The Gospel invites us to look again and again at many of the same themes

The first order of business at last summer's General Chapter was to take a hard look at where the congregation had been since 2000 and where the needs of the times seemed to be taking it, and then to formally define the direction the congregation will take for the fours years to come.

It's a weighty task, but the 52 sister delegates plus the 11 fulltime, non-voting participants, which included nine associates, were well-prepared by a year of reading and sharing. They moved quickly through the conversation circle process to voting on Chapter Initiatives that will mold the activities of sisters, associates and friends for months to come.

Acknowledging that “the corporate mission of the Clinton Franciscans is active nonviolence and peacemaking,” the Chapter voted to continue and to expand the “Center” for Active Nonviolence and to strengthen public witness. They also committed to initiating a dialogue among themselves and the wider Franciscan family about peace making being the heart of the Franciscan charism

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Jan Cebula osf introduced the first "Center" program

The "Center" will continue programming, offering informational and reflection events as well as a five-part course on Franciscan Peacemaking. The "Center" also sends out "action alerts" on political issues.

Building on the positive effect of the Franciscan spirituality and contemplation focus group during the past four years, the plan is to continue pursuing more ways of deepening, strengthening, and extending Franciscan spirituality to sisters, associates, sojourners and friends and to do so in more places so as to intensify contemplative life and empower all to become personal centers of active nonviolence. Franciscan Incarnational theology will be the framework for study.

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Mary Smith osf (l.) and guests at a recent retreat at The Canticle

Days of reflection, "Conversations with "Paschal" - afternoons of discussion on spiritual themes with Paschal Hocum osf, Hermitage Retreats, and an expanded library of Franciscan and other spiritual resources are ongoing efforts.

Again building on their experience over the last four years during which they studied issues related to sexual orientation, and on their belief that as a child of God, every person is endowed with worth and dignity that human judgment cannot set aside, the Chapter committed to help end the rhetoric and actions which fuel hostility, misunderstanding, fear and hatred toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender persons and which can result in the denial of their human/civil rights.

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Bob McCarthy, Clinton associate, and Joan Theiss osf led the Clinton Franciscan contingent in this fall's Peace Walk.

Lobbying church hierarchy as well as legislators on behalf of disenfranchised persons is an ongoing priority. The congregation celebrates with the Clinton community the UN International Day of Peace, UN Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as means of promoting awareness of human rights issues. 2004 marked the first time the UN Day of Peace was combined with Clinton's "Stop tje Hate" observance.

The congregation will continue exploring ways to be intentional in nurturing relationships among the congregation and its associates and the world. They plan to enter into dialogue about options for their future while also focusing their attention, resources and support on sharing their gifts with the wider community and living more fully in body, mind and spirit through life's transitions.