The Society of Saint Francis is a religious order working in England and Ireland. We also have houses in Australia and New Zealand, in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, in the USA and Brazil: and all within the Anglican Communion. It is committed to follow Christ in the way of Saint Francis of Assisi, in humility, love and joy.

The First Order of the Society of Saint Francis consists of two communities: one for men (The Society of St Francis)  and one for women (The Community of St Francis). Franciscans are often described as 'active' religious, in that - as well as using our houses as places of prayer and respite - we also work in the wider world, with a particular care for the poor and under-privileged. We see our life as sharing in the mission of the Church in its desire to make Jesus Christ known to all people and to bring his love to all that God has created.

The brothers and sisters live in houses often called convents and friaries, though most are simply called houses!

The Sisters of the Community of St Francis celebrated their Centenary in 2005.

There is also a Second Order of the Society of Saint Francis, called the Community of Saint Clare. It is an enclosed order for women, following the way of life of Saint Clare of Assisi.

The Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis is for men and women living in the world, married or single, ordained or lay.

All three Orders of the Society are supported in prayer by the Companions of SSF.

There are about forty-five different religious orders in the six Anglican Provinces which make up the British Isles, and many more in the wider Anglican Communion. You can find out more about them by reading the Anglican Religious Life, the latest printed edition of which is for 2008/2009.

The wider Franciscan Family is mainly found in the Roman Catholic Church, and there are one or two communities in the Protestant Churches in Europe, together with a small group living the Franciscan life in the Old Catholic Church in Germany. Anglican Franciscans have close fraternal and sororal links with many of them.

The accounts of CSF, SSF and the SSF Central Fund can be found on the Charity Commission website by entering the Registered Charity Numbers (listed below) in the appropriate place. These accounts are managed under separate trusteeships but they are coordinated.