About Us

Our Vision and Beliefs

Our Vision

We believe God calls us to be a community of Lesser Brothers united in great diversity. We are committed to God and to one another through prayer, education, and ministry, striving to witness the Gospel of Christ and embody the vision of St. Francis in all we do.
Our aim is to serve as agents of transformation—both within our community and in the wider society—through our ministries and the simplicity of our lifestyle.

We believe that our Province of SSF is a community where…

Show acceptance through respect, forgiveness, dialogue, and trust.
Demonstrate generosity through hospitality, openness, and tolerance.
Commit to learning through personal growth, education, prayer, engagement with others, and awareness of current affairs.
Witness to justice through their relationships, governance, opportunities, and prophetic actions.
Embody the spirit of being "minores" through humility, love, and joy.

Rebuilt through our commitment to Francis’ vision of walking in the footsteps of Christ.
Strengthened through our modeling of community life.
Challenged by our expression of Gospel values.
Enriched through our ministry of prayer, spiritual direction, retreats, and more.
Guided toward understanding and accepting the Religious Life through our faithful living of its principles.
Led to deeper self-awareness through our embrace of being fully evangelical, catholic, liberal, and conservative.
Reminded of its prophetic mission through our presence on the margins.
Encouraged to evolve in ministry by fostering a deeper understanding of the relationship between ordained and non-ordained vocations.

Are empowered through our unconditional acceptance of them.
Are supported in attaining fullness of life through our dedicated service.
Experience redemption and kinship in society through their encounter with our community.
Are inspired to become visionary servant leaders in their own right through our encouragement and support.
Discover a sense of belonging—both among themselves and with others—through our solidarity.
Find sacramental support when they feel exiled, as we welcome and embrace all who come to us.
Are accepted unconditionally, irrespective of creed or faith, not as a bribe but as a reflection of Christ’s love (Principles 21). Through this, we share the supreme treasure of Christ’s power to bring newness of life (Principles 22).
Experience hope through our commitment to social justice.

Learn through experience.
Empower by opening up opportunities for others.
Teach by sharing their experience, skills, and wisdom.
Serve through a ministry of humble service.
Guide by walking alongside others.
Listen with openness to God and to others.
Love by giving of themselves and being open to receiving love in return.
Demonstrate humility by being present with people in their situations.
Express joy through their love of Christ.
Make decisions that reflect Gospel values.
Remain faithful through prayer.
Are prayerful as an expression of their faithfulness.
Foster the development of new leaders and encourage them to exercise their gifts.
Befriend the brothers in their moments of loneliness.