The Life & Spirit of the Capuchin Friars

To observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Vows

Prayer

Inspired by the life of our founder, St. Francis of Assisi, Capuchin friars seek to follow Jesus Christ in simplicity and joy.

God’s tremendous love moved Francis to love the outcast and forgotten, creation in all of its wonder and power, and even his imperfect brothers.

St. Francis gave himself completely to Christ who, out of love for us, was born in a stable and died on the cross. Gazing upon that cross and Him who was crucified, Francis “became a prayer himself.” Devoted to the presence of Christ in the Mass, formed by the Word of God in Scripture, and overwhelmed by God’s presence in the solitude of his own heart, Francis embraced the grace of prayer. The Capuchin friars seek to embrace that grace through prayer too.

Brotherhood

Under the Cross gathered those who saw in Francis a great joy and new purpose in life.

Francis’ small band of followers – the lesser brothers, as he called them – grew to hundreds and thousands, each vowing a lifetime of following Christ, holding nothing back, and serving God’s people, especially the lowly and those of no account among the powerful. Francis and his brothers became a brotherhood extending to all parts of the world. Today, the Capuchin Friars remain a strong and growing religious Order.

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Ministry

Where do Capuchins give witness to the Gospel truth, with simplicity and joy?

The Rule of St. Francis encourages Capuchins to undertake ministries that are regarded as especially difficult, serving those whose human condition is diminished by economics, harassed by prejudice, denied because of age, or weakened in spirit. Capuchins seek to also respond to the needs of the Church, mindful too, of their fraternal brotherhood and prayer life.

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The Three Vows

Obedience, chastity and poverty are a way of life for Capuchin friars.

Burning with the love of Jesus Christ, Capuchin friars promise to live entirely for Him who died and rose for us. By vowing to live obediently, love chastely, and acquiring nothing of their own, the friars strive to live the holy Gospel in the spirit of St. Francis.

POVERTY

Inspired by the special way that St. Francis embraced the poor Christ, the Capuchin friar casts aside the need to acquire and possess earthly goods so that he can pursue the Good that endures eternally. Like St. Francis, the friar relies on the goodness of God to provide for his needs, and to regard the needs of others as greater than his own. The vow of poverty inspires a friar to give thanks to God at all times and to gratefully hold in prayer all who are moved by the Lord to provide for the needs of the brothers.

CHASTITY

Promising to love without regard for himself, a Capuchin friar lives chaste celibacy. In imitation of Jesus, he resists the beauty of married and family life so that he may devote himself to love the Lord with ever-greater intensity and to care for the family of humanity. The vow of chastity allows the friar to love without condition, limit or self-centeredness.

OBEDIENCE

In obedience, each friar surrenders his own will for the sake of seeking God’s will alone. He makes himself available in service and charity to all of God’s people, as discerned by the Church and the brothers. The vow of obedience offers the freedom to trust completely.

For the Soul

Reflections

“He’s Got You!”

Bro. Andrew McCarty considers the Lord’s immeasurable love for us, noting “We are His beloved.” Bro. Andrew offers three opportunities for us to experience this and to be witnesses to others.

Inspiration

Inspiration: The Load We Carry

Two monks were traveling to a holy shrine. When they came to a river, they found a young woman who wanted to cross the river but she was not strong enough to resist the tide. The younger of the two monks offered to carry the young woman across on his shoulders. When...

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Send a Prayer Request

Prayer is a dynamic element of the Capuchin charism.

Capuchins gather throughout the day for fraternal prayers of praise, thanksgiving, mercy, and petition. Individually, friars also spend time in contemplative prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. The friars invite you to share your petitions so they may offer them in prayer each day.

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