Thank you for visiting the website of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas Region #75 of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) in the United States of America. We hope and pray that we might meet you in person one day, God willing!
The Secular Franciscan Order, formerly known as the Third Order of St. Francis, is an official Order within the Catholic Church, established by St. Francis of Assisi himself early in the thirteenth century.
Ordinarily, we do not live in community. Rather, we live with our families and perform our jobs out in the world, gathering in fraternities on a regular basis. By profession, we promise to follow a Rule of Life approved and confirmed by Pope Paul VI in June of 1978.
St. Francis of Assisi
The Rule and Constitutions might be a good place for you to begin your online inquiry. You might like to read more about St. Francis from numerous websites, including the one given above. You may pick up your phone and call 1-800-FRANCIS for more information. You might click on this interactive map of Regions and Fraternities across the whole United States (https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/map-of-local-fraternities/#) and see if you can find a fraternity near you to visit. You might email the Regional Minister for more details.
In these fraternities the brothers and sisters, led by the Spirit, strive for ongoing daily conversion by turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel. Following in the footsteps of Sts. Francis and Clare, we seek, with and only with God’s grace, perfect charity in our secular state and help one another in this journey closer to Christ.
The OFS in the United States is structured into 30 geographic regions. The Minister of each Region is a member of the National Fraternity Council along with the members of the National Executive Council and four members of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants, one from each of the four Friar Obediences. The National Fraternity is represented at the International level (headquartered in Rome) by an International Councilor. There are over 600 local fraternities with approximately 12,000 professed members. Most fraternities have a Spiritual Assistant, who is usually a First Order or Third Order Regular Friar, but can be a religious, diocesan clergy, or a certified lay Secular Franciscan.
Our Prayer Life:
Divine Office – Liturgy of the Hours
Daily Scripture Readings – Daily Mass Readings and Meditations for the Day
Franciscan Blessing:
May the Lord bless and keep us, May his face shine upon us and be gracious to us, May the Lord look upon us with kindness and give us his peace and may the Lord bless us, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Amen
ADDITIONAL PRAYER RESOURCES
Franciscan Crown Rosary (The Seven Joys of Mary) — National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
Prayers & Devotions (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Many Catholic Prayers (Catholic Online) — listed alphabetically & by subject
3-Minute Retreat (Loyola Press)
VIDEO PRAYERS
Friar Alessandro – Ave Maria – Shepherd’s Fields, Bethlehem
httpv://youtu.be/UOQmi7hhaX4
Prayer of St. Francis being sung by Sarah McLachlan
httpv://youtu.be/ZgPuqHd1hAE
Gregorian Chant
httpv://youtu.be/FKtBpuLrI2s
Blackfriar Music: “Come My Way”
httpv://youtu.be/Y3SSCuSMLK4
Hildegard von Bingen – Voice of the Living Light
