Who We Are
The Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago are a Catholic religious community who live and serve among the poor in Chicago’s West Humboldt Park neighborhood. We are a new community with a strong commitment to living the Franciscan life as brothers and sisters in Christ.
From the beginning of Religious Life in the Western Church there have been men and women living the same charism, like St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. When St. Dominic and St. Francis began their communities in the 1200s, they continued the tradition of men and women sharing the same charism while living in parallel communities. Our community is in the initial stages of developing parallel branches of Franciscan Friars and Franciscan Sisters. Our intent is that as we grow the friars and sisters will continue to work together to spread the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ while serving our brothers and sisters in need.
Our life centers upon our relationship with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, both at Mass and in Eucharistic Adoration. Out of our life of prayer flow our apostolates: service to the poor, evangelization and teaching. We believe that if you can’t see Jesus in the Eucharist, you can’t see Him in the poor.
About Our Charism
Every religious community has a unique charism. A charism is a gift from the Holy Spirit, which gives the community its identity. You can’t pinpoint a charism in one word: the unique way of life of each community is their charism. It includes their life of prayer, their spirituality, their communal life and their apostolic works. Charisms are a gift to the Church in response to a particular need at a particular moment in history. (See Vita Consecrata: # 36) The elements below encompass our charism as Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago.
Our spirituality is Franciscan, following the remarkable example given to us by St. Francis of Assisi, who was inspired by Christ to live the Gospel in a radical, intentional way with a particular attentiveness to ongoing conversion, Gospel poverty, and caring for the poor.
Our life of prayer includes Daily Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours in common, daily communal and private Eucharistic Holy Hours and an annual week-long retreat.
We live a consecrated Religious Life, embracing the evangelical counsels, by professing the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Our Fraternal Life is fostered throughout the day, especially at meal times. We strive to develop the ability to anticipate the needs of one another and to share honestly and charitably at meetings.
Penance is essential in Religious Life. In individual rooms and common rooms we have “the minimum necessary not maximum allowed.” We keep all parts of the house and apostolic centers clean and wear the Franciscan religious habit.
Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little or nothing.
St. Francis of Assisi