Please share with your local fraternity
(en español abajo) Korean translation attached in separate PDF.
What Makes Secular Franciscans Different from Other Catholics? (Part Two)
Over the next few weeks, we will look at five things about Secular Franciscans that set us apart. This week we look at FRATERNITY.
Our Fraternity Life—How can anyone be a Franciscan without fraternity? As much as St. Francis loved to find solitary places to pray, he always had friars nearby, and he always returned to fraternity life. He tells us, “The Lord gave me brothers…” (Testament)
Article 24 of our OFS Rule speaks of fraternity: “To foster communion among members, the council should organize regular and frequent meetings of the community as well as meeting with other Franciscan groups, especially with youth groups. It should adopt appropriate means for growth in Franciscan and ecclesial life and encourage everyone to a life of fraternity. This communion continues with deceased brothers and sisters through prayer for them.”
“Fraternity is…a call to build a community of love in harmony with all of God’s children and all of God’s creation to reflect Love back to the God of Love: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” (FUN Manual “Fraternity and Francis” by Tom Bello, OFS—former National Minister)
For most of us, our experience of fraternity comes at the local level. Although we find fraternity at the regional, national, and international levels, the local fraternity is the heartbeat of the Order. It is where we find mutual support in our faith. It is where we learn to carry out the promises we made at profession. Fraternity is like a workshop where we practice universal kinship; patience; humility; simplicity; and acceptance of others. It is where we keep our vocation alive. If fraternity life is well-lived, we will learn how to pray together and to work together to move the fraternity and the Church forward. We learn what it is to be a Franciscan by how we listen to one another, accept those who are different than we are, and by how we learn about the Franciscan charism together. Fraternity nourishes our vocation and helps us to bring the joy of knowing Christ to others both inside the fraternity and outside in our daily lives.
The structure and flow of our gatherings can help us to achieve what is outlined above. Belonging to a club or attending a business meeting is (or should be) a very different experience from participating in a fraternity gathering. In fraternity, we pray together with one another and with the whole church. We strengthen our vocation by learning about the Franciscan charism and the gospel during our ongoing formation sessions; and we experience conversion of heart as we interact with our brothers and sisters and reach out to others through our apostolates. Fraternity life is a gift!
For discussion or to answer in your journal
+What is your favorite part of your local fraternity gathering? How does it strengthen your life as a Franciscan?
+ What suggestions would you make to your local council to make your monthly gatherings even better? Be sure to tell why this would be valuable and how you would get it done.
+Thinking about positive experiences you have had of fraternity (remember, fraternity is not only the monthly gathering, but it is found wherever Franciscans gather), list two or three and try to say why they had a special impact on you.
Formación 4 de julio 2025 (Comparta con su fraternidad local)
¿Qué diferencia a los franciscanos seglares de otros católicos? (Segunda parte)
Durante las próximas semanas, veremos cinco cosas sobre los franciscanos seglares que nos distinguen. Esta semana nos fijamos en la FRATERNIDAD .
Nuestra vida de fraternidad: ¿Cómo se puede ser franciscano sin fraternidad? Por mucho que a San Francisco le encantaba encontrar lugares solitarios para orar, siempre tenía frailes cerca y siempre volvía a la vida de fraternidad . Nos dice: “El Señor me dio hermanos…” (Testamento )
El artículo 24 de nuestra Regla OFS habla de fraternidad: “Para incrementar la comunión entre los miembros, el Consejo organice reuniones periódicas y encuentros frecuentes, incluso con otros grupos franciscanos, especialmente de jóvenes, adoptando los medios más adecuados para el crecimiento en la vida franciscana y eclesial, estimulando a todos a la vida de Fraternidad.
Esta comunión se prolonga con los hermanos difuntos, ofreciendo sufragios por sus almas.”“ Fraternidad es… un llamado a construir una comunidad de amor en armonía con todos los hijos de Dios y toda la creación de Dios para reflejar el Amor hacia el Dios del Amor: Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo .” (Manual FUN “Fraternidad y Francisco” por Tom Bello, OFS—ex Ministro Nacional)
Para la mayoría de nosotros, nuestra experiencia de fraternidad llega a nivel local. Aunque encontramos fraternidad a nivel regional, nacional e internacional, la fraternidad local es el latido del corazón de la Orden. Es donde encontramos apoyo mutuo en nuestra fe. Es donde aprendemos a cumplir las promesas que hicimos en la profesión. La fraternidad es como un taller donde practicamos el parentesco universal; paciencia; humildad; sencillez ; y aceptación de los demás. Es donde mantenemos viva nuestra vocación. Si la vida de fraternidad se vive bien, aprenderemos a orar juntos y a trabajar juntos para hacer avanzar la fraternidad y la Iglesia. Aprendemos lo que es ser franciscano por cómo nos escuchamos unos a otros, aceptamos a los que son diferentes a nosotros y por cómo aprendemos juntos sobre el carisma franciscano. La fraternidad alimenta nuestra vocación y nos ayuda a llevar la alegría de conocer a Cristo a los demás, tanto dentro como fuera de la fraternidad en nuestra vida cotidiana.
La estructura y el flujo de nuestros encuentros pueden ayudarnos a lograr lo descrito anteriormente. Pertenecer a un club o asistir a una reunión de negocios es (o debería ser) una experiencia muy diferente a participar en una reunión de fraternidad. En fraternidad, rezamos juntos unos con otros y con toda la iglesia. Fortalecemos nuestra vocación aprendiendo sobre el carisma franciscano y el evangelio durante nuestras sesiones de formación continua; y experimentamos la conversión del corazón cuando interactuamos con nuestros hermanos y hermanas y nos acercamos a otros a través de nuestros apostolados. ¡La vida de fraternidad es un don de Dios!
Para platicar o para responder en su diario
+¿Cuál es su parte preferida del encuentro de su fraternidad local? ¿Cómo fortalece su vida como franciscano?
+ ¿Qué sugerencias le haría a su consejo local para que sus encuentros mensuales sean aún mejores? Asegúrese de decir por qué esto sería valioso y cómo lo haría.
+Pensando en experiencias positivas que haya tenido de fraternidad (recuerde, la fraternidad no es sólo el encuentro mensual, sino que se encuentra dondequiera que se reúnan los franciscanos), enumere dos o tres y trate de decir por qué tuvieron un impacto especial en usted.
Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
Listening to the Holy Spirit Builds Our Relationship
By Donna Hollis, OFS
National Executive Committee Councilor
The Holy Spirit is always attentive within us; are we listening?
. Donna Hollis, OFS
Relationships are built on open hearts and trust. The Spirit empowers Jesus to be continually present in the world. God’s Spirit conceives Jesus, initiates his public ministry and sustains his Spiritual life. The Spirit is the driving force of who we are and become. Are we attuned to the heartbeat of God? Do we listen to the voice of the Spirit within each of our hearts?
In the Scriptures the Spirit is called the “Ruach”, “Pneuma”, and “Shekhinah” (the wind/breath/ and dwelling.) We must be guided by the Spirit in all that we do. We work with the movement of the Spirit as wind, light and breath to change us and empower us to be agents of change.
What does the relationship between you and the Holy Spirit look like? When we allow the Spirit to fill our lives, we follow the rhythm of the Spirit. We then are guided by the Spirit to become new creatures.
The love of the Spirit will empower us to generate justice and mercy, filling the world with God’s love. We each contribute to the building of the reign of God. It is a task that calls all of us to enable us to understand the nature of God so that we might be able to enter the Transformation.
The Holy Spirit transforms us to become the best that we can be by our love. Love is the force that challenges us to move towards justice and wholeness. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Spirit, now the followers of Jesus are empowered by the same Spirit showing compassion. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you badly. Treat others the way you want them to treat you. (Luke 6:27-30)
The gift of the Spirit is God’s own power to love unconditionally and to transform the world by that power. The Spirit is experienced as the ‘warmth of God’s love that can be felt.’ To enter a relationship with Christ we must let go of ourselves, surrender control of our lives and allow the Spirit to be given to us. The highest form of self possession is the capacity to give ourselves away.
We have a choice – live our own agenda or let go and be taken up into the Spirit’s movement. It will challenge and transform you to become the best that you can be by or love and contribution to others. It is a task that calls all of us.
I want to learn to be who God really created me to be and I think all God wants me to be is who I really am.
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/07/listening-to-the-holy-spirit-builds-our-relationship/
Sister Moon & the Stars – Canticle of the Creatures Reflections
(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Spring 2025 Issue #115)
Canticle of the Creatures Reflections – Part 1 – page 7
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.
Sister Moon and the Stars Say to Dance
by Joe Makley, OFS
National JPIC AnimatorI got to see a lot of the night sky as a boy scout in Florida. Our troop made its tents out of clear plastic off the roll, and we would lay there and watch Sister moon and the constellation Orion tread the great dance as we shared stories before drifting off.
When I was seventeen, I was sleeping outside again, looking up with a good friend who had left home and school with me to try our luck on the road. He said he felt crushed by the night sky, that its vastness and majesty told him he was insignificant, that it made him feel “like a bug.” To be fair, it was a difficult time in the world for sensitive people, as it is today.
I never lost my amazement at the universe, but I spent far more time worrying about problems on Earth. At age twenty-three I was living in a small backpacking tent on a pond in Maine, when the primeval call of a loon was interrupted by jovial laughter coming down the trail. A friend from the South named Albert appeared, a very welcome representative of the life I was leaving behind.
I drove him around Acadia National Park, showing animated pride that an A-list nature preserve was my back yard. We had lobsters on a harbor wharf, and then he asked me if I needed to borrow some money. I realized that he was thinking his friend had fallen on hard times. I reassured him that I was living this way by choice, and I was fine, but I could see he was doubtful.
We met a talkative young man and invited him to join our excursion. He said his name was Josete, and he was Jewish, and was traveling the country searching various places. He had recently come from the northwest, which he felt was beautiful, but diminishing for humans as “the scale is so totally humbling.” He seemed to still be looking for the right place.
After dark we stopped at Asticou Terraces, a garden trail that follows a cliff with steps to a series of overlooks above Northeast Harbor, toniest of the Island’s coastal villages. In the soft moonlight, the well-manicured stones were easy going, and bathed in a heavy scent of balsam fir, arbor vitae, and sea air. Below, the stars were reflected in wavelets and the sloops slip-slopped at their moorings.
Conversation diminished, and stopped altogether as we entered a high, moss-covered granite patio. As we gazed outward, the largest meteor I’ve ever seen streaked across the sky, broke into several pieces, each with their own trail, and left us breathless. For that moment, we were all in the right place, and we knew we were. I felt a deep gratitude, and perhaps an inkling of what Saint Francis meant in those words: “Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars…”
In my life up to that point, I had not really internalized what appeared so obvious to St. Francis. When we gaze at the night sky and marvel at the self-evident hand of an amazing God, we are more than spectators. As we work in the name of Jesus, His co-eternal Son, to bring peace and justice and human dignity to this temporal world, we take our place in the great dance.
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/06/sister-moon-the-stars-canticle-of-the-creatures-reflections/
The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – Sts. Peter and Paul – Fr. Christopher
Until the priest first answers the Lord’s question, “Who do you say that I am”? I can never answer “Who am I”? my thoughts, words and actions; my fears and desires will answer for me. I sense this is why St Peter felt so distressed at being asked even a third time if he loved the Lord: “My actions have spoken for me. How can I be sure that I will never betray Jesus again”?
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2025/06/the-gospel-through-a-franciscan-lens-sts-peter-and-paul-fr-christopher/
FORMATION FRIDAY – What makes Secular Franciscans different from Other Catholics? – June 27, 2025
Please share with your local fraternity
Korean translation attached in a separate PDF.
What Makes Secular Franciscans Different from Other Catholics? (Part One)
All of us who are Catholics have many things in common. Most of us grew up attending Mass every Sunday. We go to confession every so often. We pray many of the same prayers: the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Memorare, the Angelus, and prayers asking for the intercession of our favorite saints. Some Catholics read a bit of Scripture every day and attend bible study and some may even pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
So, what makes Secular Franciscans different? Over the next few weeks, we will look at five things about Secular Franciscans that set us apart. (There may even be more than five, but we will tackle five.)
1-OUR PROFESSION—At Baptism we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and become part of the Church. At Confirmation, the Holy Spirit prepares us to participate fully in the mission of the Church. Profession, then, is our special opportunity. It is the further strengthening of the promises that were made for us (or that we made) at Baptism. Through the Spirit, we “bind ourselves more closely to the Church and work intently to rebuild the ecclesial community and fulfill its mission among all people.” (See Rite of Permanent Commitment, Ritual p. 29)
If you read the Rite of Permanent Commitment (Profession) (Ritual pp. 29-41), you will see that at Profession, we make a commitment to live the Gospel by following in the footsteps of St. Francis. The special charism given to us by St. Francis is that he showed that the Gospel can be lived. We, as Secular Franciscans, strive to do this in our daily lives. Therefore, we need to be thoroughly familiar with Scripture—especially the Gospels. At the Rite of Profession, we are presented with the book of the Gospels. At the Ceremony of Introduction and Welcoming, we are given a biography of St. Francis, and at the Rite of Admission, we are given a copy of the Rule of Life. All three of these gifts remind us that we are to internalize how St. Francis lived; how Jesus lived and taught; and how we are to live as Secular Franciscans.
At Profession, we promise to build a more fraternal and evangelical world based on the Gospel. We promise to be faithful to our vocation and to practice the spirit of service. We promise to bind ourselves more closely to the Church and to participate more fully in her mission. And, we pledge to make fraternity a visible sign of the Church, a community of faith and love. During the Rite of Profession, the candidates answer, “Yes, this is what I want,” in response to questions asked regarding these promises.
Read and consider the following words taken from the Rite of Profession:
+ The candidates say: “We ask to be admitted to profession of the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order and to make a permanent commitment to the gospel life. [Our formation] has strengthened us in the conviction that the Lord is callig us to observe the holy gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ by following the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi.” (Ritual p. 34)
+ Finally, the WORDS OF PROFESSION are pronounced by the candidates:
“I, __ , by the grace of God, renew my baptismal promises and consecrate myself to the service of his Kingdom. Therefore, in my secular state, (or as a member of the diocesan clergy), I promise to live all the days of my life the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the /secular Franciscan Order by observing its rule of life. May the grace of the Holy Spirit, the intercession of the Blesses Virgin Mary and our holy father St. Francis, and the fraternal bonds of community always be my help, so that I may reach the goal of perfect Christian love.”For discussion or to answer in your journal:
+After reading the promises of profession outlined above, discuss the ways in which you (if you are professed) are living them out in your daily life. (It would also be helpful to read the entire Rite on pp. 29-41 of the revised brown ritual.)
+Which of these promises have proved to be challenging to you?
+If you are in initial formation, 1-How do you see these promises lived out by the members of your fraternity? 2-Can you picture yourself living out these promises? 3-Please offer a few examples of what you would do both now and after Profession.Formación 27 de junio 2025 (Comparta con su fraternidad local)
¿Qué diferencia a los franciscanos seglares de otros católicos?
Todos los que somos católicos tenemos muchas cosas en común. La mayoría de nosotros crecimos asistiendo a misa todos los domingos. Nos confesamos de vez en cuando. Rezamos muchas de las mismas oraciones: el Rosario, la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia, el Memorare (Acordaos), el Ángelus y oraciones pidiendo la intercesión de nuestros santos favoritos. Algunos católicos leen un poco de las Escrituras todos los días y asisten a estudios bíblicos y algunos incluso pueden rezar la Liturgia de las Horas.
Entonces, ¿qué hace que los franciscanos seglares sean diferentes? Durante las próximas semanas, veremos cinco cosas sobre los franciscanos seglares que nos distinguen. (Incluso puede haber más de cinco, pero abordaremos cinco).
1- NUESTRA PROFESIÓN —En el Bautismo recibimos los dones del Espíritu Santo y nos hacemos parte de la Iglesia. En la Confirmación, el Espíritu Santo nos prepara para participar plenamente en la misión de la Iglesia. La profesión, entonces, es nuestra oportunidad especial. Es el fortalecimiento adicional de las promesas que se nos hicieron (o que hicimos) en el Bautismo. A través del Espíritu, “nos vinculamos más estrechamente a la Iglesia y trabajamos intensamente para reconstruir la comunidad eclesial y cumplir su misión entre todos los pueblos.” (Ver Rito de Profesión, Ritual en español PDF pag. 12-16 ) https://ciofs.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ES-Ritual-OFS-s.pdf
Si lee el Rito de la Profesión (Compromiso de la vida evangélica) verá que en la Profesión nos comprometemos a vivir el Evangelio siguiendo los pasos de San Francisco . El carisma especial que nos dio San Francisco es que mostró que el Evangelio se puede vivir. Nosotros, como franciscanos seglares, nos esforzamos por hacer esto en nuestra vida diaria. Por lo tanto, debemos estar completamente familiarizados con las Escrituras, especialmente con los Evangelios. En el Rito de Profesión, se nos presenta el libro de los Evangelios. En la Ceremonia de Introducción y Bienvenida se nos entrega una biografía de San Francisco, y en el Rito de Admisión se nos entrega una copia de la Regla de Vida. Estos tres obsequios nos recuerdan que debemos internalizar cómo vivió San Francisco; cómo Jesús vivió y enseñó; y cómo debemos vivir como franciscanos seglares.
En la Profesión nos comprometemos a construir un mundo más fraterno y evangélico basado en el Evangelio. Prometemos ser fieles a nuestra vocación y practicar el espíritu de servicio . Prometemos vincularnos más estrechamente a la Iglesia y participar más plenamente en su misión. Y nos comprometemos a hacer la fraternidad signo visible de la Iglesia , comunidad de fe y de amor. Durante el Rito de Profesión, los candidatos responden: “Sí, esto es lo que quiero,” en respuesta a las preguntas formuladas con respecto a estas promesas.
Lea y considere las siguientes palabras tomadas del Rito de Profesión:
+ Los candidatos dicen : “Pedimos ser admitidos a la profesión de la Regla de la Orden Franciscana Seglar y hacer un compromiso permanente con la vida evangélica. [Nuestra formación] nos ha fortalecido en la convicción de que el Señor nos está llamando a observar el santo evangelio de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo siguiendo los pasos de San Francisco de Asís”. (Ritual PDF pág. 13)
+ Finalmente, las PALABRAS DE PROFESIÓN son pronunciados por los candidatos :
“Yo, _ _ , por la gracia de Dios, renuevo mis promesas bautismales y me consagro al servicio de su Reino. Por lo tanto, en mi estado seglar (o como miembro del clero diocesano), prometo vivir todos los días de mi vida el evangelio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo en la Orden Franciscana seglar observando su regla de vida. Que la gracia del Espíritu Santo, la intercesión de la Santísima Virgen María y de nuestro santo padre San Francisco, y los lazos fraternales de comunidad sean siempre mi ayuda, para que pueda alcanzar la meta del perfecto amor cristiano”.
Para discusión o para responder en su diario:
+ Después de leer las promesas de la profesión descritas anteriormente, discuta las formas en que usted (si es profeso) las está viviendo en su vida diaria. (También sería útil leer todo el Rito en las páginas 18-26 del ritual marrón).
+ ¿Cuál de estas promesas ha resultado ser un desafío para usted?
+ Si está en formación inicial , 1-¿Cómo ve estas promesas vividas por los miembros de su fraternidad? 2-¿Puede imaginarse viviendo estas promesas? 3-Por favor, ofrezca algunos ejemplos de lo que haría tanto ahora como después de la Profesión.
Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
