the Guiding Principles
From the groove of St. Francis to the words of Pope Francis
The Franciscan approach to solidarity has distinctive traits, which can be identified in the teaching of St. Francis of Assisi himself: the sobriety that leads to being poor among the poor, theempathy toward those who suffer, the gratuitousness with which help is given, and theuniversality that transforms all of Creation as a destination for intervention. The last pillar is also the main one, and that isadherence to the Gospel, to the message of love of which Francis was the perfect embodiment.
This idea of solidarity was also taken up by Pope Francis, who in his encyclical Brothers All (2020) specifically cited St. Francis as an example for today’s man in his relationship with his neighbor and with Creation. The Foundation was born under the sign of that text, and makes the Holy Father’s words a true programmatic manifesto.
Pope Francis
There is a basic, essential recognition to be made in order to walk toward social friendship and universal brotherhood: realizing how much a human being is worth, how much a person is worth, always and under any circumstances. If each person is worth so much, it must be clearly and firmly stated that “just because one is born in a place with fewer resources or less development does not justify some people living with less dignity.
Brethren all, 106
A name dense with meaning
The acronym OFM, the first part of the name of the Foundation, identifies the founder in the legal person of the Generalate of the Order of Friars Minor and thus expresses the link with the charism of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Order. These three simple letters have enormous value, as they commit the Foundation to work in continuity with Franciscan missionary action.
The noun Fraternitas recalls the value of universal brotherhood, which brings together the Franciscan charism in all its many forms and expressions. It corresponds to the vision that inspires the Foundation, which aims to promote respect for human rights, solidarity and justice for fraternal and peaceful coexistence. For this purpose, the Foundation chooses dialogue with everyone regardless of religion, culture, ethnicity, social class or gender identification as its path.
Inspirational texts: