Secular Franciscan Order
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Any interested individuals are invited to contact David Tonaszuck, OFS at [email protected] for more information.
Following in the life of St. Francis, the Secular Franciscan Order gathers each month as a true spiritual family, in order to share and renew their commitment to the apostolic life of the Gospel. These gatherings include prayer, learning, and social time. All are welcome!
The rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this: to observe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of St. Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people. Christ, the gift of the Father’s love, is the way to him, the Truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us, and the life which he has come to give abundantly. Secular Franciscans should devote themselves especially to careful reading of the gospel, going from gospel to life to the gospel.
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The Secular Franciscan Order (Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis, OFS) is a community of Catholic men and women in the world who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis. We believe that as human beings and Christians, we have such sublime vocation that we cannot fulfill it alone. In our common response to the Gospel, we work together in community toward a deep evangelical life and toward communion with all people. This is our way of life. We are NOT a club or a society. We are united in an international ORDER founded by Saint Francis of Assisi over 750 years ago. There are approximately one thousand fraternities of Secular Franciscans scattered throughout the United States alone.
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We PRAY alone and together. We LEARN about Christ, the Gospels, Saint Francis, Saint Clare and ourselves. We SHARE our journeys. We live with the Gospels as our guide - reaching out to others.
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We meet on a regular basis to share our lives and our efforts to live the Gospel. We also retreat together to gather our thoughts and re-direct our lives through time away. We work together to change our lives and our world.
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We feel called by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ in the spirit of Franciscanism, with the support and encouragement of others who are committed to a Gospel life style. Almost 800 years ago in Assisi, a man named Francis was called by God to “Rebuild My Church.” The times were difficult, war and greed were rampant. He chose the Life of Christ (Gospels) as his guide. People began to follow him, embracing his values of poverty, joy, simplicity, gratitude, and love of all God’s creatures. This Franciscan Family grew to include Religious and Secular men and women. At present there are over 4 million members of our family worldwide.
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