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Vocations Questions
Yes! I am seriously thinking about joining the Capuchin Franciscan Friars…
But there are so many questions!
The answers to all the questions in this page are taken directly from the Constitutions
of the Capuchin Friars Minor. As such they are not the personal opinion
of any one friar, but the expression of the mind of the whole Order in General
Chapter.
WHAT IS YOUR RULE OF LIFE?
St. Francis, the founder of our fraternity, from the very beginning of his
conversion accepted the Gospel as the guiding principle of his life and
activity. [Capuchin Constitutions 1:3] Back to top
WHY DO YOU MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE ORDER?
St. Francis, concerned about the purity of his way of life, and foreseeing
the great growth of his fraternity, at the same time was afraid of having
a lot of unsuitable brothers. Therefore, those who wish to embrace
our life should
be carefully examined and selected. [Const. 17:1,2] Back
to top
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WOULD LOOK FOR IN A PERSON ASKING TO
JOIN YOUR ORDER?
- The candidate must be temperamentally suited to live the fraternal
fellowship of our Gospel life.
- It must be evident that they have
the physical and mental health necessary to live our life.
- Candidates must show by their lives that they firmly believe what
the Church holds and believes and that they have a Catholic
spirit.
- They should have a good reputation, particularly among those
who know them well.
- They should be of appropriate maturity and fervent will, and
it must be understood that they enter the Order solely
for the purpose
of
sincerely serving God
and the salvation of people in accordance with the Rule
and way of life of St.
Francis and our Constitutions.
- They should be educated according to the standards of each
one's region, and should show promise of being able
to carry out their
future duties
successfully.
- Especially where there is a question of candidates of more
mature age and those who have already had some experience
of religious
life, all
useful
information
concerning their previous life should be obtained.
If there is question of admitting secular clerics or
those who had been admitted to another institute of
consecrated life, a
society of apostolic
life, or
a seminary, or readmission of a candidate, the prescriptions
of universal
law
must be observed. [Const. 17:3] Back
to top
IF I DECIDE TO JOIN THE CAPUCHIN ORDER, WHO HAS TO
GIVE PERMISSION?
Besides the General Minister, it belongs to the Provincial
Minister in each Province to admit candidates to
postulancy. [Const. 19:1] Back
to top
WHAT IS POSTULANCY?
The Postulancy is a period of initial formation
and of choice of our way of life. During this
period the candidate
gets
to know
our way
of life,
while the fraternity, on its part gets to know
the
candidate better and is able
to
discern his vocation. The formation of the
Postulants is aimed chiefly at completing their catechesis
in the faith
and includes
an introduction
to
the Liturgy,
methods of prayer, Franciscan instruction and
first experience of apostolic work. It is also meant
to test and develop
their maturity, especially
their emotional maturity, and their ability
to discern the signs of the times
in the light of the Gospel. [Const. 28:1,2] Back to top
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NOVITIATE?
The Novitiate is a period of more intense initiation
and of deeper experience of the Capuchin
Franciscan life of
the Gospel
in its
fundamental demands,
and it presupposes a free and mature
choice of the religious life. The direction of
the novices,
under
the authority
of the major
superiors, is reserved solely
to the Master of Novices. The formation
of the novice is based on the values of our
consecrated life. The
rhythm of life in
the Novitiate
should
correspond
to the primary aspects of faith, contemplative
prayer, fraternal living,
contact
with the poor, and work. To be valid the
Novitiate must comprise twelve months. [Const. 29:1-5] Back
to top
I UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE ARE THREE VOWS THAT A RELIGIOUS MUST TAKE: WHAT DOES THE VOW
OF POVERTY
MEAN?
Gospel poverty is the highest ideal of
our way of life. The Church perceives
voluntary poverty,
especially
in religious, as a sign
of the following
of Christ. Gospel poverty includes
loving availability and
conformity with the
poor and
crucified Christ who came to serve,
and it
leads to
solidarity with the little ones of
this world. We should use temporal
goods with
a sense
of gratitude
and share them with those in need,
and so at the same time give an example of
the right
use of things
to
those who
desire them
excessively.
[Const.
59:6,3,5,7] Back to top
WHAT ABOUT THIS VOW OF
CHASTITY?
IS THAT WHY RELIGIOUS SEEM SO SERIOUS?
The reason for our vow of chastity
is preferential love of God and
of all people;
in a unique
way it gives us
greater freedom
of heart
to cling
to
God with undivided
love and enables us to become all
things to all people. The
charism of celibacy, which not
everyone can accept, is an option for
the Kingdom of God and in
a prophetic manner heralds that
Kingdom in our midst, and gives witness to
the life to come, in which those
who have
risen are brothers and sisters
to one another
before God,
who will be
all in all to
them. [Const.
168:2,3]
One of the notable characteristics
of St. Francis is the richness
of his affections
and his ability
to express
them.
Thoroughly
courteous and noble,
sensitive
to all that is good and beautiful,
he desires
that his brothers should be joyful
heralds of penance
and conversion,
immersed
in peace and
in the universal,
even cosmic, brotherhood. [Const.
169:1,3] While we are on the way to the
Kingdom of God, chastity always
involves
a certain privation
which is to be
acknowledged and accepted. Diligent
recourse
to supernatural
and natural means makes it possible
to maintain a proper balance
and to avoid
the dangers
which
greatly
threaten
a
celibate
brother, such
as boredom,
loneliness,
love of comforts, excessive gratifications,
or on the other hand, morbid
aversions to displaying affection. [Const.
170:1] Back to top
WHAT ABOUT THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE?
HOW DOES IT WORK? DO YOU EVER
ARGUE?
While they show themselves ready
to obey the Ministers in the
spirit of
faith,
the brothers
should make
known to them
their
own plans
and projects
for the
common good; but it belongs
to the Minister to judge and decide
what
is to be done,
after they
have willingly
considered
everything
with
the brothers.
By living in obedience the
friars, together with the fraternity,
more surely discover
the will
of God and
strengthen fraternal
unity itself.
If a brother,
after fraternal dialogue, should
judge something to be better
and more useful
than what the Minister enjoins
on him, let him willingly sacrifice
his own
ideas to
God and
do his best to
carry out what the
Minister has decided
upon.
This is true and loving obedience,
which pleases God and our neighbour.
[Const.
165:1; 164:2;
165:3] Back to top
WHAT SORT OF APOSTOLATE
DO THE CAPUCHINS GET INVOLVED
IN?
The chief apostolate of the
lesser brothers is this:
to live the
Gospel life in the
world in
sincerity, simplicity and
joy. We prefer
to evangelise
the
poor, yet, following the
example of Christ and St.
Francis, we should not
be afraid
also to proclaim to persons
in positions of power and
to rulers
of peoples
the message of conversion
to justice and the duty
of preserving
peace. The brothers should
promote the customary works
of the apostolate,
such
as popular
missions, retreats, hearing
the confessions of the
faithful, the
spiritual care
of religious women, especially
franciscans, the
care
of the sick
and those in prisons, and
works of education
and of social advancement.
When taking on new forms
of the apostolate the
brothers should
give special
attention to those
people who,
on account of
the conditions in which
they live, lack ordinary
pastoral
care. Such are: young
people in danger of
turning away
from the Christian life,
emigrants, workers and
people burdened
with financial worries,
or harassed
by hostility
or racial
prejudice. [Const. 145:2,4;
147:2,3] Back to top
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE
ORDER? WHO HAS AUTHORITY?
The General Chapter,
which is the eminent
sign of
unity and
solidarity
of the
whole fraternity
assembled
through
its
representatives,
possesses supreme authority
in the Order. The
General Chapter is held every
six years. In
the General Chapter
the General Minister
is the
first to
be elected, he thereby
receives full authority
over the entire Order
and over all the
brothers. Eight General
Definitors
are
also elected
(to assist the
General Minister).
[Const.
116:1,2;
118:1,3]
The Provincial
Chapter, in which
the members
assembled in fraternal
communion
act in
the name of the
entire Province, is the
highest Provincial
authority.
At the Provincial
Chapter the Provincial
Minister
is
elected.
Four Provincial
Definitors are
also elected. [Const.
124:1;
127:3,5]
The Provincial Minister,
with the consent
of his Definitory,
shall
form the local
fraternities and
appoint the Guardians.
The Local
Chapter consists
of all the professed
brothers. The votes
of
the Local Chapter
are consultative.
[Const. 140:1;
142:1,6] Back to top WHY ARE THE CAPUCHINS
CALLED FRIARS?
Inspired by God,
St. Francis initiated
a
way of Gospel
life which he
called a fraternity,
following
the
example of Christ
and his
disciples. [Const.
83:5] Back to top
ARE YOU ALLOWED
TO HAVE CONTACT
WITH
YOUR FAMILY,
RELATIVES
AND FRIENDS?
We should always
fulfil our
duties of
love and friendship
towards
our parents,
relatives,
benefactors,
helpers
and others
who
belong to
our spiritual
family and
commend them
to God in
our community
prayers.
[Const.
94:4] Back to top
I UNDERSTAND
THAT FRATERNITY,
FOR
THE CAPUCHIN
FRIARS,
IS AN IMPORTANT
PART
OF THEIR
WAY OF
LIFE. HOW
DOES IT
WORK IN PRACTICE?
- As brothers
given
to each other
by
the Lord,
each with his
own
special gifts,
we
should accept
one
another
with
a grateful
heart.
Therefore,
wherever
we
may
be, gathered
together
in
the name
of Jesus
let
us be
of
one heart
and mind, striving
always
to
advance to
greater
perfection.
As
true disciples
of
the Christ
we
should love
one another
from
the heart,
bearing
with
one
another's burdens
and
defects. We should
continually
practise
love
of
God and brotherly
charity,
striving
to
give an
example
of
virtue to
each
other and to
all,
and
fight against
our
own passions
and
evil inclinations. [Const.
84:1]
- We should
cultivate an
ability to converse
with one
another, confidently
sharing our
experiences and making
known our
needs. Moreover,
a spirit of
brotherly understanding and sincere
esteem should
prevail at
all times. [Const.
84:2]
- In
as much
as they
have the
same vocation,
the brothers
are equal.
For this
reason, in
accordance with
the Rule,
the Testament
and the
earliest customs
of the
Capuchins, all
of us
should be
called brother
without distinction.
The precedence
which is
necessary for
the service
of the
Fraternity comes
from functions
and offices
actually held. [Const. 84:3,4]
- St.
Francis also
desired that
anyone who
comes to
our houses
should be
received kindly;
therefore we
should welcome
all with
the greatest
charity, especially
the unfortunate
and those
suffering hardship,
and help
them in
their needs. [Const. 96:2] Back to top
WHAT
DO THE
CAPUCHINS HAVE
TO SAY
ABOUT PRAYER?
- Prayer
to God,
as the
breath of
love, originates
from a
movement of
the Holy
Spirit by
which the
interior man
listens to
the voice
of God
speaking in
his heart.
For to
pray is
nothing other
than to
speak to
God with
the heart.
God, who
first loves
us speaks
to us
in many
ways: in
all creatures,
in the
signs of
the times,
in the
lives of
people, in
our own
heart, and
especially through
his Word
in salvation
history. Christ
himself is
our life,
our prayer
and our
work. [Const.
45:1,2,4; 52:6]
- Franciscan
prayer is
affective, ie.
from the
heart, leading
us to
an intimate
experience of
God. When
we contemplate
God the
Supreme Good
from whom
all good
things come,
our hearts
cannot but
break into
a chorus
of adoration,
thanksgiving, wonder
and praise.
[Const. 46:6]
- Since
we have
been consecrated
to the
service of
God by
baptism and
religious profession
we should
place the
highest value
on the
sacred liturgy,
which is
the exercise
of the
priestly office
of Jesus
Christ, the
summit of
all the
Church's activity
and the
source of
Christian life.
We should
strive to
nourish our
spiritual life
and that
of the
fraternity from
the liturgy,
and to
open its
treasures to
the faithful.
[Const. 47:1]
- In
the liturgy
of the
hours we
speak to
God with
his own
words taken
from the
Scriptures and
in his
word God
himself meets
us and
speaks to
us. [Const.
51:1]
- The
practice of
Mental Prayer
leads us
to a
spirit of
true adoration,
unites us
intimately with
Christ and
enables the
sacred liturgy
to have
a continuing
influence in
our spiritual
life. [Const.
52:2]
- It
is of
the greatest
importance to
form one's
conscience about
the vital
necessity of
personal prayer.
Every brother,
wherever he
may be,
should take
for himself
sufficient time
every day
for mental
prayer, eg.
a whole
hour. [Const. 53:2] Back to top
WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE WORDS USED TO MAKE PROFESSION OF VOWS?
The answers to all the questions in this page are taken directly from the
Constitutions
of the Capuchin Friars Minor. As such they are not the personal
opinion of any one friar, but the expression of the mind of the whole Order
in General Chapter.
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Copyright © 2000-2004 Capuchin Franciscan Friars of Australia. All rights
reserved. 