On Wednesday, May 13th, 2020, the Feast of our Lady of Fatima, the Poor Brothers of St. Francis ceased as a Franciscan community in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
The Diocesan Press Release: “The beloved Brothers have made this decision based on their personal, vocational discernment as they consider where God is calling each of them. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend would like to thank the Poor Brothers of Saint Francis for their service and devotion to our diocese and community. We extend our prayers that God continue to guide and bless them in the days ahead.”
From the Brothers:
“ Beloved Family, Friends, and All who have supported us Brothers,
May the Lord give you His peace. May He fill you with the overabundance of His merciful love, and grant you every grace to become saints in this life. We send you this update first of all to thank you. It’s hard to express in just those two words the gratitude we have for the gift each one of you has been to each one of us. It seems that much more is owed to you for all that you have done to help us follow the Lord. St. Paul tells us “Owe no one anything, except to love one another.” (Rm 13:8) Surely, our love for you is much more than what he can convey in this forum, but this is a start. Thank you for everything.
The second reason we are writing you is to inform you that our community is, of its own accord, disbanding. As of May 13th, 2020 the Poor Brothers of St. Francis will no longer exist. It’s very difficult to know where to begin in telling you why and how we have come to this decision. What’s even more difficult is relating it to you with all the love and gratitude we have for each one of you. Instead of trying to communicate all of that here, please know that we “long to see you, that [we] may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” (Rm 1:11-12)
Since it is unlikely that we will be able to speak with each one of you and answer all of the questions that you may have, we offer here a brief summary of how we came to this decision. We had known for some time that our inexperience of founding a religious community would be difficult to overcome. Shortly after we began, brothers had been of the mind that we would need help from men with many years of experience living a faithful and fruitful religious life.
In a meeting with His Excellency, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, held on March 31st, 2020 we related this awareness to him. As has been his custom, Bishop Rhoades acted speedily in our favor and acquired for us the assistance of Fr. Joseph Tuscan, OFM, Cap. During Fr. Joseph’s time with us it became clear through our meetings with him that we “were [not] of one heart and one mind,” (Acts 4:32), in terms of each brother’s personal discernment of his vocation. Fr. Joseph helped us see that the Lord was leading each one of us down different paths which would ultimately mean we couldn’t live together in the same community.
In the final analysis, we will have a peaceful parting amongst us. For we still have “a sincere love of [our] brethren, [and] love one another earnestly from the heart.” (1 Pt 1:22) We have this same love for each one of you. We will always be your brothers wherever God leads us. We have wanted to convey here something of that bond we’ve experienced with each one of you so that you may be assured that through this transition you all remain in our hearts, and will be fixed there until we reach the time of no more partings.
In Christ and Francis,
Your Poor Brothers”