The Third Order Regular, like the Secular Franciscan Order was not founded as a single entity. There were local fraternities/communities which have sprouted up over the centuries in various places, often as a result of the preaching of the friars. In the 14th-15th century one group of friar/hermits united in a national federation in Lombardy (now part of Italy) and received official status from the Church. Over the centuries other national federations were formed and recognized and many of these eventually melded into the Third Order Regular (T.O.R.) friars with their generalate at SS. Cosmas and Damian here in Rome.

Third Order Regular (for the sake of clarity, I will use the initials TOR in this excursus) were primarily autonomous groups. The oldest in continual existence that I can find record of is the Sisters of Maria Stern (Germany), a TOR community dating from 1246; the Dillingen Franciscans (also TOR) can document their continued existence as a Franciscan group since 1289, although both groups probably trace their roots to beguines who embraced the Franciscan rule.

The first attempt at a federation of TOR women's houses was in the late 15th century, with Angelina of Marsciano in Umbria, Italy. Not much is available in English about Angelina, but Roberta McKelvie will soon publish her doctoral dissertation on this topic. Unfortunately, Angelina's federation was not welcomed by the Church (Roman Curia and friars) and the houses were forced to remain autonomous.

A large growth in the foundation of TOR communities occurred during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. At this time many of the ancient TOR groups also sent missionaries to the Americas and, especially in the late 19th century, these new houses retained contact with their mother-house in Europe. Thus the old "monasteries" could now be considered congregations.

Another factor in the diversity of the groups within the TOR is the fact that it was not until the 1917 code of canon law that the Church officially recognized such modern concepts as " perpetual simple vows", "sisters" as distinct from nuns, etc.

Today there are approximately 400 separate congregations in the Third Order Regular; 17 of these groups are male and of these 17, three are predominantly clerical (the TORs, the Society of the Atonements, and the Tertiary Capuchins of the Sorrowful Mother; the latter is a Spanish foundation). A few brothers groups have a few priests.

There are also some 60 monasteries of T.O.R. nuns, women living under solemn vows with enclosure, just like the Poor Clares, but observing the Rule of the Third Order Regular, not that of St. Clare. (Predominantly in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Spain and Mexico).

The rest of the world does not make such distinctions about initials as we do in the USA. Many TOR congregations (male and female) simply use the initials OSF, but some others in use in the USA are: FMM, CSSF, FMIC, FSP, TOR, SA (male and female), and God only knows what other initials.

The Franciscan Federation (USA) is an organization representing the various TOR congregations in North America. Founded in the 1960's, it is not a single congregation/order but a group that promotes communication, collaboration and education among the various Third Order Regular congregations.

The International Franciscan TOR Conference is a similar organization, founded in 1985, and making similar efforts at the international level. Our 1993 statistics showed 379 congregations with a total of 116,000 members. Our office is in Rome near the entrance to the Vatican Museums. Every four years we have an international assembly to which the 400 general superiors are invited; at that time they discuss topics of common interest, elect a new council of general superiors who in turn hire a new secretary-general (executive director). The next conference is in May 1997 in Santa Maria degli Angeli, right next to the Porziuncola.

Contributed by
Nancy Celaschi, OSF
Secretary-General, IFC-TOR
Piazza Risorgimento 14
00192 Roma