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FRANCISCAN RESOURCES
AFCU: Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities
The mission of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, institutions characterized by Franciscan values, is to support the members’ mission of Catholic higher education by providing a forum for dialogue and fostering and facilitating collaboration among members.
The purpose of this Association shall be to
(1) support the member institutions in their mission of Catholic higher education as characterized by the Franciscan values of love/respect for one another and for all of creation, recognition that God is the Father of all persons, commitment to the search for truth, and for service with those in need; (2)
provide a forum for dialogue about matters of importance to the members; (3) foster and facilitate appropriate and practical educational collaboration among the members.
CAC: Center or Action and Contemplation
The Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) is an educational nonprofit introducing seekers to the contemplative Christian path of transformation.
Who We Are: Franciscan Richard Rohr founded the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in 1987 because he saw a deep need for the integration of both action and contemplation—the two are inseparable. As Father Richard likes to say, the most important word in our Center’s name is neither Action nor Contemplation, but the word "and."
Contemplation is a way of listening with the heart while not relying entirely on the head. Contemplation is a prayerful letting go of our sense of control and choosing to cooperate with God and God’s work in the world. Prayer without action, as Father Richard says, can promote our tendency to self-preoccupation, and without contemplation, even well-intended actions can cause more harm than good.
The Vision: Transformed people working together for a more just and connected world. In today’s religious, environmental, and political climate, our compassionate engagement is urgent and vital. When we experience the reality of our oneness with God, others, and Creation, actions of justice and healing naturally follow. If we’re working to create a more whole world, contemplation can give our actions nonviolent, loving power for the long haul.
CFIT: Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual Spiritual Tradition
The Commission on the Franciscan Intellectual-Spiritual Tradition (CFIT) was established in 2001 by the English-Speaking Conference of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) to promote a contemporary retrieval of the distinctive theological and spiritual vision that animates the Franciscan movement.
Over the past decade, CFIT has accomplished a number of its initiatives to preserve the Franciscan tradition: (1)
Identify the central themes and emphases of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition.(2) For men and women with a more theological background, the Commission also decided to publish the Washington Theological Union Symposium Papers. (3) A third series of CFIT publications, the Custodians of the Tradition , provide four-page syntheses of important articles by noted scholars on key elements of the Franciscan tradition; these are designed for use in the classroom or in adult education groups. (4) CFIT has also cooperated with the Franciscan Institute of St. Bonaventure University in hosting several study groups for scholars who want to work together to share their research and deepen their insights on a specific aspect of the Franciscan tradition. (5) Offer informative presentations have been given over the years by Franciscan scholars, some of which are virtual “classics” in the field. (6) The creation of this website – The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition – to serve as an entry portal for people engaged in Franciscan studies or interested in learning more about our tradition. (7) Making the foundational documents of our tradition – the writings of Francis and Clare of Assisi, as well as their early biographies – instantly accessible worldwide.
Franciscan Action Network
MISSION STATEMENT: Inspired by the Gospel of Jesus, and the example of Saints Francis and Clare,
the Franciscan Action Network is a collective Franciscan voice seeking to transform United States public policy related to peace making, care for creation, poverty, and human rights.
VISION STATEMENT: The Franciscan Action Network sees the interconnectedness of all creation and the common origin of humanity as rooted in God’s loving design for the earth and all people.
Recognizing this fundamental goodness of God through the act of creation, FAN counters the social sinfulness that persistently compromises God’s hopes, through a clarion call to conversion. It is through continual conversion that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor can be heard in their authenticity and understood in a way that leads us to re-discover our original goodness, both personally and collectively. Through this process of continual conversion we discover ourselves as co-creators, with God and others, thereby realizing a world where people and plant cherish a common inherent dignity, encourage social goodness, and live in just prosperity.
Franciscan Archive
Arts, documents, history, and more.
Franciscan Federation
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.
Franciscan Institute (School of Franciscan Studies): St. Bonaventure University, NY
The Franciscan Institute, located on the St. Bonaventure University campus, engages in three principal areas of scholarly concern: research, publications and academic conferences, workshops and seminars on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition.
Franciscan Media (formerly St. Anthony's Press)
Today, the Church is polarized. Just as St. Francis wanted to be part of the solution in his day, Franciscan Media wants to be part of the solution today. With joy and with purpose, we seek to follow in the footsteps of our founder, St. Francis of Assisi, and share with our audience the grace of our loving God.
We offer several free subscriptions, each designed to enrich your spiritual life. If you are drawn to words of inner reflection, Minute Meditations could be for you. If you find strength and solace in the lives of the saints, you’ll love our Saint of the Day. If you are looking for a simple way to pray, Pause+Pray can provide an easy structure to create a daily routine. Parents love our Faith and Family resource, which supplements the weekly Mass readings with child-friendly activities, stories, and reflections. On our blog, Franciscan Spirit, you’ll find inspiration for living your faith in the real world.
Our magazine, St. Anthony Messenger, is widely regarded as a Catholic publication that speaks to both the richness of our tradition and the social issues of our time, and we are a proud publisher of some of the most thoughtful Catholic books on the market. Each and every product we offer furthers our Franciscan mission to encounter a God of love through compassion and connection.
Franciscan Mission Service
OUR MISSION
As Franciscan followers of Christ, we build partnerships with Catholic women and men who are inspired to live and serve in solidarity with economically poor communities across the globe – and to bring the transformative experience of mission to North American societies and churches as advocates for peace, justice, reconciliation and care of creation.
Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart (Orders of Friars Minor)
This site provides information about the order as well as various Franciscan resources. (http://www.thefriars.org/)
Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego
In living, learning, relationships, and community, the Franciscan approach addresses both the head and the heart by integrating the pastoral and academic dimensions of theological study. The Franciscan School of Theology is committed to embodying Franciscan theology in a religiously and culturally diverse world.
Franciscans Internations: A Voice at the United Nations
Franciscans International stands with some of the world’s most marginalized communities. Together, we use human rights as our tool to advocate for dignity, peace, and environmental justice.
Our Vision: A global community in which the dignity of every person is respected, resources are shared equitably, the environment is sustained, and nations and peoples live in peace. Our mission is to advocate at the United Nations for human dignity and environmental justice, using a rights-based approach.
