Provincial Ministers' Statement on Charlottesville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 2017 As followers of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron of peace, we, the Franciscans Friars of the United States join with the many public and religious leaders and fellow-citizens who have condemned the recent violence in Charlottesville, VA. 

We hold that all forms of racism, white supremacy, neo-nazism, xenophobia and hatred are wrong. Because we believe that every person is created by God in love, we also hold that disrespect or diminishment of—or violence against—anyone offends not only that person but also the One who created that person. 

As Franciscans, we strive to be bridge-builders. To avoid future instances of the tragic violence that tore not only the community of Charlottesville but also the fabric of our nation, we call for a renewed commitment to respectful dialogue by all, whereby our opinions and differences can be shared in constructive and illuminating ways that lead to the possibility of growth and conversion for all. Such dialogue might lead us beyond the overt displays of violence and intolerance into an understanding of the subtler and even unconscious forms of discrimination and intolerance that may still inhabit our hearts as well as our society. 

We commit ourselves to the responsibility of respect for and dialogue with all who seem “other” than ourselves. And we pray that all the citizens of our nation will join in striving to attain respect and peace in our communities. 

 

PROVINCIAL MINISTERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

Very Rev. David Gaa, OFM St. Barbara Province Oakland, California 

Very Rev. James Gannon, OFM Assumption BVM Province Franklin, Wisconsin 

Very Rev. Kevin Mullen, OFM Holy Name Province New York, New York 

Very Rev. Robert Campagna, OFM Immaculate Conception Province New York, New York 

Very Rev. Jack Clark Robinson, OFM Our Lady of Guadalupe Province Albuquerque, New Mexico 

Very Rev. Mark Soehner, OFM St. John the Baptist Province Cincinnati, Ohio 

Very Rev. Thomas Nairn, OFM Sacred Heart Province St. Louis, Missouri

The Newly Designed Franciscan Order Website - www.ofm.org

The Order of Friars Minor’s General Curia is thrilled to share with you the Order’s newly redesigned website, with a clean new look and simpler navigation experience.  The menus have been streamlined and the web architecture have been updated with the latest technologies so you will have easy access to information.

We invite you to begin exploring the different pages and hope that you enjoy visiting the site. If you have questions, see a broken link or feel that something should be changed, please send an email to comgen@ofm.org.

May this be the beginning of better communications within the Franciscan Order, as well as from the Order to the world.  

Franciscan Response to President's Travel Ban

The Franciscan (OFM) Provincial Ministers wrote a letter in which they responded to the travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump for seven predominantly Muslim countries.  Click on this link to access the letter.