We are one big Franciscan family in Australia!
FSA fosters fraternity by providing resources, developing and facilitating formation opportunities, and building connections between member schools and the Franciscan family here in Australia and globally.
Like Francis, FSA takes St. Peter’s admonitions: “You should follow in Christ’s steps” (1 Pet 2:21) very seriously.
Francis’s way of life teaches us that in following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ, we open ourselves up to mystery and promise – to opportunities and blessings we are not privy to at the outset. In this sense Francis proposes “following Christ” as a program for life to all and summarizes very well the spiritual message FSA subscribes to. This is further recognized in the quality Catholic and Anglican education that member schools offer to the broader community.
At the heart of the Franciscan call is Christ and around that heart is fraternity.
“Francis, go now and repair my church which, as you see, is falling down.” [San Damiano crucifix, 1205]
Francis’ knew that to ‘repair the church’ of his day he had to live the Gospel. Nothing has changed ~ Franciscan schools are still all called to live a Gospel life full of love and compassion.
In fostering fraternity and gathering in community, FSA believes that Christ (or Sophia), the ‘wisdom of God’, dwells among us. “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”[1] Earlier Rule 22, vv. 33-35, p.81.
As an organization we “follow Christ” by being intentionally available to build a strong FSA community in Australia. We work together to build a more fraternal world.
Goodness and good relationships.
FSA holds at the heart of all we do goodness and good relationships – with God, with others, with resources, with creation and with ourselves. . Francis teaches us to keep our eyes on God, to reverence creation and to be the good example of joy and peace. To teach as he did we constantly refer all good to God and demonstrate this through the service of others.
Fraternity is love, joy, peace and humility.
God’s love and compassion is at the heart of our work as educators.
God comes daily in the ordinary.
God comes to us in Eucharist and prayer.
God comes to us in humble appearances – colleagues in the staffroom, students in classrooms, the parents and families at reception, and in all the faces at the communal bus stops and drop off zones.
God comes when we encounter others and follow in the footsteps of the Lord.
God is present when we open ourselves to all that God offers.
