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the

Common Good

 

Secular Franciscan JPIC Monthly Newsletter
from Franciscan Voice Canada
 

Issue No 44,  March 2021
Activists - Advocates - Action?
Leaders or Followers: both are good
Here is an Example 
                                                  (John Ivison, Two plus two adds up to five, National Post, 4 March 2021)

It is a bitter sign of the times that China has co-opted countries round the world to support its malignant policies. Two years ago, 22 countries, including Canada, issued a joint letter at the United Nations Human Rights Council condemning China’s policy in Xinjiang. Four days later, 37 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and Russia, issued a second letter, backing China’s behaviour and expressing their opposition to the politicization of human rights issues...        Read more at Andrew's March Blog
Walking in the footsteps of Jesus
[Finding right relationship]
 
Here is an article by Dr. Richard Shields, PhD Theology: Dr. Shields has his Masters in Franciscan Spirituality from St. Bonaventure in New York and his Doctorate in Religious Studies from McMaster in Ontario. He was the Regional Spiritual Conference leader in 2018 for the RFEC Region. He has become a good friend of the OFS.
Dr. Shields wrote: "The story of the Transfiguration led me to some thinking. I have written a Lenten reflection on discipleship and St. Francis 6th Admonition. Perhaps it will be of some use as a Lenten Mediation for Secular Franciscans."      READ HERE
     From Gospel to Life

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places”
[Ephesians 6:12]

"...proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths." [2 Timothy 2-4]
 
Grant Whitty - Unsplash
ECCLESIA SEMPER REFORMANDA
[A CHURCH ALWAYS BEING REFORMED]

(St Augustine of Hippo)
Example of two strugglers “against spiritual wickedness in high places”
Left: Ismael Moreno Coto, SJ and Berta Cáceres, 2013 by Fr Melo Coto and ISN

The following is a message from Fr. Ismael Moreno Coto SJ (shown in photo) regarding the brutal murder on 3 March 2016 of Berta Cáceres, an internationally renowned Honduran indigenous and environmental leader...  See how we can take action.       Read more 
Two Thoughts on the Church's Future; 
from Honduras & Quebec
Honduras, if the church doesn’t change, it’s only going to become increasingly more isolated: “We are part of a church, of an institution, which is often more sinner than saint. But we ourselves are also sinners. What right do I have to so directly disavow a church with...   Read more at Andrew's March Blog
FMM Fête des tentes (above)                                              Franciscan Friars 2019 Fête des tentes (below)
Catholics in Quebec are leaving the church..: Cardinal Lacroix called on the church in Quebec not to struggle to hold on to what it has left but to see itself as a mission church moving outward: “We must reorient our pastoral teams toward a more intensely missionary activity, turned toward the people and groups that we join too little.”...    Read more 
Laudato Si' Plus

We need change; we want change (Pope Francis).
In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.

Watch this beautiful and well presented video (6:18 min)
Visit the Laudato Si' Movement website
Laudato Si’(19): “Our goal is... to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.” (Laudato Si)
Fratelli tutti (11): “Goodness, together with love, justice and solidarity, are not achieved once and for all; they have to be realized each day. It is not possible to settle for what was achieved in the past and complacently enjoy it, as if we could somehow disregard the fact that many of our brothers and sisters still endure situations that cry out for our attention”.(Fratelli tutti)
OFS Rule
16. Let them esteem work both as a gift and as a sharing in the creation, redemption, and service of the human community. (St Joseph - the worker "Patris Corde")

GC 21.1 For Francis, work is a gift and to work is a grace. Daily work is not only the means of livelihood, but the opportunity to serve God and neighbour. 
 


 
Pope's Prayer Intention for March
Sacrament of reconciliation
Let us pray that we may experience the sacrament of reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy of God.
Pope Francis tells us: “When I go to confession, it is in order to be healed, to heal my soul. To leave with greater spiritual health.” The Pope invites us to live this sacrament of love that transforms our life: “The center of confession is not the sins we declare, but the divine love we receive, of which we are always in need.” God is greater than our sins.   
Reflection:  Reconciliation has cleansed me dozens of times, but it has resurrected a significant relationship:  the one with my father. In...   Read more  
We Pray: 
Creator God, deepen our sense of suffering within our global family and move us into action. Help us “to discover what each of us can do about it.” If we are living in a relatively comfortable lifestyle may we have the sense and courage to change our way of living to one of simplicity and contemplation. May we live simply so others may simply live.
Film of the Month
Laudato Si' + 5 (40 min)
Kevin Moynihan has produced an excellent update (Feb 2021 – 40 mins) to an earlier video (2016) in response to the Vatican’s Journeying Towards Care for Our Common Home: five years after Laudato Si (2020).  It explores the 3  step process of
Seeing - Judging - Acting
and hearing the Cry of the Earth and the Cry of the Poor
It features David Suzuki and the Rev. Dr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, SDB, coordinator of the “Ecology and Creation” sector at the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; whose most recent book is The Ten Green Commandments of Laudato Si’ (Liturgical Press, 2018). Also Leonardo Boff, Professor Emeritus of the Franciscan Theological Institute in Brasil; Maude Barlow & Greta Thunberg to name just a few of the well known JPIC advocates/presenters.
Book of the Month

Whose Water Is It, Anyway?:
Taking Water Protection Into Public Hands        by 
The Blue Communities Project is dedicated to three primary things: that access to clean, drinkable water is a basic human right; that municipal and community water will be held in public hands; and that single-use plastic water bottles will not be available in the public spaces. With its simple, straightforward approach, the movement has been growing around the world for a decade. In Blue Communities, renowned water justice activist Maude Barlow recounts her own education in water issues as she and her fellow grassroots water warriors woke up to the immense pressures facing water in a warming world. Concluding with a step-by-step guide to making your own community blue,  ...how ordinary people can effect enormous change.

Recommended 
Un mot du SIAF
ECHO présente des nouvelles de plusieurs communautés de la famille franciscaine qui ont répondu à notre appel en tant que Franciscains.
Voici le Chemins Franciscains: Vol 126 No 1 Mars 2021

Jerusalema -

A spiritual song and dance for difficult times...
goes around the world
Millions of people of all nations, professions and religions around the world dance to a spiritual song that, according to its christian creator Kgaogelo Moagi from Africa (called Master KG), should be as spiritual as possible. It is not only the Covid-19 song, but also a great Fratelli Tutti song.     Read more and see the lyrics.
Important Dates on the JPIC Calendar:
+ March 8 - World Day of Prayer
+ March 8 - International Women's Day (Watch the video 1:59)
+ March 22 - World Water Day
+ March 27 - International Earth Hour
+ April 6 - International Day for Development and Peace
Other Recent Postings on 
Franciscan Voice Canada
   Earlier Posts you may want to check:
      Note the calls for "Action" in some of the postings

Editors:  Andrew Conradi, ofs, Laudato Si' Animator, Global Catholic Climate Movement; George Guimond, ofs, RFEC Dir of JPIC
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National Fraternity of Canada
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Fratelli Tutti
Joy of the Gospel
Understanding JPIC - a Primer
The Franciscan Journey - JPIC Supplements
Prayers
 
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