ABOUT
Secular Franciscans are people called by God to follow Jesus Christ in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. We are called to live the Gospel life in our homes, at work, in our communities and to spread the Gospel by word and example among our neighbors. Secular Franciscans are organized into local, national and international fraternities that consist of both laity and diocesan clergy.
The Order Franciscan Secular was instituted by Saint Francis himself. Inspired by Francis' way of life and moved by his preaching, many wanted to follow him and live as he did. As not everyone could join the religious communities of the first order, Order Friars Minor (priests and brothers) or the second order, Poor Clares (cloistered nuns), St. Francis created the Third Order, a secular one. This would allow people to live the Gospel life in their secular state.
The first group of Secular Franciscans, originally called the Brothers and Sisters of Penance embraced St. Francis’s trust in God and chose to serve the poor. They positively impacted society of St. Francis’ time, one of much war and violence, by refusing to bear arms and in so doing, put a crimp in the war machines. They rejected violence and sought ways of reconciliation instead of revenge. St. Francis made the Gospel with Jesus as its center, the guide of life for all his followers. He gave each of his three orders a written rule, which were summaries of the Gospel and guidelines to its perfect observance.
In following Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, Secular Franciscans embrace the charism of St. Francis. Charism refers to a personal gift of the Spirit used for the good of the Church. Charism requires the approval of the Holy Father and once given, the charism is said to participate in the official mission of the Church to make Christ present in the world. Throughout the Church’s history, God has called many people to follow Him. The particular way in which these individuals responded to God’s call is their charism which inspired many to allegiance and devotion. For example, the charism of St. Thomas Aquinas was an intellectual one that attracted professional educators. The charism of St. Benedict was of a monastic life that attracted people who loved stability and liturgical prayer. The charism of St. Francis was to simply live the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Order Franciscan Secular, also known as the Secular Franciscan Order, the Third Order or tertiaries is a life for people who are on the way, in need of conversion and growth. It is a life long journey of self discovery, a journey of renewed conversion and formation, following in the footsteps of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi.