Ken Norian, TSSF
Minister General Report – 2012
My home Province, The Province of the Americas, is preparing for its annual Chapter. It occurs to me that those who hold offices in provinces around the world write annual reports summarizing the past year and articulating their vision for the next year when they are continuing in that office. I also realized that there has not been a precedent or regular opportunity for the Minister General to do the same. I believe that it would be a constructive now, and useful going forward for this to become a norm for the Minister General.
As it was just a little over a year ago that I was elected, this is as good a time as any to collect my thoughts about the past year and to reflect on the year ahead.
Transitions in life are always interesting and often challenging. Regardless of one’s qualifications, prior experience and visions, taking on a new role can be a humbling experience. My predecessors were Brian Hamilton, Alden Whitney, Keith Slater and Dorothy Brooker. How do I live into a role that people such as these have occupied? Somehow, though, God gives us grace to do things we didn’t think we could do. I remember how overwhelming it was when my first son Paul was born. I couldn’t imagine loving and taking care of another one. Luke came along and, somehow, I was able to. Kensley came unexpectedly (via adoption – a long story) and I had three boys in diapers within 19 months of each other. What I couldn’t even think about doing less than two years prior I’ve been able to accomplish well (in all humility!). And soon thereafter two more kids, all five with a few years of each other.
One of the things I’ve realized over this past year is the great things that we do as a global community and as individuals supported by that community. There are some things that we do in the name of TSSF. There are SO many things that we do as individuals serving God’s people either in specific ministries or in the witness of our lives in secular pursuits that are inspired and/or supported by our sisters and brothers in the Third Order, Society of Saint Francis.
When we commit ourselves to support each other “in community and prayer” we are enabled as individuals who, though living a dispersed religious life are bound together by a common rule and spirituality. In meetings, phone calls, emails, video conversations and letters with other Tertiaries it is so clear that through our formation and ongoing growth as Tertiaries we are bound together in a special and wonderful way. My kids use a vernacular expression of “peeps” to express a feeling of those who you connect with at a very fundamental level. When I’m with Tertiaries there is an immediate connectedness that has a foundation in a core spirituality that transcends politics, denominations or theology.
As I pray the Daily Office I reflect on the diversity of experiences that exist within TSSF. There are those living relatively comfortably in the first world… and brothers and sisters living in Papua New Guinea, The Solomon Islands, Guyana, and struggling countries and areas in Africa. Around the world there are those who, regardless of their socio-economic status that have struggles and suffering. When we pray our Daily Obedience we remember and lift all of our sisters and brothers up in prayer – as a GLOBAL community!
A Minister General as few prescribed responsibilities:
• Functional head of the order throughout the world
• Ensure that the Constitution is observed
• Assist in coordinating interprovincial life of the order
• Convene regular meetings of the Minsters Provincial
• Ensure that Interprovincial Chapters are called
Honestly, a Minister Provincial of one of our Provinces has a heavier day to day workload. My goal is to continue to encourage and facilitate interprovincial communication and inspire all members of TSSF to “act locally, think globally”.
This past year I have been able to spend time in prayer and fellowship with those from our sisters and brothers in the Roman Catholic Secular Franciscan Order. While I have a history with Franciscans from the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans I have not been able to meet with them as a group. I have been able to be in regular communication via phone and electronic communication.
I was able to get my arms around the wonderful work being done by Franciscan Aid (supported by Tertiaries) around the world, the operations of the Central Fund that supports interprovincial life and to participate in the European Chapter in Ely, UK. I was able to participate in a Chapter of the European Province and during the same trip was fortunate to share in local communities of Tertiaries in the UK.
In the past year there have been changes in leadership in three of our five provinces. Nolan Tobias from the African Province and John Hebenton from the Province of Aotearoa/New Zealand and Polynesia with Melanisia were Ministers Provincial at IPTOC (Inter Provincial Third Order Council) in August of 2011. Colin Fidock from the Province of Australia, Paua New Guinea and East Asia; Averil Swanton from the European Province; and John Brockmann from the Province of the Americas are newly installed Ministers Provincial since a little over a year ago.
I would like to thank Joanna Coney and Ted Witham who served as Minsters Provincial of the European Province and the Province of Australia,
Keep us in your prayers as we continue to discern the ongoing vision for the Third Order at the next Minster’s Provincial meeting in Cape Town South Africa in August 2013. This will be the first inter provincial meeting in the African Province and I am very excited about the opportunity to meet with members of our community there.
I wish that I could remember all Tertiaries by name in my daily intercessions. I do pray for Chapter members and all of you in our wonderfully diverse community who share so much in common.
Peace, love and all good……………….. Ken