Resources
SECULAR FRANCISCAN PRIORITIES (Part 2) - Monthly Spiritual Message OCTOBER 2019
In Part One, last month, I quoted Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii nuntiandi n.72, and drew out three priorities of the laity, and specifically of the Secular Franciscans, in the world. “Hence the active presence of the laity in the temporal realities takes on all its importance” ..
SECULAR FRANCISCAN PRIORITIES (Part 1) - Monthly Spiritual Message SEPTEMBER 2019
Jesus says in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations" (Mt 28:18). The gospel calls every person who believes in Jesus Christ to spread the Good News. Every Christian is a missionary by vocation. In 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote a ground-breaking Apostol ..
ORIGINS OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER - Monthly Spiritual Message AUGUST 2019
The Secular Franciscan Order traces its origins back to St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), who gathered round him the “Brothers and Sisters of Penance of Assisi”. Let us read what the early biographers of St Francis have to say about them. Friar Thomas of Celano, who knew St Francis, wr ..
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS - Monthly Spiritual Message JULY 2019
We usually interpret the parable of the talents in Matthew’s gospel (Mat 25:14-30), and of the pounds in Luke’s gospel (Lk 19:11-28), as an exhortation to develop our God-given gifts and to make them productive in building the Kingdom of God. Our heroes are the servants who returned their talent ..
LAUDATO SI’ ON THE ENVIRONMENT - Monthly Spiritual Message MARCH 2019
LAUDATO SI’ ON THE ENVIRONMENT Carl Schafer OFM St Pauls Publication describes Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’, as An Encyclical Letter on Ecology and Climate, although the Letter is about much more than ecology and climate. The text consists of 246 paragraphs in 191 pages. Climate i ..
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER (Part 15) - Monthly Spiritual Message May 2019
Mary in the midst of our Fraternity – a Meditation The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order gives us a simple and beautiful example of how we are to live our fraternal life. It presents us with the image of Mary, the mother of Jesus as a person of “self-giving service.” We need to p ..
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER (Part 14) - Monthly Spiritual Message April 2019
5. and build a more fraternal and evangelical world Ritual Ch. 3. Yes, fraternity begins with a smile! Then it leads to talking together and sharing our joyful memories and becoming friends. A good friend is also someone with whom we can share our troubles. Joyful memories strengthen us, b ..
OFS Australia National Council's submission to the Plenary Council
What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? We believe God desires a holier church where everyday lay Catholics can be more deeply united in the life of the church, and where the laity can play an important role in rebuilding the church. We believe that God desires t ..
Secular Franciscan Prayers for the Plenary Council
Prayers of the Faithful On matters of importance to be mentioned in our prayers (Submitted to the Plenary Council of Australia by the Secular Franciscan Order of Australia) Explanation: These Prayers of the Faithful are an initial attempt to make petitions about the important to ..
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER (Part 13) - Monthly Spiritual Message March 2019
Be Instruments of Peace Ritual Ch. 3 From ancient times, the Church has taught that if you wish to attain peace and indeed become an instrument of peace, then you must begin to master the virtues that are contrary to, and a medicine against, the Seven Deadly Sins. The first list of te ..
Franciscan Study Course
The following documents contain a detailed Franciscan Study Course which has been kindly provided by the Franciscan International Training Facility. This course is not intended for OFS members in formation, but rather as a personal study course for anyone wishing to advance their Franciscan ..
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER (Part 12) - Monthly Spiritual Message February 2019
“…may we give witness to the gospel,” Ritual Ch. 3. (continued…) Have you ever thought about just what giving witness to the gospel” means as a way of life? How would you explain “living the gospel” to someone else in simple terms? The friars themselves did not find ..
Recent Articles
- Talks from the 2020 NSW & ACT Virtual Retreat
- THE MERCY OF GOD AND “LAUDATO SI” IN POPE FRANCIS AND ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI (Part 2) - Monthly Spiritual Message August 2020
- THE MERCY OF GOD AND “LAUDATO SI” IN POPE FRANCIS AND ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI (Part I) - Monthly Spiritual Message July 2020
- A TIME OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION - Monthly Spiritual Message June 2020
- “JEWS” AND “GREEKS” Part 2 - Monthly Spiritual Message May 2020
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Are You Being Called?
If you sometimes feel the need, or an inner urging, to do a little more than just attend Mass and be a good parishioner, please...
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