Membership in the Secular Franciscan Order is open to practicing Catholics in communion with the Church who are of good moral character who desire a more intimate relationship with Christ by living out Gospel values in imitation of St. Francis. The journey toward membership in the fraternity is threefold: Orientation, Inquiry, and Candidacy.
The first stage, Orientation, provides time for dialogue and developing relationships in fraternity. During Orientation, seekers will get to know the fraternity, and the fraternity will get to know you. You will be introduced to the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare and share in Franciscan prayer life. You will be given general information about the Secular Franciscan Order. Orientation is a time to discern if the Holy Spirit is calling you to a Secular Franciscan vocation. The period of Orientation is minimum of three months.
The second stage, Inquiry, is the first formal period of initiation. As an aspirant, you will be formally welcomed into the fraternity and will receive a biography of the life of St. Francis to read. It is a time of in-depth study of the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. During Inquiry you will learn about the Franciscan charism and Franciscan history. You will deepen your understanding of what it means to be secular and Franciscan, and you will continue to discern if the Holy Spirit is calling 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 may move to the third stage, Candidacy. The candidate is received into the Order during the Rite of Admission, receiving a copy of the OFS Rule and the Tau cross to wear as our Order’s “distinctive sign” (Rule 23, Statutes 16.4), which is symbolic of our call to interior conversion and a commitment to living out Gospel values. Candidacy is the final formal period of initiation. It is a time of preparing for permanent commitment by immersion into fraternity life. It includes a much more detailed and thorough explanation of Franciscan history, the writings of Sts Francis, Clare, and other notable Franciscans, as well as our Rule, Constitution, and Statutes. 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 obeserve 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 permanent commitment to the Gospel life through Profession.
The Rite of Profession usually is celebrated within a Mass. The newly professed receives a San Damiano Crucifix, a copy of the New Testament, and a candle. 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 fellowship, voting privileges, and ongoing formation at the monthly gatherings, which lasts a lifetime. Monthly gatherings provide professed members with continued formation as they deepen and develop their commitment, "going from Gospel to life... and life to Gospel" (Rule 4).
The first stage, Orientation, provides time for dialogue and developing relationships in fraternity. During Orientation, seekers will get to know the fraternity, and the fraternity will get to know you. You will be introduced to the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare and share in Franciscan prayer life. You will be given general information about the Secular Franciscan Order. Orientation is a time to discern if the Holy Spirit is calling you to a Secular Franciscan vocation. The period of Orientation is minimum of three months.
The second stage, Inquiry, is the first formal period of initiation. As an aspirant, you will be formally welcomed into the fraternity and will receive a biography of the life of St. Francis to read. It is a time of in-depth study of the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. During Inquiry you will learn about the Franciscan charism and Franciscan history. You will deepen your understanding of what it means to be secular and Franciscan, and you will continue to discern if the Holy Spirit is calling 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 may move to the third stage, Candidacy. The candidate is received into the Order during the Rite of Admission, receiving a copy of the OFS Rule and the Tau cross to wear as our Order’s “distinctive sign” (Rule 23, Statutes 16.4), which is symbolic of our call to interior conversion and a commitment to living out Gospel values. Candidacy is the final formal period of initiation. It is a time of preparing for permanent commitment by immersion into fraternity life. It includes a much more detailed and thorough explanation of Franciscan history, the writings of Sts Francis, Clare, and other notable Franciscans, as well as our Rule, Constitution, and Statutes. 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 obeserve 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 permanent commitment to the Gospel life through Profession.
The Rite of Profession usually is celebrated within a Mass. The newly professed receives a San Damiano Crucifix, a copy of the New Testament, and a candle. 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 fellowship, voting privileges, and ongoing formation at the monthly gatherings, which lasts a lifetime. Monthly gatherings provide professed members with continued formation as they deepen and develop their commitment, "going from Gospel to life... and life to Gospel" (Rule 4).
