The Franciscans of Reconciliation
of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion
Who is Saint Francis?
Everyone loves St. Francis! Born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone in late summer or fall, 1181, in Assisi, Italy, he was called Francesco by his father. By his radical commitment to following the Gospel, his exuberance in his relationships to everyone and everything, and the grace of God, Francis became one of the most beloved of the saints of the Church.
What do Franciscans do?
Everything! Franciscans are typically quite engaged with the world. Some do things that are identified as "church work", either as priests or as lay brothers and sisters. But others are academicians, social workers, hospice chaplains and caregivers, nurses, librarians, researchers -- the list goes on. Our emphasis on the incarnation calls us to be the presence of Christ where we are and whatever our role in society may be.
The Franciscan vocation is essentially the same as the calling of every Christian, but with a particular intensity and focus. It is not that we are better followers of Jesus than other people, but that we find it helpful to make our Christian journey in a community of brothers and sisters who encourage, strengthen, and guide one another along the way. We also benefit from our Rule, which provides a particular framework and "flavor" for our spirituality. Franciscans find particularly energy around themes of reconciliation, peace and justice work, care for the poor, and care for creation.
Who are we?
We are sisters and brothers united in Christ to bear witness to the mystery of reconciliation of the world.
Reconciliation is God’s gift to heal the suffering and marginalized. It does not begin with us but calls us to our vocation to be ministers of peace to bare witness God’s love to redeem and make whole a new creation. The entire gospel unfolds the mystery of reconciliation. In Jesus Christ, the human and the divine are one. “For the love of Christ impels us… Whoever is in Christ is a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ... So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us” (2 Cor. 5: 14, 17-18, 20).
Reconciliation is God’s gift to heal the suffering and marginalized. It does not begin with us but calls us to our vocation to be ministers of peace to bare witness God’s love to redeem and make whole a new creation. The entire gospel unfolds the mystery of reconciliation. In Jesus Christ, the human and the divine are one. “For the love of Christ impels us… Whoever is in Christ is a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ... So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us” (2 Cor. 5: 14, 17-18, 20).
What do you want to be?
We recognize reconciliation as a mystery rooted in the incarnation. In response to our vocation, we live as servants of Christ modelled by our founders, St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. As men and women of penance, we recognize our powerlessness within this great mystery and dedicate ourselves to the service of the gospel. “This is what, through devotion, lifted Francis up into God; through compassion, transformed him into Christ; through self-emptying, turning him towards his neighbour; through universal reconciliation.” (The Life of Blessed Francis: FAED, vol. 2, p. 586)
How do we live what we practice?
We work in the marketplace to preach the goodness of reconciliation both by word and action. We seek to address the barriers to reconciliation and stand in solidarity with the poor and work towards restorative justice in society. We seek to address what is often hidden, the systematic issues that cause gross injustice against our sisters and brothers such as racism, sexual abuse, suicide, domestic violence, misogyny, homophobia, sex trafficking, the marginalizing of the disabled and elderly, immigrant children, homelessness, and the economic and political polarization of the mentally ill. We bare witness of the sacredness of life and our planet and stand in solidarity with individuals and organizations that protest the misuse and exploitation of natural resources that contaminate the earth, water and air.
We welcome all who desire to live as servants of the poor, men and women whose heart burns with the love of God seeking peace, harmony and justice in this critical time of both society and our planet. Come and see! (Jn. 1:39)
There are many other flavors and themes in Christianity. The history of the religious orders and other spiritual movements offers the disciples of Jesus a vast menu of choices. People are called in one direction or another according to their particular interests, temperament, gifts, circumstances, and the breath of the Spirit, who blows us where she will. For us, the Franciscan way nourishes us. Perhaps it will nourish you, as well.
More information may be found at the websites of the Franciscans of Reconciliation (OFR) of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, www.oeffranciscans.org; and The Third Order, Society of St. Francis of the Americas of the Anglican Communion, www.tssf.org. Visit us on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansofReconciliation
Visit our Facebook page here
Peace and all good
We welcome all who desire to live as servants of the poor, men and women whose heart burns with the love of God seeking peace, harmony and justice in this critical time of both society and our planet. Come and see! (Jn. 1:39)
There are many other flavors and themes in Christianity. The history of the religious orders and other spiritual movements offers the disciples of Jesus a vast menu of choices. People are called in one direction or another according to their particular interests, temperament, gifts, circumstances, and the breath of the Spirit, who blows us where she will. For us, the Franciscan way nourishes us. Perhaps it will nourish you, as well.
More information may be found at the websites of the Franciscans of Reconciliation (OFR) of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, www.oeffranciscans.org; and The Third Order, Society of St. Francis of the Americas of the Anglican Communion, www.tssf.org. Visit us on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansofReconciliation
Visit our Facebook page here
Peace and all good
Basilica of St Francis of Assisi
The Chapel of San Damiano in Assisi