The Society of St Francis is an international religious community, within the Anglican communion, with members in many parts of the world. We seek to follow Christ in the way of St Francis and St Clare.

The Society

There are three different paths, or ‘Orders’ within the Society, paths which were founded by Francis himself in the thirteenth century, although our particular expression of the Franciscan life within the Anglican Communion goes back only to the early twentieth century.

The First Order consists of brothers (Society of St Francis – SSF) and sisters (Community of St Francis – CSF) who make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, live together in community, pray together, and undertake active work of many kinds. There are SSF brothers in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, South Korea, the UK, and the USA. CSF sisters are found in the UK, the USA, and South Korea.

The Second Order (Community of St Clare – OSC) consists of sisters who make the same vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and live together in community, but whose work is focussed on prayer and contemplation, and on work within the convent. OSC sisters live in Oxfordshire, England.

The Third Order consists of women and men who commit themselves to live out their Franciscan vocation in the world. Their profession vow is focused in an individual Rule of Life, to which they make an annual commitment. They live in their own homes, may be married or single, and continue to support themselves financially, while meeting regularly for mutual support in local groups.

In addition to these three Orders we are supported by many people, who often belong to groups known as Companions. Their form of membership and level of commitment varies country by country. 

Historical background to Franciscan Aid

In 1982 a Charitable Trust was set up by Br Geoffrey SSF (Minister General), Mary Johnson TSSF, (Guardian, European Province) and Bob Diaper TSSF (Treasurer European Province, named Franciscan Aid.

Franciscan Aid is now clearly defined as the Charitable Trust of the Third Order and has been closely linked with First Order Brothers and Sisters, and Tertiaries working outside the UK in some of the poorest parts of the world, particularly Africa, Palestine, SE Asia, Melanesia and South America.