Catholics in Houston, TX, have you thought about the SFO?

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Are you an 18 or older Catholic who feels a desire for living a life of simplicity? Have you ever felt a desire to join a fraternal society in the Church? Do you have a special love for nature, the Eucharist, Mary, and for helping out the poor? If you answered yes to any one of these questions, our Lord Jesus Christ might be calling you to live the Gospel in the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, and to become a Secular Franciscan (Third Order Franciscan). The St. Thomas More Fraternity of Houston, TX, is always welcoming new members to their fraternity. To learn more about the Secular Franciscan Order, and in particular about the St. Thomas More Fraternity, visit their web site: houstonfranciscans.wordpress.com/.
 
I would exercise much caution with regard to the SFO right now. Although many local fraternities are fine and orthodox (and probably this one in Houston is among them), the national leadership has taken a decidedly globalist/leftist bent as of late. The “Q” meeting in July in Pittsburgh will feature an Episcopal priest who has in the past championed the cause of homosexuality. This issue alone has caused a great dissent and upset among the SFOers. I left the SFO because of their stance that “homosexuality is just another part of God’s beautiful diversity.” One does not see this until they begin to have interaction at the Regional and National levels. Yes, there are many, many fine people in the SFO, fine Francicans, fine Christians. But the national officers are decidedly on the liberalist side. Best to explore this option with eyes wide open. The current SFO organization bears little resemblance to the SFO to which I professed years ago. It has changed–and not for the better. It has embraced globalist values and uses the issue of diversity as its primary cause. Just be careful, prayerful, and well-informed before deciding for or against membership. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. God bless!
 
The only way to make the SFO faithful to Rome is for more holy people to join the SFO. I am a candidate to the SFO & I look forward to becoming a member.
 
FuzzyFace said:
The only way to make the SFO faithful to Rome is for more holy people to join the SFO. I am a candidate to the SFO & I look forward to becoming a member.
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I respectfully disagree. The organization has become so universally off track that I think it is hopeless. To stay and fight is like trying to change the IRS or the US Army. I would rather find a holy organization and serve the Lord that way rather than fight endlesslessly and in a futile manner with mindless liberals.🙂
 
I am currently discerning my call to Secular Franciscan order. If this is the call from God, I am happily to join. No matter what those in National or regional do, it is not the reason I have to turn my back away from God’s call.

For instance, the incident of sexual abuse in US Catholic church - do you all let this to be a reason to turn your back away from the Catholic church? do you turn your back away from your call for being a priest? - while a few might, the rest of us still stay.

The same thing with any vocation. If it is God’s call - embrace it and pray that you would follow the call faithfully. God’s calling you not just for you alone but also for others. You are instrument of God, do not let one or two or thousand people ruin your call.

FuzzyFace, I met one person who lives in Houston, but he has been with the SF in Austin. He drives to Austin monthly for the meeting. Also, thank you for bringing this to our attention.
 
FuzzyFace said:
Thanks for the kind words Water. I agree with your points.
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You’re welcome. Certainly, we can take SLCFranciscan’s (name removed by moderator)ut and bring that to a meeting either with entire group or with the Spiritual Director and see what they say.

I should’ve said thanks to SLCFranciscan for informing us about the problem. It is sad to hear, but the more we understand the problem, the better for us to know what we should pray for.
 
FuzzyFace said:
The only way to make the SFO faithful to Rome is for more holy people to join the SFO. I am a candidate to the SFO & I look forward to becoming a member.
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God bless you on your journey! I was professed into the SFO four years ago, and I now teach formation classes in my fraternity. My fraternity is orthodox and in accord with the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church, and so are the people I have met on the regional level, at least from what I’ve observed.

I agree (with water) that if you are really called to a particular spirituality, you don’t turn away from it just there may be some problems at certain levels of the heirarchy, just as we don’t turn our backs on the Catholic Church just because of the less-than-perfect behavior of some of the priests.

If there are people in high-level positions who don’t have proper Franciscan values, well, they won’t be in office forever. And who are the future officers? People like you and me! No organization (or order, in this case) is without hope. As long as we have God, we have hope.

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water said:
I am currently discerning my call to Secular Franciscan order. If this is the call from God, I am happily to join. No matter what those in National or regional do, it is not the reason I have to turn my back away from God’s call.

For instance, the incident of sexual abuse in US Catholic church - do you all let this to be a reason to turn your back away from the Catholic church? do you turn your back away from your call for being a priest? - while a few might, the rest of us still stay.

The same thing with any vocation. If it is God’s call - embrace it and pray that you would follow the call faithfully. God’s calling you not just for you alone but also for others. You are instrument of God, do not let one or two or thousand people ruin your call.

FuzzyFace, I met one person who lives in Houston, but he has been with the SF in Austin. He drives to Austin monthly for the meeting. Also, thank you for bringing this to our attention.
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Water, I respectfully suggest that there is a problem with your logic here. The difference between leaving the Catholic Church and leaving the SFO is that the leadership of the Catholic Church, once aware of the sexual abuse problem, took action to remedy the situation and put controls in place so it would not happen again. The SFO leadership, on the other hand, embraced and actively promoted speakers (Richard Rohr, et al) whose views do not always conform to the Magisterium. Once again, I would never tell anyone not to join or to join. All that I am saying is that one ought to do his or her due diligence so that they can be clear what they will be faced with should they join. Those of us who are orthodox/traditional feel as if we do not have a voice. It is almost as if there are two secular orders–the liberalist/globalists who embrace “diversity” (in my book a dangerous mantle), and the trads. The trads have no voice at all. There are many fine people at all levels of the SFO and I am grateful for them; I just feel that a more orthodox setting is where my vocation is. Good will to all!
 
I believe this is up to each individual to discern and believe. To me personally, even if the top level is not doing anything to fix it at this point, I would do my best to do what I believe I should do at my level.
For the case of the Church, if the Church had not done anything to solve the problem, I don’t think it would change my faith either.

I didnt’ mean to say that you were telling others not to join, but I did respond to your action and generalize it - so, you were not the main focus of my point on the previous post. I was more concerned about - if it is God’s call, accept it.
 
Water, I think you and I are closer in thought than it first appeared. I have a dear friend who is going to profess in the SFO in October. She has discerned that this is God’s will for her and I trust her spiritual maturity and judgment. She has my support and she knows it. She has carefully weighed the situation and has decided to join. I respect her spiritual decision and will support her profession. I think that with more holy people there who are truly in line with the magisterium (and I truly think it is only a few who have hijacked the SFO onto a quasi-political bent), changes may be made. And, not forgetting that national elections will come up again eventually and if I were a betting kind of person, I would say that some significant changes will be made. The “silent magisterial ones” will make their voices known via their regional ministers and perhaps (and I only dare say “perhaps” at this time) the rampant modernism can be defeated. Hope so. Meanwhile, I truly do wish all SFO members the best. The SFO was a very significant and beautiful part of my life for decades and I am sincerely grateful for that. God bless.
 
Thanks SLCFranciscan for sharing your thoughts and experiences. Had you not mentioned at all about the problem, I would have never known. I would be happily with what I had known, but the problem is a serious one that needs to be addressed and be solved.

I definitely talk with those in charge at my meeting group and see how they think about this problem. This way I could know more about the group that I want to join in.

and yes, definitely, religious orders such as can be a very important part of one’s life.

I was thinking about the problem ever since we discussed, and I am glad indeed that you had pointed out the problem.

Discerning is a painstaking process and we do for the rest of our lives.

God bless you, SLCFranciscan, for being patient with me and others on this thread. You’ve shown a characteristic of a Secular Franciscan. 🙂
 
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