Order of Ecumenical Franciscans
Encyclopedia
The Order of Ecumenical Franciscans (OEF)http://franciscans.com is a religious order
of men and women devoted to following the examples of Saint Francis of Assisi
and Saint Clare of Assisi
in their life and understanding of the Christian gospel
: sharing a love for creation and those who have been marginalized.
An example of Christian ecumenism, the OEF includes members of many different denominations
, including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and the whole range of Protestant traditions. The OEF understands its charism
to include not only ecumenical efforts and the traditional emphases of the Franciscans in general, but also to help to develop relationships between the various Franciscan orders.
The members of OEF are male and female, married and single, gay and straight, clergy and laity, conservative and liberal.
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
of men and women devoted to following the examples of Saint Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
and Saint Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
in their life and understanding of the Christian gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
: sharing a love for creation and those who have been marginalized.
An example of Christian ecumenism, the OEF includes members of many different denominations
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
, including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and the whole range of Protestant traditions. The OEF understands its charism
Charism
In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...
to include not only ecumenical efforts and the traditional emphases of the Franciscans in general, but also to help to develop relationships between the various Franciscan orders.
The members of OEF are male and female, married and single, gay and straight, clergy and laity, conservative and liberal.