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Welcome to the 

​St. Clare Region​
​
of the Secular 

​Franciscan Order USA!

​The Secular Franciscan Order was founded by
​St. Francis of Assisi over 800 years ago.  

In 1221, Our Seraphic Father Francis instituted the Order of Penitents, now called the Secular Franciscan Order, for men & women who wished to live a fuller Gospel Life. 

​Our Order belongs to the Franciscan Family and is 'formed by the organic union of all Catholic fraternities, whose members, moved by the Holy Spirt, commit themselves through profession to live the Gospel after the manner of St. Francis in their secular state following the Rule approved by the Church." (Const.1,3)

We are an established order of the Catholic Church and, as such, our members are professed to the Order and its Rule.   Secular Franciscans seek to encounter the living and acting person of Christ in our brothers & sisters, in Sacred Scripture, in the Church, and in liturgical activity.   

​Members of the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS- Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis) are now found in many countries around the world, ​with approximately 200,000  members worldwide. 

​​In the USA, there are over 11,000 Secular Franciscans, with 30 regions as part of the entire
​National Secular Franciscan USA.   The St. Clare Region is one of those regions. 

​The St. Clare Region consists of 180+ Secular Franciscans (men & women) from 10 fraternities in Missouri, Western Illinois and Memphis, TN.   

Every member of the Order is a member of a local fraternity where that fraternity is the basic unit of the whole Order and a visible sign of the Church, the community of love. 
​
​Below are our fraternities' locations & names.  
​

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JEFFERSON CITY, MO- Joyful Servants
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KIRKWOOD, MO- Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman

ST. LOUIS, MO- St. Anthony of Padua

OAKVILLE, MO- St. Francis of Assisi

O FALLON, MO- San Damiano

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO- St. Padre Pio

SPRINGFIELD, MO- Followers of Francis

MEMPHIS, TN- St. Joan of Arc

BELLEVILLE, IL- St. Peter
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​ 

by Kris Wuellner, OFS, Monte La Verna Fraternity, Granite City IL

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​Is God Calling You to

​ Something More?

.. maybe the Secular Franciscan Order
​ is for you. 

If you have a Franciscan vocation, you probably have a desire to do something more.

Perhaps you feel a need for support in growing spiritually.

Or, deep down, you sense a need to serve God in a special way.

Or, for years, you have felt an affinity with St. Francis.  He seems to pop up all around and you just don’t know why.

Perhaps God is calling you!

​Getting to know the OFS better may be a way to determine if you have a vocation.​

​

Read some testimonials from Secular Franciscans in our region!

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WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SECULAR FRANCISCANS? 
EMAIL US​ 
[email protected]

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ST CLARE REGION OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER USA