JA SVJETOVNI FRANJEVAC Francis of Assisi is known as Everybodys saint.

. In fact, many men and women love him, or his example so much that they make a lifelong commitment to follow his way of life. Is God calling you to follow Christ in the footsteps of Francis? Article 6 - Secular Franciscan Rule "They have been made living members of the Church in Baptism; ... Therefore, they should go forth as witnesses and instruments of her mission among all people Proclaiming Christ by their life and words."

The process of becoming a professed Secular Franciscan is a journey which culminates in a lifelong commitment to live the gospel following the example of St. Francis of Assisi.

Is God calling you to become a SF? First of all, the Secular Franciscan Order is not just another church group, club or "do good" social organization where one may participate for a while and then drop out. It is not a support group for the lonely or troubled or where one may come to resolve issues best taken up with a professionally, trained counselor. It is one of the Orders in the Church, and profession is a life-time commitment.

All in the Church are called to holiness and to be a saint. The Secular Franciscan Order is for those Catholics, not in a religious order, who are called by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the goal of holiness by embracing the Franciscan charism. It is for those Catholics who want to serve God and the Church by following in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi. The call is a gift from God and must be discerned by the person and by the Order.

To be admitted into the Order, one must be a faithful, committed Roman Catholic, in good standing with the Church and absolutely loyal to the Roman Catholic Church, the Holy Father and the Magisterium. One must be a person of strong faith, attending Mass on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation and perhaps during the week.

One must have a strong faith in Jesus and a desire to follow him. Our Rule states that the "rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.

The SFO is to bring hope to the world; therefore, people who lack hope, are gloomy and pessimistic would not make good Franciscans. Perfect people would not make good candidates as we are a group of imperfect, sinful people, trying to do better. Our Franciscan life is not lived in isolation but in community; therefore, since we are not perfect, communication skills in relating to others is needed along with much forgiveness, patience and understanding.

If you suffer with Him, you shall reign with Him, if you weep with Him, you shall rejoice with Him; if you die with Him on the cross of tribulation, you shall possess heavenly mansions in the splendour of the saints and, in the Book of Life, your name shall be called glorious among humankind. Because of this you shall share always and forever the glory of the kingdom of heaven in place of earthly and passing things, and everlasting treasures instead of those that perish, and you shall live forever. (St Clare second letter to Agnes)

- Zvanje svjetovnih franjevaca jest poziv na poslanje preko ivota i rijei, jer oni ive u uvjetima zajednikim svakom graaninu. - sveti Franjo jasno i neprekidno zna da mora mijenjati samoga sebe, da se treba neprekidno obraati. - sveti Franjo ostaje model na koji se svi franjevci trebaju uvijek pozivati - biti i ivjeti kao krani i franjevci u ovom povijesnom razdoblju

Evo me! STJEPAN LICE U jednom blagoslovljenom trenutku poli smo za tobom. U dubinama svojih bia iskusili smo se pozvanima i na je odziv bio razumljiv kao ushit zbog naenog sklada, kao spokoj koji obodri ovjeka kada iz spleta nepoznatih putova izae na put na kojem se prepozna udomljen.

Prepoznali smo jedini mogui oblik ivota koji nam je odsada ivjeti. Postali smo odgovorni za jednom spremno i bezazleno izreeno: evo me. Ta rije postala je mjera naih ivota, naih osobnosti. Ma kakav put bio pred nama, svakim svojim korakom iznova u njega utiskujemo tu rije: evo me. Ta rije postala je mjera naih ivota, naih osobnosti. Ma kakav put bio pred nama, svakim svojim korakom iznova u njega utiskujemo tu rije: evo me.

WHO ARE SF? Secular Franciscans are dynamite lay people who realize that the Christian life is not simply living up to the Ten Commandments, but living out the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, and being poor, meek, merciful. In other words, it is to be peacemakers-followers of the way of St. Francis, witnesses of the Gospel-the "Good News." They take no vows, but profess to make the Gospel their rule of life in their daily activities.

St. Francis of Assisi turned the world of his own day upside down, gently but firmly, when he wrote in his Rule that anybody who follows him could not carry weapons of any kind. As a result the constant wars between cities and city-states came to an end, and at long last people realized that they were not enemies but sisters and brothers in the Lord. Instead of using their energies for war, they channeled their efforts into peace, caring for the poor and needy in any way at all, feeding, clothing, nursing the sick and dying, visiting prisoners, performing the Corporal Works of Mercy.

It was as if a whole society was leavened by the Holy Spirit and took it over for Jesus. Our Secular Franciscans are about these same things today, each person promising to live out the Christ-life to the fullest.

ECOLOGY OR ENVIRONMENT:

"More over they should respect all creatures, animate and inanimate, which bear the imprint of the Most High, and they should strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kinship." (Rule of SFO, par. 18.)

Francis saw all of creation, the sun and moon, the weather and water, fire and earth, forgiving people and death itself as symbols of the union between God and his people. Hence, all creation has a sacred quality and enjoys a oneness with humanity in the history of salvation. Following the example of Francis, the Secular Franciscans express a profound respect for all creation and use it for its intended God-given purpose. Furthermore, they work to ennoble nature and technology and build a community conscience toward using natural resources. This ministry toward creation will stem the selfish tide of abuse and waste and exploitation.

VOCATION Through the daily activities of their Christian lives the laity give praise to God and ask for the Divine to be ever more present in the world. In "worshiping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives." [6] The lay person is to both intercede for the world and to recognize that they are part of God's answer to this plea. People everywhere seem to be asking where God is in the midst of the problems of the world. As they cooperate with the Divine will the laity form at least one aspect of this response. God is in and works through the laity. The role of priestly mediation is heightened with the understanding of the role of a prophet who is challenged to clearly and boldly speak the word of the Lord - even when it is inconvenient or difficult. The prophet is one who lives two realities at the same time. On one hand, he or she is to be deeply immersed in the Will of God and know it intimately. Only then can the prophet be a willing instrument in

transmitting the Divine will to people in a way in which it can be understood and followed.

The secular Franciscan is not challenged to become another Francis, but to dedicate him or herself to Christ in the same way and with the same love and energy which highlighted the Poverello's life. The only way this can be done is for the secular to know intimately the essential rule of life for all Franciscans, the gospel of Christ. Thus, in devoting themselves to a careful reading of the gospel, they are to exercise another way of "observing" the gospel. That is, they are to study it with care and devotion, to allow it to become an integral part of their own personal identity and to help form how they live in and relate with the world. For the Franciscan the gospel is to be the lense through which and against which the whole of life is to be lived and evaluated. Understood in this way the last challenge of this chapter of the Rule flows naturally. The Franciscan is to enter into relationship with every facet of reality and by allowing the gospel to be the horizon against which everything in life finds its ultimate meaning. The concept of "going from gospel to life and life to gospel" is not to be left as an interesting slogan but as a guiding imperative in the life of the secular Franciscan. By stating that life is the focal point of the dialogue with the gospel the Rule reinforces the Church's insistence that the arena for the evangelical presence of the laity is precisely in the midst of life. Again, it is clear that this entails that the secular order is the arena in which the lay Franciscan is to be actively and attentively involved. With this understanding in mind it is definitely fair to state that the Secular Franciscan Order is an appropriate lay vocation. The vocation lived fully deepens the reality that it precisely in the living out of one's lay life in the love of God, the service of the Church and participation in the Franciscan family that one grows in holiness and transforms the world.

- to se dogaa kad postane SF?

Patrick Shannon I'm afraid that I find that a question that occupies my thoughts almost all of the time. And I'm the formation director of my fraternity. You might simply talk about your struggles with the question. Sunday at 2:53pm Unlike 3 - Reply

William Brandon On the front of the little red book I was given when I was admitted to Candidacy this past February ("The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order" -- it's probably not a little red book outside of the US), around the Tau is written "called to follow Christ in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi." This is a quote from Chapter 1, paragraph 1 of the Rule. Maybe that would be a place to start. I am very new, not yet professed, so maybe you should "consider the source" (because I don't really know what I am talking about!), but as a writer myself and as someone working on my own conversion, it seems to me that everything about being a Franciscan is summed up in those 12 words, and that they would be a good place to start your article. Sunday at 2:56pm via mobile Unlike 1 - Reply

Rosemarie LeClercq You could talk about your journey as a Franciscan, how you have changed and what it means to have fraternity. Sunday at 3:05pm via mobile Unlike 4 - Reply

Warren Postma There is no answer that is more solid than that it means a lot of things over time. The same could be said about being Catholic, or about being human. I would speak about what drew you initially towards this life and how your idea of this OFS community has matured or deepened over time. It is a big rich thing and we are all blind men around the elephant of our own lives. Sunday at 3:36pm via mobile Unlike 2 - Reply

Joyce Langley Wawrzynski Share God's love in your heart! Sunday at 3:36pm via mobile Unlike 1 - Reply

Warren Postma Love is definitely the heart of the matter. Sunday at 3:38pm via mobile Unlike 1 - Reply

John Courtney The only advice I could give would be "keep it simple." Sunday at 3:38pm via mobile Unlike 2 - Reply

Debbie McDonald Isaacson Relationships! To your Fraternity, the Church, God...even Francis and your favorite saints, the community you live in, family and job...(endless list!). Sunday at 3:40pm Unlike 1 - Reply

Mary Good Maybe..what first attracted you to this spirituality...what challenged you then and what challenges you today...what Gospel passage strikes you today...how are you bringing that to life in the world...well maybe not where you want to go with article...peace and best wishes... Sunday at 3:59pm Unlike 2 - Reply

Mary-Frances Reavey I agree with Rosemarie, start with why you are a OFS (how did you hear the call) and then move on to how it has changed you. What it means to live as a Secular Franciscan! Sunday at 6:06pm Unlike 1 - Reply

Pamela Kemp To me, being a Secular Franciscan is all about interconnectedness-with God, with each other, with the animals and all of creation. Sunday at 6:35pm Unlike 1 - Reply

Patrick Shannon But if you think about it, the fact that we are called to daily conversion means that the question is never completely exhausted. Sunday at 6:40pm Unlike 3 - Reply

Teia Harakal-Barger Make sure they know that to be a Franciscan is a complete change in your way of life and thinking and that you no longer are the main important thing in your life that putting God in front of others is the most important thing we can do! We are an example of what Christ is meant to be in everyone's life! We live in a very ME society and to be a Franciscan is the complete opposite of what the secular world is doing these days! I think the Holy Spirit for guiding me to the peace I so long search for! How sad for the world in desperation of peace only needs to seek God and put selfish ways aside to find it! Sunday at 7:11pm via mobile Unlike 1 - Reply

Susan Gustavson To me it means carrying my faith fearlessly out in the world. To preach my faith always by my actions. To be an instrument of peace in all areas of my life. To realize no part of my life is too secular to carry God there by how I live. To realize that wearing the Tau that all my action are scrutinized as being how Christians act. Finally, as I constantly fail at all these things, I have to be forgiving to all. Sunday at 8:00pm Unlike 2 - Reply

Fernando Miguel Salas Pachas Peace and Love Lucija MaRrvelous Naletili Ofs, I understand you what you try to do, it is not easy to write something about OFS or SFO (Secular Francisn Order), one thing, it will be good (this is my idea) that you start reading about what does mean lay and secular or in Spanish language SEGLAR, why? because, most of our OFS dont know about it, it is okay that we OFS are in the layti but the OFS always has haven a very particular place in the layti , therefore , our name ORDEN FRANCISCANA SEGLAR or SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER, ETC, these word secular or seglar are a thecnical words to people realize that there is something different, okay, Peace and Love , Secular Brother Fernando Miguel Salas Pachas OFS or SFO or just Fernando Salas OFS (American USA citizen - Peruvian citizen). Sunday at 8:42pm Unlike 1 - Reply

Sandra Jo Mike I will have to think About this! But I can say that when you share scripture on Face Book it is like you are gifting us, you give of yourself.

I always appreciate that! Sunday at 8:42pm via mobile Unlike 2 - Reply

Cherie Boehler Fisher What would your average day be like if you were NOT a Franciscan. What makes each day different for you because you ARE. Each person is unique, so your reasons for being Franciscan and what it means to you will also be unique. But perhaps contrasting the everyday life you lead with what you would be living if not in fraternity might spell it out and invite others to examine their own lives to see how they live differently because they are Franciscan. Sunday at 8:44pm Unlike 3 - Reply

Fernando Miguel Salas Pachas Hi Cherie, peace and Love, I understand you very good why you try to say, it doesnt matter if someone is a franciscan or anything if someone doesnt live as real person who follows Jess, Peace and Love, Fernando Salas OFS Sunday at 9:02pm Unlike 2 - Reply

Anita Timmons To me, being Franciscan only deepens my awareness of my Catholic faith, values, and virtues. Don't you find yourself pushing the shopping cart to the place it really belongs not behind your car. or smiling much more, or loving to share stories about Father Francis egg. preaching to the birds? I truly believe Lucjia that Francis's spirit is given to us on our day of profession. I was always active in my parish but since profession I find a joy that is so enhanced, so in a nutshell being a Franciscan, I feel is knowing that you are loved, you love, and your heart desires, so strongly to serve! Hope this helps, Anita Clare OFS Sunday at 9:35pm Unlike 5 - Reply

Lucija MaRrvelous Naletili Ofs Thank you for your comments, they have been very helpful. God bless you. Pax et bonum. Monday at 2:27pm Like - Reply

John Terranova May I add - it is a calling?

John Terranova Perhaps better yet - it is answering the call. Monday at 5:28pm Unlike 2 - Reply

Ganny Beltran Ofs A secular Franciscan who has a mission to be fulfilled yet doesn't belong in this world...in other word the outside world is our battleground/arena. pax