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The
Origins Of The Secular Franciscan Order
There
are about a million and a half Secular Franciscans today living
in many countries throughout the world. They form a unique branch
of the Franciscan family tree with whom they share a common heritage.
They are, in fact, the most numerous of all the different types
of Franciscans within this family. Secular Franciscans throughout
the ages have constantly sought to live the Gospel in the footsteps
of St. Francis within the secular state in society. But how did
they begin? Did Francis of Assisi actually found the Secular Franciscans?
Let's take a closer look.
The end of
the 12th century was a time of political, social and economic
change. City-states were emerging, supplanting the old feudal
system. New social classes such as merchants and financiers rivalled
the lords and nobility. Serfs were becoming free tradesmen, organizing
themselves into powerful guilds. And lastly, money was being substituted
for barter as a means of exchange (Marion Habig O.F.M. and Mark
Hegener O.F.M., A Short History of the Third Order, Franciscan
Herald Press, c. 1963, pg. 13).
All these
changes led to endless cycles of war between city-states and a
general decline of morality and corruption even within the ranks
of the clergy. In response to this, a desire grew among the lay
people of the Church for a more radical return to the Gospel.
Thus a general
“penitential movement” began to emerge. This movement
embraced people from different classes – the newly emerging
Merchant class as well a peasants. Eventually some “Penitents”
began organizing themselves into fraternities. Various groups
were formed, such as the Waldensians and the Humiliati, which
advocated a return to primitive Christianity (also the Paterini,
Cathari and Albigensians). Unfortunately, most of these groups
fell into heresy.
Francis’
Influence and Contribution
St. Francis
was himself a part of this movement. In 1206, he became a penitent.
Soon after young men began to gather around him and they became
known as the “Penitents of Assisi”. They began preaching
penance and Gospel values such as itinerancy, poverty, peace.
As well, a number of people “who wanted to follow his gospel
way but could not leave the secular commitments to family and
work” (Fully Mature In the Fullness Of Christ, Fr.
Benet Fonk O.F.M., Sacred Heart Province, c. 1995, pg. 05-3) began
to seek guidance from Francis and his Friars.
Friar Thomas
Celano, the first biographer of St. Francis, writes: “Many
people, well-born and lowly, cleric and lay, driven by divine
inspiration, began to come to Saint Francis, for they desired
to serve under his constant training and leadership…. He
is without question an outstanding craftsman, for through his
spreading message, the Church of Christ is being renewed in both
sexes according to his form, rule and teaching…Furthermore,
to all he gave a norm of life and to those of every rank he sincerely
pointed out the way of salvation” (The first Life of St.
Francis, by Thomas Celano; chapter XV).
For these
people St. Francis founded the “Brothers and Sisters of Penance”
(formerly called the Third Order and now called the Secular Franciscans)
in about 1209, at which time he gave them a way of life to follow.
This is sometimes referred to as the “Primative Rule”.
Most scholars regard the first version of St. Francis’ Letter
to All the Faithful to be the most original form extant of
this rule (A Short History pg. 19). This document is now
the Prologue for the present Rule approved in 1978. This “Primative
Rule” did not have many specific details and there probably
grew a demand for something more precise. St. Francis may have
turned to Cardinal Ugolino to develop a more precise document.
In 1221 the Cardinal drew up a text and it was officially approved
by Pope Honorius III. It was called “Memoriale Propositi”
after the first words of the document: “The memorial of the
resolutions by the Brothers and Sisters of Penance living in their
own homes…”
Memoriale
Propositi spelled out the penitential life in greater detail.
The Penitents were to centre their lives on God while remaining
in the world. They were to practice simplicity of life style,
wearing modest clothing, and
avoid all places that could lead to immorality. They were to abstain
from meat and fast on certain days. They were to pray the seven
canonical hours of Divine Office (Psalter for clerics, Our Fathers
for others) and to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and
Communion so many times a year and make an examination of conscience
in the evening. They were forbidden to take up arms and take oaths
(with some exceptions). They were to belong to a Fraternity, meeting
together in a church once a month, which included attending Mass.
They were to receive religious instruction from a Religious and
hear the preaching of the Word of God. They were to donate to
a common fund to be used to support the poor and the sick.
The Brothers
and Sisters of Penance grew rapidly and they began to organize
themselves, adopting local statues and customs. By about 1247
the movement had grown so large that Pope Innocent IV placed it
under the direction of the Franciscan friars.
Throughout
the centuries, the Secular Franciscan Rule has been changed to
meet the changing times; however, the over-all goal and character
of the Secular Franciscan way of life has not changed. From 1221,
Memoriale Propositi lasted until 1289, when Pope Nicholas IV approved
a new Rule called Supra Montem. This, in turn, was replaced in
1883 by Misericors Dei Filius approved by Pope Leo XIII. Lastly,
the present Rule was approved by Pope Paul VI in 1978. The genius
of this rule is that it focuses only on general spiritual principles
and values leaving specific practices to the individual and the
Constitutions and Statutes of each fraternity and region. In this
way the present Rule is will not become out-dated.
After this
closer look we return to our original question: Did St. Francis
found the Secular Franciscans? The answer is emphatically “yes!”
But we see that “At the outset the ‘Brothers and Sisters
of Penance’ grew out of two existing currents: the captivating
witness and direct preaching of Francis, and the existing penitential
movement throughout the Church with which Francis himself was
associated…” (Fr. Benet Fonck O.F.M., Fully Mature
with the Fullness of Christ, c.1995, pg. 05-3).
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