Come and Walk With Us
The door of our community is always open. If you feel drawn to the Franciscan way, we invite you to begin — gently, prayerfully, without hurry.
A Vocation, Not a Program
Membership in the Third Order Franciscan Community is not a course to complete or a credential to earn. It is a vocation — a call from God, discerned in community, lived out over a lifetime. We do not rush formation, and we do not set arbitrary timelines. We walk together, and we trust the Holy Spirit to lead.
The path to full profession in our community moves through three stages: Inquiry, Novitiate, and Profession. Each stage has its own rhythm and its own graces. No one is pushed forward before they are ready, and no one is left to walk alone.
The Path of Formation
Three Stages of the Journey
Inquiry
The inquiry period is a season of mutual discernment. You attend community gatherings, pray with us, and begin to explore the Franciscan tradition through reading and conversation. We get to know one another. There is no commitment required at this stage, only openness and curiosity. At the end of the inquiry period, both you and the community discern together whether to proceed.
Novitiate
The novitiate is a deeper season of formation. You begin to live under the Rule of Life in a provisional way, meeting regularly with a Guardian General and participating fully in the life of the community. You study the writings of St. Francis, explore the history of the Franciscan movement, and begin to integrate the practices of prayer, simplicity, and service into your daily life. The novitiate concludes with a discernment retreat and, if all are in agreement, the rite of First Profession.
Profession
Profession is the formal commitment to live according to the Rule of the Third Order Franciscan Community. It is made publicly, in the presence of the community, and is renewed annually as an act of gratitude and recommitment. Professed members take on the full obligations of the Rule and become full members of the community. Profession is not an ending but a beginning — the start of a lifelong journey of deepening conversion.
Reach Out
Begin Your Inquiry
If you feel drawn to learn more, please fill out the form below. One of our formation directors will be in touch to arrange a conversation. There is no obligation — only an open door.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
— Matthew 7:7