OFS-USA-EIC Summer 2020 E-Newsletter!

Welcome to the Secular Franciscan Order - USA Ecumenical / Interfaith Committee Network Fall 2020 Newsletter

OFS-USA-EIC

"Our vision is to educate and to raise the awareness of our Franciscan sisters and brothers in the United States to the ecumenical and interfaith movements in the Church."

From our brothers the Atonement Friars

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021

2021 Week of Prayer Theme Announced - "Abide in My...

Members of the international group jointly sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches that met at the Monastic Community of Grandchamp in...

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www.atonementfriars.org

Annual Unity Walk of the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington

By: Michael Huether, ofs

Regional Vice-Minister

Ecumenical - Interfaith Animator

St. Margaret of Cortona Region

The 15^th annual Unity Walk, sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington, was held virtually this year on September 13. This public gathering is an annual demonstration of solidarity and unity of all faiths of the Virginia, DC, and Maryland areas. Mike Huether, OFS and Kimberley Heatherington, OFS, chair and co-chair of the Ecumenical/Interfaith Committee of the St. Margaret of Cortona Region, OFS attended. This event featured programs and visits of the various houses of worship. It also involved dialogue on living faithfully in a racialized society among the faiths. It also held workshops on such topics as culinary recipes by local chefs from the different faith communities, interfaith perspectives on home energy conservation, climate change, and youth and young adult understanding of interfaith dialogue. A resource fair featuring information on various faith organizations and congregations, as well as participation in an interfaith service project. Archbishop Wilton Gregory of the Diocese of Washington said of the Unity Walk that it “is the collective testimonial of our resolve to do our part to work toward peace and justice in our communities.” He also expressed his thanks for the youth and young adult involvement in the walk because they teach by example. He stated, “Our youth connect us in this tangible expression of solidarity of our shared goal to be living witnesses against the division and hostility that is seen every day in our society.” Twenty places of worship

Continue reading Mike's article

Unity Walk 2020: Young Adult Dialogue on Race

Interfaith Center of New York

Registration is now open for the

38th Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Retreat for Social Justice

The Climate Crisis and

New York Faith Communities

The Climate Crisis and New York Faith Communities

To create this event reminder on your devices, use either of these buttons : Google Calender | iCAL Calender Registration is now open for the 38th Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Retreat for Social Justice Thursday, October 8th, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm EST...

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creation.cadeio.org

CADEIO

2020 Interreligious Summer Institute Recap

Kelly Moltzen, OFS

Member OFS-USA-EIC

On behalf of the OFS-USA Ecumenical Interfaith Committee, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2020 Interreligious Summer with CADEIO, the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers. As Catholics, we are called to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in the foundational Vatican II documents of the Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio) and the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Relgiions (Nostra Aetate). We focused this summer on the call to interreligious dialogue in Nostra Aetate. While the institute was held virtually instead of in-person due to the pandemic, it was a rich experience with much wisdom shared about the traditions of Judiasm, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. It is with my understandings and additional thoughts from John Borelli, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the President for Catholic Identity and Dialogue at Georgetown University and coordinator

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Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs

Interreligious Responses to Laudato Si

October 29-30, 2020 RSVP Required Location: Online Zoom Webinar "The cry of the earth and of the poor cannot continue." This is the urgent message that Pope Francis is reiterating on the fifth anniversary of his pivotal 2013 encyclical, Laudato...

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berkleycenter.georgetown.edu

From the Border Towns

El Paso and Las Cruces

Donna Hollis, OFS

National Councilor, OFS-USA National Fraternity Executive Council

Member Ecumenical/Interfaith Committee

and

Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity

The following Events have been going on regarding Immigration work and Ecumenical gatherings in my area of the Border land.

Our work with the Refugees coming across the Border area in El Paso (Juarez) and Las Cruces (Palomas) Our Immigrants were in major need when they arrived in hundreds each day beginning last year until the ‘stay in Mexico’ Government order came through. They were living in tents in parks, on the streets and some in hospitality sites. Since the Covid virus appeared, there has been outbreaks in both Juarez and Palomas. Some of the Juarez Pastors working with the Immigrants tested positive with the virus but are doing well at this time. The only people allowed across the borders are “essential” people; meaning those who live there and work across the border, food delivery trucks, medical. So, the traffic of volunteers has slowed down a bit. In February, our Las Cruces Armory was closed since the Refugees were not allowed over in mass quantities. The Armory contained all our consolidated donations, clothes, food, etc... which we used when families were coming over seeking shelter and support. As we dismantled/packed the donations in boxes, we had volunteers and Pastors from Juarez and Palomas come and receive what they needed to take back with them to the people they serve across the Border.

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News From The Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity

Consider reaching out to the greater Franciscan family - Invite our brothers and sisters to your regional and local events, even ZOOM events

Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity 2020 Annual Report to our Orders

Mike Carsten OFS

OFS-USA-EIC

A Report to the Minister and Chapter of the Order of Secular Franciscans (OFS), the Third

Order, Province of the Americas, Society of St. Francis (TSSF), the Order of Ecumenical

Franciscans (OEF), the Order of Lutheran Franciscans (OLF), and the Order of Franciscans of Reconciliation (OFR).

From the Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity

The Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity An Instrument of Peace

The Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity is pleased to present this Formation Video for you and your fraternities.

"The Joint Committee on Franciscan Unity is a committee made up of two representatives each from the Third Order Society of St. Francis, Province of the Americas (TSSF, Anglican Communion), the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans (OEF), the Lutheran Franciscans (OLF) and the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS, Latin and Eastern Rite Communion). This committee was formed with the hope and goal of bringing together Christians of various lineages who seek to follow the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis."

T.S.S.F. Summer Newsletter - Summer Times

Yesterday [June 4], we paused and remained silent as we joined with millions in a National Day of Mourning. The intention of the day was to remember and grieve over 107,000 people no longer with us in the US and over 371,000 worldwide. And we are painfully aware that those numbers continue to increase daily.

And so, we remember and we grieve.

We have identified that public health will always take priority over economics. We have acknowledged that communal and theological responsibility will always supersede individual rights. And we have named that the very best way we can ensure care of and for one another is by taking care of ourselves through adherence to protocols and precautions.

And so, we remember and we grieve.

https://tssf.org/franciscan-times/

O.E.F. Newsletter - Fiddlesticks