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What is the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS)? From the earliest days of Francis of Assisi’s ministry, secular people who longed to live a deeper life of Faith were drawn to his message of conversion and penance. Francis formed these secular penitents into the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, later called the Third Order of St. Francis. From this Order the T.O.R. emerged in the 15th century. The Order continued as the Third Order of St. Francis, Secular. In 1978, its name was changed to the Secular Franciscan Order (S. In 2014, the acronym changed from SFO to OFS (Order of Secular Franciscans. Secular Franciscans, as their name implies, live ordinary lives in the world rather than in religious communities. They may be single or married, women or men, in all walks of life. They live the Gospel as consecrated laity in a Franciscan manner according to their own Rule which they profess after a period of initial formation. Profession as a Secular Franciscan is a lifelong commitment. Formation and profession of the Secular Franciscan takes place within a local community called a fraternity. Life in fraternity is an essential aspect of the Secular Franciscan vocation. The fraternity is a community of love, the privileged place for the sisters and brothers to develop their sense of Church and the Franciscan call. Although a self-governing Order, each Secular Franciscan fraternity receives guidance in spiritual matters from a spiritual assistant, usually a friar of one of the other Franciscan Orders. These relationships are particularly strong between Secular Franciscans and the T.O.R. friars with whom they share common roots in the Franciscan penitential tradition. What does it mean to be a Secular Franciscan? The Secular Franciscans commit themselves to live the Gospel according to Franciscan spirituality in their secular condition. The Secular Franciscan must personally and assiduously study the Gospel and Sacred Scripture to foster love for the word of the Gospel and help the brothers and sisters to know and understand it as it is proclaimed by the Church with the assistance of the Spirit. Secular Franciscans, called in earlier times “the brothers and sisters of penance”, propose to live in the spirit of continual conversion. Some means to cultivate this characteristic of the Franciscan vocation, individually and in fraternity, are: listening to and celebrating the Word of God; review of life; spiritual retreats; the help of a spiritual adviser, and penitential celebrations. Secular Franciscans should pledge themselves to live the spirit of the Beatitudes and, in a special way, the spirit of poverty. Evangelical poverty demonstrates confidence in the Father, affects interior freedom, and disposes them to promote a more just distribution of wealth. They must provide for their own families and serve society by means of their work and material goods, have a particular manner of living evangelical poverty. To understand and achieve it requires a strong personal commitment and the stimulation of the fraternity in prayer and dialogue, communal review of life, and attentiveness to the instructions of the Church, and the demands of society. They pledge themselves to reduce their own personal needs so as to be better able to share spiritual and material goods with their brothers and sisters, especially those most in need. They should give thanks to God for the goods they have received, using them as good stewards and not as owners. They should take a firm position against consumerism and against ideologies and practices which prefer riches over human and religious values and which permit the exploitation of the human person. They should love and practice purity of heart, the source of true fraternity. How is the Secular Franciscan Order structured? The Secular Franciscan Order is a public association in the Roman Catholic Church. It is divided into fraternities at various levels: local, regional, national, and international. The OFS is governed by the universal law of the Church; and by its own: the Rule, the Constitutions, the Ritual, and the particular statutes. The interpretation of the Rule and of the Constitutions belongs to the Holy See. The practical interpretation of the Constitutions, with the purpose of harmonizing its application in different areas and at the various levels of the Order, belongs to the General Chapter of the OFS. The clarification of specific points which require a timely decision is the competence of the Presidency of the International Council of the OFS. The International Council of the OFS has its own proper statutes approved by the General Chapter of the OFS and confirmed by the Union of the Franciscan Ministers General. National fraternities have their own statutes approved by the Presidency of the International Council of the OFS. The regional and the local fraternities may have their own statutes approved by the council of the higher level. The fraternities at different levels are animated and guided by the minister or president, with the council, in accordance with the Rule, the Constitutions, and their own Statutes. These offices are conferred through elections. The International Fraternity is constituted by the organic union of all the Catholic Secular Franciscan fraternities in the world. It is identical to the OFS. It has its own juridical personality within the Church. It is organized and it functions in conformity with the Constitutions and its own Statutes. The International Fraternity is guided and animated by the Minister or President with the International Council (CIOFS), that has its seat in Rome, Italy. Do Secular Franciscans make religious vows? Although Secular Franciscans make a public profession, they are not bound by public vows as are religious orders living in community. The Third Order Regular (TOR), which grew out of the Third Order Secular, do make religious vows and live in community. Who may join the Secular Franciscan Order? The order is made up of the laity (men and women) over the age of 18 and also secular clergy (deacons, priests, bishops). 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. Membership in the Order is attained through a time of initiation, a time of formation, and the Profession of the Rule. The journey of formation, which should develop throughout life, begins with entrance into the fraternity. Mindful that the Holy Spirit is the principal agent of formation and always attentive to collaboration with Him, those responsible for formation are: the candidate, the entire fraternity, the minister with the council, the master of formation, and the assistant as spiritual guide. Profession is the solemn ecclesiastical act by which the candidate, remembering the call received from Christ, renews the baptismal promises and publicly affirms his or her personal commitment to live the Gospel in the world according to the example of St. Francis and following the Rule of the OFS. Begun by the preceding stages, the formation of the brothers and sisters takes place in a permanent and continuous way. How do I join the Secular Franciscan Order? The process of becoming a professed Secular Franciscan is a journey that involves three separate stages and culminates in a lifelong commitment to live the gospel following the example of St. Francis of Assisi. This formation process unfolds in regularly scheduled formation sessions during which the home study material is thoroughly discussed. The first stage, Orientation, provides time for dialogue and developing relationships in fraternity. During Orientation 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 Spirit is calling you to a Secular Franciscan vocation. The period of Orientation is a minimum of three months. The second stage, Inquiry, is the first formal period of initiation. 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 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 is received into the Order. The third stage, Candidacy, is the final formal period of initiation. It is a time of preparing for permanent commitment by immersion into fraternity life. 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 observe 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. 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 ongoing formation. How often does the St Francis of Assisi Fraternity – San Antonio meet? The fraternity currently meets once a month at the San Damiano Friary 1104 Kentucky Ave San Antonio, TX 78201. Meetings are held on the 2nd Sunday of the month from 1pm – 4:30pm. For those in formation, meeting starts at 11am. How can I contact the St. Francis of Assisi Fraternity – San Antonio? It begins with a telephone call or email to our Minister Susan Bacak at 210-857-4803 or email: sbacak@satx.rr.com. Are there any well known or famous Secular Franciscans? Yes there are many well known Secular Franciscans: Innocent III – 1198-1216 Honorius III – 1216-1227 Gregory IX – 1227-1241 Gregory X – 1271-1276 Nicholas III – 1277-1280 Celestine V – 1294 – Martin V – 1417-1431 Sixtus IV – 1471-1484 Alexander VI – 1492-1503 Sixtus V – 1585-1590 Innocent XII – 1691-1700 Clement XII – 1730-1740 Pious IX – 1846-1878 Leo XIII – 1878-1903 Benedict XV – 1914-1922 Pius XII – 1823-1829 John XXIII – 1958-1963 St. Francis deSales Charles Cardinal Borromeo Henry Edward Cardinal Manning Herbert Cardinal Vaughn John Cardinal Fisher St. Francis deSales St. John Vianney (Cures of Ars) Patron of Diocesan Priests Edward Flanagan Founder of Boy’s Town St. Joseph Cafasso Diocesan Priest and St. Don Bosco’s Teacher St. Angela Merici – Ursulines Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini – Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart St. John Bosco – Salesians Peter Julian Eymard – Blessed Sacrament Fathers St. Vincent Pallotti – Pallottine Fathers St. Michael Gariscoits – The Auxiliary Priests of the Sacred Heart St. Mary Joseph Rosello – The Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy St. Bridget of Sweden – The Order of the Most Holy Savior (Bridgettines) Mary Frances Schervier – Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis Ferdinand and Isabella King and Queen of Spain St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary Patron of the Third Order St. Elizabeth Queen of Portugal Louis IX King of France, Patron of the Secular Franciscan Order St. Thomas More Parents of St. Therese, the Little Flower Parents of St. Maximilian Kolbe Mother of Marie Goretti Mother of John Bosco Brother of Bernadette Soubirous Marie Rose Ferron St. Bernadette Soubirous St. Benedict Joseph Labre Patron Saint of Beggars St. Francis deSales St. Joseph Calasanz Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Franz Lizst Charles Gounod Sebastian Temple Dante Alighieri Coventry Patmore Giotto di Bondone Michaelangelo John Cimabue Bartholomew Murillo Raphael Christopher Columbus Louis Pasteur Andre and Marie Ampere Michael Raraday St. Joan of Arc St. Roch of Montpellier Patron Against Contagious Diseases St. Catherine of Genoa Housewife St. Conrad of Piacenza Blessed Ceferino Blessed Peter of Sienna Comb manufacturer Blessed Luchesio Merchant and dock worker Matt Talbot
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OFS FRANJEVAČKI SVJETOVNI RED OFS (na latinskom = Ordo Francescanus Saecularis) ustanovljen je u nadahnuću i po djelovanju svetoga Franje Asiškoga (1182-1226). Sveti Franjo je osnivač triju Franjevačkih redova: Prvoga OFM (muški, redovnici) Drugoga (ženski, klarise – po sv. Klari) i Trećega OFS (za vjernike laike u svijetu). Zato se Franjevački svjetovni red (OFS) dugo nazivao i »Treći red sv. Franje«, a pripadnici toga Reda »trećoreci«. U Franjino vrijeme i neposredno poslije njega braća i sestre koji su željeli živjeti po primjeru sv. Franje, ali ostajući u svijetu, nazivali su se »Pokornička braća«, a potom i »Braća trećega Pravila«.Općenito se smatra da su prvi trećoreci bili bračni par Lukezije i Bnonadonna iz Toskane. NAZIV »Franjevački«: jer osobe koje ulaze u to zajedništvo nastoje živjeti evanđelje po primjeru sv. Franje. Prožima ih njegov duh i oduševljava njegova radikalnost. »Svjetovni«: jer osobe ostaju u svijetu, u svojim obiteljima, na svome radnom mjestu vezane svojim redovitim staleškim dužnostima. Ne povlače se (osim kod tzv. »Trećih samostanskih redova«) u samostane ili u slične zajednice. »Red«: jer se radi o instituciji iza koje stoji Crkva svojim autoritetom. Crkva potvrđuje taj način života, daje mu potrebne okvire, obrede, potvrđuje Pravilo, Konstitucije, Obrednik i drugo. Crkva računa na primjeran život, na svjedočenje i na molitvu članova OFS-a. PRAVILO Prvo Pravilo OFS-a je tzv. »Memoriale« iz 1221. godine. To je Pravilo preradio za OFS veliki prijatelj sv. Franje papa Grgur IX 1228. godine. Drugo Pravilo za OFS izradio je franjevac, papa Nikola IV 1289. godine. Ono ostaje na snazi skoro punih 600 godina.Treće Pravilo izdaje trećoredac, papa Leon XIII 1883. godine. Posljednje i za nas danas važeće Pravilo potvrdio je svojom apostolskom vlašću papa Pavao VI 24. lipnja 1978. godine. NARAV OFS-a OFS je organizirano zajedništvo članova koji žive po cijelome svijetu. Računa se da ima preko 2.000.000 članova i kandidata toga zajedništva. Red vodi Internacionalno vijeće koje ima svoje sjedište u Rimu. Svaki narod ima svoje Nacionalno vijeće. Daljnje su moguće organizacijske podjele po regijama i, kao kod nas, po franjevačkim provincijama (kod nas ih ima 8).Braća i sestre (tako se međusobno nazivaju i osjećaju) svoje zajedništvo na najkonkretniji način proživljavaju u malim bratstvima ili zajednicama OFS-a vezanim uz naše samostane i župe. Takve zajednice imaju također svoje vodstvo u koje je uključen i tzv. duhovni asistent (to je redovito svećenik – franjevac). ZNAKOVI Medaljica: koja ima redovito na sebi lik sv. Franje, a s druge strane ili lik sv. Klare ili lik Bogorodice. Značka: predstavlja franjevački grb, tj. dvije prekrižene ruke (jedna gola: Kristova, i druga obučena, Franjina), obadvije sa znakom rane od čavla. Po sredini je križ (TAU). Znak »Tau«: označuje tzv.franjevački križ; Može se nositi kao TAU značka ili kao privjesak o vratu. Škapular: simbolični komadić redovničke odjeće. Pojas: dio franjevačke redovničke odjeće sa znakovima triju zavjeta. Prikladno je da članovi OFS-a kod zajedničkih susreta znakove nose na vidljiv način, ovisno o naravi namjeni znakova. SVRHA Braća i sestre žive evanđelje po primjeru sv. oca Franje i čine sve da se na taj način posvete intenzivnim duhovnim životom: – takvim životom po evanđelju braća i sestre OFS-a postaju prikladni za sudjelovanje u životu i poslanju cijele Crkve, služe u Crkvi, pomažu širenju evanđelja, spremni su za najponiznije pomaganje u svim poslovima svoje crkvene zajednice; – spremni su na svako dobro djelo, osobito na ona po kojima će moći pomagati siromašnijima, svojoj braći u bijedi (karitas);- sudjeluju u brigama i mukama cijeloga svijeta,bore se za mir, njeguju ekumenizam, podržavaju sva nastojanja za čistoću i ljepotu prirode i ljudskoga okoliša; u načinu života i rada žele biti uzorni u svome obiteljskom životu, čisti i pošteni u svome svakodnevnom ophođenju s ljudima, odgovorni i zauzeti u svojim društvenim obvezama. U župi Presvetog Trojstva već niz godina postoji Bratstvo franjevačkog svjetovnog reda, tzv. treći red. Ovo bratstvo okuplja vjernike laike, svih zanimanja, od 18-60 godina starosti, koji u svom životu žele pobliže upoznati utemeljitelja franjevačkog reda, sv. Franju Asiškog, te pokušati po njegovom primjeru živjeti Evanđelje i tako ljubiti našeg Gospodina Isusa Krista. Bratstvo broji 65 trajno, te 3 privremeno zavjetovana člana. Franjevački svjetovni red (FSR) okuplja vjernike istoimene župe i okolnih župa našeg dekanata. Članove zajednice prvenstveno okuplja i povezuje nadahnuće za življenjem franjevačke duhovnosti. Interesenti koje zanima život u bratstvu, i način njegova djelovanja mogu se javiti duhovniku, ili nekom zavjetovanom članu bratstva, te izraziti svoju želju. To su aspiranti koji kroz godinu dana prate i uključeni su u rad i djelovanje zajednice. Nakon godinu dana odlučuju da li žele ući u novicijat FSR-a. Novicijat traje najduže 3 puta po godinu dana, te nakon toga kandidat daje svoju odluku o trajnim zavjetima. Uključivanjem u razne aktivnosti matične župe, te župa kojima pripadaju, članovi Fsr-a postaju neposredni glasnici Evanđelja. Uz vanjske aktivnosti rada i djelovanja u župama, najvažnija zadaća bratstva je duhovna izgradnja i rast svakog pojedinog člana. Zato zajednica djeluje po određenim propisima, a to je Pravilo OFS-a, koje je potvrđeno od sv. Oca, te pastirskim vodstvom dodijeljenog joj duhovnika.