Catholics recall and honor life of St. Francis of Assisi [CNA]

[CNA_News]

CNA STAFF, Oct 4, 2009 / 05:07 am (CNA).- St. Francis of Assisi, “the little beggar,” whose feast is celebrated on October 4, is perhaps the most popular saint in history. Born to noble parents in Umbria, Italy in 1182, Francis grew up in relative luxury and was an avid pleasure seeker leading a frivolous life. Despite his high living, however, he was always generous with the poor.

Francis went off to war seeking glory and was captured in battle and held captive for over a year. On returning home, he continued to long for glory and went to war yet again. However, along the way he fell ill with a fever, and having already realized the emptiness of his life, he turned back to Assisi following a dream in which Christ instructed him to do so.

His attitude on returning home was less exuberant. He spent time with his friends but his heart and mind were distant. He had begun to fall in love with ‘lady poverty.’

Full article…

 

[albertziggy]

Just a comment. This news article failed to mention anything about the Third Order or the Brothers and Sisters of Penance that Francis established. It only mentioned the order of the friars minor and the poor clares.

In my opinion, articles such as these (e.g., founders of religious orders) should also include something about the secular orders.

Thank you.

albertziggy

 

[JReducation]

Our holy Father Francis wrote three rules for three different orders.

1. Rule of the Friars Minor: for religious men.
2. Rule of Poor Ladies: for enclosed nuns (Poor Clares).
3. Rule of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance: for married men and women, religious men and women, and diocesan clergy.

The three rules were written for three orders that he founded. The ommission of the thrid rule leaves out the third Franciscan Order, which is the largest Franciscan order with almost one million brothers and sisters: friars, sisters, married men and women, and diocesan clerics. To leave out this particular branch of Francis’ family does no justice to the reach of our holy Father and to the extension of his religious family.

The Third Order (Brothers and Sisters of Penance) includes:

1. Secular Franciscan Order (SFO): the largest branch of the Franciscan family with over 500,000 brothers and sisters.
2. The Order of St. Francis (OSF): the largest religious branch of the Franciscan family with almost 400,000 men and women religious.
3. The Third Order Regular (TOR): with more than 20,000 friars and religious sisters

Together we comprise 1.7 million Franciscans in more than 114 countries around the world. We make up the largest religious family in the Church. We just turned 800 years old this year.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[albertziggy]

Our holy Father Francis wrote three rules for three different orders.

1. Rule of the Friars Minor: for religious men.
2. Rule of Poor Ladies: for enclosed nuns (Poor Clares).
3. Rule of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance: for married men and women, religious men and women, and diocesan clergy.

The three rules were written for three orders that he founded. The ommission of the thrid rule leaves out the third Franciscan Order, which is the largest Franciscan order with almost one million brothers and sisters: friars, sisters, married men and women, and diocesan clerics. To leave out this particular branch of Francis’ family does no justice to the reach of our holy Father and to the extension of his religious family.

The Third Order (Brothers and Sisters of Penance) includes:

1. Secular Franciscan Order (SFO): the largest branch of the Franciscan family with over 500,000 brothers and sisters.
2. The Order of St. Francis (OSF): the largest religious branch of the Franciscan family with almost 400,000 men and women religious.
3. The Third Order Regular (TOR): with more than 20,000 friars and religious sisters

Together we comprise 1.7 million Franciscans in more than 114 countries around the world. We make up the largest religious family in the Church. We just turned 800 years old this year.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Hi Br. JR:

Thank you for your response. I just feel sad whenever we are often left out. I noticed this even in the Saint Francis movies, and television shows (including those appearing on EWTN). How can they not see us?

albertziggy

 

[JReducation]

Hi Br. JR:

Thank you for your response. I just feel sad whenever we are often left out. I noticed this even in the Saint Francis movies, and television shows (including those appearing on EWTN). How can they not see us?

albertziggy

I think that people don’t understand that St. Francis’ third order is not an after thought that simply happened, but that Francis actually intended to write a way of life for those who want to be penitents. Many people do not make the connection that Franciis himself began as a penitent before he became a friar. Also, many people do not understand that all Franciscans make up one large religious familiy with one spiritual father, a common heritage, common mission, and common vision of the Gospel. It’s not as if the Secular and Regular Franciscans were not visible. Even the regular Franciscans like me have been very visible for 800 years. These are the religious brothers and sisters who have run schools, hospitals, hospices, orphanages, parishes and have done a great deal of missionary work in the Church. The seculars have certainly made their contribution to the Church and have an impressive list of saints, blesseds and other holy men and women such as:

Thomas Moore
Joan of Arc
Matt Talbot
Angela Foligno
Louis King of France
Elizabeth of Hungary
Pius X
Leo XII
John XIII
Christopher Columbus
Catherine de Hueck Doherty
Dorothy Day
St. Therese’s parents

. . . and that’s the short list.

Maybe the Secular Franciscans have to do something to make themselves more visible as a community. I know that movement is going strong in the USA.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[albertziggy]

I think that people don’t understand that St. Francis’ third order is not an after thought that simply happened, but that Francis actually intended to write a way of life for those who want to be penitents. Many people do not make the connection that Franciis himself began as a penitent before he became a friar. Also, many people do not understand that all Franciscans make up one large religious familiy with one spiritual father, a common heritage, common mission, and common vision of the Gospel. It’s not as if the Secular and Regular Franciscans were not visible. Even the regular Franciscans like me have been very visible for 800 years. These are the religious brothers and sisters who have run schools, hospitals, hospices, orphanages, parishes and have done a great deal of missionary work in the Church. The seculars have certainly made their contribution to the Church and have an impressive list of saints, blesseds and other holy men and women such as:

Thomas Moore
Joan of Arc
Matt Talbot
Angela Foligno
Louis King of France
Elizabeth of Hungary
Pius X
Leo XII
John XIII
Christopher Columbus
Catherine de Hueck Doherty
Dorothy Day
St. Therese’s parents

. . . and that’s the short list.

Maybe the Secular Franciscans have to do something to make themselves more visible as a community. I know that movement is going strong in the USA.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thanks Br JR for your reply. I did not know Dorothy Day was a Secular Franciscan. I don’t remember that being mentioned in the TV movie made years back by the Jesuits.

I guess another way of making ourselves visible is for the Secular Orders to unite and form something like an 'Association of Secular Orders of … In that way the presence will really be felt and they can also learn from each other. I think this would be possible, but will require a lot of effort. Who knows?

In Christ,
albertziggy

 

[JReducation]

Thanks Br JR for your reply. I did not know Dorothy Day was a Secular Franciscan. I don’t remember that being mentioned in the TV movie made years back by the Jesuits.

I guess another way of making ourselves visible is for the Secular Orders to unite and form something like an 'Association of Secular Orders of … In that way the presence will really be felt and they can also learn from each other. I think this would be possible, but will require a lot of effort. Who knows?

In Christ,
albertziggy

I think that’s a great idea. Just as you have a national conference of religious men or religious women. Why not have national conferences of secular orders? Send the idea to your national minister.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[albertziggy]

I think that’s a great idea. Just as you have a national conference of religious men or religious women. Why not have national conferences of secular orders? Send the idea to your national minister.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thanks Br. JR. I have been thinking about that idea for quite some time now. I will bring it up with our national minister. I hope it works. It will take a lot of time, effort and persistence. For one, you would have to identify the real secular orders from those that are only associations of the faithful. At least we know that aside from the Franciscans, we have the Carmelites, Dominicans, Agustinians and the Servites. Another challenge may have something to do with the structure of each order.

On a much wider scale, this would prove helpful if the conference were done on the international level. Aside from creating some ‘standards’ for secular orders (e.g., formation programs specific for secular novices, etc.), such a move may one day result in the redefinition of the Secular Orders in the Code of the Canon Law. At present, the Secular Orders are lumped together with associations of the faithful and some of the provisions do not apply to us.

When that time comes, we will not just be the group of people who follow the ‘watered down rule’ of the great orders of the Church. (By the way, that definition came from an EWTN article written by one of its hosts for an article concerning another lay group and I was offended by his description…the nerve).

In Christ
albertziggy