Greetings! Peace be with you, my sisters and brothers. I pray that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday, Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons.
During this issue of the newsletter, I have two important items to communicate. First is the Feedback Pursuit Areas that resulted from the Chapter of Mats held back in September 2024 and presented to the local fraternity ministers at the Chapter of Ministers held in November 2024. The second item is the change in the format of regional retreats for 2025 from a weekend event to three separate one-day events.
During the weekend of November 9-10, 2024, the region held its Annual Chapter of Ministers’ meeting at Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat House in Bethesda, Maryland. Prominent on the meeting agenda was the presentation of the pursuit areas that were derived from the feedback we received from our members attending the Chapter of Mats in September. As you recall, I indicated that we had to publish a report from the Chapter of Mats to the national which we did and submitted back in October. Additionally, the region promised to analyze the feedback and develop a follow-up approach, which was also done, and is named the Feedback Pursuit Areas.
As indicated in the diagram below, the feedback received fell in one of four areas (categories) that will be pursued collectively by the region via the local fraternities and supported by the regional council to address the feedback in an ongoing manner in four different but related categories.
- Engage and Encourage: This deals with supporting each other on our Franciscan journeys and perspective members seeking a vocation. This will be done via evangelizing, inviting others to meet and speak with us, conducting Open Houses, and increasing opportunities for social gatherings.
- Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC): Many of us are already engaged in this important work in one way or another as either an individual or group apostolate involving Care for Creation, Respect Life, Anti-Human Trafficking, and/or through the Franciscan Action Network (FAN).
- Technology: Like the previous category, many of you are using technology to promote your work in engaging and encouraging and supporting your JPIC efforts by means of videoconferencing software (Zoom and Microsoft Teams), digitally archiving your important documents through Google or Microsoft OneDrive, and using tools like Google Translate and Magisterium AI to support your multi-cultural outreach and formation.
- Multi-generational and multi-cultural: This category addresses a growth area that many fraternities and regions also have regarding their outreach to and interaction with Youth and Young Adults and ethnic groups. Engaging and encouraging these groups will involve events like special liturgies and gatherings to help us connect and be in relationship with them.
The Feedback Pursuit Areas is intended to be both a framework that is a cross-cutting and an ongoing approach to support the efforts to fulfill our mission as Secular Franciscans. There will be more forthcoming soon and please speak with your ministers, councils, and the regional council if you have any questions.
The second item for this newsletter pertains to the annual regional retreats. In the past these retreats were weekend events (Friday-Sunday) that were spiritually enriching and enjoyable. Recent feedback received indicated that these weekend events were becoming cost prohibitive for many and the locations were not convenient for those living in the distant areas of our region.
After reflecting on the matter, the regional council and I decided to try a different approach that is intended to be less expensive and easier for members to attend. Starting in 2025, instead of one weekend event, there will be three one-day events held on a Saturday in different geographically distributed areas in the region (North, Central, and South). These events or Days of Reflection shouldn’t cost more than $50.00 per person and should be for the most part within 90 minutes or less of driving time for most members.
The first of these events will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish and Fraternity in Triangle, Virginia on March 8, 2025, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, and will be led by Father Russell Murray, OFM. The second of these events is scheduled for May 24, 2025, at Saint Anthony’s Shrine in Ellicott City, Maryland which is intended for ministers and vice ministers. The third event is scheduled for October of 2025 in the Charlottesville, Virginia area (exact date to be determined). These three events are in addition to the annual regional events like the Day of Reflection for Inquirers and Candidates which this year is at St. Anthony’s Shrine on March 29, 2025, and the Regional Formation Directors’ Retreat which will be at the Priestfield Retreat Center the weekend of June 27-29, 2025. More information will be provided on these events as time draws nearer.
That’s all for now. I pray that God continues to bless and protect you and your loved ones each day.
Pax,
Gary Burton, OFS
Minister
Saint Margaret of Cortona Region
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2024 National Fraternity Chapter
One of the more important guidelines that were reviewed and approved was on the topic of Records Retention by fraternities. The records were identified and their corresponding retention schedule established (Please see the link below.)
I will share all of this and other information with your ministers at our upcoming Chapter Ministers, November 9-10, who will in turn share with you.
These next three months will have several important holidays for us, and our family and friends. While I will send out best wishes to you from the regional council as the holidays occur, I pray that God continue to bless and protect you and your loved ones each day and as you prepare for the coming holidays.
Pax,
Gary Burton, OFS
Minister
Saint Margaret of Cortona Region
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Regional Minister’s Message for August 2024
Greetings to my sisters and brothers in Francis and Clare. May the Lord grant you, His Peace.
As I open the August 2024 newsletter, there are a few things to share involving three events; one that happened this last quarter and two that will occur in September 2024. Additionally, we have two important Franciscan Feast Days coming up in August 2024.
First, the Regional Formation Directors’ Retreat was held at the Washington Retreat House the weekend of June 28-30, 2024. It was well attended, planned, and executed by the Regional Formation Director, Rita Colleran, and her formation team. I extend my gratitude to them for a job well done. We were blessed to have Father Charlie Miller, OFM as the main presenter/facilitator, and he exceeded expectations as usual. You will hear more about this event later in the newsletter from our sister Rita as it pertains to animating and guiding.
The theme this year was Servant Leadership which is a type or style of leadership that promotes the value of placing service before self-interest and unselfishly committing to something greater than yourself. It involves the characteristics of love and humility and requires a transformation of your heart (see Article 7 of our Rule). These values are not foreign to us as Franciscans since they were first modeled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and by our brother St. Francis. All Franciscans are servant leaders.
As you know, Jesus continually modeled these values in his words and actions (miracles). There are four scripture passages that are usually associated with Jesus’ Servant Leadership, two of which involve the same incident where James and John asked (or in Matthew’s Gospel their mother asked) to sit on Jesus right and left and Jesus replied by saying that the Son of Man came to serve not to be served, whoever would be first among you shall be like your slave, and that Jesus would give his life as ransom for many (Mark 10:35-45 and Matthew 20:20-28).
The third is from Luke where the disciples are arguing amongst themselves about who will be the greatest, and Jesus replies, let the greatest be like the youngest and the leader as the servant (Luke 22:24-29). The fourth is the most famous with the washing of the Disciples’ feet at the Last Supper in the Gospel of John where the disciples are told they must wash each other’s feet (serving in a sacrificial way) (John 13:1-20).
Second is our Regional Chapter of Mats which will be held on September 6-8, 2024, and the final preparations are underway to make this a successful event. Large and small group discussions will take place around the theme of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we are going as an Order. We still encourage those that want to attend to please register as soon as possible.
Third, on September 17-22, 2024, I will be attending the National Minister’s Chapter that is being held in Phoenix, Arizona, and I will provide you a short summary of the event in the next newsletter.
Finally, and as a reminder for your calendars, we have two important Franciscan saint feast days coming up. On August 11th, our sister, St. Clare of Assisi and St. Maximillian Mary Kolbe on August 14th.
That’s all for now. Enjoy the newsletter.
Pax,
Gary J. Burton, OFS
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Regional Minister’s Message for May 2024
Greetings to all my sisters and brothers in the St. Margaret of Cortona Region. This is my inaugural message to you as your new regional minister. I have three topics to cover: The results of the regional election, a brief bio of me, and two important upcoming events for the region.
As most of you know, there was a regional election held on Saturday April 20, 2024, and a new regional council was elected as follows: Minister, Gary Burton; Vice Minister, Michael Oliver; Secretary, Maria Martinez; Treasurer, Randy Bender; Formation Director, Rita Colleran; Area Councilor for Northern Maryland/Southern Pennsylvania, Michael Huether; Area Councilor for Central/Southern Maryland/Delaware, Toby Harkleroad; Area Councilor for Metro DC, Mary Badjo; and Virginia Area Councilor, Sita Chakrawarti. Please see the photograph on our website at https://saintmargaretofcortona.org/council/ where everyone is listed in the above order from left to right. Their email addresses are listed on the same webpage referenced so feel free to reach out to congratulate them if you haven’t already done so. Additionally, I thank my sisters and brothers of the new council for their willingness to exercise their servant leadership and thank our outgoing council as well for their service and hard work during the last three years.
A little background about me. I am a cradle Catholic currently retired from careers in the military, civilian government service, and consulting, and living in Dumfries, Virginia. I am divorced and have two wonderful adult children, Sarah who is living and working as an esthetician in San Francisco, and Sean, a
social worker, who just moved home to Virginia from Tacoma, Washington. I’ve been a member of the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Triangle, Virginia for over the last 25 years, and I am currently a member of the St. Francis of Assisi (SFA) Fraternity of Triangle, Virgina. I’ve been associated with the Third Order
Secular Franciscans since October of 2011, and was professed on October 11, 2014. Prior to my profession, I was appointed and served as Treasurer of my fraternity in 2014, elected as Formation Director in 2017, and elected as its Minister in 2020.
As you will see in the newsletter, there are a few exciting things that the region has planned in the upcoming months of this year. The Regional Formation Directors’ Retreat is scheduled for June 21-23, 2024, at the Washington Retreat House in Washington, D.C. The theme this year is “The Franciscan Way of Servant Leadership to Guide and Animate.” It is intended for fraternity Formation Directors and formation team members and if you have any questions, please contact our Regional Formation Director, Rita Colleran (rlcolleran10@gmail.com).
Finally, our Chapter of Mats is scheduled for September 6-8, 2024, at the Claggett Center in Adamstown, Maryland. Unlike a retreat, our upcoming Chapter of Mats will be a time for us to collect as a family to celebrate our past, present, and future; with an emphasis on listening and talking with one another in small groups. The planning committee and subcommittees are working hard to deliver the best program they can for all our members. The venue is said to be first-rate, and prayer and liturgy will be a centerpiece of our experience that weekend. For more information, please visit our website: https://saintmargaretofcortona.org/upcoming-events/
That’s all for now and speak with you next time.
Pax,
Gary Burton, OFS
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