Order of Friars Minor - China Office. The Order of Friars Minor is a Roman Catholic religious order, founded some 800 years ago in Italy by St Francis of Assisi. Francis' simple dedication to living the Gospel has attracted millions of men and women over the centuries and around the world. He is the patron of action on behalf of the poor, of non-violence and initiatives for peace, as well as the safeguarding of creation. Together with 18,000 Franciscan men around the world, as Order of Friars Minor, we strive to live the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the footsteps of St Francis of Assisi