THE PROCESS
Becoming a Secular Franciscan initially begins when God calls a brother or sister to this new way of life. Coming to the realization that one may be called, one seeks to understand and to begin the process of discernment. It is after this initial discovery that one formally begins to become a Franciscan by placing a request for admission to the Order Franciscan Secular.
A request for admission to the Third Order must be presented to the local fraternity, whose council decides upon acceptance of new brothers and sisters. Admission to the Order is gradually attained by going through the three part process of: Time of Initiation, Time of Formation and Profession Of The Rule. Below is an explanation of this process.
Time Of Initiation
The time of initiation is a preparatory phase to the true and proper time of formation. The primary purpose is for an aspirant to discern his/her vocation, to attend fraternity meetings, get acquainted with the fraternity and come to understand life in fraternity. The minimum period for the time of initiation is six months.
If after completing the minimum six month period, an aspirant having discerned that he/she has been called to become a Franciscan, makes a request for admission to the Order. The request for admission is presented by the aspirant to the minister of the fraternity by a formal act and if possible, in writing.
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. You must be at least 18 years of age and not a member of another religious Order.
In response to the request for admission, the fraternity council decides on the request, provides a formal answer to the aspirant and communicates this to the rest of the fraternity.
Time Of Formation
The purpose of formation is for each individual to mature in their vocation, to experience the evangelical life in fraternity and to obtain a greater understanding and knowledge of the Order. This time of formation should be carried out with frequent meetings for study and prayer and with concrete experiences of service and of the apostolate. The time period for formation is one year.
The Master of Formation together with the candidates meet for separate monthly meetings independent the monthly fraternity meetings. These are dedicated formation meetings that are only available to those who are in formation. During these meetings, the Master of Formation guides candidates on reading, reflection and discussion on sacred scripture, the Rule and General Constitutions of the Secular Franciscan Order. Candidates come to know the person and writings of St. Francis, grow in their knowledge of Franciscan spirituality and are trained in a love for the Church and acceptance of her teaching.
The time of formation is only the initial formation that one goes through as a Secular Franciscan. For Secular Franciscans, formation is a life long process that only officially begins with the time of formation. Mindful that the Holy Spirit is the guiding agent in the journey of formation and always attentive to collaborate with Him, those responsible for formation are: the candidate, the entire fraternity, the council with the minister, the master of formation and the assistant.
Profession Of The Rule
After having completed the initial time of formation, each candidate submits to the minister of the local fraternity a request to make his/her profession. The fraternity council discusses this request with the Master of Formation and the assistant, after which a secret ballot on the admission to profession is conducted. The fraternity council then replies to the candidate and informs the fraternity of the out come.
The three basic conditions that must exist for a candidate to be accepted are: the candidate must at least 18 years of age, he/she must have actively participated in the time of formation for at least one year and consent of the local fraternity council must be given.
Profession incorporates the candidate into the Order and is by its very nature a perpetual commitment. Each candidate is accepted by the minister of the fraternity. Profession is conducted as a formal rite carried out according to the norms of the ritual in the Church or chapel. Each candidate remembering the call received from Christ, renews the baptismal promises and publicly affirms his/her personal commitment to live the Gospel in the world according to the example of St. Francis and follow the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order.
Continued Formation
Already begun by the preceding stages, the formation of the brothers and sisters in the fraternity takes place in a permanent and continuous way. Continued formation should be understood as an aid in the conversion of each and everyone and in the fulfillment of their proper mission in the Church and in society.
Everyone in the fraternity has a duty to give special attention to the formation of newly professed brothers and sisters in an effort to assist the maturation of their vocation and develop a true sense of belonging.
Ongoing formation is achieved through fraternal gatherings, courses and the sharing of experience, all of which is aimed at assisting the brothers and sisters:
- in listening to and meditating on the Word of God, “going from Gospel to life and from life to Gospel.”
- in reflecting on Church and societal events, in the light of faith and with the help of Church documents, consequently taking consistent positions.
- in discerning and deepening the Franciscan vocation by studying the writings of Saint Francis, Saint Clare and other Franciscan authors.