About Us
"www.dmfofs2.com" - originally a website used by Divine Mercy Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order, is now being used as a Franciscan website for Spiritual Reflections, under the name of "bro Fred's Reflections". The reflections were always on this website. Fred Schaeffer OFS, began writing Spiritual Reflections 26+ years ago. He is a professed member of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Fraternity of Port St. Lucie, Florida.
We invite you to read my reflections. They are written to bring you closer to Jesus Christ.
Example: Jesus is there for us because He loves us
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
December 13, 2025
What is the Secular Franciscan Order?
Secular Franciscans, as the name implies, live their lives in the world rather than in religious communities. They may be single or married, women or men, in all walks of life. They live the Gospel in a Franciscan manner according to their own Rule which they profess after a period of initial formation. Profession as a Secular Franciscan is a lifelong commitment. Formation and profession of the Secular Franciscan takes place within a local community called a fraternity. Life in fraternity is an essential aspect of the Secular Franciscan vocation. The fraternity is a community of love, the privileged place for the sisters and brothers to develop their sense of Church and the Franciscan call. Although a self-governing Order, each Secular Franciscan fraternity receives guidance in spiritual matters from a spiritual assistant, usually a friar from one of the other Franciscan Orders. These relationships are particularly strong between Secular Franciscans and the Franciscan friars with whom they share common roots in the Franciscan penitential tradition.
Confusion about the "Georgia Martyrs" and the "Five Franciscan Martyrs" cleared up
Pamela Nagle, OFS: The Five Franciscan Martyrs aka Fr Pedro de Corpa and Companions or the Georgia Martyrs who according to the Diocese of Savannah will be beatified on Oct 31, 2026. "They were declared Venerable by Pope Francis on March 27, 2026. There is a lot of confusion in the Region about our Five Franciscan Martyrs, aka, Fr Pedro de Corpa and Companions aka the Georgia Martyrs in the Diocese of Savannah. We all need to understand that these Five Franciscan Martyrs are the namesakes of our Region although their Cause goes by several different names because it was originally promoted by the Diocese of Savannah as well as the Franciscan Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, which is now part of the new Our Lady of Guadalupe Province in the USA.
"The Five Franciscan Martyrs for whom our Region is named and who are our patrons are Fr Pedro de Corpa, OFM, Fr Blas Rodriguez, OFM, Bro Antonio de Badajoz, OFM, Fr Miguel de Anuon, OFM, and Fr Francisco de Verascola, OFM, otherwise known as "Fr Pedro de Corpa and Companions." The reason we named our Region for them is at the time our Region was formed (first one on the mainland USA) is because our boundaries originally included the Diocese of Savannah and we had 3 fraternities there. Later, Regional boundaries were changed by NAFRA, and the Diocese of Savannah was put into the Brothers and Sisters of St Francis Region to our North. We still claim South Georgia because our Northern border is the 31st Parallel which runs right across South Georgia to the mouth of the St Mary’s River. So, originally these 5 Franciscan Friar-Missionaries had been martyred in Coastal La Florida, at that time part of the Spanish Province of La Florida, but is now in the State of Georgia, which was part of our Region from 1991-1995."
The above reply was edited/Fred S.