Following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi

Meet the St. Marianne Cope fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order

By Elizabeth Landry
Staff writer

They’ve been around for over 800 years, but you may never have heard of them. The Secular Franciscan Order (OFS) is a secular Order within the Roman Catholic Church that follows the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, and it was established by St. Francis himself. It is divided into fraternities at various levels: local, regional, national, and international.

The St. Kateri Tekakwitha region of the Secular Franciscan Order covers the Diocese of Syracuse, and the Central Area of the region includes fraternities in Croghan, Binghamton, Syracuse, Utica, Watertown and Vernon. The St. Marianne Cope fraternity, located in Syracuse and based out of Assumption Church, is currently led by minister Paul Streiff, OFS. He’s been serving as minister, an elected position, for three years.

Streiff became a professed member of the Secular Franciscan Order in 1992 after receiving an invitation from another member to attend a meeting (meetings are now generally held once per month in the Grotto at Assumption Church). He said he was also attracted to the Order because he felt a call to do missionary work, and has been on several missionary trips to Guatemala and El Salvador over the years.

Being a member of the Order has “enhanced my faith, really, in the Gospel… it’s enriched my faith,” Streiff said. “We as seculars know that we’re under constant conversion, and that we need help with each other. That’s one of the reasons I’ve stuck with it this long.”

Streiff explained that the Secular Franciscan Order is a religious order of lay people who strive to live the Gospel life by following the example of St. Francis.

“We don’t take vows like those that are living in community, because we’re out in the secular world, but we do join together in a fraternity to help support each other in the journey of ongoing formation and conversion throughout our life,” Streiff said.

Welcoming two new members

At the Syracuse fraternity’s monthly meeting on Sunday, September 21, held in the Grotto at Assumption Church, two new members received the Rite of Admission. One new member is Barb Canavan. She was born into the Catholic faith but said she had been away from the Church for many years. Then, she experienced a conversion.

“I can’t tell you how it happened – but it did,” she said, and then began her journey of finding a church to join. The second church she looked into ended up being her choice – Assumption Church.

“I said, ‘This is it. This is what I want,’ and I met Deacon Phil [Slominski],” who asked her to come to a fraternity meeting, and the rest is history. When asked how she tries to live out the charism of St. Francis, she said she volunteers at the clinic run by Assumption Church, offering her skills with paperwork and organization. She also tries to live a pure lifestyle, living “as close to Jesus as possible.”

There was no hesitation from Canavan when asked what she would want readers of The Catholic Sun to know about the Order.

“You’ll find a family. You’ll find people who love you no matter what,” she said.

Also receiving the Rite of Admission alongside Canavan was Regina Davis. She said she was inspired to join the Order because of her granddaughter, Elizabeth. Davis had actually attended a meeting with Elizabeth, 17, because it was Elizabeth who wanted to join the Order. Elizabeth plans to join once she turns 18 and becomes eligible. She had learned about the Order while at a Steubenville youth conference, which she attended as part of a youth group she belongs to at Holy Cross Church in DeWitt.

Davis said that since she started her formation journey with the Order, it has increased her awareness of people in need in the community, and she’s enjoyed delving more deeply into the Bible during her studies so far.

What does the formation process look like?

Men and women, single or married and over the age of 18, are eligible to join the Secular Franciscan Order if they are baptized, practicing Catholics living within the magisterium of the Catholic Church. If someone is interested in learning more about the Secular Franciscan Order and feels God may be calling him or her to join, the first step is to attend a monthly meeting, Streiff said. There, the interested individual can speak with members and experience what a typical meeting involves.

Besides the Rite of Admission ceremony for Canavan and Davis, the September 21 meeting also included announcements, scripture readings by members and a homily given by Deacon Phil Slominski, OFS, several prayers, a welcome given to Sr. Anne Marie Saphara, OSF, the fraternity’s new spiritual assistant, and a showing of two short video documentaries on the lives of St. Louis IX, King of France, and St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the patron and patroness of the Secular Franciscans.

Upon discernment to join the Order, there is a six-month period of initial formation, followed by admission to candidacy. After the Rite of Admission, the candidate then enters a period of further formation and studies, which generally lasts between 18 months and two years, finishing with the Right of Profession.

Streiff said that the St. Marianne Cope fraternity currently has about 20 active members. Although it’s a small group, he emphasized the connection to the larger, national and worldwide fraternity of the entire Order. Beyond monthly meetings, the Syracuse fraternity attends regional activities such as the annual gathering in Fonda, New York at the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine.

“When [someone] comes and joins us as Secular Franciscans in our local fraternity, they actually become part of a much larger family,” said Streiff. “We have 20 members in our fraternity, but it goes way beyond that.”

Those interested in learning more about the Secular Franciscan Order and wishing to further discern their call to join can reach out to Paul Streiff, OFS, at 315-468-6395.