WHO IS IN THE FRANCISCAN FAMILY? We know that the Franciscan Family includes the First Order Friars (O.F.M., O.F.M.Capuchin, O.F.M.Conventual) and the T.O.R. Friars. We know that it includes the Poor Clares and all the other Franciscan contemplative women’s orders. We know that it includes the T.O.R. Sisters and Brothers various communities in the world (www.franfed.org). We also know that it includes the Secular Franciscan Order (www.ciofs.org) and also the Franciscan Youth.

WHO ELSE? All sorts of men and women. Associates of many of the Franciscan Sisterhoods, who wish to identify themselves with the specific charism or ministry of the Sisters’ Institutes, along with general Franciscan values. There are also Ad Hoc groups, formed for various ministerial needs within a Franciscan context. And, there are groups who simply come together as friends of St. Francis. Some of them are not Catholics, some may not be Christian. But they find life and strength (and Jesus) in the spirit of St. Francis. I think we need to be open to accept and recognize them as members of our Family.

ARE WE THEIR SPIRITUAL ASSISTANTS, TOO? As Friars and Franciscan Sisters and Secular Franciscans, we do not have canonical responsibility to directly serve these groups unless we are assigned as assistants by our own canonical superiors or by the Holy See. I do not want to lay extra burdens on the Spiritual Assistants to the SFO.

Spiritual Assistance to the Secular Franciscans is a canonical assignment to the First Order by Pope Martin V (1451). It was extended by the Holy See in this century to the T.O.R. Friars. Now it is being extended to the Poor Clares, other Cloistered Franciscan Sisters, and the T.O.R. Sisters--not as an official, canonical assignment, but by the Holy Spirit through our common sense in realizing that the First Order and T.O.R. Friars are not able to properly assist the Secular Franciscans. We need the Sisters to assist the Secular Franciscans with us,

We are becoming more aware of our relationship--Friars, Cloistered Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. Sisters & Brothers communities, and the Secular Franciscans--that we are members of one Family. We Friars are part of that Family: we are not the fathers of the Family (nor are the Sisters the mothers). I believe that we are to work with these other groups as best we can.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF T.O.R. COMMUNITIES. A number of Franciscan Sisterhoods and Brotherhoods have started groups of "Associate Members" of their communities. These are to help continue their Institute’s specific charism, and inculcate Franciscan values.

AD HOC FRANCISCAN GROUPS. There are groups formed by Friars, by Franciscan Sisters, or by themselves, for specific apostolic mission or ministry, based in Gospel values in the way of Francis. E.g., "St. Francis Friends of the Poor" in NYC. These are men and women who may or may not have a vocation to the Religious or Secular Franciscan Orders, led by several friars in a very specific ministry to homeless mentally ill people in New York City. They are our Family.

INFORMAL GROUPS of Franciscans also exist. These groups of men and women spring up occasionally in various parts of the world. (A) Many of these groups of men and women have evolved into Religious Franciscan communities following the T.O.R. Rule. (B) Others have remained lay groups with less structure than the S.F.O., or have entered the S.F.O. (C) Other groups remain even less structured and continue as small lay communities. (D) Some are ecumenical and are mixed communities. Some are not Roman Catholic e.g., the Anglican "Tertiaries of the Society of St. Francis" (kenorian@tssf.org), and the Anglican Friars and Sisters. There are others, too, e.g., the "Order of Ecumenical Franciscans" in the U.S.A. (asstformation@franciscans.com) and "Assisi-Kredsen" in Denmark (gbp@winet.dk) ., and some are not Christian in any formal way. (E) There is also a Franciscan NGO (non-governmental organization) group at the United Nations franintl@undp.org.

THE POINT FOR US IS TWO-FOLD: We are a Family, and need to recognize this and as St. Francis instructs us, to greet one another as brothers and sisters wherever we meet in the world.