Looking at the Rule
This
year Franciscans are celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Later
Rule. Our own Rule was revised in 1978. This is the third of a series of
articles looking at that Rule.
Chapter
1 THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER (OFS)
The
Franciscan family, as one among many spiritual families raised up by the Holy
Spirit in the Church , unites all members of the people of God — laity, religious,
and priests — who recognize that they are called to follow Christ in the footsteps
of St. Francis of Assisi .
In
various ways and forms but in life-giving union with each other, they intend to
make present the charism of their common Seraphic Father in the life and
mission of the Church.
Comments: There are many spiritual families
in the Church raised up by the Holy Spirit. One of those families is our own
Franciscan family, which binds together laity, religious, and clergy. All
Franciscans work to live out the charism of Father Francis in serving the
Church.
Those of
us who are Secular Franciscans have a vital role to play in the Franciscan Family. We
are in community with the other two orders – the friars and the Poor Clares –
and with each other. All three parts of the Franciscan family support and
complement each other.
But we also
have a special call to make the spirit of St. Francis present in the world
through marriage and raising families, through our work, through our
participation in parishes and various ministries, and so on. In doing so, we
advance the life and mission of the Church.
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