Crest of TOR Franciscan

Throughout the history of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis a common unifying theme can be seen in the importance placed on service to the people of God. The brothers and sisters of the Third Order have always been guided by their individual and collective awareness of the needs of the Church and formed by their willingness to respond to those needs. From the earliest recorded experiences of the "regular" branch of the Third Order, the sisters and brothers have worked in hospitals and hospices, educational institutions of various kinds, in spiritual direction and in any number of other areas in which people were in need of prayerful and loving service.

The history of the two provinces in the United States, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception of Mary, are two uniquely "American" expressions of this Franciscan tertiary spirit and commitment. Both provinces were born out of a genuine and prayerful desire to be of service to the people of God, and both continue to struggle to be responsive to the ever-changing needs of the Church in the United States.  

TOR Franciscan Values

Conversion 

was an integral value in both Francis and Clare’s lives as they moved beyond the status quo of their times. Born into wealth, Francis and Clare each were compelled to divest themselves of anything that would lead them away from Christ. They did this by following in the footprints of Jesus. This entailed a profound conversion—a complete surrender of their lives to God and God’s service!

Contemplation 

is fundamental in a Franciscan’s life—prayer that flows from the depths of an inner life. For Francis and Clare all of life was rooted in prayer: ministry, community, solitude and silence, joy and pain. Embracing this value, we are called to love, honor, adore, serve, praise, bless, and glorify God in our lives.

Poverty 

for Francis and Clare was a mirror image of Jesus’ poverty because Jesus had “nowhere to lay his head.” Thus, we are called to live our complete dependence on God through identifying with people around us who are poor, living a simple lifestyle and sharing all things in common. Our poverty extends beyond material poverty to an “attitude of the heart.” Embracing this attitude we strive to identify with the needs of the poor ones in our world and share our gifts, talents, ideas, resources and prayer life with them.

Minority 

in the times of Francis and Clare referred to a socio-economic status. Although born into wealth, each of these great saints made a conscious decision to become one of the minores (the lesser ones). Each had a keen awareness of “God’s little ones”—those who are marginalized, oppressed, helpless and unwanted—and actively reached out to them in loving service. Today, we are called to do no less—to search out the “lesser ones” in our midst and live our lives in solidarity with them.