Who we are......

Secular Franciscans, as denoted by their designation, conduct their lives in the societal sphere rather than within religious assemblies. They may either be unmarried or wedded, of either sex, and originate from varied socioeconomic backgrounds. They adhere to the Gospel in a Franciscan manner, predicated on their distinct Rule, to which they commit following a period of introductory training. The vocation of being a Secular Franciscan is a lifelong dedication. The progression of training and Profession as a Secular Franciscan takes place within a local assembly referred to as a fraternity. The fraternity life signifies a fundamental component of the Secular Franciscan vocation. The fraternity functions as a community of love, offering a unique setting for its members to augment their comprehension of the Church and the Franciscan mission. Despite their autonomy as an Order, every Secular Franciscan fraternity is accorded spiritual guidance by a spiritual assistant, usually a friar from one of the other Franciscan Orders. The ties between Secular Franciscans and the Franciscan friars are particularly firm, given their shared roots in the Franciscan penitential tradition.

St. Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone around 1181 a.m. In his youth, Francis was known for his drinking and partying. He was captured and imprisoned during a battle between the cities of Perugia and Assisi. Once released, he had an encounter with the Lord when he heard the Jesus say, “Rebuild my church.” He abandoned his life of luxury and turned all his attention to service to the Lord. Through his example, he inspired men and women to join him — thus the Franciscan family began. He died on October 4, 1226 at the age of 45. Francis is considered the founder of all Franciscan orders and the patron saint of ecologists and merchants.

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe’s Story From Franciscan Media.org

“I don’t know what’s going to become of you!” How many parents have said that? Maximilian Mary Kolbe’s reaction was, “I prayed very hard to Our Lady to tell me what would happen to me. She appeared, holding in her hands two crowns, one white, one red. She asked if I would like to have them—one was for purity, the other for martyrdom. I said, ‘I choose both.’ She smiled and disappeared.” After that he was not the same.

He entered the minor seminary of the Conventual Franciscans in Lvív–then Poland, now Ukraine– near his birthplace, and at 16 became a novice. Though Maximilian later achieved doctorates in philosophy and theology, he was deeply interested in science, even drawing plans for rocket ships.

Ordained at 24, Maximilian saw religious indifference as the deadliest poison of the day. His mission was to combat it. He had already founded the Militia of the Immaculata, whose aim was to fight evil with the witness of the good life, prayer, work, and suffering. He dreamed of and then founded Knight of the Immaculata, a religious magazine under Mary’s protection to preach the Good News to all nations. For the work of publication he established a “City of the Immaculata”—Niepokalanow—which housed 700 of his Franciscan brothers. He later founded another one in Nagasaki, Japan. Both the Militia and the magazine ultimately reached the one-million mark in members and subscribers. His love of God was daily filtered through devotion to Mary.

In 1939, the Nazi panzers overran Poland with deadly speed. Niepokalanow was severely bombed. Kolbe and his friars were arrested, then released in less than three months, on the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

In 1941, Fr. Kolbe was arrested again. The Nazis’ purpose was to liquidate the select ones, the leaders. The end came quickly, three months later in Auschwitz, after terrible beatings and humiliations.

A prisoner had escaped. The commandant announced that 10 men would die. He relished walking along the ranks. “This one. That one.”

As they were being marched away to the starvation bunkers, Number 16670 dared to step from the line.

“I would like to take that man’s place. He has a wife and children.”
“Who are you?”
“A priest.”

No name, no mention of fame. Silence. The commandant, dumbfounded, perhaps with a fleeting thought of history, kicked Sergeant Francis Gajowniczek out of line and ordered Fr. Kolbe to go with the nine. In the “block of death” they were ordered to strip naked, and their slow starvation began in darkness. But there was no screaming—the prisoners sang. By the eve of the Assumption, four were left alive. The jailer came to finish Kolbe off as he sat in a corner praying. He lifted his fleshless arm to receive the bite of the hypodermic needle. It was filled with carbolic acid. They burned his body with all the others. Fr. Kolbe was beatified in 1971 and canonized in 1982.

The process of becoming a professed Secular Franciscan is a journey that involves three separate stages and culminates in a lifelong commitment to live the Gospel following the example of St. Francis of Assisi. This process unfolds in regularly scheduled formation sessions during which the material is discussed.

• The first stage, Orientation, provides time for dialogue and developing relationships in fraternity. During the Orientation phase, one is introduced to the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare and share in the Franciscan prayer life. Seekers will be given general information about the Secular Franciscan Order. Orientation is a time to discern if the Spirit is calling you to a Secular Franciscan vocation. The period of Orientation is a minimum of three months.

• The second stage, Inquiry, is the first formal period of initiation. It is a time of in-depth study of the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. The Inquiry phase is focused on learning about the Franciscan charism and Franciscan history. You will deepen your understanding of what it means to be secular and Franciscan, and continue to discern if the Spirit calls you to the Secular Franciscan way of life. The period of Inquiry is a minimum of six months. If a vocation is discerned, the Inquirer is received into the Order.

• The third stage, Candidacy, is the final formal period of initiation. It is a time of preparing for permanent commitment by immersion into fraternity life. Central to this stage of formation is Article 4 of The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order, which states, “The rule and life of the Secular Franciscan is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.” The period of Candidacy is a minimum of eighteen months and culminates in a permanent commitment to the gospel life. After profession of the Rule and permanent commitment to the gospel way of life, the newly professed member joins the rest of the fraternity in “ongoing” formation.

• The fourth stage, Commitment …

To be a Secular Franciscan one has to be a Catholic of good standing, single or married (your spouse agreeing). A diocesan priest can also become a Secular Franciscan, indeed a pope can be a Secular Franciscan. A practicing Catholic is one who attends Mass on Sundays weekly. Being a Secular Franciscan is a deeper commitment to your Catholic faith as a single or married person to live a Gospel-orientated life. You must be at least 18 years of age. Conditions for admission are: to profess the Catholic faith, to live in communion with the Church, to be of good moral standing, and to show clear signs of a vocation.

Secular Franciscans are just like everyone else in the way that they carry out their lives and duties. The difference is they do it with a conscious effort to embody the Gospel values, especially within their family and work life. They are typically active in their local parish, serving in various roles like lectors, Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers who often give Communion to the sick, sacristans, Parish Council members, and volunteers at St Vincent de Paul and other charities. When possible, they express their devotion to St Francis and his spirituality by helping out in soup kitchens, volunteering at hospitals, and working towards justice, peace, and preserving nature.

No, only Religious in the Church take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Secular Franciscans make a public profession to live the OFS Rule, usually during a Mass. This profession is a lifetime commitment.