"We must love God... and adore Him with a pure heart and mind, because this is what He seeks above all else."
St Francis of Assisi
What is Franciscan Spirituality?
The Spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi invites us to learn from the Franciscan tradition of living the gospel.
A spirituality is a particular way, or emphasis, in following Christ. There are many things common to all Christians, and these are more important than the interests of any one group: Christlike love and forgiveness, community, personal and communal prayer, celebration of the sacramental life, obedience to legitimate authority, love of Scripture, and concern for justice and peace, to name a few. There is no difference between our goals and our ways and means. But there can be a difference in emphasis.
Differing spiritualities depend largely on the personalities of their founders and the times in which religious communities developed. We speak of a Benedictine spirituality, inspired by the monastic vision of St. Benedict. A Dominican spirituality will be marked by the teaching and preaching fervor of St. Dominic. Francis’s spirituality was simply to “observe the Gospel.” Yet, because he was a unique and attractive personality, the Church gained a unique charism called Franciscan spirituality.
To live the Gospel according to the spirit of Francis means participating:
- in communion with Christ poor and crucified,
- in the love of God,
- in brother/sisterhood with all people and all of creation,
- in the life and mission of the Church,
- in continual conversion,
- in a life of prayer—liturgical, personal, communal,
- as instruments of peace
Monthly Talks

Date/Time | Event |
---|---|
Sun 5 Mar 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
Franciscan Spirituality Series | Sun 5 Mar | Conversion
St Francis Retreat Centre, 50 Hillsborough Road Hillsborough |
Sun 2 Apr 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
Franciscan Spirituality Series | Sun 2 Apr | Cross
St Francis Retreat Centre, 50 Hillsborough Road Hillsborough |
For more information please contact us by email [email protected]