Saint Francis’ response to Christ’s love for him was a complete giving of himself to Christ in return, and his joy in that total renunciation of self drew thousands in its wake. It was the joy of self-sacrifice, concentration on the love of God, to the extent of self-forgetfulness.

Saint Francis began with nothing. He stripped himself of the very clothes on his back, covering himself with borrowed garments to show his complete dependence on the Providence of God, his Father in Heaven. He built his three orders from nothing, nothing but the Will of God.

Our foundress, Rev. Mother Mary Herlinda, quotes Fr. Heidt. When she told him she was too old to help found a new community, this was his response. She decided that her age would not stand in the way of God’s Will. Her unwavering faith in God, her dedication to the Rule of Saint Francis, and her unfailing courage provide the cornerstone of our foundation.

Our prayer life centers around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered by the priests of the Society of St. Pius X and also by priests who work with the SSPX. Next in importance is the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary said in Latin and community prayers said in English, including the Holy Rosary.

A new community for tradition ...what qualities should candidates possess? Like Saint Francis, like Saint Clare, candidates will have an all-encompassing trust in God’s Providence. They will give love for Love. Our Lord’s love for us demands the most generous response in return. Like Saint Francis, their response will be courageous. It takes a leap of faith to join a new community —not faith in the community itself, but faith in God Almighty. They will possess strength of character, the high ideals of a committed traditional Catholic, combined with the spirit of cooperation necessary for living the community life. They will also have a strong desire to help rebuild the Catholic social structure, particularly Catholic education, and a humble appreciation of the privilege of such a calling. The primary apostolate of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King is that of education. Those who do not teach shall work at various positions within the convent. There is no secondary apostolate in place, although our constitutions do provide for other endeavors. At this time, our apostolic efforts need to be focused in one area.

A bit of history…

The Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of Assisi constitutes a great branch of the Franciscan tree. Although the concept of third orders can be traced to the Benedictines, development of the third order gained momentum and structure in the thirteenth century.

Saint Francis gave direction to third order members, although not named as such, in his Rule of 1223. At that time, men and women third order members lived pious lives in the world, but some of these soon withdrew from the world to form communities. Italy, Germany, France, and the Netherlands all saw the development of Third Order Franciscan communities of both men and women.

Over the next few centuries, the Sisters in various Franciscan communities adjusted to the different requirements of Holy Mother Church regarding such things as cloister and apostolate. For example, at one point, monastic cloister was imposed on all communities of women, whether they were nuns or sisters. This in turn affected the apostolates. However, the need for semi-cloistered sisters as well as fully cloistered nuns became more acute during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Revolutionary upheaval engendered greater and greater need for communities of Franciscans and others who could be involved with works of charity in the active apostolate, while maintaining contemplative prayer and community life.

In order to bring the Franciscan Third Order Regular Rule into conformity with the 1917 Code of Canon Law, Pope Pius XI promulgated the Franciscan Rule of 1927 on October 4, given to all congregations of men and women of the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The Franciscan tradition as lived before Vatican II by the various communities of the Third Order Regular embodied the active-contemplative way of life. The prayer life of the sisters provides the foundation and the strength for the active apostolate. The desperate need for traditional Catholic teaching sisters inspired the foundation of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King.

With the purchase of this convent and the necessary debt, we are moving forward in confidence, relying on the Hand of God to supply our needs through the charity and generosity of our fellow Catholics.

The Blessing of Our Father Francis: