Private Association of the Faithful · Pontifical Approval 2007
Missionaries of
Gratitude
“Love is not loved” — St. Francis of Assisi
We live and spread the spirituality of gratitude, imitating the Virgin Mary and St. Francis of Assisi, so that the Christian heart may beat gratefully once more before the Love of God.
A charism born to love and to make Love loved
The Franciscanos de María were founded in 1988 by Fr. Santiago Martín in Madrid. Since then, the spirituality of gratitude has spread across Spain, the Americas, Europe and Asia, recognised by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 as a genuine “path to holiness.”
We are organised on two levels —laity and consecrated members— united by a single vocation: to love and to make Love loved, God who is Love, imitating Mary's availability and Francis's grateful poverty.
Our whole spiritual family
A tour through the works, communities and media through which we live gratitude every day.
Schools of Gratitude
Small communities, in person or online, where this spirituality is lived and shared.
DiscoverKnow Your Catholic Faith
Apologetics, Scripture, Dogma and Morals to grow in the knowledge of the faith.
Get formedSocial Work
Volunteering in hospitals, prisons and care homes; and running the SM Catholic Hospital in Bolivia.
Learn about the workWhere We Are
Presence and contacts in 31 countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia.
View the mapParishes
Parish communities entrusted to the Franciscanos de María in four countries.
View the parishesSeminary
Formation of consecrated priests with vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Learn moreMedia
Magnificat TV and the Liturgy of the Hours.
Explore the mediaGospel Commentary
A reading of the Sunday Gospel with a resolution to live out each week.
Read the commentaryCurrent Affairs
Christian commentary on current affairs in the Church and the world.
Read more
How does a School of Gratitude work?
- Know and live the spirituality of gratitude, inspired by Mary and St. Francis of Assisi.
- Meet every week to share the “word of life” and the resolution drawn from the Sunday Gospel.
- Grow in unity, in communication with the source of the spirituality and in fidelity to the Church.
“Love is not loved.” That is the wound St. Francis carries in his heart, and that is the dream of every missionary of gratitude: that the world be filled with people who live gratefully before the Love of God.Franciscan Spirituality of Mary
From Canada to Chile, from Spain to Sri Lanka
The Schools of Gratitude are open in every nation of the Americas and are spreading across Europe and Asia.
- Spain
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- United States
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Panama
- Peru
- Dominican Rep.
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
- Poland
- Netherlands
- Italy
- Germany
- Sri Lanka
- Australia
Formation and commentary, week after week
Each week we receive a Gospel commentary, a formation topic and an analysis of Church current affairs.
Gospel Commentary
A reading of the Sunday Gospel with a concrete resolution to live out during the week.
Read the commentaries FormationTwelve years of topics
52 yearly topics on the Catechism, the Old and New Testament, Apologetics and Church History.
View the schools Church and worldCurrent affairs commentary
Christian commentary on current affairs, to stay informed with Catholic judgement.
Read moreDo you want to start a School of Gratitude?
Write to us with your available hours, city and country, and we will guide you through the first steps.