NATIONAL STATUTES
OF THE FRANCISCAN YOUTH/YOUNG ADULTS OF THE
U.S.A.
Chapter 1: Nature
1.
The Franciscan
Youth/Young Adults (FYYA) of the
United States is the fellowship of young people who feel called by the Holy
Spirit to make, in fraternity, an experience of Christian life, in the light of
the message of Francis of Assisi, deepening their vocation within the realm of
the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO).
2.
FYYA belongs to the Franciscan family as an integral
part of the SFO and considers the Rule of the SFO as the inspirational document
for the growth of its own Christian and Franciscan vocation, both individually
and as a group.
3.
In as much as FYYA belongs to the Franciscan family,
its pastoral care and spiritual assistance is entrusted to the First Order and
to the Third Order Regular (TOR).
4.
In view of the
FYYA’s vital and reciprocal
communion with the SFO, which considers itself to be responsible for it, the
fraternal animation of the FYYA is entrusted to the
SFO.
5.
The FYYA operate in groups called
fraternities at various levels: local, regional and national. Each of these fraternities should be
accompanied in their journey of human and spiritual growth by a SFO
fraternity.
6.
The FYYA is open to
Catholic Youth (ages 14 to 17) and Catholic Young Adults (ages 18 to 35).
7.
In the United
States of America the FYYA is
governed by the universal law of the Church, by the General Constitutions of the
SFO, by the National Statutes of the United States of America (Article 27) and
by these Statutes, approved by the National Fraternity Council of the SFO in the
United States.
8.
It belongs to the
National FYYA Council to make clarifications
regarding specific matters and strive to find solutions to particular situations
not taken up in these Statutes.
Chapter 2: Life and
Action
9.
The form of life of
the FYYA is this: to observe the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, following the example of Francis of Assisi who
made Christ the inspiration and center of his life (SFO Rule
4).
10. The FYYA are to seek the living and acting
person of Christ in all people, in Sacred Scriptures, in the Church and in
liturgical activities (SFO Rule 5).
11. Buried and risen with Christ in
Baptism, which makes them living members of the Church, let the FYYA become witnesses and instruments
of her mission among all,
announcing Christ in words and in deeds (SFO Rule
6).
12. Moved by the Gospel, let them conform
their way of thinking and acting to that of Christ, through a radical inner
conversion, which is to be renewed constantly by reconciliation (SFO Rule
7).
13. The FYYA must strive to make the life of
prayer and contemplation the soul of all they are and do. They are to participate in the
sacramental life of the Church, particularly in the Eucharist, and to join in
the liturgical prayer of the people of God (SFO Rule
8).
14. The FYYA should show their love for Mary
by imitation of her attentiveness to the Word of God and her openness to the
Spirit (SFO Rule 9).
15. The FYYA are to fulfill the duties of
their state in life and to seek a balanced relationship with earthly things,
simplifying their material needs and desire for power. Let them take a firm stand against
ideologies and attitudes that place material well-being over and above Christian
values (SFO Rules 10 & 11).
16. Let them identify with all men and
women, particularly with the poorest ones following the example of Francis of
Assisi. Let them join with others
to promote fraternity among all nations, and let them take a clear stand
whenever the dignity of others are trampled upon through any form of oppression
or indifference (SFO Rule 13).
17. Let them assume, in the spirit of
service, their social and civil responsibilities proper to their state in life
(SFO Rule 14).
18. Let them live in their own family the
Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity and respect for life, and let them strive
to make it the sign of a world already renewed in Christ. Let them strive to affirm the value of
fidelity and respect for all life, from the moment of conception until natural
death, and bearing in mind all the many circumstances that we the people of God
find ourselves in during our lifetimes (SFO Rule
17).
19. Being aware that peace is to be built
up without ceasing let them seek opportunities to actively engage in the
promotion of peace and justice in their surroundings (SFO Rule
19).
20. Let them show respect for all
creatures, animate or inanimate, which “carry the imprint of the most High” and
let them try by all means to reduce, reuse and recycle the treasures of our
earth (SFO Rule 18).
21. Let them exert constant efforts to
bring others joy. May they minimize
anxiety, pessimism and hopelessness to foster a climate of faith, acceptance and
hope (SFO Rule 19).
Chapter 3:
Formation
22. Membership in the FYYA takes place through three phases
of formation: Initiation, Formation for the Promise, and Deepening One’s
Vocation, according to the programs, methods and contents formulated by the
National Youth/Young Adult Council.
23. Initiation into the FYYA is a period of time for searching
and discovering which culminates with the decision to begin the period of
formation. The duration of this
period can be between 3 to 6 months according to the discernment of the Fraternal Animator,
Formation Director and Spiritual Assistant.
24. To begin the period of Formation
for the Promise, a petition is submitted in writing by the individual to
the local FYYA fraternity. The conditions for the admission to
Formation are to be Catholic and to live in communion with the
Church.
25. The period of Formation for the
Promise is the time to know and live the Gospel according to the example
Francis of Assisi, within the local FYYA fraternity. This period of time should be determined
by Fraternal Animator, Formation Director and Spiritual Assistant of the FYYA fraternity. It must be at least one year but not
more than two. At the beginning of
this stage, any acceptable Franciscan symbol is given, except for the Tau Cross,
which is the distinctive sign of
the SFO.
26. A petition to make the Promise in the
FYYA is to be submitted at the
end of the Formation for the Promise in writing by the youth to
the Fraternal Animator, Formation Director and Spiritual Assistant of the local
FYYA
fraternity.
27. The Promise in the FYYA is a formal act by which the
young person is fully incorporated in the FYYA fraternity. If possible, the Promise in the FYYA should be made within the
Eucharistic celebration; ideally this could occur at the young person’s home
Parish.
28. The Promise marks the beginning of a
period of ongoing formation intended for Deepening One’s Vocation,
for discovering and for translating into daily life the inspirations of the SFO
Rule, in order to verify one’s vocation and discern an appropriate response to
God’s call.
29. Since the FYYA is a vocational journey and a
time for verification that by its very nature is temporary, membership ends when
the person reaches the age of
36.
30. Members of the FYYA who wish to profess in the SFO
must observe the provisions of the Rule, of the General Constitutions, the
National Statutes and the Ritual of the SFO (GC 96.4). Profession in the SFO
continues the daily conversion that began in the FYYA fraternity. The Promise made in the FYYA has the same spiritual effect as
profession in the SFO.
31.
The Promise
of a Franciscan Youth or Young Adult, in a recognized FYYA fraternity, may be
deemed equivalent to the SFO Orientation and Inquiry phases of SFO Formation;
thus a Promised Franciscan Youth or Young Adult may become an SFO Candidate
within the SFO Formation Process.
Chapter 4:
Organization
The Local
Fraternity
32. The local FYYA fraternity is the primary cell of
the FYYA, the place where
brothers and sisters meet and have their experience of Christian life in the
light of the message of Francis of Assisi.
The members of the fraternity meet regularly, for example weekly but not
less than monthly, to live together their relationship with God and with one
another. It is necessary that the
meetings combine moments of prayer and formation with moments of action and
recreation. The meetings are to be
organized in such a way that they contribute to the insertion of the FYYA fraternity into the Franciscan
family and into the local Church.
33. The recognition of a local FYYA fraternity is made by the
Regional Executive Council of the SFO that corresponds to the region in which
the FYYA fraternity is to be
established. The Regional Executive
Council must inform the National Youth/Young Adult Council of the recognition. The FYYA fraternity will request competent
secular leaders and religious superiors for fraternal animation and spiritual
assistance (GC96.6). The record of
the recognition is to be kept in the archives of the FYYA fraternity and its sponsoring
local SFO fraternity. A copy is to
be furnished to the Regional Executive Council and the National Youth/Young
Adult Council.
34. Each local FYYA fraternity maintains a vital and
reciprocal communion with a local SFO fraternity from which it seeks fraternal
animation and with which it interchanges a FYYA representative with a SFO Council
representative (GC97.4). The fraternal animator and the local SFO representative
can be one and the same person.
35. When the local FYYA fraternity reaches five Promised
members or above, it is animated and guided by a Council composed of a
President, a Vice President and at least one councilor. These can be elected for a period of no
more than three years. According to
the needs of each FYYA
fraternity, more officers may be added.
They enjoy the right to vote only if elected by the local FYYA fraternity. The representative of the local SFO
Council and the Spiritual Assistant are also members of the Council. The SFO representative and Spiritual
Assistant have neither active nor passive voice in the elections to the
different offices. The President, or delegate designated by the Council,
represents the local fraternity in the Council of the local SFO fraternity (GC
97.4).
The Regional FYYA
Fraternity
36. The Regional FYYA Fraternity is the union of all
local FYYA fraternities in a
given territory that coincides with the Regional SFO
Fraternity.
37. The Regional FYYA Fraternity is animated and guided
by a Council composed of a President, Vice President and at least one
Councilor—all elected by the Regional FYYA Fraternity for a period of not
more than three years. If
necessary, the Regional FYYA
Fraternity may add other officers who will enjoy the right to vote only if the
Regional FYYA Fraternity elected
them. The representative of the SFO
Regional Council and the Regional Spiritual Assistant are also members of the
Council. The Regional President, or
a delegate designated by the Council, represents the Regional FYYA Fraternity in the Council of the
Regional SFO Fraternity.
38. The Regional FYYA Fraternity meets at least once a
year; it is presided over by its President. The Elective Assembly of the Regional FYYA Fraternity meets once every three
years; it is presided over by the National President of the FYYA or his/her delegate. In the Regional FYYA Fraternity, the following have an
active voice: the Regional FYYA
Council and from each local FYYA
fraternity, its President or delegate.
Everyone who has made his or her Promise in the FYYA may be elected to any
office. The SFO representative and
Spiritual Assistant have neither active nor passive voice in the elections to
the different offices.
The National FYYA
Fraternity
39. The National FYYA Fraternity is the union of all
the Regional FYYA Fraternities,
which exist in the territory of the United States of America. It is animated and guided by an
Executive Council composed of a President, Vice President and at least three
Councilors, all elected by the elective assembly of the National FYYA Fraternity for a period of three
years. If necessary, the National
FYYA Fraternity may add other
officers who enjoy the right to vote only if the National FYYA Fraternity elects them. The representatives of the National
Fraternity Council of the SFO, or its delegate and the Conference of National
Spiritual Assistants, or their delegate are members of the National FYYA Council. The President, or a delegate chosen by
the National FYYA Council,
represents the National FYYA
Fraternity in the National Fraternity Council of the SFO.
40. The National FYYA Fraternity meets at least once
every two years; it is presided
over by its President. The Elective Assembly of the National FYYA Fraternity meets once every three
years; it is presided over by the National Minister of the SFO or his/her
delegate. The following have an
active voice in the Elective
Assembly of the National FYYA Fraternity: the National FYYA Executive Council and the
Presidents, or the delegates, of the Regional FYYA Councils. All who have made their Promise in the
FYYA are eligible to be elected, and at
least two members elected to the National FYYA are to be professed SFO (GC
97.3). The SFO
representative and Spiritual Assistant have neither active nor passive voice in
the elections to the different offices.
Elections
41. FYYA elections shall take place according to the norms
of the National Statues of the SFO, Articles 10 through 15, except as indicated
below.
42. Before the election of each office, the
President of the Elective Assembly shall invite the voters who
have active voice to nominate candidates for the various offices. An election conducted with a closed list
of candidates is invalid. More than
one-half of the number of those eligible to vote constitutes a
quorum.
43. For the election of all offices at all
levels, an absolute majority is required.
An absolute majority is more than half of the votes of those
present. These are cast by a secret
ballot. If two ballots are
unsuccessful, a third ballot is conducted in which only the two nominees who
obtained the highest number of votes are candidates, or if there were more than
two, the first two to make the Promise.
If in the third ballot there is a tie, the one who made the Promise first
is considered elected.
44. The Presidents and Councilors at all
levels can be elected only for two consecutive terms. The offices of President of two
different levels as well as the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary
and Treasurer at the same level are incompatible.
45. The President at any level coordinates
the activities of the fraternity, convokes and directs the meetings of the
Council, and represents the fraternity in the functions of other fraternities
and organizations.
46. The Vice President cooperates with the
President in the performance of their duties, carries out whatever tasks are
assigned by the Council, substitutes for the President if the President is
absent and assumes the duties of President when the office is
vacant.
47. The Secretary keeps the minutes of the
meetings, looks after the archives of the fraternity and takes care of the
correspondence. Together with the
President, the secretary signs the official minutes of the
fraternity.
48. The Treasurer keeps the inventory of
temporal and financial matters, and renders an account to the Council. Together with the President, the
treasurer signs the financial report of the
fraternity.
49. The Councilors are elected by the
assembly to perform the tasks assigned to them. Together with the President and Vice
President, they are responsible for the animation and guidance of the
fraternity.
The Formation
Director
50. The Formation Director, along with the
Spiritual Assistant and the FYYA
Council, is to guarantee adequate lay Franciscan formation for the needs of the
world of the youth, according to the existing realities in the USA. The Formation Director and the Fraternal
Animator may be one and the same
Secular Franciscan (GC 96.5 & 97.2).
The Fraternal
Animator
51. The Fraternal Animator is to seek the
best possible means of fostering the vitality of the FYYA fraternity, ready to communicate
the experience of Gospel living to the members, and helps them advance in the
path of human and spiritual growth.
The Fraternal Animator and the Formation Director may be one and the same Secular Franciscan
(GC96.6 & 97.2).
The Spiritual
Assistant
52. The Spiritual Assistant bears witness
to the Franciscan spirituality and to the fraternal affection of the friars
towards the brothers and sisters of the FYYA. They promote the fidelity of the FYYA to the Franciscan charism,
communion with the Church and union with the Franciscan family. They cooperate particularly in the
formation of the FYYA (GC96.6
& 97.2).
Chapter 5: Protection of the Franciscan Youth and
Young Adults
53. As our youth and young adults are the
most important gifts God has entrusted to us, and they bear the imprint of the
Father, therefore, the SFO Fraternal Animators, the Spiritual Assistants and all
other adults who come in contact with our Franciscan Youth are to comply with
any, and all local diocesan rules, guidelines and certification requirements in
regard to working with youth within their respective diocese. The Secular Franciscan Order of the
United States will not tolerate any type of abuse towards our most vulnerable of
members be it, but not limited to verbal, physical, psychological or
sexual. Refer to the Charter for
the Protection of Children and Young People, composed by the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the Hope and Healing Program
composed by the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM).
Chapter 6: Additions and
Modifications
54. The Statutes for Spiritual and
Pastoral Assistance to the SFO governs the pastoral and spiritual assistance
of the fraternities at all levels, with the proper
adaptations.
55. Until such time that an elected
National FYYA Fraternity Council
is established, modifications of these National Statutes of the FYYA in the United States may be
suggested by the National Youth/Young Adult Council. To become legally binding, such
modifications must be approved by the National Fraternity Council of the
SFO.
APPROVED ON MAY 30, 2008 BY THE
NATIONAL YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT COMMISSION, SFO-USA.
APPROVED ON JUNE 6, 2008 BY THE
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SFO-USA.
APPROVED AND RATIFIED ON OCTOBER 18,
2008 BY THE NATIONAL FRATERNITY COUNCIL,
SFO-USA.