1981 – HOW I JOINED OFS

[Alberto Guimaraes]

PEACE AND GOOD!

In the early 1980s I regularly visited the Livraria Editorial Franciscana in Oporto, and there I acquired a lot of literature that would prepare me for my great goal, which was to become a Franciscan tertiary.

In 1981 I knocked on the door of the Convent of Amial, of the Capuchins of Oporto, and the good Friar Joaquim de São Mamede answered me, telling me that the Secular Franciscan Fraternity was on vacation at the time, and would resume its activity in September.

For very high purposes I began my Franciscan life in the year of the opening of the 8th Centenary of the Birth of Saint Francis of Assisi, so that the month of September was spent preparing for the National Franciscan Pilgrimage to Fátima, on the first weekend of October, falling exactly on Sunday the 4th, Solemnity of the Seraphic Father. St. Francis!

I signed up for the pilgrimage, willing to stay wherever I could, as I only had transportation guaranteed.

The ordeal was great: it rained almost all the time, and I spent a large part of the night of October 3rd to 4th nestled under one of the side altars of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, cozy in my raincoat.

Early in the morning, still barely recovered from that night spent in precarious circumstances, I went barefoot to do the Stations of the Cross in Valinhos, having accompanied, in part, the Fraternity of Ovar.

The Pilgrimage ended with a Solemn Mass in the Basilica, and despite seeing many brothers wearing the traditional habit (tunic without hood, cord and cape), I discovered that none of the brothers from Amial wore a habit.

But to feel completely Franciscan, I would have to wear the habit.

I was already praying the abbreviated Liturgy of the Hours.

Why wouldn't he fully comply with what he believed to be contained in the Constitutions?

I had a job of exercising charity, I cultivated art and beauty in my leisure time, I loved Nature and creatures, I had basic knowledge of Theology, and so I thought I had the necessary ingredients to be a reasonable Franciscan.

It is true that the habit does not make the monk, but it helps him appear to be one.

If there was a habit of the Third Order, should it be worn without prejudice or human respect, and whenever possible in sandals, or why not barefoot, as Father Saint Francis did for almost his entire life?

During our short formation as postulants, I asked the Assistant about what this “taking of the habit” with which I would begin the novitiate would be like.

I already anticipated having to make a budget for the making of the tunic and cape.

But, pointing to the “TAU” that I had long worn on the lapel of my coat to express my Franciscan feelings, the friar told me (much to my disappointment) that “taking on the habit” simply consisted of... Putting a “TAU” on the lapel of my coat!

As I was going to move to the Braga Fraternity, I was left with the hope that I would be able to fulfil my dreams here.

I tried to find out, among the Amial colleagues, how it would be possible to obtain the habit of the Order, and then they told me about a friar from the Convent of St. Anthony, in Barcelos, who was the tailor of the Capuchins, and who would certainly fulfill my wish.

Driven by this hope, I joined, de jure, the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) on November 15, 1981, the day before the feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, patron saint of the Order.

I wore a suit, tie and shoes.

And I was hoping that, for my Profession, I would already be dressed in Franciscan attire!

The greatest blessings of Jesus, Mary and Francis!

Br. Alberto Guimaraes OFS

Braga - Portugal