Events
Call for Nominations for the
2009 Franciscan School of Theology
TAU AWARD
The Board of Regents of the Franciscan School of Theology
at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California,
requests of all of our constituents to submit names for the
2009 TAU AWARD
It is probable that Francis first encountered the TAU on the habit of the Antonians, a religious community of men founded in 1095 to care for lepers, including the leper house in Assisi. It is also widely accepted that he heard Pope Innocent III’s exhortation drawn from the Prophet Ezekiel (9:4) in opening the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215: "We are called to reform our lives, to stand in the presence of God as righteous people. God will know us by the sign of the tau, T, marked on our foreheads." The TAU symbolized the call to penitence, having “exactly the same form as the Cross on which our Lord was crucified on Calvary, and only those will be marked with this sign and will obtain mercy who have mortified their flesh and conformed their life to that of the Crucified Savior.” Thomas of Celano noted that "Francis preferred the Tau above all other symbols: he utilized it as his only signature for his letters, and he painted the image of it on the walls of all the places in which he stayed." Bonaventure added that Francis “traced it on himself before beginning each of his actions." With arms outstretched, Francis often told his brother friars that their religious habit was in the same shape as the Tau, meaning that they were called to be walking "crucifixes," models of a compassionate God and examples of faithfulness until their dying day. For the followers of Francis, the Tau continues to represent commitment to a Gospel life of daily, self-sacrificing love of all God’s creation.
The Tau Award will be presented to that person or persons who evidence outstanding contributions in such fields as social justice, eco-justice, academic scholarship and research, educational, humanitarian or philanthropic endeavors. The award recipient(s) within such endeavors will display a strong witness to the Franciscan Spirit and Tradition in a multicultural society. The Prayer of St. Francis is to be used as a guide to identify the person or persons who best exemplify the Franciscan spirit:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me show love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
In this way the person or persons who are identified will be seen as those who embrace and embody the tradition of Francis and Clare and the Franciscan values of peace, justice and integrity of creation. Finally, the actions and contributions of the nominee(s) might be expressible in the quote attributed to St. Francis, “Preach the gospel always, when necessary use words.” The award recipient(s) will be honored at an annual Regents Gala Dinner each year. At this event the awardee(s) will be presented with a gift symbolizing the award and address the guests at the dinner.
How to Submit Your Nominations
Nominations for the award are sought from a broad spectrum of the Franciscan School of Theology community of those men and women from the national or international scene who fit the criteria and are deserving of the award. Nominators are requested to:
- submit a narrative description (no more than five (5) pages) of the candidate’s life and work that addresses the manner in which the Franciscan spirit and tradition are exemplified by the candidate.
- Up to three (3) letters of support may be included with the nomination.
The deadline for receipt of nominations for TAU AWARD to be presented in 2009 is will be announced . Please send nomination packets to:
Tau Award Committee (c/o Fr. Mario)
Franciscan School of Theology
1712 Euclid Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709.