Chapter I : The Secular Franciscan Order

Article 1

1. All the faithful are called to holiness and have a right to follow their own spiritual way in communion with the Church. [1]

2. Rule 1 There are many spiritual families in the Church with different charisms. Among these families, the Franciscan Family, which in its various branches recognizes St. Francis of Assisi as its father, inspiration, and model, must be included.

3. Rule 2 From the beginning, the Secular Franciscan Order [2] has had its own proper place in the Franciscan Family. It is formed by the organic union of all the Catholic fraternities whose members, moved by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves through profession to live the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis, in their secular state, following the Rule approved by the Church [3] .

4. The Holy See has entrusted the pastoral care and spiritual assistance of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO), because it belongs to the same spiritual family, to the Franciscan First Order and Third Order Regular (TOR). These are the "Institutes" who are responsible for the altius moderamen, referred to by canon 303 of the Code of Canon Law [4] .

5. The Secular Franciscan Order is a public association in the Church [5] . It is divided into fraternities at various levels: local, regional, national, and international. Each one has its own juridical personality within the Church.

Article 2

1. The vocation to the SFO is a specific vocation that gives form to the life and apostolic activity of its members. Therefore, those who are bound by a perpetual commitment to another religious family or institute of consecrated life cannot belong to the SFO.

2. The SFO is open to the faithful of every state of life. The following may belong to it:
   - the laity (men and women);
   - the secular clergy (deacons, priests, bishops).

Article 3

1. The secular state characterizes the spirituality and the apostolic life of those belonging to the SFO.

2. Their secularity, with respect to vocation and to apostolic life, expresses itself according to the respective state, that is:
   - for the laity, contributing to building up the Kingdom of God by their presence in their life-situations and in their temporal activities [6] ;
   - for the secular clergy, by offering to the people of God the service which is properly theirs, in communion with the bishop and the presbytery [7] .
   Both are inspired by the gospel options of Saint Francis of Assisi, committing themselves to continue his mission with the other components of the Franciscan Family.

3. The vocation to the SFO is a vocation to live the Gospel in fraternal communion. For this purpose, the members of the SFO gather in ecclesial communities which are called fraternities.

Article 4

1. The SFO is governed by the universal law of the Church, and by its own: the Rule, the Constitutions, the Ritual, and the particular statutes.

2. The Rule establishes the nature, purpose, and spirit of the SFO.

3. Rule 3 The Constitutions have as their purpose:
   - to apply the Rule;
   - to indicate concretely the conditions for belonging to the SFO, its government, the organization of life in fraternity, and its seat [8] .

Article 5

1. Rule 3 The authentic interpretation of the Rule and of the Constitutions belongs to the Holy See.

2. The practical interpretation of the Constitutions, with the purpose of harmonizing its application in different areas and at the various levels of the Order, belongs to the General Chapter of the SFO.

3. The clarification of specific points which require a timely decision is the competence of the Presidency of the International Council of the SFO (CIOFS). Such a clarification is valid until the next General Chapter.

Article 6

1. The international fraternity of the SFO has its own statutes approved by the General Chapter.

2. National fraternities have their own statutes approved by the Presidency of the International Council of the SFO.

3. The regional and the local fraternities may have their own statutes approved by the council of the higher level.

Article 7

1. All regulations not in accordance with the present Constitutions are abrogated.

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