Now that Lent is over, I turn our attention to the Franciscan Jubilee Year, which began January 10, 2026, and will continue until January 10, 2027. It commemorates the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226. I will especially be highlighting the weekly occurrence of Franciscan Saints and Beatifieds, which reveal the Franciscan charism at work throughout the centuries.
There are
three (3) traditional Orders of Franciscans:
1. 1. First
Order are the priests and brothers, founded in 1209. They are divided into
three branches: Order of Friars Minor (OFM), OFM Conventual (OFM Conv.), and
OFM Capuchin (OFM Cap.).
2. 2. Second
Order are the Poor Clare Sisters (OSC) who are cloistered nuns, dedicated to
contemplative prayer.
These two
orders are religious men and women who take vows of poverty, chastity, and
obedience.
3. 3. Third
Order or tertiaries are secular or regular Franciscans, founded in 1221. Includes
both religious congregations living in communities (Third Order Regular) and “lay”
men and women who follow the Franciscan rule in their daily lives (Secular
Franciscans).
There are
also Franciscan Youth organizations for children and adolescents.
The
Franciscan motto is Pax et Bonum (Peace and Good).
Franciscans
are mendicant, one of several Roman Catholic religious orders whose
members assume a vow of poverty and support themselves by work and charitable
contributions. The mendicant orders surviving today are the four first recognized
by the Second Council of Lyon (1274): Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians
(Augustinian Hermits), and Carmelites; as well as Trinitarians, Mercedarians,
Servites, Minims, Hospitallers of St. John of God, and the Teutonic Order (the
Austrian branch), for a total of ten. The ideal of poverty in some of these has
been mitigated or even abrogated.
The Franciscan
School of Theology at the University of San Diego provides this definition of Franciscan
Spirituality & Core Beliefs:
“The Rule
and Life of the Lesser Brothers is this: to observe the Holy Gospel of Our Lord
Jesus Christ.” –St. Francis’ Rule
In
following the teachings of St. Francis, Franciscan Catholics believe that God
is generous and loving and that we are all created in God’s image, with a
responsibility to care for all creation.
A simple
explanation of St. Francis’ life and legacy might describe him as:
- · A saint of peace and the poor
- · A saint with a great love for all God’s creatures
- · Respectful of each person’s God-given uniqueness and dignity
