The Secular Franciscan Order (Latin: Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis, hence the abbreviation OFS used by members) is acommunity of Catholic men and women in the world who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Secular Franciscans are of the Third Order of St. Francis founded by St. Francis of Assisi 800+ years ago.
The Order is open to any Catholic not bound by public vows to another religious order and is made up of both the laity (men and women non-clergy) and secular clergy (deacons, priests, and bishops).
In the United States the OFS is made up of 30 Regions consisting of 12,000+ professed Secular Franciscans.
San Damiano Fraternity-Kinder, LA is 1 of 14 canonically established Fraternities in the St. Joan of Arc Region & is the only Franciscan Fraternity in the Diocese of Lake Charles (DOLC).
We were established through St Philip Neri Catholic Church in Kinder, La.
San Damiano fraternity meets every month on the 2nd Sunday for a general Gathering & ongoing formation. Our Initial formation takes place outside the Gathering two times monthly. We rotate our Gatherings between St Philip Neri & St. Theodore Catholic Church.
The process of becoming a Secular Franciscan is a time of preparing for permanent commitment by immersion into fraternity life. Central to this stage of formation is Article 4 of The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order which states, "The rule and life of the Secular Franciscan is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people."
This spiritual journey begins with 3 years of Initial Formation before celebrating a Rite of Profession to a life-long commitment of ongoing formation to become Christ like through the values of St. Francis of Assisi.
Not a Catholic?
To become a Secular Franciscan, you must be an actively practicing Catholic (of any of the rites in union with Rome).
If you are Anglican/Episcopalian, please visit the Third Order Society of St. Francis.
If you are a member of another Christian denomination or simply prefer an ecumenical Franciscan community, please visit the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans.