I am currently undergoing formation to become a Secular Franciscan. I will become a member of the Immaculate Conception Fraternity, which meets at the St. Francis Convent, Mishawaka IN.
I did not realize I was Franciscan until, about two years ago, I started visiting with Sr. Agnes Marie and attending fraternity meetings. As I listened to these folks talk about the charism of St. Francis, I realized the values they were discussing were ideas I already held dear in my heart. I just never had a name for it before.
What I write here has to reflect this. Its inevitable.
Franciscan ideals like simplicity, spiritual poverty, the importance of the incarnation, penance, transformation, gazing, considering, contemplating, and imitating will be themes running through the discussions here.
But that does not mean that this is primarily a Franciscan site. I believe God is an idea so big that we can never hope to comprehend Him. Thus, an ecumenical approach is the only viable way to search for Him. Only in the synthesis of many ideas can the best and greatest approach to God occur.
The witness of the leadership of Granger Community Church was instrumental in setting me on my path. That Church is Methodist by convention and seeker oriented by choice, and I count the leadership there as some of my most important friends. Hopefully, they will find something here that will help them grow, and hopefully they will seize opportunities to continue to help me when they spot the opening.
So, while my musings must originate within my Franciscan perspective, I am eager to hear what others with different viewpoints have to say.
Please, please, please feel free to participate no matter what your background is.
The only thing I ask is that you do so in the spirit of the About this Blog page.