FRANCISCAN FAMILY - II

"A religious institute is a society in which members, according to proper law, pronounce public vows either perpetual or temporary, which are to be renewed when they have lapsed, and live a life in common as brothers or sisters." (Canon 607)

"The rule and life of the Friars Minor is this: to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity." ( honourius III)

Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - FI (from the Conventuals)

Pontifical missionary institute of the First Order. At Toodyay, W.A.

Brothers of St Francis - FSF (from Capuchins)

Not included in the Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia 2003. At Toongabbie, NSW.

"The form of life of the Order of the Poor Sisters, which the Blessed Francis founded, is this: to observe the holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by living in obedience, without property and in chastity." (Innocent IV)

Order of St Clare, Bendigo - PCC (Colletines)

"This is the form of life of the Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St Francis: to observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, by living in obedience, in poverty and in chastity." (John Paul II)

Not in Australia, Singapore or Oceania.

Not in Australia.

Franciscan Brothers of Ireland

Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary - FMM

Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood - FMDM

In Australia and Papua New Guinea:

Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception - MFIC

In Australia:

Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus - FCJ (Maltese)

Franciscan Sisters of St Anthony - FSSA (Italian)

In East Malaysia:

Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Sabah -FSIC

Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak - SSFS

"A secular institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within" (Canon 710).

Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ: men and women

"In the Church there are associations distinct from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, in which thee Christian faithful, either clergy or laity, or clergy and laity together, strive by common effort to promote a more perfect life ... and to animate the temporal order with the Christian spirit" (Canon 298)

"Associations whose members live in the world but share in the spirit of some religious institute, under the overall direction of the same institute, and who lead an apostolic life and strive for Christian perfection, are known as third orders, or are called by some other suitable title" (Canon 303).

"By their profession they pledge themselves to live the gospel in the manner of Saint Francis by means of this rule approved by the Church." (Paul VI)

National Fraternity of Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, East Malaysia). Eight Regional Fraternities (Australia, 6; New Zealand, 1; Singapore-Sabah, 1).

"The fraternities ... should welcome those who, without belonging to the SFO, wish to share its experiences and activities." (General Constitutions SFO, Art. 103.1)

"The Franciscan Youth ... is formed by those young people who feel called by the Holy Spirit to share the experience of the Christian life in fraternity, in the light of the message of Saint Francis of Assisi, deepening their own vocation within the context of the Secular Franciscan Order" (General Constitutions SFO, Art. 96.2)

"The Franciscan Youth, as a component of the Franciscan family, requests from the competent secular leaders and religious superiors, respectively, fraternal animation and spiritual assistance." (General Constitutions SFO, Art. 96.6)

"The formation of groups of children should be encouraged. With the help of a pedagogy and an organization suitable to their age, these children should be initiated into a knowledge and love of the Franciscan life." (General Constitutions SFO, Art. 25)

"Franciscan Children is the initiation into the Franciscan experience adapted to children and to pre-adolescents so that they may aim at the ideal of the perfect man realised in Jesus Christ, the Word made man, and lived by St Francis of Assisi." (SFO National Council, Italy)

Franciscan Tertiaries of the Immaculate (Third Order of Franciscan Friars of the Immac.)

The Hills Franciscan Community (Third Order of FMM in W.A.)

Friends of St Francis, Companions of St Francis:

"The Fraternities will promote, wherever possible, fraternal relations with non-Catholic associations inspired by St Francis" (General Constitutions SFO, Art. 103.2)

"A local Fraternity can take an apostolic initiative by conducting its own group of Friends of St Francis. Anyone may apply to belong. The only qualifications required are that the member have a personal devotion to St Francis of Assisi, or is interested in him, or wants to know about him, and that he or she is approved for admission."

(Presidency of SFO International Council)

Young men and women who kept meeting after a youth camp run by the SFO. Rosemeadow, NSW. Still meeting?

A Non-Governmental Organization in General consultive status with the Economic & Social Council of the United Nations Organization. Members are individuals and groups (Franciscan orders, congregations, provinces, fraternities. Etc.).

"Provincial ministers have the right to establish branches of associations of the faithful that are related to the Order in any way whatever. The ministers have this faculty in the territory of their province and can delegate it to other brothers, observing the requirements of law (cf. Canon 312.2). (OFM General Constitutions, Art. 63)

An ecumenical community, whose members, either residential or associational, endeavour to live a life of simplicity in the spirit of the Beatitudes and in harmony with all of creation, aware of the need to express the spiritual in their daily lives. Members in NSW.

Not in the Australian Catholic Directory. Affiliated to "The Franciscan Order of Celi De", USA. A member lives in Launceston, TAS.

Membership encompasses all Franciscan Groups in Australia, Anglican, Catholic and Ecumenical. The aim is to foster working together as Franciscans, and to foster communication among the whole Franciscan family.

(See Cords Down Under)

Informal bimonthly meetings of individual Franciscans, Anglican, Catholic and Ecumenical.

(See Cords Connecting)

The Clare Community: Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stroud NSW. Sr Angela, a woman priest, died a few years ago. The Sisters are no longer there.

Society of St Francis SSF: The Hermitage of St Bernardine, Stroud NSW. The main house of the Anglican Franciscans in Australia.

Little Brothers of Francis LBF: "Eremophila", Tabulam NSW. An offshoot of the Society of St Francis.

Franciscans of the Sacred Heart FSH: Morningside, QLD. Not known to an Anglican priest TSSF.

Third Order of the Society of St Francis TSSF: Provincial Minister, Stafford, QLD. Has six Regional Ministers in Australia.