The Mission of the Franciscan Federation is to promote exploration and study of Franciscan Evangelical Life and its implications for these times and for our world. The Federation provides national and regional opportunities to collaborate, gather, and celebrate so that vowed religious and their associates, secular Franciscans, lay Franciscans, and all who seek to live out the Franciscan movement in today’s world can better live the Franciscan call to conversion, contemplation, poverty, and humility.
The Franciscan Federation, which serves the broader Franciscan family, is built on the foundation of the Third Order Regular Franciscan Brothers and Sisters of the United States.
“Inspired by the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, the members of the Third Order Regular set forth to follow Jesus Christ by living in fraternal communion, by professing the observance of the evangelical counsels of obedience, poverty and chastity in public vows, and by giving themselves to innumerable expressions of apostolic activity. To actualize in the best way possible their chosen way of life, they dedicate themselves unreservedly to prayer, strive to grow in fraternal love, live true penance and cultivate Christian self-denial.”
Given at Rome, at Saint Peter’s under the ring of the Fisherman, on the 8th day of December, 1982, the fifth day of our pontificate by John Paul II as a Perpetual Memorial.
Vision
The Federation is a sacred gathering place where every member: our TOR founders, longtime companions, new co-creators, and future generations, contribute to a living, breathing tradition.We are strengthened by the diversity of stories, vocations, and experiences that converge and interact here.
Value For our Members
🌍🤝👥 The Franciscan Federation connects those living the Franciscan way of life. As a member, you join a vibrant community committed to enkindling and expanding Franciscan spirituality through prayer, reflection, and shared mission.
📚🛠️❤️ Membership provides essential resources, leadership support, and meaningful relationships that enable you to grow personally and collectively.
⚖️🌱🔥 Together, we amplify the Franciscan witness through collaboration, relationship, and action for justice and care of creation.
Our Guiding Spirit
We are a dynamic web of relationships, a wellspring of belonging rooted deeply in the enduring legacy of the Third Order Franciscans, the founders of the Federation. Paths converge and diverge here, as in the Piazza del Comune, where structure meets the freedom of openness, and comfort invites new encounters. We offer a multitude of experiences where each member steps into a living community alive with companionship and prayer, deepening vocation and mission, stirring joy, and embracing the abundance of the Franciscan family.