Newly professed Secular Franciscan Ana Monica Cleverdon, center with lei, with fellow Franciscans July 11 at Holy Trinity Parish. (Courtesy photo)
Ana Monica Cleverdon of Immaculate Conception Parish, Ewa, made her permanent profession into the Secular Franciscan Order during the 10:30 a.m. Mass at Holy Trinity Church, Sunday, July 11. Capuchin Franciscan Father Michel Dalton, pastor of Holy Trinity and region spiritual assistant for the Secular Franciscans, presided at the Mass.
The Secular Franciscan Order, formerly known as the Third Order of St. Francis, is an official order in the Catholic Church, established by St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. It has about 11,000 members in the United States. The Ohana O Ke Anuenue region is comprised of fraternities throughout Hawaii and Guam with approximately 77 professed members and candidates.
Cleverdon, who prefers to be called by her middle name Monica, promised to follow the Rule of Life of the Secular Franciscan Order, pledging herself to live the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis by means of his Rule.
St. Francis himself wrote the first Rule of Life for the Secular Franciscans. It calls them to live out their calling to the Franciscan life in a particular way in their homes and families, at work, in their parishes, and in the world.
Cleverdon’s profession was the culmination of six years of formation and study about the Franciscan way of life.
The fraternity minister, Miriam Mangrobang, OFS, in the name of the church and the Secular Franciscan Order, received Cleverdon’s profession into the Marianne Cope Secular Franciscan Fraternity, which meets at Immaculate Conception Church in Ewa. The newly professed joins approximately 14 active professed members and candidates in the Ewa fraternity. which was established on Nov. 11, 2011.
Secular Franciscans make a public profession but are not bound by public vows as are members of religious orders living in community, and so are not to be confused with friars and nuns.
They are men and women living their everyday lives in the world like everyone else. Many are married with families, some are single, but all are brothers and sisters to one another who follow a Gospel-based rule last approved in June 1978 by St. Paul VI.
For more information or to explore a possible vocation with the Secular Franciscans, contact formation director, Jim Doyle, OFS, at playwrtr@msn.com or visit the website at hawaiisfo.com.
