……..How may I serve you?
“1800-Francis, Frances speaking, how may I serve you?” That is my greeting every time the 1‑800‑Francis phone rings. I never tire of the little surprise or smile I hear on the other end. In 2024 the National Secular Franciscan Order, USA invited me to serve as coordinator. I hesitated at first, not wanting to take on yet another responsibility, but I prayed about it and felt a clear prompting: you are needed to help bring more brothers and sisters into the Order. Saying yes was one of those important commitments in my chosen vocation. You might be wondering, why am I telling you this?
May 11th, 2026 marks a deeply meaningful milestone in my life: 15 years since my profession as a Secular Franciscan. It is a moment filled with gratitude, humility, and joy; gratitude for the call, humility before the grace that sustains it, and joy in the gift of living the Gospel in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. At least I am trying to!
That this anniversary coincides with Pope Leo XIV’s announcement of the Year of St. Francis feels like a tender and providential affirmation. It is as though the Church herself is inviting all of us, Franciscans and non-Franciscans alike to return to the simplicity, peace, and radical love that St. Francis lived and preached.
Being a Secular Franciscan is not about escaping the world, but about embracing it more fully through the Gospel. My vocation did not remove me from family life, work, or responsibilities. Instead, it transformed how I live them. St. Francis showed me that holiness is not reserved for monasteries or cloisters it flourishes in kitchens, offices, parishes, neighborhoods, and communities.
Over these fifteen years, I have learned that the Secular Franciscan life is one of daily conversion. It means choosing, again and again, to live with humility, to seek peace where there is division, to offer forgiveness even when it is difficult, and to trust God when the path ahead is uncertain. The Lord knows there have been many challenging moments along the way, but you do not have to be a Franciscan to experience them; they are part of the shared journey of life.
I have come to understand peace and reconciliation not as lofty ideals, but as daily practices. They begin in the heart and extend outward: in families, fraternities, parishes, and a world wounded by conflict, fear, and division. Living this charism has shaped how I pray, how I listen, and how I respond to others, especially those who are hurting or forgotten. Heck, it encouraged me to start this ministry. I am blessed by all of you!
One of the greatest blessings of my vocation has been the gift of fraternity. Walking this journey alongside brothers and sisters who share the same Franciscan vision has been a continual source of strength, consolation, and encouragement. Together, we pray, discern, celebrate, struggle, and grow in faith and service. We gently remind one another that we do not walk alone on this path.
In fraternity I’ve seen people of different ages and backgrounds, all united by one calling: following Christ as St. Francis did. This shared path shows the Church as a community.
The announcement of the Year of St. Francis is more than a commemoration it is an invitation. It calls each of us to ask: How am I living the Gospel today? Where is God inviting me to be an instrument of peace? What attachments am I being asked to let go of so that I may love more freely?
For me, this year is a renewed “yes” to the promise I made 15 years ago: to live the Gospel faithfully according to the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order, inspired always by the example of St. Francis and St. Clare, and guided and animated by the Holy Spirit. So to all my fellow Franciscans out there, this is my love letter to YOU! And to my other wonderful readers, this is my invitation: is there a Franciscan in you?
If you know anyone, or if you feel called to become a Secular Franciscan, please call 1-800-FRANCIS. The person on the other end is someone quite familiar and ready to listen. You didn’t think, I suppose, I wasn’t going to miss the chance to mention my vocation, now was I? ;)
Peace and all Good things!
To Jesus through St. Francis.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your spiritual journey! Keep at it! Keep praying. Love the Lord.
Peace and Grace.Frances Acosta,OFS
