NASHVILLE, TN -- YouFra, or Franciscan Youth and Young Adults, is entering a new phase in the United States aimed at having youth not only run the movement themselves, but also elect leaders to represent them on fraternity councils at all levels.
The National Council of the Secular Franciscan Order, meeting in Nashville Oct. 14-19, unanimously voted to disband the Youth/Young Adult Commission and resurrect it as the Franciscan Youth/Young Adult (FYYA) Council, as presented by youth commission chair Kathy Taormina, SFO.
The FYYA Council -- featuring four young adults, a spiritual assistant and two professed Secular Franciscans serving as fraternal animators -- now enters a two-year transition, Taormina said, with the aim of:
- encouraging local fraternities to sponsor YouFra groups, while continuing to minister to youth with one-time or on-going activities.
- having each local YouFra group elect a president who sits on the local fraternity council and represents youth/young adults on a regional FYYA council.
- having each regional FYYA council elect a president who will serve on the SFO regional executive council and represent regions on the national FYYA Council.
- having regional FYYA presidents elect a national FYYA president to represent youth and young adults on the NAFRA Executive Council.
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Media Contact: Robert Stronach, SFO
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Kathy Taormina, SFO
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