Let’s open things up even more and in so doing close up the gap between what Chapter is doing on your behalf and what you want to know.
I suppose by now most of you have seen The Video. It’s a visual representation of the Global Third Order statement about Standing with the Indigenous. If you’ve missed it, here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmxnP-kL7cs&authuser=0
How to describe how that initiative got going!? It grew out of Sacred Ecology meetings between Mark MacDonald and Jeff Golliher. You all know that our brother Mark is the Archbishop to the Indigenous for the Church of Canada, right? And an Ojibwe himself. Those conversations were passed on to all the Ministers Provincial and our Minister General, and soon that statement became something for every one of our Provinces. It started on the grassroots level and just took off! And the Holy Spirit is still taking it places. In my next Bytes, I will talk more about that.
I want to share a couple of other things with you. Because of its growing importance, Lifelong Formation has now been split off from the Fellowship Guardian role. And Susan Pitchford is the new Director of that. I think you’ll agree that she is wonderfully suited to that mission. All our Provinces will now have such a Director, so conversations about Lifelong Formation can embrace all of us, around the world.
We have also gotten approval in Chapter for our Safeguarding Our Loving Community Policy (found on our website under Resources/Governance). In the next Franciscan Times you can read more about how we got there. One of the hallmarks of this policy is its emphasis on prevention, training and awareness. We have a Guardian of our Loving Community in place (welcome Cleveland Beach) and he will be talking to each of us about signing an agreement that we have read and accept the policy.
Peace and All Good to each of you! Janet Fedders
