St Francis was known for his "controversial" statements that echoed Jesus' counter-cultural approach. He brought in the Franciscan Order in 1209 and has become one of the most famous religious figures in history. While not always accepted in society's eyes, Francis knew that God had chosen him to make a difference. So what is the Franciscan Order and why did Francis establish it?
St Francis brought in the Franciscan Order to create a new mentality for the Catholic Church and to bring the morals and values of the Catholic Church back. At that period in the 12th and 13th Centuries, the Catholic Church had become greedy and was thinking more about money than the actual message of the Church. Francis created the new Franciscan order and the Poor Clares with Clare herself in order to preserve the message of stewardship intertwined with the morals of the Church while also improving the physical appearance of the Church to restore it to its former glory.
St Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor as well as the Poor Clare Sisters alongside Clare. Francis had around 11 followers in the OFM, and the Order only had one rule: to fully follow in the teachings of Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps.
When St Francis recruited Clare she was a young girl who had just left home for a simple life of peace and devotion. Francis knew that the OFM wasn't enough for the Franciscan beliefs yet, so he set up the Poor Clares with Clare alongside him. The Poor Clares recruited women, old and young, for a life of devotion and service. The OFM and Poor Clares worked together to carry along the Franciscan charism, and to also harbour others who had started to believe more in the power and wisdom of Jesus, Francis, and Clare.