Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate

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The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFI) is a Roman Catholic Institute of Religious Life with Pontifical Right established by Pope John Paul II on 1 January 1998[1]. The FFI was founded by two Franciscan Conventual priests and is a reformed Franciscan Conventual Religious Institute living the Rule of St. Francis of Assisi, the Regula Bullata, according to the Traccia Mariana[2].

The FFI is the male branch of the Franciscan family of the Immaculate. The female branch are the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate. And the last branch of the family is the Franciscan Tertiaries of the Immaculate composed mainly of lay people. An offshoot of the Tertiaries are the Third Order Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate.

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[edit] History

The founders of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate and the other branches of this Franciscan family are Fr. Stefano Maria Manelli and Fr. Gabriel Maria Palletieri, both are from the Conventuals of the First Order of Franciscans. Fr. Palletierri was one of the first four original Conventual friars sent by the Minister General of the Conventuals to start the mission in the Philippines[3].

The FFI started on 2 August 1970 at the Casa Mariana, Mary Most Holy of Good Counsel, at Frigento at the province of Avellino, Italy[4]

[edit] The Traccia Mariana

The Traccia Mariana is the way of life that the FFI lives. It is a Marian Plan for Franciscan Life. The Traccia Mariana was submitted by Fr. Manelli and was approved by the Minister General of the Franciscan Conventuals on the summer of 1970. It was first lived in the Casa Mariana in Frigento, Avellino, Italy[5].

The entire Traccia Mariana formation program has been established in the Franciscan Conventual Province of Naples and the mission in the Philippines, which was then under the custody of the Province of Naples[6].

[edit] The Erection of the Institute

On 23 June 1990, the Archbishop of Benevento, Monsignor Carlo Minchiatti[7],Italy, with the express permission of Pope John Paul II, erected the 30 odd Franciscan Friars who lived at Casa Mariana as the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, a religious institute of Diocesan Right, living the Regula Bullata of St. Francis, according to the Traccia Mariana. On 1 August 1993, the Ordinary of Monte Cassino, Italy, erected the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, a religious institute of women, also living the Regula Bullata according to the Traccia[8].

On 1 January 1998, Pope John Paul II elevated FFI to a Institute of Religious Life with Pontifical Right while the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate was elevated to a Pontifical Right on 9 November 1998[9].

Today, both the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate are composed of at least 150 each[10]. The FFI is present today at the 6 continents of the world with friaries in Australia, Austria, Benin, Brazil, England, France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, and the United States[11].

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
  2. ^ EWTN document on the Traccia Mariana
  3. ^ Our History (Arrival of the Missionaries in the Philippines) OFM Conventuals of the Philippines
  4. ^ "Who we are?" The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
  5. ^ EWTN document on the Traccia Mariana (Introduction)
  6. ^ Our History (The Traccia Way of Life and Movement)
  7. ^ "Who we are?" The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
  8. ^ EWTN document on the Traccia Mariana (Introduction)
  9. ^ "Who we are?" The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
  10. ^ EWTN document on the Traccia Mariana (Introduction)
  11. ^ The Franciscans of the Immacualate of USA

[edit] External links