Being a Franciscan

  Being a Franciscan

             Being a Franciscan it is just more than wearing a brown robe, knotted cord and sandals. Although our exterior garb is incredibly significant, important and so eye-catching; the habit doesn’t make us a Friar. Unlike most Religious Orders, Communities and Societies, we don’t see St. Francis as merely a founder. Actually, I think St. Francis may even take offense at being called a founder. To us he is a Father. Being a Franciscan is being a son of St. Francis, born of his spiritual union with the Most Holy Trinity.

            Intimate to being a true son of St. Francis is accepting the truth of what the Church says about a religious charism. In both the Councilor and all the Post Councilor documents of Vatican II, the Church tells us that the same charism given to the founder to live the Gospel in a particular way is the same gift and charism given to each person called to that Community. To put it quite simply, we are sons of St. Francis sharing our Spiritual Father’s DNA. We have no less grace to live the Friars Minor Charism, to the full, than St. Francis had.

              In our initial formation life we discover the Charism and the principles that govern the life of Franciscan Capuchin. When we have a good grasp on the charism, we also have a good grasp on the principles and those principles help us to make decisions that keep us faithful to the charism. For us these principles are tobe very clear.