Secular Franciscans -
Where, Who and what we are:
We are in your parish, your neighborhood and perhaps even in your
workplace.
We are united in a worldwide Franciscan Order founded by Saint Francis
of Assisi over 750 years ago. Our Franciscan family consists of Priests,
Religious Brothers and Sisters and lay Franciscans which is what
we Seculars are. Worldwide there are about one and a half million
lay Franciscans. Here in the USA we have over 25,000 members. In
our local fraternity, St. Anthony of Padua, we have about 30 permanently
professed members and about 10 members in various stages of formation.
We relate to one another as family members and come together one
Sunday each month to pray, rejoice, share, learn and socialize.
We have no obligatory works; but, we do have works that we call
apostolates - these are works that everyone can do. Each Secular
Franciscan fraternity tries to fill the needs in their own area and
parish. We have individual personal apostolates as well as those
where many of the members work together. For example, we work as
volunteers in soup kitchens and collect food and clothing for migrants
and the needy in our area. We visit hospitals, nursing homes, some
are Eucharistic Ministers, spend time before the Blessed Sacrament
in prayerful support, make rosaries for the missions, etc. We try
to bring Gospel values to areas and people who are suffering from
so many different causes. You may choose to work on whatever apostolates
that would suit your ability and time.
We, as members of a lay, religious order, have been given a Rule,
Constitutions and Statutes by the Church which provides guidelines
for all of us. It unites us to work as one family for the same spiritual
goals and lead us away from the materialistic way of life. We are
committed by our vocation to center and focus our life on Christ
and to build the Kingdom of God in our parishes, neighborhood, workplace
and in the daily routine. Our lives as part of the body of Christ
as well as our life in “the world” are one. God directs
our daily life and we strive to be open and to cooperate with the
graces from the Holy Spirit.
Meetings
Dates, Time and Location:
FRATERNITY: The third Sunday of every month at 1:30 pm at St. Mark
Catholic Church, 643 N.E. 4th Avenue, Boynton Beach, FL
INQUIRY & FORMATION: The fourth Sunday of every month at 1:30
pm at St. Mark Catholic Church, 643 N.E. 4th Avenue, Boynton Beach,
FL
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