Author: admin

A message from the London and South East England Cluster of the Third Order:

The Transitus of Francis 3 October 1226
Saturday 3 October 1226 is the day that Francis died at sunset in
Assisi. Franciscans have commemorated this with a service called
the Transitus. On Saturday 3 October 2026 we are holding a
Transitus service in London, in Christchurch, Blackfriars. “We”
are the Tertiary Franciscans of the London South, London East
and Essex South and Europe, London West, and West Kent areas
– with Canterbury – we are the London and South East England
Cluster.
We will gather at Christchurch on Blackfriars Road in the hall at
5pm with refreshments – tea, coffee, cakes etc – to begin the
service shortly after 6pm. We will be joined at 6.15pm by Father
Jarek and the Roman Catholic Franciscans from St Patrick’s Friary
and church, Waterloo. They have been in the habit of holding
annual Transitus services and they will be playing a major part in
our celebration.
The liturgy will be marked at sunset – 6.34pm – with music and
prayers, ending with the Lord’s prayer, followed by the Friars
breaking and sharing bread to symbolise community, unity and
strength for the mission to which we are all sent out. The
congregation will leave the church in silence and we hope
to finish by 7pm.
We aim to promote this event to other groups and churches
around Blackfriars besides liaising with the First Order CSF Sisters
at Pocock Street and SSF Brothers at Plaistow, and Companions
and to involve the community around Christchurch, Blackfriars.
The day will have begun with our Tertiary Renewal of our Vows at
a Eucharist at 2pm in the church, preceded by a Bring and Share
lunch in the church hall from 12 noon onwards. This will be a
cluster gathering – mainly London South, London East and Essex
South and Europe, and tertiaries from London West, Kent and
even maybe Canterbury – all are welcome to this Renewal service.
As the Pilgrimage ends the day before – Friday 2 October at
Plaistow, having started in the morning from the Sisters at Pocock
Street in Southwark, we expect there may be people interested in
staying over and joining in renewals and the Transitus service.

If you are interested in coming to some part of this special day and
need more information, please be in contact with Jenny Standage
–
standages@pobox.com.
Christchurch, Blackfriars is on Blackfriars Road, London SE1
8NY. The Underground station Southwark on the Jubilee line is
very close – about 3 minutes walk. National Rail – London
Waterloo East Station platforms have a direct link to Southwark
Station, but you need a ticket that allows access through the
underground station. It is possible to walk at street level from
Waterloo East to Blackfriars Road.

Brothers Finnian, Simeon and Tobias stayed with the Sisters of the Love of God at Fairacres in Oxford for their First Professed Conference in July. The Brothers in First Profession (known as Simple Vows in some communities) meet twice a year for study, prayer and socialising. They attended a wonderful talk on Carmelite spiritually, given by Sister Avis Mary SLG and it was a real joy to worship and pray with the Sisters. The convent is set in delightful grounds which are lovely to explore.

Br John SSF attended the Requiem Eucharist for Br Thomas Anthony SSF in St Philip’s, Plaistow on Wednesday 13th May and his burial on Thursday 14th May in Hilfield cemetery. He took the following photographs, including the words of one of Tom’s poems called “No Comeliness” from the Order of Service.

The Funeral and Requiem Eucharist of Br Thomas Anthony SSF on Wednesday 13th May 2026 will be livestreamed and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://www.shealolin.co.uk/brother-thomas-anthony

The stream will also be available for up to 30 days afterwards and can be watched on any device.

The Franciscan Peace Pilgrimage is a prayerful and symbolic journey being organised by the Society of Saint Francis to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi in 1226. Rooted in the enduring Franciscan charism of simplicity, reconciliation, and love for all creation, this pilgrimage seeks to renew the saint’s timeless call to peace in a world still marked by division and conflict. 

Inspired by the life and witness of St. Francis—who crossed boundaries of culture and religion, most notably in his encounter during the Fifth Crusade—the pilgrimage invites participants to become instruments of peace in their own time. It is not merely a physical journey, but a spiritual one: a walking prayer shaped by contemplation, fraternity, and reverence for the natural world. 

Pilgrims will walk together in a spirit of humility and joy, embracing the Franciscan values of poverty, simplicity, and care for creation. Along the way, times of silence, shared prayer, Scripture, and song—especially in the tradition of Taizé—will create space for reflection and renewal. The pilgrimage is open to all who seek peace, regardless of background, offering a gentle yet profound witness to the possibility of reconciliation in everyday life. 

As the global community commemorates this significant centenary, the Franciscan Peace Pilgrimage stands as both remembrance and response: remembrance of a life wholly given to Christ, and response to the urgent need for peace in our world today. In walking together, participants echo the prayer so often associated with St. Francis—“make me a channel of your peace”—and carry its hope forward into the present age.

A message from the brothers in Plaistow:

Br. Christopher John SSF (not pictured), Br. Micael Christoffer SSF, Sr. Sue Berry CSF, and Sr. Sophia Rose nCSF were deeply honoured and truly delighted to be present at Canterbury Cathedral for the Installation of Archbishop Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

It was a profoundly beautiful and grace-filled occasion—marked by reverence, joy, and a deep sense of hope. In the stillness and splendour of the Cathedral, we were reminded of God’s faithful presence guiding the Church through every season.

We give thanks for the privilege of sharing in such a significant moment, and we hold Archbishop Sarah in our prayers as she begins this sacred ministry.

Simeon, Finnian and Tobias attended the latest gathering of SSF Brothers in First Profession, which took place in February at St Mary’s Convent in Wantage, Oxfordshire, home of the Community of Saint Mary the Virgin. The four-day group retreat included prayer, shared meals and additional opportunities for conversation and discussion. The CSMV Sisters gave a fascinating talk about their time in India in the 20th Century. They were based in Pune (previously spelled “Poona”) in Maharashtra, and their time there coincided with the presence of the Christa Seva Sangha, one of the forerunners of SSF. It was a joy to see an original copy of the rule of the Christa Seva Sangha written by Jack Winslow, much of which is still used today in the form of SSF’s Daily Principles.