While the Third Order grew and developed down the centuries other groups in the Church came to be founded

for missionary, medical, teaching and other specific apostolic works.

Many of these later groups followed a Rule of life based on that of the Third Order of St Francis.

The result of these developments is that today the Third order of St Francis has two distinct branches.

The ordinary people who follow the Rule given them by St Francis belong to what we now call the Secular Franciscan Order.

In South Africa they come from every background and corner of the land. They are grouped into local Fraternities which meet regularly for prayer and mission.

Over the years many religious communities, inspired by Saints Francis and Clare, chose to follow the Rule of the Franciscan Third Order.

Together these make up the various branches of the Third Order Regular which, here in South Africa, includes sixteen congregations of sisters and a group of brothers.

In our part of the world the First Second and Third Orders are linked through the Franciscan Federation of South Africa.