St. John Vianney

There are approximately 18,000 members of the SFO in the United States. At present, the SFO is governed by its own rule of life, as well as general Roman Catholic Church law.

Franciscan spirituality is going from gospel to life and life to gospel.

The SFO enables the Franciscan charism to be lived out by married and single members of the layity and by diocesan clergy, bishops, priests, and deacons.

The SFO is just that: an order within the Catholic Church and not an organization or club.

SFO members strive to live the gospel in the manner of St. Francis by spreading the gospel by word and example in their homes, at work, and in their parishes.

Secular Franciscans are members of a local fraternity, a living and active Christian community. The fraternity is the privileged place for developing their sense of church, their Franciscan vocation and ministry.

Monthly fraternity meetings with their common prayer formation and fellowship provide the spiritual nourishment needed to live as a Christian in the world.

There are three stages of initial formation: (1) orientation, (2) inquiry, and (3) candidacy. This journey is meant to help you find out if God is calling you to live the Franciscan way of life. If you are interested, you must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church.

Is God calling you to walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi?