THE RULE OF LIFE-Franciscan Servants
THE PARTICULAR RULE
In applying the spirit of The Principles of our Franciscan Order to our daily life and work, and in recognition of our vows of simplicity, purity, and fidelity, we, the members of the Order of Franciscan Servants, pledge ourselves to the observance of the following Rule of Life:
Prayer
To attend the Eucharist frequently, regarding daily communion as the ideal
To pray the Liturgy of the Hours privately when unable to do so in community. These shall normally be the Offices of Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer
To be faithful in maintaining a discipline of meditation and a practice of contemplative prayer. To spend as much time as possible in various forms of prayer in addition to the time spent at the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours
Simplicity
Though we possess property and earn money to support ourselves and our families, our vow of Simplicity calls us to truly follow Christ and the example of St. Francis by our willingness to live simply and to share with others. We recognize that some of our sisters and brothers may be called to a literal following of St. Francis in a life of poverty. All, however, accept that we avoid luxury and waste, and regard our possessions as truly belonging to God
Purity
The vow of Purity seeks to respect the worth and dignity of every person. The promise of Purity emphasizes the truth that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and can only be achieved by a spirit of chastity which sees others as belonging to God. Some sisters and brothers may be called to a life of celibacy.
Fidelity
By work and example, fidelity to the Rule and the Christian faith, obedience to lawful authority in the Order, and by being faithful to our vows and commitments, we bear witness to Christ in our immediate environments. The vow of Fidelity also calls us to be faithful in prayer, work, and financial support of the Order for the fulfillment of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
Study
To spend some time each day in study
Work
To engage in the work of preaching the Gospel of Jesus in our actions and our words and to contributing to the betterment of society and the advancement of human dignity
Silence
To observe a period of silence each day
Fasting
To observe the fasting rules according to the custom of the local community and not to exceed them without permission
Penitence
To live the life of penance; to always begin again; to examine our conscience daily and confess our sins to God and, holding in special esteem that sacrament of confession and absolution whereby we are comforted and renewed in the life of grace
Retreat
To make a retreat or hermitage experience at least once each year
The Rule
To become familiar with the documents of the Franciscan movement in general and our Order in particular