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The Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans)Christ said to Francis of Assisi, "Go, rebuild my Church which, as you see, is falling into ruin." From that moment over 800 years ago to the present day this has been the mission of the Franciscans throughout the world. We are members of the Order of Friars Minor - commonly known as "Franciscans" after the name of our founder, St. Francis of Assisi. The order includes many thousands of men and women who take the vows of religious life and many more Christian faithful who belong to the Secular Franciscan Order. The center of our life is to live as St. Francis, bringing aid to those who most need help. We are sustained in this by our life of community and prayer. Our vocation involves our priests and brothers in missions throughout the world, education, direction of parishes, spiritual retreat guidance for laymen, and general works of charity among the poor. |
Franciscan Vocation MinistryThe Franciscan Vocation Ministry exists to serve those who feel the call to service. Vocation represents the process of discovering an individual's unique gifts and discerning how God calls us to offer those gifts in service. It calls us out of ourselves towards God and neighbor. It is very paradoxical. We give ourselves in service, in order to find ourselves. If you feel the call (vocare in Latin) or wish to explore what the Catholic faith and Franciscan Order offers, please feel free to contact us or take our vocation quiz. Please pray for vocationsThe celebration of the VIII Centenary of the foundation of our Fraternity gives us an opportunity of grace to remember the past with gratitude, live the present with enthusiasm and to open up with confidence to the future . This is the way to celebrate the Grace of Our Origins. And so, at the beginning of this third millennium, we Franciscans wish to re-affirm our steadfast will to remain faithful to our charism by "living the Gospel in the Church according to the form observed and proposed by St. Francis", re-creating it, however, in the light of the challenges of present-day Franciscan life. Minority is the Franciscan way of being and acting. It is the Franciscan way of following Christ and following the example of Saint Francis. It is the style that characterizes all Franciscan values (the spirit of prayer and devotion, fraternal communion, poverty, evangelization). Minority suggests a dimension of relationship. The term ‘minor’, which Francis takes from the Gospel (cf. Mt 20,25-27; Lk 22,26), is a term of relationship: one is minor in relation to the other (LSR, 28). PrayerSaint Francis’ Prayer Before the Crucifix Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command. Amen. |
Sacred Heart Province Today, the Sacred Heart Province serves those in need throughout the United States, with missions in Africa and South America. The Franciscan friars of the Sacred Heart Province have been there to walk with the People of God at the key moments in their lives. The Priority of Fraternity
What Do People Want in Life?
We live because it is God's loving holy plan that we might be the very ambassadors of Christ's mercy, gentleness, kindness, patience, holiness and faithfulness each day. We live because God wants us to experience Him fully, sacramentally, lovingly and reverently. We live because God has blessed us with human life from conception to know, love and serve Him in this world and be forever happy with God in the life of heaven. |
In the beginning – after the first nine Franciscan Friars of Holy Cross Province in Saxony arrived in the United States on September 14, 1858, and established their community in Teutopolis, Illinois, on September 23rd – they began to carry out their mission in three significant areas of ministry, which shaped the future of Sacred Heart Province: pastoring the faithful, preaching the Word, and educating youth and young adults.
St. Francis of Assisi is arguably one of the most attractive of Jesus’ followers. For over eight hundred years men and women throughout the world have been drawn to his way of Gospel living. That magnetic dynamism began working its spell shortly after the life changing experiences which transformed Francis from Assisi’s prince of playboys to become the little poor man, the Poverello. At the very core of Francis’ conversion was the radical awareness that the Most High God was not only Creator and Source of all that is, but that God was preeminently “Father” and, consequently, all of reality was essentially a brother or a sister. 
We live simply because God lives in Jesus Christ, and we can face tomorrow with all its challenges, hopes, dreams, unexpected happenings, and the joys that are often hidden in the most unexpected places - a sunset, a child's smile. We live because God's eternal holy plan for each one of us is to grow in holiness and in the image of God. 
A Message From The Vicar General
Christ said to Francis of Assisi, "Go, rebuild my Church which, as you see, is falling into ruin."
From that moment over 800 years ago to the present day this has been the mission of the Franciscans throughout the world: to rebuild the Church and the world from the inside out by promoting peace and reconciliation, building communities of justice and truth, and implanting the principles of faith, hope, love and service to all in our society, particularly the poor who are, in the mind of Francis, particularly close to God. In other words, we are committed to enter into a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ and those who he loves and cares for, model our lives according to his life and message, and give a living and energetic witness to the Gospel who is more than a book, but a Person -- the poor and crucified Christ whom Francis met through the San Damiano Cross and through the lepers, the poor and the lost of his day.
The so-called "Peace Prayer of St. Francis" captures in a practical way this vision of being a Franciscan, of making present the values and vision that Jesus Christ has given us.
In our own unique way as the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart of the Order of Friars Minor, but in collaboration with all other Franciscans and all other people of good will, we have been carrying out this mission of rebuilding the Body of Christ the Church and restoring a wounded humanity and creation since 1858 when the Franciscan friars first arrived in Illinois from Germany.
We invite you to come to know the story of Christ, of Francis, and of the Franciscans of our province so that you might also experience peace, joy, and hope and join us in this spiritual and human adventure. Come to know our history. Encounter our friars. See what we do. Become part of our activities. Find out what's happening in our Franciscan world. Read our newsletters. Ask us questions. Make a request for prayer. Become part of our movement, which is a movement of God in our world for the healing of a humanity and creation that are wounded but that stand in the hope promised by God from the beginning of time.
Michael Perry
OFM
Vicar General
Please keep them in your prayers
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William Spencer, OFM |
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Michael Jennrich, OFM |
Look at the past with gratitude; embrace the future with hope; living the present with passion.
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