STEUBENVILLE, OH—Guided by its ongoing mission to educate, evangelize, and send forth joyful disciples of Christ, Franciscan University of Steubenville has launched a multifaceted campaign to highlight its seven charisms.
Starting on February 24, 2017, the University began promoting the charisms through a variety of mediums, including print media, social media, and the Web. The charisms serve as a guide for all members of the Franciscan family, providing a means of reflection for how each member heeds the Divine call to St. Francis to “rebuild my Church.” February 24 holds special significance to the Franciscan community since it was on that day in 1208 that St. Francis heeded the Gospel reading to “announce everywhere that the Kingdom of God is at hand.”
“The charisms summarize our mission as a dynamic Catholic and Franciscan institution,” said University President Father Sean O. Sheridan, TOR. “As a University community, our goal is not only to remind ourselves of these charisms, practicing them in word and deed, but also to proclaim them to the world.”
The seven charisms are:
ONGOING CONVERSION
Daily we seek to grow closer to Jesus, asking Him to transform our hearts, our minds, and our wills, so we can love Him more deeply and image Him more perfectly.
UPHOLDING THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON
We see every man, woman, and child—born and unborn—as the living image of God and strive to honor Our Father in heaven by honoring one another.
FAMILY
We are most perfectly ourselves when we live for others, giving ourselves to one another in love, just as Christ gives Himself to us.
DYNAMIC ORTHODOXY
We strive to live in perfect fidelity to the truth proclaimed in Scripture and Tradition, making known the love of Christ and His Church.
EVANGELIZATION
We proclaim the Gospel with our words and we witness to the Gospel through our actions, so that all might know and love Christ Jesus.
HOSPITALITY
We welcome Christ by opening our hearts, homes, and lives to the friend, the stranger, the lonely, the lost, the poor, and the confused.
JOY
We delight in God’s goodness and the goodness of His creation, anticipating His loving providence in all situations.
In addition to reaching external audiences through social media and the Web, Franciscan will bring reminders of the charisms directly to students by featuring charism posters in each University classroom.
For more information on the seven charisms, as well as for the wider vision and mission statement of the University, please visit the Franciscan University website.
