The greatest benefit derived fom belonging to the OFS is to be heir to its time-tested and well balanced spirituality, which is rooted firmly in the Gospels. Vatican II stated that the supreme norm of holiness for all people is the Gospel. Centuries ago Francis was aware of this and bequeathed that value to us. The Franciscan way of life is fully centred on Christ. St. Francas loved Jesus intensely and imitated His virtues as fully as possible.
The OFS is not a finishing school for personal holiness. Rather it exists to fulfil the new Commandment which Jesus gave us “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). The OFS is about living out what we celebrate in the Liturgy of the Eucharist at Holy Mass, being ‘sacraments’ of Jesus and allowing ourselves to be broken and given for our brothers and sisters both within the church and the world, regardless of personal cost. It is about allowing God to use our lives to manifest His love to and for the whole of creation.
It is of real value to be able to strive for such holiness in an Order, that is, in a Church approved Order with a Rule. One must note that the OFS is a true Order and not merely a pious society or association. It sets true priorities for the practice of the Gospel virtues. It presents a programme of prayer and reception of the sacraments. The many thousands of
Secular Franciscans of the past eight centuries proclaim loudly: It worked for us! The many thousands who are living the Franciscan Way today declare confidently: It works for us! Belonging to the OFS means being part of the huge Franciscan family. This family includes almost half a million living members of the OFS. It includes all the brothers and sisters and priests who live as religious in one of the numerous Congregations of the Third Order Regular who live the Third Order Rule. It includes the nuns of the Second Order as well as the priests and brothers of the First Order. We all share in the stimulating examples and the powerful prayers of these may brothers and sisters of ours.
OFS Oxford 