How should an Order like the OFS be managed at all its levels?

July 11, 2017

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings!

Attached is the “Instrumentum Laboris” report which General Minister Tibor Kauser, OFS, referred to in his Letter for the Feast of Pentecost. This document contains details of specific projects that our International OFS Council (CIOFS) have proposed for our worldwide Order.

The proposals in the Instrumentum Laboris are based on the answers of 45 National Fraternities (including our own) to the question posed by CIOFS back in 2014: How should an Order like the OFS be managed at all its levels? CIOFS compiled these suggestions into a working document for the General Chapter.

To quote from the document itself, “the Instrumentum Laboris is being forwarded to all national fraternities for their further reflection. Firstly, it is being sent to affirm and respect the contribution that each national fraternity has already made to this reflection. Secondly, it is being sent so that national fraternities can review the priorities and concrete proposals that have surfaced through this reflection. National fraternities … will need to determine which of the proposals they are prepared to support, and what resources, financial and human, they are prepared to offer to implement these proposals.”

Thus, the proposals in the Instrumentum Laboris will be a major topic of discussion at our own 2017 NAFRA Chapter.

Important notes:

  1. The next step is for our National Fraternity Council (you) to review the document in preparation for our Chapter. When you read the Instrumentum Laboris, you will note that there are many proposals listed there, many more than could be reasonably accomplished. Prioritizing and deciding which proposals to recommend to CIOFS will be the focus of our discussion at Chapter. The MOTO Committee and the NEC will also offer their recommendations for your consideration.
  2. You may freely distribute the Instrumentum Laboris to the members of your Region for their input. In addition, an article in the next issue of the TAU-USA will invite all OFS members to reflect on the document, which will be posted on our NAFRA website for easy access. (You will be notified when it is posted.)
  3. Our International Councillor, Mary Stronach, is charged with reporting our recommendations to the General Chapter in November. All the International Councillors from around the world will review the proposals and make final recommendations to the Presidency.

In a related matter, your Management of the Order Committee (MOTO) has reviewed the second set of surveys which were sent to our English, Korean and Spanish brothers and sisters. 432 replied. Responses mirrored the responses from our first Survey where 2009 members responded.

In addition to the Instrumentum Laboris, we have attached for your convenience the report which was sent to CIOFS with our suggestions.

Feel free to contact Mary Stronach or the NEC with your thoughts.

Peace and All Good,
Jan, and the sisters and brothers of the NEC and the MOTO Committee

FYI: Mary T. Stronach, 315-796-9284
OFS International Councilor – USA
stronach@kateriregion.org