Saint Joseph's Hermitage Charter - Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos

Saint Joseph’s Hermitage Charter

OFE Charter # 072519-2

Roman Catholic Franciscan Religious Order

Abbey of Saint Mary Theotokos

Province of Saint Mary Theotokos

Order of Franciscans of the Eucharist (OFE)

Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE)

(“an Order within an Order”)

with distinct and independent ecclesiastical functions

Ecclesiastical Affiliation Charter

Date of Charter: July 25, 2019

Saint Joseph’s Hermitage

Sons of Saint Francis (SSF)

Friar David Elijah, SSF

Minister General | Founder

Very Reverend Michael Cuozzo+, OFE, DD, MDiv, STD, PhD

Guardian

Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE) Charted Ministry

Benefits of OFE Ecclesiastical Affiliation Charter Membership

We establish Ecclesiastical Affiliation Charters with monasteries, abbeys, hermitages, congregations, churches, missions, archdioceses, and dioceses to help them fulfill their respective mission.

Each charter member will operate independently maintaining their current system of disciplines and teachings.

They accept the authority of the Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE) over all matters of Faith and Practices.

The charter member may not legally or financially obligate the Order of Franciscans Ecumenical (OFE) in anyway.

Friar Elijah, SSF, is minister general and founder of Saint Joseph’s Hermitage, also founded the Sons of Saint Francis (SSF). 

Saint Joseph’s Hermitage is nothing other than your place of residence. Saint Francis forbade any permanent place of residence and told his friars “wherever you take your bodies, that is your monastery, friary, convent or home.” Hermitages were common and a good place to “flee” community life in order to be wholly absorbed in “God alone.” When I envision the Sons of Saint Francis (SSF) as a respective and potential “Order,” I envision them living an eremitical existence formed by the Holy Spirit and ready to reap the harvest of souls.

Mission

Our mission as Sons of Saint Francis involves reformation of our Franciscan Order in particular, restoration of the Church in general; and the renewal of the world as a whole.

Charism

The nature of our charism as Sons of Saint Francis goes back to the original charism (gifts) and spirituality of our holy seraphic father, Saint Francis. We do not claim to be “official Friars Minor as such, but carrying on the primitive spirit and tradition of our founder, Saint Francis, we claim spiritual adoption as his sons.

Rule of Life

The Rule of Life of the Sons of Saint Francis is to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without property, and in chastity. Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to his holiness Pope Honorius and his lawfully elected successors and to the Church of Rome. The other friars are bound to Brother Francis and his successors.

If you would like to contact the Community, Friar Elijah’s email address is: SSF@FranciscansEcumenical.org 