Another Franciscan in the parish!

Congrats and blessings to Tristan Williams, known in the Franciscan Third Order of the Divine Compassion as Br. Justin Simon. Tristan was clothed as a novice member of the Order. This means that he has completed 6 months to a year's worth of discernment and lessons, and now will be a novice, beginning to live a rule of life (and tweaking it as necessary to see how God is leading) for the next two years. If he feels he is still called to this particular charism to express his Faith in Jesus Christ after that time, he can make his solemn promises of Simplicity, Purity and Fidelity (the Third Order counterparts of the monastic vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience). A Third Order Rule is an outline to which people (married or single, lay or ordained, male or female) adapt to help them to grow in the spiritual life, and follow Jesus Christ after the evangelical and penitential example of St. Francis of Assisi!

I am a member of the FODC, as is Cindy Grimwade (we are know in the order as Fr. Maximilian and Sister Clare Elisabetta). Also, Fr. Robert Kerr and Fr. Patrick Lowery are members of the FODC. That is it, so far for Michigan, but we have over 200 people in various stages of formation around the USA, England, and Africa.

For more info on the Order, go to www.fodc.net