"We are strong and resilient, holding the tension in the increasing complexity and chaos of our world."

Stand for Peace

The following Decalogue for a Spirituality of Nonviolence reflects our community’s enduring commitment to peace. Though written decades ago by Sister Rosemary Lynch, its message remains profoundly relevant—clarifying what it means to advocate for life and peace through our conscious thoughts, emotions, words, and actions.

1. To learn to recognize and respect "the sacred" ("that of God", as the Quakers express it) in every person, including ourselves, and in every piece of Creation. The acts of the non-violent person help to free this Divine in the opponent from obscurity or captivity.

2. To accept oneself deeply, "who I am," with all my gifts and richness, with all my limitations, my errors, failing and weaknesses, and to realize I am accepted by God. To live in the truth of ourselves, without excessive pride, with fewer delusions and false expectations.

3. To recognize that what I resent, and perhaps even detest, in another, comes from my difficulty in admitting that this same reality lives also in me. To recognize and to begin to renounce my own violence, which becomes evident when I monitor, my words, gestures, reactions.

4. To renounce dualism, Manichaeism, the "we and they" mentality. This divides us into "good-bad" people and allows us to demonized adversary. It is the root of authoritarianism and exclusivity behavior. It generates racism and makes possible conflicts and wars.

5. To face fear and to deal with it with love, not mainly with courage.

6. To understand and accept that the "New Creation", the building up of the "Beloved Community", is always carried forward with others. It is never a "Solo Act". This requires patience and the ability to pardon.

7. To see ourselves as a part if the whole creation to which we foster a relationship of love, not of mastery, remembering that the destruction of our planet is a profoundly spiritual problem, not simply a scientific and technological one. "We are one!"

8. To be ready to suffer, perhaps even with joy, if we believe that we will help liberate the Divine in others. This includes the acceptance of our place and moment in history with its trauma, with its ambiguities.

9. To be capable of celebration, of joy, when the presence of God has been accepted, and when it has not been...to help discover and recognize this fact.

10. To slow down, to be patient, planting the seeds of love and forgiveness in our own hearts and around us. Slowly we will grow in love, compassion and the capacity to forgive.

Continuing the early history of the St. Francis Province, a large part of our work today occurs through prayer and living in solidarity, with our earth home and with immigrants, impoverished communities, and others who are marginalized. These efforts have a broad and diverse expression.

You can learn more about prayer practices here (click on image):

It's Time for a Franciscan Renaissance!

Because of our diverse ministries, prayer is richer and the desire to strengthen relationships is foundational. You are welcome to join us through various Franciscan practices and Care for Our Common Home (click on images).

As part of our Franciscan Renaissance, we are sharing books to provoke deeper thinking and action. Here's our first Book Review (click on image) with more to come... If you'd like to share a book review, please do!

Book Review

"We are strong and resilient, holding the tension in the increasing complexity and chaos of our world."

Continuing the early history of the St. Francis Province, a large part of our work today occurs through prayer and living in solidarity, with our earth home and with immigrants, impoverished communities, and others who are marginalized. These efforts have a broad and diverse expression.

You can learn more about prayer practices here (click on image):

It's Time for a Franciscan Renaissance!

Because of our diverse ministries, prayer is richer and the desire to strengthen relationships is foundational. You are welcome to join us through various Franciscan practices and Care for Our Common Home (click on images).

As part of our Franciscan Renaissance, we are sharing books to provoke deeper thinking and action. Here's our first Book Review (click on image) with more to come... If you'd like to share a book review, please do!

Book Review