For the past couple years I've been developing an interest in Franciscan spirituality. While continuing to discern my vocation, I've glanced around at various orders. A while back I read a brief article on a group called the Franciscans of the Primitive Observance. Apparently, they're a small group which split off from the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in order to live an even more intense interpretation of the way of St. Francis.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any other information about them. As far as I know, they don't have a website, and I haven't been able to find any other contact information. I was wondering if any of you out there have heard of them, met one of the friars in person, or know how I might get in contact with them?

Thanks!

Franciscans of Primitive Observance come to the Mount

My mom and I talked to them for a few minutes at orientation when I was going there. They seemed awesome. I'm not sure if they're still there, but maybe you could contact the seminary at the Mount and see if they can give you any info.

God bless,
Sarah

I am so grateful that I stumbled across your message!! I am joining the FPO's this July. Please contact me so we can talk about the community. Trust me, they are the real deal, no doubt. I looked at the CFR's first, then, as His Providence provides, heard by word of mouth about this small, "hard-core" group of Franciscans. You might want to try googling "Franciscans of Primitive Observance." You are correct in that they have no website, but several papers in Boston and Maryland have devoted news feature stories depicting the life of an FPO including pics. You might find this helpful. Please though, I look forward to hearing from you, I'm truly stoked.

Matthew Anselmi

Wow, I look for some information and God sends me a future friar of the order

Awesome. You and I will definitely talk.

I LOvE THE FPOs!!!!! They came to the Mount during my junior year..they are the nicest coolest hardcore franciscans there are! They helped out with our bible study which was really cool

I am looking for my old spiritual director. Father Francis kelly. I am not sure which order he is presently with. I am sure he is with the stricter of the two. Is there any way you can get a message to him for me or tell me how I might get in touch with him?

I am looking for my old spiritual director. Father Francis kelly. I am not sure which order he is presently with. I am sure he is with the stricter of the two. Is there any way you can get a message to him for me or tell me how I might get in touch with him?

The article was wonderful and I am thrilled to see 2 brothers here get together!

Miles, my prayers are with you! God bless you and Matthew!

P4C

I spent a couple months with the FPO's a number of years ago but I haven't kept in contact with them. Looks like anselmi05 is your best bet.

The FPO's are sweet and when I was hoping to become a Franciscan friar they were my first choice. In retrospect though I would say that I idealized the order a bit. They are still a community of real people with the kind of difficulties that go along with that. Of course they are not your average folks.

I had withdrawals off and on for years after spending time with that community. The life is amazing... I often wonder how they are doing actually..

That sounds about right. The first time I visited the FPO's was immediately after my first visit to the CFR's and it was interesting to see how similar they are and yet pretty different at the same time. A lot of the little details are the same (beyond just what one would expect in an orthodox Franciscan community), but the general spirit of the life was different. The three Franciscan communities in the northeast that I found to be the most compelling were the FPO's the FI's and the CFR's, I'd recommend visiting them all if you're pursuing a Franciscan vocation.

I suppose the most general distinction I would make would be to say that the FPO's charism is more contemplative than the CFR's. I think one would have to spend at least a year with the FPO's to get at the whole bag. I'm not sure if it is the same these days but the first time I visited I stayed in a hermitage in the woods the whole time with no contact with the outside world whereas on my second visit I was in their New Bedford friary and there was more interaction with people and things such as begging and dumpster diving. The majority of the day was still prayer though; Mass, adoration, rosary, office, et cetera. I like the fact that they rise at 2 AM to pray the office of readings.
I’ve heard that some people have been unable to commit to joining the community because the schedule wears on them. This was actually one of my concerns because I tend to sleep in whenever I can. Haha. I was exhausted at first but after a week or two I felt like I had settled into the rhythm. It’s hard to say how I would have done after six months or a year though. A buddy of mine who joined had already been waking up at the crack of dawn everyday to pray long before he joined the order so this wasn’t a problem for him. Another buddy of mine visited for a week or so and missed the office of readings and morning prayer pretty much every single day that he was there because he was too lazy to get out of bed. Lol. The friars sleep on the floor with little more than a thin blanket but he brought this big luxury sleeping bag, hahahaha. Good times…

He was with the FPO's last time I was there. If you need to get in touch with him I would suggest writing a letter to the friary. Im assuming that they still have the friary in New Bedford. I vaguely remember the address off the top of my head but I'm hesitant to give it in case my memory is faulty... I wonder if the diocesan website would be of help?

Anyway, I used to write letters to the Immaculate Conception Friary on Rivet Street in New Bedford when I needed to get in touch with one of the priests.

I found some cool blog postings about them

http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com...ds-highway.html
http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com...er
ance_26.html
http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com...ob
ervance.html
http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com...ob
ervance.html

So where would you put the FI's in the comparison among these guys? I met their Sisters in Rome and they were pretty amazing. I've heard good things about the FPO's also.

The FPO have a friary in Lawrence, MA, but I believe Fr. Kelly is in their friary in Emmittsburg, MD. I don't have the address there, but the address in Lawrence is:

Co-Redemptrix Friary
30 Trinity Street
Lawrence, MA 01841

They can probably forward a letter to him or give it to him when he visits. I believe they are back and forth quite a bit.

They are wonderful, holy men...a gift from God to the world!

The address for the FPO's in Emmitsburg:

Mother of Good Shepherd Friary
16916 Annadale Rd.
Emmitsburg, Md. 21727

Does anyone know anything about the FPO's sister-community, the Capuchin Recollect Sisters? We all used to do the Youth 2000 Northeast gatherings together, but I understood since that they had moved to New York and maybe changed their title, as the FPO's did several years ago- from being "Capuchin Recollects" themselves to F.P.O.

They sound awesome!

To answer my own question : I came across the sister-community's website. They are now called the "Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth," and are located in Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Scranton, not in New York. While still being very contemplative and community-minded, they are more "active" than formerly, with apostolates of evangelization and youth work. "Awesome" is the word.

that would probably be me. i just spent a week with the Benedictines and i was able to make it to every reading, starting at 5:30am. i surprised myself.



hilarious. i was expecting myself to go to a few of the 5:30's, but was pretty sure i'd end up missing some. fortunately these ones don't do the entire office and i was able to take one or two naps during the day.

i sleep on the floor now..

luxury sleeping bag lol. thanks, this makes me feel a lot better!

any more detail on the FPO in relation to the CFR's? i just sent my app to the CFR's, and i doubt i'd be able to handle the FPO's schedule, but i'd like to know what this is about.

i just got a vocation packet from the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI), and they look very attractive. it seems like they are on par with the CFR's (orthodox, daily Rosary, adoration), except they may not live their charism in the heart of the slums. they are active-contemplative, have cloisters as well, but i think they are more missionary. they also base their spirituality on St. Maximilian Kolbe and total consecration to Our Lady. definitely worth checking out http://www.marymediatrix.com/religious-lif...-the-immaculate

The FPO's spun off the CFR's 18-20 years ago. The Sisters were either with them or not too far behind. They went back to the primitive Rule of St. Francis. Cardinal Sean O'Malley (OFM Cap. himself) was Bishop of Fall River at the time and took them in. Number-wise, they were a just a handful to begin with, then a Franciscan from another branch joined them. We attended what were probably the first ordinations for the FPO's in '91 or '92. Their seminary studies were guided by a theology prof from the FI's, who lived close by. There were about six Sisters, and they had a few discerners but no vocations of their own yet.

P.S. Now their seminary program is at St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg. They've had a house there for the last couple of years, and at last news it was doing well.

more about them here
http://vocation-station.blogspot.com/2008/...f-nazareth.html

and
if you scroll down a page on the below link, there are a few posts about the FPOs
http://romancatholicvocations.blogspot.com...ve%20Observance

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My brother has been with the FPOs for 8 years or so. I just saw him the other day during a stop over before his home visit. They have friaries in Lawrence MA, Emmittsburg, MD and San Marcos, Nicaragua. All of the FPOs are currently in Lawrence for the ordinations of Br. Benedict and Br. Andrew.

ya they sound very cool but i really doubt they would be for me.

1. don't think i can handle a full office of readings. i struggle when they do only half or so.
2. hitchhiking - flat feet. painful walking long distances or standing long periods.
3. need doctor checkups every month or so. not possible while on the road?



interesting. i think i could handle that. probably need a tetanus shot first though..

Can anyone help me locate a group of Franciscan Sisters of the Primative
Observance (not those now in PA) who were likewise directed by Father
Kelly. The foundress, Sister Mary Clement was a member of another con-
gregation before ( the same that I was in). When I last saw them, they were
living in a large old convent in New Bedford, MA. They rose at Midnight to
pray part of the Office, slept on the floor, and spent the full morning (every-
day) in silence and personal & communal prayer. Someone told me they are
now in Bellingham, MA. I no longer live in the US.... Does anyone know
where they are now?

Wow I didn't know that these former FPO sisters are the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth. Interesting. Has anyone visited them?

They are at the cathedral in Worcester and West Warren, MA.

Our Lady of Angels Convent
Franciscan Sisters Minor
PO Box 832
West Warren MA 01092-9998

Thomist,
If I had to summarize in a word, I would say the FI are the most traditional of the bunch, whereas the CFR are the most active, and the FPO are the most primitive.

There are some videos on each community at the following site (including the Sisters of Nazareth, but no videos of the FPO yet); http://www.religious-vocation.com/media_links.html

Blessings.

+JMJ

A very holy Order that promotes virginity and purity. Good people.