Franciscan Charism in Higher Education, The

Reflections on a Franciscan University

Reflections on a Franciscan University Zachary Hayes, O.F.M.* Any approach to education involves an understanding of the human person and an understanding of the world in which human life is lived. This understanding may be only implicit. That is, it may involve only the unspoken or unconscious assumptions that lie behind the choice of curriculum, faculty, classroom style, and evaluation of students. On the other hand, these assumptions may at times be very explicit. This is the case when a school has consciously reflected on common educational goals and has arrived at some form of mission-statement. There is a clear advantage in having an explicit awareness of the basic philosophy operative in a school, since it then becomes possible to critique the assumptions that undergird the policies of the school and to shape and evaluate all dimensions of the school in relation to them. A school in which this is done can operate with a strong sense of identity and purpose. * In its original form, this essay was presented to members of the University community at St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY on February 26, 1983, as part of a self-study process at the University. It has been revised here for purposes of publication. Reflections on a Franciscan University 97 The Question of Franciscan Identity A school that wishes to identify itself as Franciscan must deal at some level with the basic meaning of the Franciscan movement. This raises a number of difficult questions since attempts to do this commonly look for one clear identifying characteristic. Where one finds element "X," there one finds Franciscanism. Where element "X" is missing, there the Franciscan charism is absent. Such attempts tend to be very sectarian in their outlook and have never been successful in identifying Franciscanism. This approach commonly results in the "excommunication" of vast numbers of people who have sincerely identified themselves as Franciscans. Similarly, certain forms of ministerial work in which Franciscans have been engaged for centuries are commonly excluded from the "new" agenda. And one of the first to fall on the executioner's block in recent decades has been the ministry of education and research. Is there any alternative to such an approach? If there is not one purely Franciscan element, how can we begin to identify the meaning of Franciscanism? It is my conviction that the meaning of Franciscanism is best approached much as we might approach an individual human personality. When we ask what is it that makes John Doe to be John Doe and not Jim Smith, there is probably no one empirical quality that can account for this. The two persons have much in common: their basic human nature, intelligence, good looks, charm and the like. What makes their personalities distinct is the way in which all these commonly-shared elements come together in each individual. Clearly, one element may stand out in John more than in Jim, but Jim possesses this quality also in his own way. If we were to approach the question of Franciscan identity in this way, we must first note that Franciscanism is a form of Christianity. So also is the Benedictine Order, the Jesuit Society, and other religious communities and secular institutes. Each of these must share common Christian elements in some way. No one of these can claim to be the best expression of Christianity. Each attempts to live from Christian convictions in its own way. One style may be more appealing to certain people than another. But the elements of the Christian Gospel undergird all of these distinct forms of Christian living. The beginning of the Franciscan Rule describes the life of the friars simply as the attempt "to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without property, 98 Spirit and Life, Volume 2 and in chastity." Does this really distinguish Franciscanism from other attempts to live a Christian life? Certainly not without a lot of further explanation. What really determines the distinctive character of different Christian groups including the historical religious Orders is the way in which the basic elements of the Christian vision come together. Points of emphasis differ. It is much like looking through a kaleidoscope. All the pieces are there when you first look into it. They remain as you turn the tube. But the pieces fall into new and surprising arrangements. It all looks very different as you continue...