Wednesday, August 5, 2015

If Nominated, I will not ... ?


We have Fraternity elections coming up. I am currently a Councilor. I agreed to that back in 2012 because I was the person with the key to the church building for my parish where we meet, so I had to be at the meetings anyway.

Otherwise, I would have turned the office down.

When they contacted me for nominee suggestions for the upcoming elections I gave a couple of possible slates, and said I would be willing to continue as a Councilor - I'm still the person with the key! - but really wasn't interested in anything else.

One of the people who is running the nominating process contacted me yesterday. She said after surveying other Fraternity members I had been suggested for every single office! And she asked me to pray about it.

My first thought is, boy, I sure must have fooled the other members of the Fraternity. Maybe my beard impressed them.

I don't want any office, period. As I noted, I agreed to be a Councilor only because I had the key to the building. I am too disorganized to be the Secretary. I don't really want to be the Formation Director - it would mean missing parts of the meetings, and there are two people who have been trained in formation.

As for Vice Minister or Minister - I've only been professed 4 years, and, to be honest, I lack the patience those offices require.

I could see Treasurer - I'm good with numbers and it's something I can do behind the scenes. But there is a women who is not currently in any office who would like to be Treasurer, and I'd love to see her desire to be involved honored.

Councilor. I'd prefer to stick with that. I like doing all the service tasks - opening the door, turning on the heat when needed, cleaning up, greeting people at the door and helping those who need it. A porter - like Venerable Solanus Casey.

Can I be elected Porter? Alas, it's not one of the Fraternity offices.

But Father Casey also humbly did whatever he was asked to do, without argument or complaining. I'm trying to do that with my job situation. Should I just say to the nominating committee whatever the Holy Spirit and the Fraternity wills?

Pax et bonum

2 comments:

kam said...

Ha! How I remember well! When I was an active Knight they slowly brought me into the fold until they asked if I'd take on the Grand Knight. I knew they were going to ask and I had every intention of saying no, until that last second and I said yes. Afterward I realized that the whole situation was out of my hands anyway, God was so in charge that I had no time to think. I went on for two terms, and loved every meeting...

God is calling you to these positions for reasons He only knows. But He gives us our Mother to support us and guide us. Fear nothing!

A Secular Franciscan said...

To be honest, I'm leaning toward saying when the call me later this week that I don't want to be nominated for any office.