The Franciscans (OFM – Order of Friars Minor) are a Catholic order. In south Croatia they are usually addressed to as mala braća – Little Brothers. Founder of the order was St. Francis of Assisi, who lived in 13th ct. (1182 Assisi – 1226 Assisi). He was inspired by the Gospel and a desire to follow Jesus Christ, especially His poverty. That is why evangelical poverty constitutes an important trait of the Franciscan order.

Osijek Franciscans work today from two places: their main house is the monastery and church of the Holy Cross in Tvrđa, and in the part of Osijek known as Jug II there is a subsidiary house and the parish church of the Holy Family. Accordingly, the Franciscan fraternity in Osijek consists of monastic brothers (P. Željko Paurić - the guardian, P. Gracijan Biršić, and Fr. Alojzije Stipanović) and brothers of the subsidiary (P. Zvonimir Lutrović, parish priest and vicar of the brotherhood, and P.Ivan Antunović, parish vicar).

Monastery address: Trg Vatroslava Lisinskog 3 .......... Parish address: Paška 33a

P. Željko has lived in Osijek since 1982. He came here from Karlovac. By a decree from the diocesan ordinary in Đakovo he was appointed pastor of the Clinic hospital in Osijek. Since 1994, together with P. Pero Mijić, he has coordinated a new humanitarian organisation called "Children's Centre", which operates within Caritas of the Đakovo diocese.

P. Gracijan has been assigned to Osijek in 2000. Till then he did pastoral service for the Croatian emigrants in Australia, where he spent over 22 years. In the Osijek monastery he preaches regularly, hears confessions, prepares the weekly liturgical bulletin, on invitations leads spiritual exercises and renewals, and each year he goes to Linz to help their catholic missions in confessionals during Christmas and Easter time.