Core Values

There are four core values within the heart of the Third Order Rule of Life:

• Conversion
• Poverty
• Contemplation
• Minority

These values are counter-cultural and provide an alternative view to the messages often proclaimed by our society.
Conversion: “Led by the Lord, let [the sisters and brothers] begin a life of penance, conscious that all of us must be continuously and totally converted to the Lord.” (TOR Rule 2:6)

Francis’ life and example showed the penitents of his day the positive and joyous meaning of conversion.  The radical conversion of “women of vision” calls them to turn continuously to “right relationship” with God and all of creation.
As part of that relationship with all of creation, our sisters seek ways to live more gently with our Mother Earth.  One example of this is the effort by some to find a way to deal with troublesome insects by more earth-friendly means than pesticides that harm both earth and humans.  This takes more time than simply buying the first and most economical product on the store shelf, but the effort is certainly in keeping with the value of “right relationship.”

Poverty:  “The truly poor in spirit, following the example of the Lord, live in this world as pilgrims and strangers.  They neither appropriate nor defend anything as their own.” (TOR Rule 6:22)

Franciscans strive to avoid making or wanting things to be their own property to the exclusion of all others.  Our sisters today strive to be “rooted in the Gospel” and, therefore, not appropriate anything to themselves.  This includes not only material things, but also power and prestige. 
Our sisters have opened their property to refugees from various countries to provide safe haven while the refugees integrate into society.  In some cases this has resulted in new and rich relationships between sisters and others who come from places and situations that have much to teach us about governmental oppression and individual powerlessness.

Contemplation: “The sisters and brothers whom the Lord has called to the life of contemplation, with a daily renewed joy, should manifest their special dedication to God and celebrate the Father’s love for the world.  It was He who created and redeemed us, and by His mercy alone shall save us.” (TOR Rule 3:9)

Jesus, the person who stands at the center of contemplation, leads those who contemplate him directly back into the world.  The sisters, “energized by the spirit of Francis and Clare,” move from contemplation outward to others and back into contemplation.  This balance between action and contemplation is at the heart of the sisters’ vision.
            Sisters follow a daily rhythm of prayer and work.  In addition, sisters seek periodic days of reflection and times of retreat to move more deeply into the contemplative mode of their lives.  These times which are set apart refresh and enlighten the sisters and enable them to return to their daily rhythm of prayer and work.

Minority: “[The brothers and sisters] should not seek glory, or be self-satisfied, or interiorly proud because of a good work or word God does or speaks in or through them.  Rather in every place and circumstance, let them acknowledge that all good belongs to the most high Lord and Ruler of all things.  Let them always give thanks to Him from whom we receive all good.”  (TOR Rule 3:9)

Minority calls each sister to accept herself as she is before God, nothing more and nothing less.  Minority calls the sisters to accept the world as gift and to avoid domination over others.  In this way the sisters seek to live always “in right relationship with God, one another and all creation.”
As demographics and need change, the sisters must be willing to relinquish one good work to move on to another.  Often this involves turning over the original work to others who have become educated in the particular needs of that ministry.  In some cases, the work relinquished carries with it a certain prestige, potential power, and significant salaries.  However, the sisters realize that in order to extend their mission, they must enable others to carry out the mission in the spirit of its foundation. 
The ideal is to hold all things gently and reverently and with the open hands of surrender to the will of our Creator.