Franciscan Advocacy Network

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 Sr. Eleanor Goekler shares the following report:

Merely one year after the initial historic meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, the Franciscan Family held its Official Inauguration of the Franciscan Action Network during the Ecumenical Advocacy Days week-end in Washington, DC. on March 8, 2008.  This network comes into being at a time when our country is at a crossroads of reform and transformation, and joins its collective Franciscan voice seeking a world that reflects the balanced and just society which Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi believed that God invites all of creation to accept. 

As the website states: “Inspired by the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi and the long heritage of men and women who follow in their footsteps as present day disciples of Jesus Christ, the Franciscan Action Network is designed to bring a coordinated and effective voice to matters of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation in our world. The particular focus of the Franciscan Action Network’s advocacy is the US Government and related Washington, DC-based institutions (e.g., World Bank, International Monetary Fund, organization of American States…). The advocacy topics will be both international and domestic in scope.  In these arenas, the Franciscan Action Network hopes to bring a spirit of healing and reconciliation as they advocate for the transformation of the world, as inspired by the Spirit of God.” 

The US province of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception remains part of this endeavor, through their designated contact person (Eleanor Goekler, SMIC), member-based donation to start-up costs and development of the issues to be brought before these Washington-based entities.  

Membership is open, not only to organized Franciscan entities, but to” individual Franciscans and those with a Franciscan spirit”. The website is www.franciscanaction.org and, even though it is still being constructed, already has some interesting and timely information on it, including letters around the sad situation in Kenya. 

The Ecumenical Advocacy Days, during which the Franciscan Action Network was launched formally, is a six-year tradition of Christian churches joining together to learn about particular issues and how to advocate with congress concerning the issues at hand.  This year the theme was “Creating a Vision of True Security”.  The 700 plus participants from around the country looked at the “militarization “of the concept of security and of the USA national budget, from a variety of perspectives.  There were tracks focusing on Africa, Latin America, Asia, USA Domestic, Eco-justice, Global Development among others.  On Monday, we joined others from our state and/or congressional district to bring the truth that the issues at hand are not military but rather social issues and that to look at these world issues from this perspective would bring a totally different budgeting response. By the way, at least 30% of the participants were men and women under 30 years of age – already involved in these various issues. 

A national organization, attached to neither political party, which has very interesting and understandable budgetary comparisons regarding use of US discretionary spending is National Priorities; their website is http://nationalpriorities.org.  Their comparisons show what could be funded in the various states/counties with the amount now being spent on war. It helps to bring better awareness to the issue of losing sight of what brings true security.  

Both of these events, the Ecumenical Advocacy Days and the launching of the Franciscan Action Network, were experiences of people of faith truly claiming their voice as people committed to insightful healing, reconciliation and clear understanding of our global relationships – with a willingness to apply these coices to our daily choices in the USA.