A Case Study of the Spirituality Of The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph
Date
1998-04
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
The presentation of this study is divided into three parts, as follows;
Chapter One discusses the spirituality of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. It begins
with the general background, then it deals with the charism, spirituality of the Institute. Chapter
Two deals with the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience. Chapter Three
discusses the apostolate of the sisters. It also analyses the data collected from the sisters through
the use of the questionnaire. The study ends with specific references to the Franciscan Sisters by
giving some reflections and observations. God is the initiator of each and every call. He has the absolute freedom to call one to
himself to a particular style or type of life. God may call young women to a religious life style
and therefore she is invited to live in a particular or specific religious community. The one invited
to religious life has the freedom to respond to God's initiative and gratuitous call which depends
completely upon God In responding to this call, the religious women exercises her humanness by
seeking oneness, unity and integrity with her God. The religious is called to love God
wholeheartedly without qualifications, conditions, or reservations.
Today, the religious face serious challenges in responding to God's call in the world.
Their identity as religious is often challenged. Today's religious men and women live in a period
where most of the formal structures that had supported religious life in the past are questioned
and some are also reviewed. Hopefiilly this study and reflection will help the religious
restructure their purpose and place in the world. The real priorities in religious life are
questioned quite seriously. The dichotomy in attitudes and the shift in values have blocked the
realities of the pristine ideal. For many, a dichotomy exists between human-spiritual, individualcommunity,
action-contemplation, work-prayer. But in reality, these are not contradictions.
Attitudes towards poverty, celibacy, authority-obedience have changed due to shifts in values
concerning human person, and evangelical life. Community dynamism calls members for
openness and this offers challenges for growth towards the better. New areas of apostolate, new
avenues and values are inviting the religious to review their former and traditional apostolate. The Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph (FSJ), like every other religious congregation live
within a technological and consumerist society filled with demands of all sorts. The difference in
attitudes, shifts in values and morals, the number of members who join the congregation and those
who leave, etc., tend to influence their lives, their theological stability and their inner
consciousness concerning the religious identity. These factors also influence their call and
response to religious life. The FSJ have based their Constitutions, with regard to their life of
prayer, community life, vow of obedience and vow of poverty, on Franciscan spirituality.
Since this work is a case study of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, for the primary
data, the author administered a questionnaire among the same sisters plus five other Congregations
following the Franciscan spirituality. She also delivered a questionnaire to another Congregation
following the Jesuit Spirituality. The general background of the questionnaire gives the details on
the age, related differences in Religious Profession and their level of education. The next section
deals with the way the sisters live and express their charism and spirituality within their
community living, vowed life and apostolate. The last section refers to the Constitutions of the
Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph. The author gathered information by herself
The objective for the field study was to find out what the Franciscan spirituality means to
the sisters and whether it gives a relevant meaning to their lives or offers some challenges to the
living out of their religious commitment. The responses did help reflect the living of the
Constitutions. This whole study is meant to promote suggestions on how best the sisters could
best live their vocation in today's Church and society.
Description
Keywords
Spirituality of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, The Evangelical Counsels, Charism of the Institute, Vow of Celibacy, Vow of Poverty, Vow of Obedience, Call to Witness, Apostolates of the Franciscan Sisters