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What are the three main orders in the Franciscan family?
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St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis and Scenes from His Life, tempera on panel by Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1235; in the Church of San Francesco, Pescia, Italy.
The Franciscan family is organized into three distinct orders, each reflecting the ideals of St. Francis of Assisi:1
- The First Order: Composed of priests and lay brothers who dedicate their lives to prayer, preaching, and penance. This order is divided into three independent branches: the Friars Minor, the Friars Minor Conventual, and the Friars Minor Capuchin.1
- The Second Order: Consists of cloistered nuns known as the Poor Clares, or the Order of St. Clare, which was founded by St. Clare of Assisi under the guidance of St. Francis.12
- The Third Order: Includes both religious and lay men and women who seek to emulate the spirit of St. Francis through charity, teaching, and social service. It is further divided into the Third Order Secular, for lay members living in the world, and the Third Order Regular, for those living in religious communities under vows.1