The
Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), in its attempt
to remain faithful to the intentions of the
founder, St. Francis of Assisi, went
through many difficulties in the course of its
history, which led to disagreements and divisions.
The
three major branches of the First Order for
Religious men, the Franciscan
Friars Minor, the Conventual Friars Minor and
the Capuchin Friars Minor have their own
organization and legal structure, but share Francis
as their Father and Founder.
The
Capuchins are the youngest branch, going back to
1525, when some Friars Minor in the Marches wanted
to live a stricter life of prayer and poverty to be
closer to the original intentions of St. Francis.
Thanks to the support of the Papal Court the new
branch received early recognition and grew fast,
first in Italy, and since 1574 all over Europe. The
name Capuchins refers to the peculiar shape of the
long hood. Originally a popular nickname, it has
become the official name of the Order, which now
exists in 106 countries all over the world,
with around 10,500 brothers living in more than
1,700 communities (fraternities, friaries).
Simplicity,
closeness to the people, a fraternal spirit in our
houses and our apostolate are visible signs that
mark our lifestyle, while the emphasis on penance
and prayer in the life of the first Capuchins needs
to be revived.
Besides
the Capuchin Order for Religious men, there exist
many contemplative monasteries of Capuchin nuns and
a multitude of religious congregations for women
with the Capuchin spirit, often founded with the
assistance of a Capuchin friar.
The
Secular Franciscan Order for lay people is an
independent organization encompassing the whole
Franciscan spectrum. Franciscans, Conventuals,
Capuchins and other members of the Franciscan Family
give spiritual assistance to the Secular Franciscan
Order.
All
these groups of professed religious and secular
Franciscans form the Franciscan Family.
Friars Minor, Gray Friars, Grey Friars, OFM
General Information
The Franciscans are members of a religious order that follows the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. The first Franciscans, called the Order of Friars Minor, followed an ideal of total poverty; they possessed nothing in common or individually. Forbidden to accept money, they lived from day to day by working and begging. When they began studying and living at universities, however, they had to modify their strict ideal of poverty. By the time Saint Francis died (1226), the order had spread from Italy to England, the Holy Land, and all of Europe. The friars were known as the people's preachers. They wore a gray tunic with a white cord at the waist; hence, their English name Grey Friars.
From the beginning, there were disagreements about the direction the order would take. The Franciscan minister general, Saint Bonaventure, sought a balance between the Conventuals, who wanted to adapt their poverty to the needs of the time, and the Spirituals, who wanted a strict poverty. The quarrel intensified during the 14th century when some of the Spiritual Franciscans, known as the Fraticelli, were condemned (1317 - 18) by Pope John XXII. Disagreements about the ideal of poverty brought a permanent division in the 15th century between the Friars Minor Conventual and the Order of Friars Minor. In the 16th century, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin established a stricter independent branch of Franciscans. Preaching, teaching, foreign missions, and parish work remain the work of the Franciscans today. The Poor Clares, Franciscan nuns, are the second order. The Third Order comprises lay men and women who combine prayer and penance with everyday activity. Many sisters, brothers, and priests follow the Franciscan ideal in communities affiliated with the Third Order. There are Franciscan communities in the Roman Catholic church and the Anglican (or Episcopalian) churches. The English philosopher and scientist Roger Bacon was a Franciscan, as were the philosopher - theologians Duns Scotus and William of Occam. Other famous Franciscans include Saint Anthony of Padua; two Renaissance popes, Sixtus IV and Sixtus V; and Junipero Serra, the founder of the California missions. -Cyprian Davis
The Franciscans are members of a religious order that follows the rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. The first Franciscans, called the Order of Friars Minor, followed an ideal of total poverty; they possessed nothing in common or individually. Forbidden to accept money, they lived from day to day by working and begging. When they began studying and living at universities, however, they had to modify their strict ideal of poverty. By the time Saint Francis died (1226), the order had spread from Italy to England, the Holy Land, and all of Europe. The friars were known as the people's preachers. They wore a gray tunic with a white cord at the waist; hence, their English name Grey Friars.
From the beginning, there were disagreements about the direction the order would take. The Franciscan minister general, Saint Bonaventure, sought a balance between the Conventuals, who wanted to adapt their poverty to the needs of the time, and the Spirituals, who wanted a strict poverty. The quarrel intensified during the 14th century when some of the Spiritual Franciscans, known as the Fraticelli, were condemned (1317 - 18) by Pope John XXII. Disagreements about the ideal of poverty brought a permanent division in the 15th century between the Friars Minor Conventual and the Order of Friars Minor. In the 16th century, the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin established a stricter independent branch of Franciscans. Preaching, teaching, foreign missions, and parish work remain the work of the Franciscans today. The Poor Clares, Franciscan nuns, are the second order. The Third Order comprises lay men and women who combine prayer and penance with everyday activity. Many sisters, brothers, and priests follow the Franciscan ideal in communities affiliated with the Third Order. There are Franciscan communities in the Roman Catholic church and the Anglican (or Episcopalian) churches. The English philosopher and scientist Roger Bacon was a Franciscan, as were the philosopher - theologians Duns Scotus and William of Occam. Other famous Franciscans include Saint Anthony of Padua; two Renaissance popes, Sixtus IV and Sixtus V; and Junipero Serra, the founder of the California missions. -Cyprian Davis
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Francis Xavier,
born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta (7
April 1506 – 3 December 1552) was a Roman Catholic missionary born in Xavier, Kingdom of Navarre (now
part of Spain), and co-founder
of the Society of Jesus. He
was a student of Ignatius of Loyola and
one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534.[1]
He led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly in the Portuguese Empire of
the time. He was influential in the spreading and
upkeep of Catholicism most
notably in India, but also
ventured into Japan, Borneo, the Moluccas, and other
areas which had thus far not been visited by Christian
missionaries.
....In 1534, Ignatius and six other young
men, including St. Francis Xavier and
Bl. Pierre Favre, gathered
and professed vows of poverty, chastity, and later
obedience, including a
special vow of obedience to the Pope.
Rule 13 of Ignatius' Rules for Thinking with the
Church said: "That
we may be altogether of the same mind and in
conformity [...], if [the Church] shall have
defined anything to be black which to our eyes
appears to be white, we ought in like manner to
pronounce it to be black."[3]
Ignatius' plan of the order's organization was
approved by Pope Paul III in 1540
by the bull containing the Formula
of the Institute. The opening lines of this
founding document would declare that the Society of
Jesus was founded to "strive especially for the
propagation and defense of the faith and progress of
souls in Christian life and doctrine."[4]
The Society participated in the Counter-Reformation and
later in the implementation of the Second Vatican Council
in the Catholic Church. The society's
founding principles are contained in the document Formula of the Institute,
written by Ignatius of Loyola.