I need some practical advice for how to live and grow in Franciscan spirituality as a layperson. Because I am not close to a Secular Franciscan group, I need to do this on my own.
Subscribing to St. Anthony Messenger may be your best place to start. Our “Followers of St. Francis” column usually features a Franciscan priest, brother, sister, or Secular Franciscan; but sometimes it includes a person strongly inspired by St. Francis but not formally a member of the Franciscan family. For example, that column last month featured Gary Francisco Keller, a professor at Arizona State University who maintains an extensive website about Franciscans in the United States.
This magazine regularly has articles on individual Franciscans or groups of them. I count at least eight articles published in 2016 that would directly help someone seeking to grow in Franciscan spirituality—not to mention editorials, book reviews, and other columns.
