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.
JEFFERSON CITY, MO- Joyful Servants
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
GRANITE CITY, IL- Monte La Verna
JEFFERSON CITY, MO- Joyful Servants
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
GRANITE CITY, IL- Monte La Verna
by Kris Wuellner, OFS, Monte La Verna Fraternity, Granite City IL |
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WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SECULAR FRANCISCANS?
EMAIL OR CALL US
christinebloodofs@gmail.com
314-973-9195
EMAIL OR CALL US
christinebloodofs@gmail.com
314-973-9195