Becoming a Franciscan means embracing the charism of St. Francis. Charism is a term that indicates a personal gift of the Spirit used for the good of all the Church. When a charism is approved by the Pope, the charism is said to participate in the official mission of the Church in making Christ present in the world. The charism of St. Francis of Assisi is simply to live the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone called by grace of God to do likewise and admitted by the proper authority into any of the three Orders of St. Francis belongs to the Franciscan family.
Becoming a Franciscan requires a certain level of commitment in a number of areas:
- a commitment to grow in one’s understanding of the Gospels and of Franciscan spirituality by reading, meditating and studying
- a commitment to a greater connection to God through prayer
- a commitment to be an instrument of God’s peace in the world, which may translate into many different forms of active charity.
(Adapted from the website of St. Peter’s OFS Fraternity, Woodbridge, Ont.)