On Thursday, 5 June, the participants of the Chapter of Mats discussed the second topic of the meeting: Communion and walking according to the style of a fraternity of minors.
Sr. Therèse Myriam, Abbess of the Poor Clares Colettine in Assisi, provided the starting point for reflection. Before arriving at the meeting, she had discussed the topic with the 13 sisters of her convent, who range in age from 30 to 87 and are mostly French, along with one Italian, two from Congo and one from Gabon. This discussion raised some questions in her mind, which she put to the assembly.
Sr. Therèse emphasised the geographical and cultural richness of the Order, which is evident and fascinating today. “Are you able to embrace this reality in light of the story of the authentic Friar Minor, and to be grateful for the existence of others who are different from you?” she asked those present, recalling St. Francis's intuition in scheduling the Chapters on the day of Pentecost, when “the Spirit breathes new life into the Church by inspiring different charisms. This may seem to create disorder, but under his guidance it constitutes an immense wealth because he urges us to embrace difference in communion”.
The Abbess then turned her attention to cloistered life, describing it as a “gift” that enables the sisters to remain together despite their differences. She addressed the assembly again, asking, “What means do you have to avoid fleeing from the brother who is next to you?”, and recalled the example of Pope Francis, who described fraternity as spherical, but multifaceted, made up of a thousand nuances, some of which are sharp-edged.
Referring to another quote from the late pontiff about the appearance of the Risen Jesus on Lake Tiberias, which created a family atmosphere around a fire of embers, Sister Therèse asked, “Do we feel responsible for guarding this fire of embers and rekindling it during personal prayer and heart-to-heart communion with the Lord?”.
Quoting the Instrumentum Laboris, the Sister referred to the desire to grow in mutual trust despite conflicts. Recalling the final years of St. Francis' life, during which he was wounded and disappointed by his companions, she noted that he climbed La Verna and, thanks to the stigmata, his vulnerability became a source of healing for Brother Leo. “Do we recognise vulnerability in our relationships, even when we are in a position of leadership?”, are we able to show our brother our limitations, while also accepting the limitations of those around us? Can we listen to our brothers without choosing individualism over communion? Is this not what it means to be 'minor and subject to all'?
Like Br. Derrick Yap yesterday, Sister Therèse also referred to Francis's “motherhood” towards Leo, emphasising the significance of the Father of Mercy's presence: “I speak on behalf of many young people, many lay people and many Poor Clares: may your brotherhood and minority grow in the spirit of the Good Shepherd!”.
In her closing remarks, the Abbess thanked the Friars Minor for setting an example of communion, of being "together", and also thanked the General Curia for its efforts to promote mutual understanding through the Fraternitas newsletter.
Her intervention was very intense and stimulated dialogue on the second day of the World Café. Participants reflected on living the Gospel of fraternity, which was structured around three main themes.
The first theme was formation, inviting reflection on how initial and ongoing formative experiences have transformed the way Franciscan values are lived in daily life.
The second theme explored collaboration within the Franciscan Family, emphasising significant experiences between friars, lay people, and other community members to understand what fosters true communion.
Finally, the discussion turned to concrete commitment to justice, peace, and the integrity of creation, reflecting on how these experiences enrich understanding of the Franciscan charism.
Read Sister Therèse Myriam reflection
