What is the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

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Can someone explain what this is? I have seen videos online from them on the same group that has Father Mike’s videos.

The renewal part confuses me. How is it different from the usual Franciscans and why was it created instead of just joining the Franciscans? I don’t know a lot about Friars and Monks.
 
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The Franciscans are what’s called a mendicant order - that is, that one that has adopted a lifestyle of poverty, traveling, and living in urban areas for purposes of preaching, evangelisation and ministry especially to the poor. This makes them distinct from monastic orders who typically live in a monastery, living and working in the same geographical place and who (traditionally at least) were considered quite wealthy from their land holdings.

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are an offshoot of the Capuchin Franciscans who are themselves an offshoot of the original Franciscans. Somebody once told me that every reform/offshoot of the Franciscan order has its origins in a dispute about how the vow of poverty should be lived out. While I’m not sure just how accurate that statement is, certainly the FFR’s do take the poverty aspect of their charism very seriously - to the point of not even owning the buildings they live in! Of course this doesn’t make them better or holier than any other branch of the (many limbed) Franciscan family tree, but it is still a very distinctive aspect of their way of life (along with they grey habit).
 
Fr. Groeschel would never detail the reason behind the split, but did say that it was an agonizing decision.

Opinion Alert!!! I suspect that his original order had veered off the rails and become just another social justice arm.
 
I am actually discerning with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal next month 🙂 they are Franciscans that have an emphasis on visible and actual poverty, in order to better “be one” with the poor. Fun fact: there habits are gray because it is believed St. Francis wore gray when he first founded the order. The sisters and friars also knot their own rosaries before they take their final vows. Pretty cool!
 
We have several Franciscan Renewal communities in Ireland, both Sisters and Friars. I have huge respect for them, true servants, in love with our Lord and bringing that love to the forgotten and hopeless.
 
po18guy said:
Fr. Groeschel would never detail the reason behind the split, but did say that it was an agonizing decision.

Opinion Alert!!! I suspect that his original order had veered off the rails and become just another social justice arm.
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Fr. G tactfully referred to the Capuchins having issues with liturgy and doctrine. He was asked to leave, or chose to leave, a couple of their seminaries where he was on staff.

In one book on Adoration, he described visiting a Franciscan (Capuchin?) Institution where he was horrified at how they had de emphasized the Blessed Sacrament.
At another institution he quit, saying he might as well be working at the University of Moscow it was so secularized.

He and his original group originally wanted to have their own non geographic province within the Capuchins. The Order suggested they start their own independent community. On EWTN he applauded the newly created Franciscans of the Immaculate, which broke off from the liberal OFM Franciscans.
 
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Gripper said:
The renewal part confuses me. How is it different from the usual Franciscans and why was it created instead of just joining the Franciscans? I don’t know a lot about Friars and Monks.
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I knew a Franciscan sister who used to quip that only God knows how many Franciscan orders there are. 😜 It’s somewhat true. There isn’t just one singular monolithic Franciscan order. There are many, many, many different Franciscan orders.
 
This is because–so far as sisters are concerned–the Franciscan rule is the most flexible of the major rules. And since communities were required to base their Constitutions on one of the 4 major rules, this one was most frequently selected.
 
I had the amazing blessing of not only meeting, but, spending one on one time with Fr Apostoli.
 
Essentially the “First Order” are commumities of priests and brothers who trace back to the original one of St Francis. This includes the OFMs, the OFM Conventual, and OFM Capuchins. I suppose Friars of the Renewal consider themselves part of the First Order, in the Capuchins Tradition.

The Second Order includes those who trace back to the cloisters set up by Francis and Clare. “Poor Clares.”

The Third Order includes those communities of priests/brothers, sisters, established after the time of Francis. This includes convents of active ministry in the world that he likely never envisioned, as well as groups like Third Order Regulars, who teach at Steubenville.

At one time laity attached to Franciscanism were called Third Order also, now called Secular Franciscan Order.
 
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Gripper said:
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commenter:
The Third Order includes those communities of priests/brothers, sisters, established after the time of Francis
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I always thought that third orders were laymen?
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Most itf the time that is the case.

In general, they are.
Chronological:
Priests first.
Sisters second.
Sometimes laity third. But other convents or priest communities might be chronological later also. Some Franciscan men’s, and women’s communities have “Third Order” in their name.

St (Mother) Theresa established her First Order as sisters. Her priest and brothers order came second.

So that first, second, third pattern isn’t universal.
 
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“Second Order” has traditionally referred to enclosed nuns. Thus, although the Dominican Nuns were established before the Friars, they are still called “Second Order.” Third order were traditionally those who were seculars OR who were not in solemn vows, such as active sisters. There are a few male Third Orders, such as the TOR Franciscans who sponsor Franciscan University of Steubenville. But most vowed third order members are women.
 
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