Come & See
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS about joining the Secular Franciscan Order
You've met a lay Franciscan at your parish and you think you might be interested too. Your friend has invited you to one of our meetings, and now you are there as a visitor or observer. You listen to all that is said, and you pray with us as we pray. There's usually a social in the middle or end of the meeting, so you talk to some people. When you go home you have a faint idea that perhaps you ought to come back to the next meeting. But you really do not know why. You're already so involved and perhaps you're cautious about joining yet another committee or club.
The call to enter the Secular Franciscan Order (OFS*) is a gift of God. To enter any Order of the Church (Franciscans, Benedictines, Carmelites, Augustinians, and their lay components. There are many more.) takes spiritual discernment. We know in our everyday lives that without exercising discernment we would probably be in jail. When we get an inspiration to do something, we discern whether that thought came from ourselves, from evil forces or from the Holy Spirit. If the inspiration is self-serving, forget it. Discernment to enter an Order is something like that. Principally we must find out if the call to enter a specific Order or way of life came, indeed, from the Holy Spirit, from God.
The OFS is not a club nor is it a social organization. It is one of the Orders of the Church and it is for people who feel called by God to serve Christ and his Church in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi as Secular Franciscans. In the old days, when there were fewer of us, and especially when St. Francis founded the Order as the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, the fraternities that grew out of that initial group, became known as the "Third Order of Saint Francis." (TOSF) They were motivated and animated by friars from the First Order, and those good friars made all the decision, which worked well. There came a point however, when the TOSF grew and grew, since it was an extremely popular Order all over the world (I learned of it, when I was about six years old, in Europe), it turned out that our numbers quadrupled the number of friars.
Before long, the friars asked for help. On June 24, 1978, the four Ministers General of the First Orders (OFM, OFM Conv., OFM Cap., and TOR) sent a communication to the OFS which includes the following: "We joyfully inform you that the Holy See, by means of the Apostolic Letter Seraphicus Patriarca, dated June 24, 1978, and "under the ring of the Fisherman," has approved the revised Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order which abbrogates and takes the place of the preceeding rule of Pope Leo XIII. This was a splendid gift from Pope Paul VI, renaming the TOSF to be the Secular Franciscan Order. Moreover, this was not just a change in name, but the Order was brought gently up to date, the 20th Century.
So the OFS is truly an Order of the Church, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1226, which exists worldwide and at one point numbered around 1 Million. The OFS in the United States is structured into 30 geographic regions; the Minister (president) of each Region is a member of the National Fraternity Council, as are the members of the National Executive Council and four members of the Conference of National Spiritual Assistants, one from each of the four Friar Obediences. There are approximately 741 local fraternities which have a total of approximately 17,000 professed members, and there are approximately 1400 people in formation. Each fraternity has a Spiritual Assistant, who is usually a First Order, or Third Order Regular, Friar, but could be a religious, diocesan clergy, or a certified lay Secular Franciscan. Please note that those numbers change annually, I believe these numbers were from 5-6 years ago.
The organization of OFS consists of a Minister General in Rome, and the CIOFS (General Council of SFO). Each country then has a National Minister and a similar Council. In USA, Jan Parker, OFS, is the National Minister. Since the USA is so large, it is divided into Regions (similar in idea to the Provinces of the First Order) . . . [with a] Regional Minister. Each Region contains a number of Fraternities, each of those have a Minister as well. . . . Together with the friars of the First Order, the sisters of the Second Order, (the Poor Clares) and many Third Order sisterhoods.
"To be admitted into the Order a candidate must be of tried fidelity in the practice of the Catholic Faith and in absolute loyalty to the Roman Church and the Apostolic See." What does that mean? Well, new applicants must be Roman Catholics who go to Holy Mass on Sundays, Holidays of Obligation, and perhaps also during the week. Your faith must be strong and you must fully endorse the actions of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Magisterium (Cardinals, Bishops, etc.). If you are a Catholic who only goes to Sunday Mass now and then, and you figure once you join OFS, it'll help you sin less, then perhaps you should look elsewhere. The OFS is not for you. Of course there are exceptions. Converts to the Roman Catholic Church are accepted after proper formation.
The OFS has a required formation period set by Canon Law. Usually, you would observe us for a couple of meetings, perhaps 3 or 4, up to six months. Then, if still interested, you may become an Inquirer for six or more months (depending if our Formation Director feels you're ready to be admitted to Candidacy (e.g. Novitiate). There is reading and study involved in the Inquirer and Candidacy time. And, we will not ask you if you wish to become an Inquirer, a Candidate or to be Professed - that initiative has to come from you and it must be the result of much prayer and discernment. And it also must be in writing. We will let you know when you have completed the lessons for the next step. Candidacy is one and a half year long thus the total process of formation is about two years. (Effective 7/4/2003)
When professed, I promise "by the grace of God to renew my baptismal promises and to consecrate myself to the service of his Kingdom. Therefore, in my secular state, I promise to live all the days of my life the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Secular Franciscan Order by observing its rule of life. May the grace of the Holy Spirit, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and our holy father Saint Francis, and the fraternal bonds of community always be my help, so that I may reach the goal of perfect Christian love."
It takes a lifetime to reach that goal of perfect Christian love but we must seek continual perfection. A Christian life is never still. It takes daily discernment of our thoughts and actions and daily conversion in striving to live a holy life. Religious Orders make vows of Obedience, Poverty and Chastity, and their life is lived in celibacy and as their rules provide. But the OFS is an Order for the laity, single or married (a priest not already in another order can join us as well) and our focus is somewhat different. Our Profession promises cover all that because the Secular Franciscan rule of life includes calls for moderation, frugality, purity, and obedience as well.
There is a strong bond between Franciscans anywhere and the OFS is no exception. We work closely with each other on the Fraternity level, help each other as much as possible. But it cannot stop there. We must involve ourselves in a quiet and understated way with all we meet, in all social situations, in committees, other groups. We must do that to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and to set a good example. Lots of advertising does not bring us new Inquirers. Our way of life and how we practice this, that is what brings new people in.
I hope this little writing is useful to "would-be" Inquirers, who have only a vague idea what the OFS is all about, and if you continue to discern a vocation to our way of life, please contact us soon. If you do not live in the area served by our local Fraternity, then please call 1-800-FRANCIS (USA only) to ask where your nearest fraternity is located. For those in other countries, perhaps you could ask your priest or pastor or check on the internet.
* OFS - Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis (All names of Orders in the Church are in Latin)
For further informaton please use this contact form
There are different types of prayer
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
God makes himself known to us in different ways. Some people like reading scriptures, one of the best ways to get to know God. Meditating on what you are reading really helps bringing God’s Presence to you, to your heart and to your soul. For other people, the Liturgy is a means to connect with God. Many Secular Franciscans pray the Liturgy of the Hours on a daily basis. It’s a wonderful prayer and source of grace. The three psalms, set in a four-week cycle, gives enough variety not to let it grow stale. On feasts and solemnities, these psalms are different ones generally. If you think about what you are reading, you’ll get a lot more out of it. I try to pray slowly and with emphasis.
Suffering is another source of prayer. We all suffer in one form or another, so make this suffering a prayerful situation to bring your soul closer to the Lord. Suffering: offer it up for reparation, for the offenses against the Blessed Sacrament, insults to God and the Blessed Mother. “For Your loving death, we offer You our reparation, O Lord. That You spare us, that You hear us, we sinners beseech You, hear us. That You will make known Your love for us in this most Holy Sacrament, we sinners beseech You, hear us.”
“Prayers of reparation can also be thought of as “prayers of love,” proclaiming to Jesus the love you have for him, even when others reject him. It provides an opportunity to recognize the damage our sins have upon the world and to repair it by our acts of love.” (Quoted from Catholic-on-Line)
We have to discover which method of prayer works for us. When the prayer works, we are more at ease and we’ll be less distracted. We will be in His Presence and the whole experience will be better. Some say your inner disposition is more important than your ease and convenience but the Holy Spirit will assist you in this choice of prayer. “The value of prayer is measured by the love which is in it. Perfect prayer is all love, and perfect love is all prayer.” (Dom Hubert Van Zeller).
Once love becomes the primary expression, even the prayer might be very short, the center of our thought is no longer our self, but it is focused on God. God is the object of our love, to pray without love is not prayer at all, it is ‘lip service.’
Regardless of the type of prayer that works for you, there is also location. Some pray pool-side. Water has a relaxing quality. I called a friend ten minutes ago and she was praying, sitting by the side of the pool. She was relaxed and I could hear the calmness she felt in her words. I don’t have a pool but my favorite pool is at a friend’s house where I experience relaxing seating, and just a joyful time. Prayer is never wasted time, and the location where you pray helps develop prayer, because that’s where you are at ease.
I haven’t touched on prayer in church. Between Liturgies (Holy Mass, Adoration, etc.), sitting quietly with Jesus in the Tabernacle, or exposed in the Monstrance, is a great way to connect with Jesus.
” The Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under an ordinary piece of bread! Brothers, look at the humility of God, and pour out your hearts before Him!
Humble yourselves that you may be exalted by Him! Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally!” (From the “Letter of St. Francis to the Entire Order”)
Peace and Good to all,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Love yourself?
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
You shall love your neighbor as yourself. We are told to subdue our ego, and still, we must love ourselves? How can that be?
In the pre-Vatican II times of our Church, there was a very strong emphasis on denying ourselves, and this notion was there for a good reason, except that people often took it the wrong way. Too much self-denial is destructive. Too little is dangerous, too. We're getting into an area of morality here. A person who doesn't have a strong self-denial ethic is someone who has no self-control in the area of temptation and sin. We all need self-denial, otherwise we'd all end up in jail. Right? On the other hand, too much self-denial can lead one into a lot of trouble. It is a matter of common sense. We aren't all called to a life of monastic contemplation (there is nothing wrong with that, but it isn't for everyone), nor do all of us have a vocation to the strict poverty as St. Francis of Assisi lived. That St. Francis and St. Clare lived in strict Evangelical Poverty doesn't mean that they did not love themselves, because those who do not love themselves aren't capable of loving others.
The love for self we're speaking of here, is the knowledge that we were created as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This has nothing to do with poor self-image, low self-esteem, or perhaps even self-hatred, but it has everything to do with how we view ourselves in our relationship to God. In His eyes we are a jewel of creation. "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you visit him? You reduced him to a little less than the Angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, and you have set him over the works of your hands. You have subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and in addition: the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, which pass through the paths of the sea. O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is your name throughout all the earth!" (Ps. 8:6-9). If you can see yourself in light of Psalm 8:6-9, you can be sure that you are capable of loving yourself and therefore also capable of loving God and other people. But know we are Temples of the Holy Spirit; we have the responsibility to sin no more. Or at least try.
I cannot tell you how many people have tried over time to dissuade me from uttering the words "curtail sin," not because they didn't want to, but because they decided they knew it couldn't be done. It may take a lifetime to get there, but a Christian is a person who keeps trying to sin no more because if he/she loves God a lot, sin must lessen. Loving God with pure love is a life-long struggle, but it is necessary. It is not something we should take for granted. We should never treat this subject with nonchalance or even carelessness. It is too important to God, and to the life of your soul. On the other hand, scrupulosity is not healthy, so there is a very fine line between the two. As long as we have the desire, God will help us along.
To those who suffer from lack of self-love, it could be a matter of not having faith. It is not an easy position to be in, because it could also be some psychological lack. There are a great many people, particularly teenagers, who have lost the will to live, because they have lost self-love. It begins when one loses belief in God, but also when people are attacked by Satan and evil spirits. Read the Bible and you will find numerous people in it, who were healed by Jesus when He freed them of a demon, be it the demon of self-hatred or total disgust for life. Pray for people whose actions would lead one to believe that they no longer have any self-worth. But also pray for the rest of us, that these difficult times and the hardships we face daily will draw us closer to God rather than into the other direction.
In Our Eucharistic Lord,
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
June 18, 2023
We accept all people as a gift of the Lord.
A reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
Rule 13 of the Secular Franciscan Order, reads as follows: “As the Father sees in every person the features of his Son, the firstborn of many brothers and sisters, so the Secular Franciscans with a gentle and courteous spirit accept all people as a gift of the Lord and an image of Christ. A sense of community will make them joyful and ready to place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ.”
(Italics, mine)
I take that Rule very seriously. In 1997-8, I was in formation for the Order of Friars Minor. The main reason I chose to leave was because I could not come to grips with this notion of accepting all people as a gift of the Lord. What about people whose idea of life was different from mine? My enemies? Part of my family had been killed by the Nazi’s in WWII – so those were my enemies. And then there are people whose lifestyle is different from mine. That can fill a book. But that was 26 years ago, and after five years as a Monk (1998-2002) and many years of thinking about how I felt about these concepts that set me at odds with many people and with the church, I began to see it in a different light, the light of Rule 13. I’ve been a Secular Franciscan for 30 years, prayed a lot, and learned a lot. I’ve been a fraternity minister twice, a formation director twice, and I’ve done various other things in the Order. I’ve written about 600-700 Spiritual Reflections. Probably more but I didn’t keep count. I’ve had several websites and still have four (too much, because it costs too much).
I’ve met all sorts of people. Many Catholics and other Christians, but many who’ve ‘fallen away,’ from the faith. Many who are living in sin. I’m not judging them, but I am praying for them.
If you need prayer, please identify yourself. Go to: https://www.ffmr-ofs.org/prayer-requests/
Those requests come directly to me. That page is on the website of the Five Franciscan Martyrs Region of the Secular Franciscan Order in Florida, USA.
Peace and Good
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
June 20, 2023
The Eyes Have It
A Reflection by Fred Schaeffer, OFS
The basic component of social interaction is making eye contact. Failing to make eye contact may suggest you are shy, inexperienced in people relationships, or even rude or a bore. Making eye contact for an inappropriately long time can be perceived by some that you are aggressive and over-confident. For most people, eye contact is as natural as talking or laughing, and yet for others, it can be very difficult. Looking from one eye to the other can cause the other person to feel you are insecure. Avoid staring. Just look directly into the person's eye in a relaxed manner. Besides eye contact, it is also very important to listen. During the conversation, if you focus completely on what the other person is saying, you won't have to worry about making eye contact correctly; if you are truly listening, you will just naturally focus your eyes on their eyes. Remember that maintaining eye contact is how you quietly prove to a person that you are interested in what they're saying. It's a vital way to demonstrate respect. People who have bifocals may often be uncomfortable to stand too close, causing their eyes to wander.
- Show Eye Magnetism. Try not to look away instantly when something else calls for your attention. This happens a lot, nowadays. If somebody calls you, don't look away as if you just got rescued from a boring conversation. Instead, slightly hesitate before looking at your caller. Looking away then quickly looking back is also a good idea. Remember though, important disruptions such as dangerous or priority interruptions warrant instant attention.
- Smile with your eyes. Smiling with your eyes generates a more relaxed feel, needed for a nice casual conversation. Hostile eyes or false smiles tend to make uncomfortable conversations and the other person will probably try to end the conversation.
I had a friend once who, to my dismay, would appear very controlling during his conversations with me. He would stare at me, come really close so I could smell his (bad) breath, and to make his point, poke me into the stomach, repeatedly, as he talked. That's no good either. That makes me very uncomfortable. I always felt relieved when he stopped talking to me.
Looking at God with the eyes of your soul ... that's a different story. That is the inner secret of your contact with the Almighty, communication that goes on between you and God when we pray and when we think of him during the day or night. It is the silent communication of love, of friendship. It is communication without words when a penitent succeeds, be it for a day, an hour or a minute, to please God totally. For some those are rare moments, yet for others they are the routine. Those are joyful people.
This relationship with God is somewhat like two married people. They sit in the same room, not really communicating but just being at peace with one another. Dad is reading the paper, and Mom is engaged in a knitting project. They are both content with each other even though they are silent. They are doing their own thing but they are together and there is peace in the house. Our Lord when he was on earth told us to go to our inner room to pray...for married couples, this "inner room" can be each other's company, too.
The eyes of the soul see and absorb, the soul is difficult to define and probably presents us with one of the most important philosophical problems. The soul may be defined as our conscience, our inner core, where we are animated. This is where we feel, think and will. Para. 363 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), says, "In Sacred Scripture the term "soul" often refers to human life or the entire human person. But "soul" also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God's image: "soul" signifies the spiritual principle in man."
CCC 365, "The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the "form" of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.” And in CCC 366, "The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not "produced" by the parents - and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection." The last quotation is CCC 367, "Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people "wholly", with "spirit and soul and body" kept sound and blameless at the Lord's coming. The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul. "Spirit" signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.”
What I'd like to stress is that the soul is immortal; until the final Resurrection, the form we will have if we get into Heaven is our soul, man's spirit. To put this in more modern terms, the soul is the link each one of us has with God, for our soul and God often speak the same language depending how we apply ourselves in our relationship with Him.
With the eyes of the soul, we see God is a very personal way, a way as none other. The soul is our "fingerprint" as it were, with God, and He knows us by name, a name only available to Him. God's love for us is unique and forever. Let us live our lives to merit this love in every way possible.
May God bless you and keep you!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS (8/14/2009, repub. 6/22/2023)
CCC: Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Inner Peace
People who have a close spiritual relationship with Jesus generally enjoy "Inner Peace" when they have reached a certain stage. I write this somewhat from personal experience, but I do not wish to dwell on that too deeply, because we are all still struggling in our relationship with God. Maybe when we're "six feet under," that relationship will come to a different plateau, one we look forward to, but one which often fills people with hesitancy and even horror. Those are the honest people, who realize at a certain point in their lives, that they haven't taken God's Will for them seriously, and also that there is a lot of room for improvement.
I finally re-discovered something I read years and years ago, but had forgotten where (on my hard drive) it was located. That is a number of pointers, or perhaps "benchmarks" is a better word, that were put together by a "Sister of the School Sisters of Notre Dame" - which means that the author wishes to remain anonymous.
- A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
- An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
- A loss of interest in judging other people
- A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
- A loss of interest in conflict.
- A loss of ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom).
- Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.
- Contented feelings of contentedness with others and nature.
- Frequent attacks of smiling.
- An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.
- An increasing susceptibility to the love extended by others, as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.
Let's look at these definitions. Most people meet new situations in light of their previous experiences. Few people are so spontaneous that they completely trust in God, and feel confident and unafraid to see a new situation as an opportunity for charity and openess. That is because we have a tendency to be suspicious of new things. "What will she think of me?" "Where is this going," and most of all, "is this good for me?" Once you begin to trust in the Lord, such questions are totally unnecessary in our lives. And when that happens we find we have the ability to enjoy each moment.
We meet someone, a stranger, and our minds seek for first impressions of that stranger. He stutters as he greets us. Right away, some will think "Not a perfect person," not necessarily in those words, but certainly into that direction. People have a propensity to negatively judge others. Another example is another stranger, this time a girl meeting a man. As you know, men view women they meet (and perhaps less so, vice versa) with what they believe that person should be from a sexual perspective - that's not wrong, it's natural. Of course, overdoing it, may be another thing. But for the sake of our example, it's enough to make the point that all of us view other people, not only hesitantly, but also with pre-conceived notions. When we form and have experience with a Spiritual life in Christ, we are so filled and busy with that relationship, that we are no longer interested in judging others, interpreting what they are doing, seeking conflict. We simply don't worry. That's not the same thing as "Not caring," however.
Episodes of appreciation happen when we see God's love reflected in the other person, and when we become able to judge no more. We become genuinely happy in just meeting other people, no matter who they are, what they look like, and how they act toward us. That's a beautiful thing. I regret to say, I am not there yet! When someone cuts you off, in traffic, and you can only think of that poor soul who must be in a terrible hurry, without hyperventilating, then perhaps you're on the right path!
I am very content when I am alone (yes, I do enjoy other people!) and nothing adverse is happening, but can we say this, when we're in a crowded room, with lots of hustle and bustle going on, people talking out loud, children running back and forth, and even screaming now and then - it takes an extremely cool head to stay calm in that situation, doesn't it? Seeing in my past monastery experiences, a friar, monk or sister sitting quietly before the Tabernacle, deeply in prayer or contemplation, totally unaware of what is going on around him or her, totally content with the relationship with the Lord that matters at that moment in time, that is contentment par excellence!
Can this happen outside of a friary, convent, monastery or abbey - sure. Two married people (my Mom and Pop, a good example), quietly sitting by the hearth (it was cold in wintertime), in the evening after dinner, one reading a paper, the other knitting something - content in their relationship, totally at ease with each other and with Our Lord. That too, is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, that was many years ago. Now marriages seem to be shorter. Many more sons and daughters come from broken homes. But I can still see Mom and Dad's contentment, a great lesson for me in Faith and Loyalty to each other.
Can modern people be that trusting? I don't see why not, but again, they need to have a healthy and close relationship with Our Lord, to be able to experience the contentment that I do remember from days of old. Lots of smiles follow. We are glad that the other is doing fine. We are in the "now." - What happened a half hour ago, I can't change, and what will happen later, well, who knows? Let it be a surprise, a Grace in itself.
I could try to explain the rest of it, but by now you already know the answer. Given the fact that when we reach 70+ years, we see many friends and acquaintances in the Obituaries prematurely. Death is always premature, isn't it? And we pray for that person that he or she may be, or may shortly be, in Paradise. We don't judge the other person and wonder how he could possibly be going to Heaven with the life he led - because then we're judging, which we shouldn't - and praying for God's mercy and compassion for those who left prematurely, is much better than fretting about something we cannot now nor could ever change. Our relationship with God is a very personal thing - we can only pray that it will go right, but we really cannot change it. So when we get to be 'of age' we realize that time is not limitless and that we could go next. Repent! Put your Spiritual house in order! Then you will find joy that may be with you, forever.
God bless you!
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
February 17, 2016