Secular Franciscan Order, Lady Poverty Region at 1111 Freyburg Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1211 US - Home
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LADY POVERTY REGION
The Lady Poverty Region was established as Region #68 of the National Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order-USA on October 23rd, 1994. One of the National Fraternity’s 30 active regions, Lady Poverty Region serves the geographic area north as far as Waterford, PA, south as far as Charleston, WV, west as far as Steubenville, OH, and east as far as Altoona, PA. As of December 31, 2009, Lady Poverty Region has 25 Active Fraternities, two Emerging Fraternities, and one Reactivating Fraternity in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. Lady Poverty region has fraternities in seven dioceses and is bonded to six Franciscan Provinces. Including 49 “Excused” members, at the end of 2009 the region had 444active Professed Secular Franciscans, with 25 Candidates and 14 Inquirers,
Lady Poverty usually holds its annual business meeting the third weekend in May. In May 2009, the Chapter of Elections for Regional Executive Council will be heldwith NAFRA Treasurer Dennis Ross presiding, and Fr. Christopher Panagoplos as friar witness. National fraternal and pastoral visitations with Mike Carsten, SFO, National Councilor; and Br. Bob Brady, OFM, National Spiritual Assistant were held in 2008. Every three years, the region sponsors a retreat open to all regional Secular Franciscans. The last regional retreat was held at Paul VI Pastoral Center in Wheeling, WV, September 25– 27, 2009.
Each local fraternity is assigned a member of the Regional Executive Council as its representative, to address problems, answer questions, conduct elections and make fraternal visitations. The Council/ Fraternity assignments are listed in the directory.
The region distributes its quarterly newsletter, La Pobrecita, to each local fraternity that is to be made available by the minister to every fraternity member.
MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
Approved by Regional Fraternity on May 17, 2008
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE LADY POVERTY REGION:
The Lady Poverty Region of the Secular Franciscan Order supports, encourages, and guides the fraternal and evangelical life of the fraternities within it.
VISION STATEMENT OF THE LADY POVERTY REGION:
Through Scripture, Tradition, Prayer, and Liturgy, Lady Poverty Region cultivates the integration of the human, Christian, and Franciscan identity of her Franciscan family and promotes Apostolic action by encouraging and supporting their efforts for justice, peacemaking and care of creation in the world and the Church.