serving as your regional minister is a true gift.

Peace and love. Ellen

This article is an excerpt from the Spring 2025 edition of the Communio. For more stories and news, go to Communion Spring 2025.

For our national Secular Franciscan newsletter’s recently published Winter 2025 edition of the Tau, go to Tau Winter 2025.

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Taking a Stand Against the Death Penalty

By Allison Salerno OFS, Regional JPIC Animator, and David Cruz-Uribe OFS, Regional MCC Animator

The Rule of our order tells us Secular Franciscans that, “especially in the field of public life, they should make definite choices in harmony with their faith” (Art. 15).  We can do so both individually and collectively.   In this spirit, the Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis Region recently signed an open letter to President Biden, calling on him to commute the death sentences of all the men and women currently on federal death row.  This letter, organized by Death Penalty Action, is in response to the announced plans by President-Elect Trump to resume federal executions and to “empty” death row.   Hundreds of organizations, including some Catholic groups, churches and religious orders, have signed this letter.

By joining them, the Region is furthering Catholic teaching, which is opposed to the death penalty.  As the Catechism states, “the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person’, and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide” (par. 2267).

Read the open letter.

Learn more about Catholic opposition to the death penalty, visit the site of the Catholic Mobilizing Network Against the Death Penalty, a group founded with the support of the USCCB.

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