D. THE INQUIRY PHASE

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D. THE INQUIRY PHASE
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• RITE
• 
  
• Ceremony of Introduction
• And Welcoming
• Ritual page 9
•  

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• 3.1 Ceremony of Welcoming
  
• 3.11 The ceremony of welcoming at
• the beginning of the period of
• Inquiry is a simple and
  
• paraliturgical expression of the
• communitys interest in the
• newcomers and its support for
• their searching out the Secular
• Franciscan vocation.
  
  

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• 3.12 It does not take place within
• the context of a ritual or
• liturgical celebration,
• but rather as part of the
• fraternal portion of part of
• the regular meeting of the
  
• community.
  
  
• Ritual p. 4

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• The INQUIRY PHASE as the first
• period of initiation, is a time of
• discernment and choice of the
• Franciscan life. During this time,
• the Inquirer participates in the life
• of the Fraternity, and comes to
• understand the way of life.

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• At the same time, the fraternity
• comes to know the Inquirer
• better, so that it can discern
• his/her request to become part of
• the fraternity. During this phase,
• the INQUIRER with the help of the
• Formation Director/Team would
• seek to discern these basic questions

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• What is a vocation, and how am I
• called?
• What is gospel life, and how am I
• called to live it?
• What is a vocation to the Secular
• Franciscan Order, and how am I
• called to live this way of life?

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• It is the proper function of the
• Council together with the
• Formation Director/Team to dialogue
• with the INQUIRER to determine
• suitability and readiness of the
• INQUIRER for admission to Candidacy.

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SUGGESTED CONTENT FOR INQUIRER PHASE

• The Catholic Church in light of Vatican
• Council II.
• Lay Spirituality
• Life of St. Francis
• History of the Secular Franciscan Order
• Ritual of the Secular Franciscan Order
• Organizational Structure of the SFO

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What content would you add to your fraternitys
  Inquiry program?
• How well does your fraternity
• understand the Inquiry Phase, and what
• needs to be done?
• What did you see today that was new to
• your understanding of the Inquiry
• Phase?
• 4. What is the most important thing you learned
  today that needs to be added to the Inquiry Phase
  in your fraternity?