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Capuchin Franciscans Western America Province

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The Franciscan Spirituality

[/mpc_textblock][vc_empty_space][mpc_textblock content_width=”100″]As sons and followers of the Seraphic father, we adhere to shaping our lives by following closely the Rules of the Friars Minor and the Testament of St. Francis given before his death. Our spirituality is entrenched with the abundant examples that the founder has left his brothers. It is through his example of deep love for the God Incarnate, who came down from heaven to give His people salvation, that we model our spiritual life. St. Francis started the Rule of the Friars Minor with these words:[/mpc_textblock][vc_empty_space][blockquote text=”The rule and life of the Lesser Brothers is this: To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without anything of our own, and in chastity.

~Rule of the Friars Minor, 1223″ show_quote_icon=”yes” text_color=”#333333″ width=”85″ quote_icon_color=”#555555″ line_height=”34″][vc_empty_space height=”100″][mpc_grid_anything easy_notice=”” cols=”3″ gap=”15″ item_border_css=”border-color:#555555;” animation_in_type=”transition.fadeIn” animation_in_offset=”100″ animation_in_duration=”300″ animation_in_delay=”0″][mpc_icon_column preset=”mpc_preset_10″ layout=”style_3″ alignment=”left” background_color=”#f2f2f2″ padding_css=”padding:0px;” title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_20″ title_font_color=”#333333″ title_font_size=”20″ title_font_line_height=”1.4″ title_font_transform=”uppercase” title_font_align=”left” title=”Our Life” content_font_preset=”preset_4″ content_font_color=”#555555″ content_font_size=”16″ content_font_line_height=”1.5″ mpc_icon__icon=”eti eti_heart” mpc_icon__icon_color=”#555555″ mpc_icon__icon_size=”20″ mpc_icon__border_css=”border-radius:0px;” mpc_icon__padding_divider=”true” mpc_icon__padding_css=”padding-top:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;” mpc_icon__margin_divider=”true” mpc_icon__margin_css=”margin-top:-6px;margin-right:15px;” mpc_icon__hover_icon=”eti eti_heart_alt” mpc_icon__hover_icon_color=”#333333″ mpc_icon__hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_divider=”true” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__disable=”true” mpc_divider__width=”10″ mpc_divider__align=”left” mpc_divider__content_padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__content_padding_css=”padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;” mpc_divider__lines_color=”#dddddd” mpc_divider__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__padding_css=”padding-top:3px;padding-bottom:3px;”]As Capuchin Franciscans we follow St. Francis of Assisi as brothers, living the Gospel in prayer, fraternity and ministry, witnessing simply to Jesus Christ and the Church as a joyful presence of hope and salvation to all, especially to those most in need.[/mpc_icon_column][mpc_icon_column preset=”mpc_preset_10″ layout=”style_3″ alignment=”left” background_color=”#f2f2f2″ padding_css=”padding:0px;” title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_20″ title_font_color=”#333333″ title_font_size=”20″ title_font_line_height=”1.4″ title_font_transform=”uppercase” title_font_align=”left” title=”Our Spirituality” content_font_preset=”preset_4″ content_font_color=”#555555″ content_font_size=”16″ content_font_line_height=”1.5″ mpc_icon__icon=”eti eti_profile” mpc_icon__icon_color=”#555555″ mpc_icon__icon_size=”20″ mpc_icon__border_css=”border-radius:0px;” mpc_icon__padding_divider=”true” mpc_icon__padding_css=”padding-top:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;” mpc_icon__margin_divider=”true” mpc_icon__margin_css=”margin-top:-6px;margin-right:15px;” mpc_icon__hover_icon=”eti eti_group” mpc_icon__hover_icon_color=”#555555″ mpc_icon__hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_divider=”true” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__disable=”true” mpc_divider__width=”10″ mpc_divider__align=”left” mpc_divider__content_padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__content_padding_css=”padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;” mpc_divider__lines_color=”#dddddd” mpc_divider__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__padding_css=”padding-top:3px;padding-bottom:3px;”]The Capuchins bring to the Franciscan Family and the world a distinct expression of the Gospel. In and through our life of prayer, we strive to live out the Gospel practicing charity and embracing evangelical poverty as brothers to all.[/mpc_icon_column][mpc_icon_column preset=”mpc_preset_10″ layout=”style_3″ alignment=”left” background_color=”#f2f2f2″ padding_css=”padding:0px;” title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_20″ title_font_color=”#333333″ title_font_size=”20″ title_font_line_height=”1.4″ title_font_transform=”uppercase” title_font_align=”left” title=”Our Virtues” content_font_preset=”preset_4″ content_font_color=”#555555″ content_font_size=”16″ content_font_line_height=”1.5″ mpc_icon__icon=”eti eti_puzzle_alt” mpc_icon__icon_color=”#555555″ mpc_icon__icon_size=”20″ mpc_icon__border_css=”border-radius:0px;” mpc_icon__padding_divider=”true” mpc_icon__padding_css=”padding-top:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;” mpc_icon__margin_divider=”true” mpc_icon__margin_css=”margin-top:-6px;margin-right:15px;” mpc_icon__hover_icon=”eti eti_puzzle” mpc_icon__hover_icon_color=”#333333″ mpc_icon__hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_divider=”true” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__disable=”true” mpc_divider__width=”10″ mpc_divider__align=”left” mpc_divider__content_padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__content_padding_css=”padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;” mpc_divider__lines_color=”#dddddd” mpc_divider__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__padding_css=”padding-top:3px;padding-bottom:3px;”]The Capuchin Franciscans seeks to live out and share with the world a Gospel vision of life. Our particular call emphasizes the importance of prayer, brotherhood and poverty. We seek to live these out by lives focused on simplicity, recollection and above all charity.[/mpc_icon_column][/mpc_grid_anything][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][mpc_image preset=”mpc_preset_8″ image=”2144″ padding_css=”padding:3px;” image_size=”full” image_opacity=”100″ image_border_css=”border-width:20px;border-color:#ffffff;border-style:solid;border-radius:5px;” image_inner_border_gap=”0″ effect=”none” image_hover_opacity=”90″ image_hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” overlay_background=”rgba(255,255,255,0.1)” overlay_enable_lightbox=”true”][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][mpc_textblock content_width=”100″ font_preset=”preset_3″ font_size=”34″]

 Foundation of our Spirituality

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Our Life in Prayer

 

Prayer to God, as the breathing of love, has its origin from a movement of the Holy Spirit through which an interior person listens to the voice of God speaking to the heart. Thus begins the chapter in the Constitutions which refer to the brothers’ life of prayer. Prayer is an essential aspect of the life of a Capuchin Franciscan friar… and the life of any Christian for that matter!

 

“Prayer to God, as the breathing of love, has its origins from a movement of the Holy Spirit.” So our Constitutions remind us how vital prayer is for our life as friars, as for all Christians. We are told by St. Francis that above all we should “cultivate a spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all temporal things should contribute.” We try to order our lives as Capuchins so that like St. Francis we may not only pray, but in fact strive to “become a living prayer.” Imagine that!

 

The Capuchin Constitutions further urge the friars: “Let us above all cultivate a Spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all temporal things should contribute that we may become true followers of Saint Francis who was seen not so much praying as having become a prayer.” Imagine… becoming a prayer![/mpc_icon_column][mpc_icon_column layout=”style_3″ background_color=”#ffffff” padding_css=”padding:0px;” margin_divider=”true” title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_20″ title_font_color=”#333333″ title_font_size=”18″ title_font_line_height=”1.4″ title_font_transform=”uppercase” title_font_align=”left” title=”Fraternity” title_margin_divider=”true” title_margin_css=”margin-bottom:5px;” content_font_preset=”mpc_preset_1″ content_font_color=”#555555″ content_font_size=”16″ content_font_line_height=”1.5″ mpc_icon__disable=”true” mpc_icon__icon_color=”#b39a68″ mpc_icon__icon_size=”20″ mpc_icon__background_color=”#ffffff” mpc_icon__border_css=”border-radius:0px;” mpc_icon__padding_divider=”true” mpc_icon__padding_css=”padding-top:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;” mpc_icon__margin_divider=”true” mpc_icon__margin_css=”margin-top:-6px;margin-right:15px;” mpc_icon__hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” mpc_icon__hover_background_color=”#275a7a” mpc_icon__hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_divider=”true” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_css=”border-color:undefined;border-style:undefined;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__width=”10″ mpc_divider__align=”left” mpc_divider__content_padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__content_padding_css=”padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;” mpc_divider__lines_color=”#dddddd” mpc_divider__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__padding_css=”padding-top:3px;padding-bottom:3px;” hover_padding_css=”padding:0px;”]

Our life in Fraternity and Charity

 

Our life in charity leads us to live a fraternal life rooted in service to others. “And the Lord gave me brothers.” Like St. Francis, we seek to be “brothers to all people.” We live together so that we can learn to love one another, as Jesus has loved us. Following the example of St. Francis, however, we live a fraternal life that reaches out also to all our brothers and sisters, especially those in most need. In this way, through our community life and ministry we strive always to live the Gospel vision of peace, joy, and charity.[/mpc_icon_column][mpc_icon_column layout=”style_3″ background_color=”#ffffff” padding_css=”padding:0px;” margin_divider=”true” title_font_preset=”mpc_preset_20″ title_font_color=”#333333″ title_font_size=”18″ title_font_line_height=”1.4″ title_font_transform=”uppercase” title_font_align=”left” title=”Minority” title_margin_divider=”true” title_margin_css=”margin-bottom:5px;” content_font_preset=”mpc_preset_1″ content_font_color=”#555555″ content_font_size=”16″ content_font_line_height=”1.5″ mpc_icon__disable=”true” mpc_icon__icon=”eti eti_heart_alt” mpc_icon__icon_color=”#b39a68″ mpc_icon__icon_size=”20″ mpc_icon__background_color=”#ffffff” mpc_icon__border_css=”border-radius:0px;” mpc_icon__padding_divider=”true” mpc_icon__padding_css=”padding-top:5px;padding-right:5px;padding-bottom:5px;padding-left:5px;” mpc_icon__margin_divider=”true” mpc_icon__margin_css=”margin-top:-6px;margin-right:15px;” mpc_icon__hover_icon_color=”#ffffff” mpc_icon__hover_background_color=”#275a7a” mpc_icon__hover_border_css=”border-radius:20px;” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__border_divider=”true” mpc_icon__mpc_tooltip__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__width=”10″ mpc_divider__align=”left” mpc_divider__content_padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__content_padding_css=”padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;” mpc_divider__lines_color=”#dddddd” mpc_divider__padding_divider=”true” mpc_divider__padding_css=”padding-top:3px;padding-bottom:3px;” hover_padding_css=”padding:0px;”]

Our Life in Minority

 

Capuchins seek to live in an environment where all are truly equal, where no individual has power over another. This concept of minority lends itself to joyfully accepting and serving people of all walks of life, every social condition.[/mpc_icon_column][/mpc_connected_icons][/qode_elements_holder_item][/qode_elements_holder][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space height=”100px”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]