Secular Franciscan Order Waverley NSW AU

10/06/2026

Thought for today 🙏

10/06/2026

Today’s feast

An early convert to Christianity and one clearly trusted by the Apostles, Barnabas was given the particular privilege and burden of assisting St Paul.

Indeed, it was at Barnabas’ hand that Paul learnt to care for fledgling Christian communities, a work which was to be central to Paul’s ministry in the following years.

The pair became widely known for their bold preaching and teaching, converting many to Christianity, but also enduring great persecution for their beliefs.

May we continue to draw inspiration from missionaries such as Barnabas, willing to make great personal sacrifices to carry the Gospel to the very ends of the earth. St Barnabas, pray for us!

09/06/2026

👍

Following the Rule
Franciscan Way of Life

To follow the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order is not simply to belong to an organisation. It is to allow the Gospel to take root in ordinary life until Christ becomes visible in the way we think, speak, work, pray, and love.

1. Apply the Gospel to Everyday Life

The Rule does not ask us merely to read the Gospel but to live it. Every conversation, decision, difficulty, and relationship becomes a place of encounter with Christ. The Franciscan vocation is not lived apart from the world but in the middle of it. We learn to see our homes, workplaces, and communities as sacred ground where the Gospel is meant to become flesh.

2. Attend Fraternity Meetings

Fraternity is much more than a monthly gathering. It is a spiritual family where we learn humility, patience, charity, and mutual support. St Francis never imagined disciples walking alone. Fraternity reminds us that holiness is not a private project. We grow together, carry one another's burdens, and encourage one another when the journey becomes difficult.

3. Serve the Order

A Franciscan heart does not ask, "What can I receive?" but "How can I serve?" Whether through leadership, formation, administration, hospitality, or simple acts of generosity, service teaches us to imitate Christ who came not to be served but to serve. In serving the fraternity, we learn that true greatness is found in hidden faithfulness.

4. Serve Your Local Parish

The Secular Franciscan vocation is never isolated from the life of the Church. Our parish is often the place where God asks us to offer our gifts. Through service, we become instruments of peace, helping to build a community rooted in prayer, charity, and communion. A Franciscan does not stand on the sidelines; they become a living stone in the life of the Church.

5. Pray Morning and Evening Prayer

The Divine Office sanctifies time itself. Morning Prayer teaches us to offer the day back to God before it belongs to anyone else. Evening Prayer teaches us to return the day to Him with gratitude and trust. Over time, this rhythm forms the soul. We stop living from urgency and begin living from God's presence. The hours become a gentle reminder that our entire life is meant to be prayer.

The Rule teaches us to bring the spirit of St Francis into the ordinary moments of life until, little by little, the Gospel shapes everything.

©️ Secular Franciscan Order OFS

09/06/2026

A reflection on Simplicity for today…..

Simplicity
The Beauty of Less

Most people think simplicity means having less. St Francis discovered it means needing less. There is a difference!

Our world constantly tells us that more is better: more possessions, more commitments, more noise, more achievements. Yet St Francis discovered that by letting go of what was unnecessary, he gained more than he prayed for.

St Francis understood that the greatest clutter is not in our homes but in our souls. The soul becomes crowded with endless desires, old wounds, unnecessary fears, constant comparison, and the exhausting effort to control everything. Eventually, we become so surrounded by noise that we can no longer hear the quiet voice of God.

So St Francis began to remove whatever stood between his heart and Christ.

Simplicity is the courage to ask:
What in my life is essential?

Not everything that demands our attention deserves our attention. Not everything that is good is necessary. Not every opportunity is our vocation.

A simple heart is free. Free from the need to impress others. Free from endless comparison. Free from chasing things that cannot satisfy the soul.

Many people today feel exhausted not because they have too little, but because they are carrying too much: too many worries, too many distractions, too many expectations, too many voices competing for their attention.

The Franciscan path is not about escaping the world. It is about seeing clearly. When our lives become simpler, we begin to recognize God's presence in ordinary things: a conversation, a sunrise, a meal, a moment of prayer, a brother or sister in need.

St Francis invites us to ask:

🔹 ️What can I let go of?
🔹️ What truly matters?
🔹️ What brings me closer to God?
🔹️ What brings me closer to others?

We can simplify our lives by:

🔸 ️Creating space for daily silence and prayer
🔸️ Reducing unnecessary purchases
🔸️ Limiting the noise of social media/news
🔸 ️Learning gratitude for what we already have

St Francis knew a secret that we often forget:
a simple heart is a powerful heart.

06/06/2026

Friends, on the eve of the great solemnity of Corpus Christi 2026, and as we look forward to the International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028, we celebrate that mystery from which the Church draws her life: that under the simple signs of bread and wine, the Lord Jesus gives His flesh and blood, His body and soul, His humanity and divinity, everything He is, all given for us.

To coincide with this wonderful feast, I have written a Pastoral Letter, “Adoring the Eucharistic Lord: Let Us Kneel before the God who Made Us”, which includes challenges for all our faithful clergy, religious and laity on how we can show greater love for the Eucharist: the Source and summit of the Christian life. You can read my Pastoral Letter here:

https://catholicweekly.com.au/adoring-the-eucharistic-lord-let-us-kneel-before-the-god-who-made-us/ God bless you all.

05/06/2026

Happy World Environment Day🙏

Today marks World Environment Day 2026 — a time to reflect on the beauty of creation and what we can do to care for our common home. 🌏

This year’s theme, A Global Call for Climate Action, reminds us of the importance for each of us to act towards slowing down global warming. At Catholic Religious Australia, one of the small ways we are doing this is by planting trees, which draws down carbon from our atmosphere.

Pictured below is one of 50 seedlings planted by Catholic Religious Australia last year. Once just a 30 cm seedling, it has now grown into a thriving young tree standing over one metre tall — a beautiful reminder that meaningful change begins with small, hopeful actions.

May inspire each of us to continue taking steps, big and small, to heal and protect our world. 💚

05/06/2026

Adoring the Eucharistic Lord June 5, 2026June 3, 2026 by Parish This Corpus Christi, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP invites us to reflect more deeply on the gift of the Eucharist and the place it holds at the heart of our faith. The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life, where Christ gi...

30/05/2026

An opportunity to join Pope Leo in praying for peace

30/05/2026

A blessing on this last weekend in autumn...

Fun in the sun, rest in the leaves, a faithful companion or two and a good dose of deep contentment!

30/05/2026

Wishing all a very happy and blessed weekend 🙏

via brickhouseinthecity