FRIARS
21)2
FRIARS
make a year's novitiate in a convent specially in-
tended for this end. Convents, which serve certain
definite purposes are called colleges {collegia). These
must not, however, be confounded with the Seraphic
colleges, which are to be found in modern times in
most of the provinces, and are devoted to the in-
struction of youthful candidates in the humanities, as
a preparation for the novitiate, where the students
first receive the habit of the order. No friar, convent,
or even the order itself can possess any real property.
(Cf. Francis, Rule of St.)
The duties of the individual Fathers vary, according as they hold offices in the order, or are engaged as lectors (professors) of the different sciences, as preach- ers, in giving missions, or in other occupations within or, with the permission of the superiors, without the order. The cardinal-protector, introduced in the order by St. Francis himself, exercises the office and rights of a protector at the Roman Curia, but has no power over the order itself.
VII. General Sphere of the Order's Activity. — As a religious order in the service of the Cathohc Church, and under her care and protection, the Fran- ciscans were, according to the express wish of their founder, not only to devote themselves to their own personal sanctification, but also to make their aposto- late fruitful of salvation to the people in the world. That the former of these objects has been fulfilled is clearly indicated by the number of Friars Minor who have been canonized and beatified by the Church. To these must be added the army of friars who have in the stillness of retirement led a Ufe of virtue, known in its fullness to God alone, a mere fraction of whose names fill such volumes at the " Marty rologiuni Franciscanum" of Father Arthur du Monstier (Paris, 1638 and 1653) and the "Menologium trium ordinum S. P. Francisci" of Fortunatus Hiiber (Munich, 1688), containing the names of the thousands of martyrs who have laid down their lives for the Faith in Europe and elsewhere under the heathen and heretic.
Like all human institutions, the order at times fell below its first perfection. Such a multitude of men, with their human infirmities and ever-changing duties, could never perfectly translate into action the exalted ideals of St. Francis, as, the more supernatural and sublime the ideas, the ruder is their colUsion with reality and the more allowance must be made for the feebleness of man. That an aspiration after the fundamental glorious ideal of their founder has ever distinguished the order is patent from the reforms ever arising in its midst, and especially from the history of the Observance, inaugurated and established in the face of such seemingly overwhelming odds. The order was established to minister to all classes, and the Franciscans have in every age discharged the spiritual offices of confessor and preacher in the palaces of sovereigns and in the huts of the poor. Un- der popes, emperors, and kings they have served as ambassadors and mediators. One hundred have al- ready been nominated to the Sacred College of Car- dinals, and the number of Franciscans who have been appointed patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, is at least .3,000. The popes elected from the Observants are: Nicholas IV (1288-92); Alexander V (1409-10). Sixtus IV (1471-84) was a Conventual of the period before the division of the order. Sixtus V (l.")8.5-90) and Clement XIV (1769-74) were chosen from the Conventuals after the division. The popes have often employed the Minorites as legates and nuncios, e. g. to pave the way for and carry through the reunion of the Greeks, Tatars, Armenians, Maronites, and other schismatics of the Kast. Many Minorites have also been appointed grand penitentiaries, that is, directors of the papal penitentiaries, and have served and still serve in Rome as Apostolic penitentiaries and as confessors to the pope himself or in the principal basilicas of the city. Thus the Observants are in
charge of the Lateran Basihca in Rome. As inquisi-
tors against heresy, the Franciscans were in the imme-
diate service of the ApostoUc See.
Observing a much stricter rule of poverty and renunciation of the world than all other orders, the Franciscans exercised during the Middle Ages a most salutary social influence over the enslaved and un- privileged classes of the population. The constant model of a practical poverty was at once consoling and elevating. The vast contributions of theirmonas- teries towards the maintenance of the very poor cannot be indicated in rows of figures, nor can their similar contributions of to-day. They also exerted a wide social influence through their third order (see Third Order). They tended the lepers, especially in Ger- many; the constantly recurring pests and epidemics found them ever at their post, and thousands of their number sacrificed their fives in the service of the plague-stricken populace. They erected infirmaries and foundfing-hospitals. The Observants perfonncd most meritorious social work especially in Italy by the institution of mantes pietatis {inonti de Picta). in the fifteenth century, conspicuous in this work being Bl. Bernardine of Feltre (q. v.) the renowned preacher. In England they fought with Simon de Montfort for the hberty of the people and the ideal of universal brotherhood, which St. Francis had inculcated in sermon and verse, and to their influence may be partly traced the birth of the idea of popular government in Italy and elsewhere in Europe.
VIII. The Preaching Activity of the Order. — St. Francis exercised great influence through his preaching, and his example has been zealously fol- lowed by his order throughout the centuries with conspicuous success, evident not only in popular applause but in the profound effects produced on the fives of the people. At first all the friars were allowed to deliver simple exhortations and, with the per- mission of St. Francis, dogmatic and penitential ser- mons. This privilege was restricted in 1221, and still further in 1223, after which year only specially trained and tested friars were allowed to preach. The Fran- ciscans have always been eminently popular preachers, e. g. Berthold of Ratisbon (q. v.), a German, who died in "1272; St. Anthony of Padua (d. 1231); Gilbert of Tournai (d. about 1280); Eudes Rigauld, Archbishop of Rouen (d. 1275): Leo Valvassori of Perego, after- wards Bishop of Milan (d. 1263); Bona venture of Jesi (d. about 1270); Conrad of Saxony (or of Bruns- •nnck) (d. 1279); Louis, the so-called Greculus (c. 1300); Haymo of Faversham (d. 1244); Ralph of Rosa (c. 12.50). The acme of Franciscan preaching was reached by the Observants in the fifteenth century, especially in Italy and Germany. Of the many illus- trious preachers, it will be sufficient to mention St. Bernardine of Siena (d. 1444); St. John Capistran (d. 1456); St. James of the March (d. 1476); Bl. Albert Berdini of Sarteano (d. 1450); Anthony of Rimini (d. 1450); Michael of Carcano (Milan) (d. 1485); Bl. Paci- ficus of Ceredano (d. 1482); Bl. Bernardine of Feltre (d. 1494); Bernardine of Busti (d. 1500); Bl. Angelo Carletti di Chivasso (d. 1495); Andrew of Faenza (d. 1507). In Gerniany we find: John of Minden (d. 1413); Henry of Weri (d. 1463); John of Werden (d. 1437), author of the renowned collection of .sermons "Dormi secure"; John Brugman (d. 1473); Dietrich Coelde of Miinstcr (d. 1515); Johann Kannemann (d. about 1470), a preacher on the Passion; Johann Kannegieser, "the trumpet of Truth" (d. about 1500); Johann Gritsch (d. about 1410); Johann Mader; Johann Pauli (d. about 1530), whose work "Schimpf und Ernst" was long a favourite among the German people; Hrinricli Kastner; Stephan Fridolin (d. 149S). In Iluiig;u\-: Pclbart of Temesvar (d. about 1490). In Poland: 111. Simon of Lipnica (d. 1482); Bl. John of Dukla (d. 14S4) ; Bl. Ladislaus of Gielnow (d. 1505) In France: OUvier Maillard (d. 1502); Michel Minot
