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Capitulum Generale 2009
DAILY BRIEFING
ENGLISH SPEAKING CONFERENCE O.F.M.
 June 10, 2009
HOLY SIMPLICTY
 
"Saint Francis was carefully attentive to show forth in himself , and he loved in others, holy simplicity, the daughter of grace, the sister of wisdom, the mother of justice. Not all simplicity, however, was approved by him, but only that which, being content with her God, considers everything else as of little value. This is she who seeks not the rind but the marrow, not the shell but the kernel, not the many but the much, the supreme and enduring Good."
- Second Celano, 189
IN THIS ISSUE
Commissions continue work
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Commissions continue work

 
DOMUS PACIS - After the beauty of last night's Renewal of Religious Profession at the Basilica San Francesco, Chapter delegates once again today continued the deliberative work of the Commissions.  The basic process for the coommissions over the next few days of the Chapter has them meeting in small groups to discuss possible proposals to be made to the full Chapter, followed by presentations on these proposals to the full group, and then return into Commission to debate changes and suggestions made by the group.

Chapter delegates

CHAPTER DELEGATES IN THE WORK OF THE COMMISSIONS
 
Br. Leslie Hoppe, OFM, Provincial Minister of the Assumption BVM (Franklin, WI) Province offered this reflection on Commission work in his own Province Newsletter:
The delegates to the Chapter began a new phase of their work. Up to now, the delegates met in language groups to process the Minister General's report and conduct other business. Today the delegates had to chose among eleven "commissions" that are to study proposals to be acted on by the Chapter.
 
The topics covered by the commissions range from evangelization and mission to finances. I chose to participate in the commission on formation and studies since I am interested in the future of studies in the Order and I am the liaison with the ESC Secretartiat on the Franciscan Intellectual tradition.

Unfortunately, there is not a single proposal that deals directly with studies as such. They focus on formation-initial and ongoing. What make work in the commissions a bit difficult is that each commission has participants from two language groups. The Commission on Formation and Studies has English- and Spanish-speaking participants. This requires continual translation. Stopping one's comments so that they can be translated breaks up one's train of thought. Still, we managed to get through one day' work.

What was clear to me is that the formation process, concerns, and challenges are not the same over all the Provinces. One set of solutions will not work across the board.
Commission work will continue tomorrow. The Chapter did approve a letter that will be sent from the Chapter to the upcoming G8 meeting in L'Aquila next month.  The letter has not yet been made public, but likely will be tomorrow and will be included in the Daily Briefing.
 
Additionally, the General Minister is in the process of meeting with each of the Conferences of the Order to get some feedback from them.  He will meet with the English Speaking Conference tomorrow night.
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ESC LogoThis DAILY NEWS BRIEF is produced by and for the friars of the English Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor.  Executive Secretary: Thomas Washburn, OFM.