Our Vision
Practical, transformative spirituality for today that is good news for all of creation.
Franciscan Spirituality
Some 800 years ago, Giovani di Pietro di Bernadone rediscovered the heart of the movement started by Jesus of Nazareth some 1200 years previous. This radical and transformative message and way of life had been lost through the growing power and corruption of the religious elite. No longer was it good news to the poor and marginalised, nor did it offer deep and transforming practices of contemplative prayer. St Francis, as we now refer to him, recovered this beating heart and let it fill him and flow through him as he lived out a radically alternative form of christian faith that reformed the church and changed the world. We believe this spirituality is incredibly relevant and applicable today.
Francis was a contemplative in action, he rooted himself in his personal practices of prayer and contemplation which connected him with his source - the divine indwelling. From this space he moved in acts of love and compassion allowing that divine love to flow through him to all he met. In this way he allowed himself to be transformed so that he could go and transform others and the world.
There are 8 core values of Franciscan Spirituality as embodied by Francis.
Lived out Love: Francis didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk. His spirituality was lived out in his day to day encounters and how he was present in the world. Francis wasn’t fussed on abstract thoughts about God he wanted to find God in all things.
Bias to the Poor: Francis was inspired by the poverty and humility of Jesus and sought to care for and value the poorest and most despised. Franciscans have been committed to caring for the marginalised and voiceless ever since.
Justice and Peace: flowing from this, Franciscans are engaged with issues of social justice, peace and reconciliation as the real outworking of our spiritual lives. Jesus vision of ‘The Kingdom of God’ is good news for all people and the whole of creation, not just a privileged few.
Downward Mobility: Francis rejected the wealth and privilege of his family and chose poverty and humility instead. Franciscans chose the downwards path as the way to true joy, life and freedom.
Contemplative Spirituality: Francis found God in fields and mountains, God did not dwell exclusively in the church, but within all human beings and in creation itself. Francis committed himself to the contemplative practices of silence, stillness and solitude as the path to union with God and personal transformation. From this foundation he was able to live his radical life of love.
Creation as Friend: we are all to aware of the plight of the earth. Francis was ahead of his time in viewing creation as sibling and friend. We desperately need to rediscover this creation spirituality so as to live in harmony with the earth that it can continue to be a home to the whole human family.
Inter-faith dialogue: Francis crossed the battlefield to converse with the Sultan, a muslim. We live in a beautifully diverse world and learning from other faiths, and working together is essential for the common good.
Simple Living: Francis committed himself to simplicity, as Gandhi said ‘we need to live simply so that others can simply live’. Equally consumerism and materialism is negatively effecting our mental health. Rediscovering a simplicity of life is the path to true joy.
Our Core Commitments
As Young Franciscans we are inspired by Francis’ example and seek to follow in it. This will look different for each of us, but we are committed to two core values:
Our own continued growth and transformation into the people we were created to be
Working for the healing and renewal of the world in the unique ways that flow from who we are.