Our Charism

"I believe the only really valid thing that can be accomplished in the direction of world peace and unity at the moment is the preparation of the way by the formation of men and women who, isolated, perhaps not accepted or understood by any 'movement,' are able to unite in themselves and experience in their own lives all that is best and most true in the various great spiritual traditions.  Such men and women can become as it were 'sacraments' or signs of peace, at least.  They can do much to open the minds of their contemporaries to receive, in the future, new seeds of thought."

~Thomas Merton

One day when Francis went out to meditate in the fields he was passing by the church of San Damiano which was threatening to collapse because of extreme age. Inspired by the Spirit, he went inside to pray. Kneeling before an image of the Crucified, he was filled with great fervor and consolation as he prayed. While his tear-filled eyes were gazing at the Lord's cross, he heard with his bodily ears a voice coming from the cross, telling him three times: “Francis, go and repair my house which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” Trembling with fear, Francis was amazed at the sound of this astonishing voice, since he was alone in the church; and as he received in his heart the power of the divine words, he fell into a state of ecstasy. Returning finally to his senses, he prepared to put his whole heart into obeying the command he had received. He began zealously to repair the church materially, although the principle intention of the words referred to that Church which Christ purchased with his own blood, as the Holy Spirit afterward made him realize and as he later disclosed to the friars.

(Adapted from the Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure)

“Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops. Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern 'metropolis.' It is you who must 'go out into the by-roads' and invite everyone you meet to the banquet which God has prepared for his people. The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father.”

(Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day '93)

Franciscan Spirituality Overview

A general schema for Franciscan spirituality would look like this:

1. Franciscan spirituality is rooted in the general Judeo-Christian, catholic and biblical traditions. It is rooted in the general Trinitarian theology of the Church.

2. It is Christo-centric focusing primarily on the Incarnate Jesus.

3. The humility and poverty of the Incarnation of Jesus is the pattern and model for Franciscan life (Imitation of Christ), theology (Primacy of Christ) and its approach to all creation.

4. This downward direction, movement, tendency is called Minority.

5. Minority is expressed in Poverty and Humility. Poverty is the external expression of Minority while Humility is the internal expression of it.

6. Along with Minority, Fraternity is essential to Franciscan life. Minority safeguards and effects Fraternity.

7. The third pillar of Franciscan life is Penance. Penance is on-going, continuous conversion.

8. The fruit of all this is the perfection of love with an particular Franciscan emphasis on peace and joy.

Franciscan Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Devotion to Mary is perhaps the least known aspect of the life of St. Francis and the Order of Friars Minor. Yet just as Mary lies at the center of the Mystery of the Incarnation and Redemption, those two great Mysteries around which the spiritual life of St. Francis and his followers revolve, so also is this august and Immaculate Queen found at the very center and principle of Franciscan Life. Did She not counsel the entire Church at Cana, saying: "Do whatever He tells you."? Indeed, this counsel contains exactly the form and substance of all that St. Francis strove in death and life to accomplish. Hence devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has been the distinguishing characteristic of Franciscans and Franciscanism throughout their long history. 

Our Mission

First, our mission is to serve the materially poor, most especially the destitute and homeless.  Friaries not primarily focused on formation should have one or more facilities to provide for the needs of the poor, for example, a shelter, soup kitchen, food pantry and/or clothing room.  Every member of the community is to be personally and directly involved in “hands on” work with the poor.  All service to the poor is given completely free of charge.

Second, our mission of evangelization in the Church is through preaching and teaching the Holy Gospel, and by sharing the rich treasures of our faith with all.  This can take many forms so that every friar may assist in his own way.  Some expressions of this are:  providing missionary centers for the poor, street evangelization, parish missions, retreats, days of recollection, pilgrimages, spiritual direction, pastoral counseling, religious education and sacramental ministry.

Finally, our unique Gospel perspective is that of the Christ Enlight program (www.ChristEnlight.org).  We seek to bring a contemporary Gospel perspective to those who most need that perspective - those who have been estranged from institutional Christianity because of its politics of exclusion and focus on retaining the power and control that is inherent in the salvation model of Christianity.  We focus on Jesus as Wisdom and Enlightenment teacher, and seek to be followers of Jesus rather than worshipers of religion.  

Franciscan Spirituality is:

Christ-Centered

Faithful to the Gospel and the Church

Rooted in Prayer, Contemplation, and Service

Committed to Upholding the Dignity of All of Creation