- Our Spirituality: Flows from the example and spiritual fatherhood of St. John Paul II in his Marian Consecration, zeal for the New Evangelization and promotion of unity. It is expressed through a passionate love for the Immaculata and an intimacy with her Son as Victims of Merciful Love, Adorers of Love Incarnate and Spouses of Love Crucified.
- Profession of 4 Vows: The Evangelical Counsels (Poverty, Chastity, Obedience) and a fourth Marian Vow of Total Consecration.
- Enclosed/Active Sisters Living Together Under One Roof: An enclosure in each house that would parallel a cloister, though not canonical in terms, with allowances flexible for ministries.
Who are your Patrons? Our Lady of Fatima, St. John Paul II, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi and Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Will you wear the Habit? Absolutely! To wear the wedding garment of love, out of dedication and consecration to our (future) Spouse, is not only an honor but also a great joy! Currently we wear a simple postulant attire. "Wearing a simple [] habit, the Sisters witness to the world a life hidden in Christ, rejecting the vanities and allurements of materialism" (Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, www.saintbenedict.com).
Will the Sisters live in community? Yes. The Sisters will live in community and in their communal living embrace extreme poverty, individually owning nothing and sharing all in common to foster complete dependence on the Lord.
Will this community be penitential? Yes. We seek to live a penitential/mendicant life in the present age while remaining a prayerful and personable witness to those whom we minister to.
Will the order be Contemplative or Active? Both. We are dedicated through our devotions and Charism to penance and prayer first, and all apostolic works flow from that. We are currently discerning having both active and enclosed Sisters in the same convent.
When will your student loans be paid off? Two of us are currently debt free. We all continue to work to promote discernment and foundation as the other two of us work to remove our impediments. In God's timing, we will all be debt free.
Have you gotten a positive response thus far? Yes. It is amazing how many people see the need for a religious congregation dedicated to the New Evangelization in the United States and even Europe - especially to assist in bridging the gap among generations, cultures, dioceses, parishes, religious congregations, families, individuals, and those Catholics who have drifted away from the Catholic Church or experienced a crisis of faith.
How many women do you have at this point? 5
Do you have any other women discerning joining you in the future? Yes.
Why, sometimes, do you say "community" and other times "congregation"? Our long term goal, based on the call we have felt, is to become a Pontifical Congregation over time. At the beginning, however, we will begin as a religious community until we are eligible to move forward to the next step.
Is my donation tax deductible?
The Marian Franciscans are a New York State Not-for-Profit corporation. Our status as a 501c3 is still in process, therefore at this time donations are not tax deductible. However we anticipate that in the near future they will be.
What are some items on your wish list? a Franciscan Sacramentary, a Franciscan Lectionary, a Chalice & Patin Set, a tabernacle, a Van, a food grinder, a food dehydrator, a wheat mill, a food processor, a keyboard, an easy up, a projector, a humidifier/air purifier, and a bicycle.
