We are a Franciscan Community that was founded on May 31st, 2011, and we are located in the Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, under Most Reverend John T. Folda. We are absolutely loyal to Holy Mother Church and the Holy Father, Pope Francis. We are faithful to the liturgy, to both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Mass, to the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and in Adoration, and to Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary. We are also committed to following St. Francis in humility, poverty, simplicity, and penance all for the conversion of self and the whole world.
The hands of Christ and St. Francis support a nimbus which is the Holy Eucharist, the Mystery of Faith, the very Body of Christ. Within the nimbus is the crown of glory symbolizing the resurrection which completed the redemptive acts of Christ. In the middle of the crown is the Sacred Heart of Jesus emphasizing the Divine Mercy into which we are all conceived by our plunging into the mystery of redemption.
The wooden cross comes forth from the crib of Christ, and at its base is the Franciscan coat of arms; the bare arm of Our Lord and the clothed arm of St. Francis showing the relationship of the mysteries of the Incarnation and the passion and death of Christ.
The crib forms the base and is in the form of an "M" since Mary Immaculate is our patroness and we honor her as the base upon which the miracle of the Incarnation was established.
Therefore, the motto of the Community is: We are the Christ at the crib (in praesaepio) in adoration, through the cross (per crucem) in dying to self, and in dying with Christ, we share in his glory with the crown of eternal life (cum corona).
To evangelize and bring others to Christ through Mary Immaculate in the spirit of Saint Francis, beginning with our own conversion, through loyalty to Holy Mother Church, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, teaching, preaching, prayer, and penance--all with great joy!
Our Lady of Czestochowa carries the special title of Patroness of the FMI. As the Patron Saint of Poland, she is held dear to the FMI for her intercession in every grace. As one of the oldest images of Mary, the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa has a long history. According to tradition, it is said to have been painted by St. Luke on a table built by Our Lord Jesus.
The icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa has been enshrined for the last six centuries at the monastery site of Jasna Gora, above the city of Czestochowa. The image survived a fire at the shrine, resulting in it being darkened from the smoke. Thus, Our Lady of Czestochowa is also called the Black Madonna in reference to Scripture: "I am black but beautiful" (Canticle of Canticles 1:4).
The FMI live out devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa as an effective means of living a life of holiness, trusting unreservedly the maternal love and care she has given her children for centuries. FMI friars strive to imitate this same devotion that St. Maximilian Koble exemplified.