How Do You Enter The Secular Franciscan Order

How do you enter the Secular To observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by Franciscan Order? Have you retired following the example of from full-time work? St. Francis of Assisi, When a man or a woman feels that God may be who made Christ the calling them to the Franciscan way, they should contact the fraternity of the Order nearest to inspiration and the centre where they live. of his life with God and people.

A "fraternity" is a local group of Secular Christ, the gift of the The Secular Franciscan Franciscans. Being a Secular Franciscan is not Father's love, is the way to him, Order… something one does alone. St. Francis gathered the truth into which the a community around him and together they Holy Spirit leads us, and the made a difference in their own lives and in the life which he has come to world. give abundantly. Please consider! Your local fraternity will give you information about monthly meeting times and welcome you Secular Franciscans should as an Inquirer. After a short time, if it seems right devote themselves especially to you and the fraternity, you will be accepted as to careful reading of the a Candidate to the Order and receive very gospel, going from gospel to life thorough instruction in the Franciscan way over and life to the gospel. a period of up to two years.

At the conclusion of this time you will be invited Have you considered? to make your Profession  a life commitment to the Franciscan way of following Jesus. CONTACT:

As a Secular Franciscan you are a member of the Franciscan family comprising friars (priests Is your life all it could be? and brothers), nuns and sisters, and secular men and women. At present there are about a Jesus came that we may have life million members of the worldwide Franciscan family. and have it abundantly…John 10:10. Do you sometimes stop to reflect on your FROM OUR RULE life and feel a tinge of dissatisfaction? Article 4 Perhaps your life is not all that it should be.

The rule and life of the You are a practising Catholic and attend Secular Franciscan is this: your parish church regularly; but you still feel that something is missing. Your life is In John's Gospel, Jesus is pictured as the and necessary but they only open the gate not fully satisfying, not full of joy. You have gate through which we can enter into a full for entering Jesus' way of life. anxieties and there is not that abundance of and abundant life. Jesus is the way, in fact life which the evangelist claimed Jesus had the only way to a rewarding and satisfying Secular Franciscans read, reflect on and brought. life. discuss the gospels as well as the writings of St. Francis, St. Clare and other Franciscan The Secular Franciscan Order offers its saints. In this way the key elements of St. members a way of life that is the one Jesus Francis' spirituality are discovered and they What are your anxieties and told us to follow: a way of life based on the become touchstones for our guidance in gospel. What is more, you are assisted on dealing with life's dilemmas. concerns about life? your gospel-led journey by the companionship and support of fellow Franciscan spirituality is more than simple Maybe you have a feeling of alienation from Christians, including a Franciscan friar or piety. It takes us beyond religious rituals into the world at large and some sorrow for its other qualified Spiritual Assistant. the deeper reality of what it truly means to be present condition. The world seems to have human. Ritual, prayer and reflection are food different values from your own; it seems to In the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi, for our journey, but it is the life of Jesus as be governed by an ethos of greed and Secular Franciscans devote themselves to revealed in Holy Scripture that shows us how materialism. You are anxious for the future. living the gospel in the world. They have a our life journey should progress. Rule of Life to guide them on their journey; a You may be anxious for your children who rule that follows the path taken by St. The Franciscan emphases in interpreting the are struggling to raise families in difficult Francis, the little poor man of Assisi. This gospel of Jesus are truly rewarding for the times. You may be anxious for your path has proved to be of extraordinary follower of St. Francis. By following in the grandchildren who have to survive in a benefit to millions of men and women over footsteps of St. Francis, the Secular society that seems to be godless and that nearly eight hundred years. The Rule of the Franciscan can attain a peace of spirit that turns to alcohol and drugs as a substitute Secular Franciscan Order was updated in transcends all evil in the world and opens the for the real joy of healthy companionship. 1978 by Pope Paul VI. way to perfect joy. By this means, Jesus' You are probably concerned about your promise of abundant life can be ours, own health, which is not as good as it used whatever life's circumstances. to be. Perhaps you are also anxious about the future when you may not be able to care What does living the gospel fully for yourself or for your spouse. mean?

Essentially, living the gospel means What have the Secular developing a deeper spirituality then merely Franciscans to offer? attending Mass on Sunday and being a good parishioner. These things are praiseworthy