The 18th Annual Central New York Franciscan Experience on March 12 features Sr. Margaret Carney, OSF, president of St. Bonaventure University.
The topic for the day-long workshop is "The Three Churches of Francis and Clare." Using the historical record of Francis repairing three churches in the vicinity of Assisi, Sister Margaret will invite participants to look at ways in which "we are in relationship to the church of our time," the promotional brochure states. "Given the recent tensions created by the sexual abuse crisis, the Vatican study of American sisters, and the increasing loss of members to evangelical churches here and in South America, we will ponder our own call to 'rebuild'."
Sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, the Franciscan Experience gets underway with registration at 8:30 a.m. and opening remarks at 9 that second Saturday in March at the Franciscan Center, 2500 Grant Boulevard, Syracuse.
The cost, which includes materials and lunch, is $25 per person, or $35 for husband and wife, if registered by Feb. 26. For late registrants, including walk-ins on the day of the workshop, the fee is $30 per person.
To register, send check payable to Sisters of St. Francis, along with name, address and phone number, to Franciscan Experience, Sisters of St. Francis, 1118 Court Street, Suite #39, Syracuse, NY 13208.
For more information, contact Sr. Rose Raymond Wagner, OSF, at 315-634-7020 or rrwagner@sosf.org.
Sister Margaret Carney holds a doctorate in theology and was the first women to graduate from the Franciscan University of Rome at the doctoral level. She completed master's degrees in theology at Duquesne University and in Franciscan Studies at St. Bonaventure Univeristy. She joined the St. Bonaventure faculty in 1997, and within two years was named dean. In 2004 she became St. Bonaventure's 20th president..
