PHILADELPHIA — St. John the Evangelist Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order will celebrate its 90th anniversary on Sunday, June 2, 2026, with Mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s followed by a reception in the parish center. The fraternity is the local arm of the global order founded by St. Francis of Assisi more in the early 13th century.
The Secular Franciscan Order is one of the best kept secrets in the Catholic Church. More than 800 years ago the Little Poor Man the world knows as St Francis of Assisi attracted a group of like-minded men who became the first members of the Friars Minor – today’s Franciscan Friars. With the help of his good friend Clare, Francis founded a group of religious women, the Poor Ladies, whom we now call the Poor Clares. But the overwhelming majority of Francis’ friends did not have a vocation to religious life. They lived in the world, had families, jobs, and obligations. They too wanted to follow Francis. Could he find something for them? YES, indeed he could. Francis founded the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, what we today call the Secular Franciscans.
Secular Franciscans can be male or female, young or old, married, single, or even diocesan priests. Those who feel called to follow the Gospel by walking in the footsteps of Francis and Clare can discern their vocation during a 27-month formation process culminating in a permanent public promise recognized by the Universal Church. Secular Franciscans live in the world and witness the Gospel message especially by practicing the virtues of poverty, prayer, simplicity, and joy. Today there are about 350,000 Secular Franciscans, in almost every country on the planet. Think how many Secular Franciscans there have been over the past 800 years!
St John’s Secular Franciscan Fraternity was founded 90 years ago when a group of volunteers at St Joseph’s Home for Boys in Kensington decided to form a prayer group. One of the Holy Ghost priests who helped at the Home had been a Secular Franciscan before he became a seminarian. He suggested the volunteers become Secular Franciscans.
During the early 1940s the fraternity relocated to St John the Evangelist parish and grew steadily. By the end of that decade, it had over 500 members and was forced to meet in the main ballroom of the St James Hotel. During this period the Fraternity opened a secondhand shop, and many members begged for donations of goods from local businesses to sell at the shop, raising funds for good works.
In 1970 Rome ordered all large fraternities to break up into groups of no more than 30 members. St John’s huge Fraternity became the seed for 21 smaller fraternities throughout the region. Today St John’s is the sponsor for an emerging fraternity in Grays Ferry and continues to be active in the corporal works of mercy helping to feed the homeless with Christ in the City missionaries and active with several environmental and social justice groups.
The Franciscan spirit of peace and joy is alive and well in Center City Philadelphia today.
If you think you hear Francis calling your name, COME & SEE.
Contact: Carolyn Murray (267) 881-8794
Secular Franciscan Order 
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