The Writings of Francis of Assisi: Letters and Prayers

Letter to a Minister

lETTEr TO a mINISTEr mIChaEl W. blaSTIC I. ESTablIShINg ThE TExT There are no thirteenth century references to or citations from this letter, and the manuscript tradition begins only in the fourteenth century. Kajetan Esser collated twelve manuscripts (seven fourteenth century; five fifteenth century) of which many are only partial editions , and excerpts included by Bartholomew of Pisa in his Liber de conformitate, for his edition of the text.1 This letter is found in only one family of manuscripts, the central Italian family connected to the fourteenth century reform of the Lesser Brothers. Given that the Later Rule incorporated the recommendations of this letter into the chapter dealing with the praxis of reconciliation within the fraternity,2 it is not surprising that more manuscripts of the text do not survive, as the letter would have become anachronistic after the approval of the Rule of 1223. Carlo Paolazzi used the same manuscripts for his new edition of the letter.3 The style of the letter resembles that of Francis’s other writings. It is characterized by the simple style of beginning sentences with “and” (et), the same style found throughout the Testament. Because of this similarity, the authenticity of the letter has never been questioned. 1 Kajetan Esser, ed., Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi (Grottaferrata: Editiones Collegii S. Bonaventurae ad Claras Aquas, 1976), 228-29. 2 LR 7, FA:ED 1, 103-04. 3 Carlo Paolazzi, “Le epistole maggiore di frate Francesco, edizione critica ed emendamenti ai testi minori,”Archivum Franciscanum Historicum 101 (2008), 47-54. The Writings of Francis of Assisi 118 This text can be categorized as a personal letter, because it is addressed to a minister, even though the name of the minister is unknown . Its purpose is to respond to a specific pastoral situation with an invitation to remain faithful to the evangelical fraternal life. II. aPPrOaChINg ThE TExT Two of the manuscripts indicate that the minister addressed in the letter is Brother Elias, and two other manuscripts suggest this indirectly . However, the more significant manuscripts leave the minister unnamed, indicating this with an “N.” Esser also discovered that a number of manuscripts address the text without any specification as to whether the addressee is a general or provincial minister. Hence, Esser chooses the reading which leaves the question open, by using the formula, “To Brother N. Minister.”4 Paolazzi has determined that the recommendations to the minister in the letter (e.g., vv. 12, 14, 16-17, 21-22) could only be addressed to a provincial minister.5 Esser dated the Letter to the Minister between 1218 and the chapter of 1221.6 However, Paolazzi has argued that Esser based this on arguments that were not decisive, such as holding that Francis began thinking about shortening the rule in 1218, when in fact the rule of 1221wasactuallyexpandedwithreferencestoCumsecundumconsilium (September 1220), and the description of the mission to nonbelievers in chapter sixteen, upon Francis’s return from Egypt. Based on a careful textual analysis, Paolazzi demonstrated that the various chapters synthesized are those in the Rule of 1221, which were shortened in order to produce chapter seven of the Rule of 1223.7 Thus, the letter should be dated between 1221 and 1223.8 One of the characteristics of the letter is the very fluid designation of levels of authority within the Order: minister (minister), servant (ser4 Esser, Die Opuscula, 229. 5 Paolazzi,“Le epistole maggiore di frate Francesco,”40-41. 6 Esser, Die Opuscula, 235-36. 7 Paolazzi,“Le epistole maggiore di frate Francesco,”41-46. 8 FA:ED 1, 97, states that “The mention of custodian and guardian in the context of the writing of the Rule suggests the date of the letter’s composition was between 1221 and 1223.” This reason given here by the editors is not decisive, though they anticipate Paolazzi’s dating. The Writings of Francis of Assisi 119 vus), custodian (custos), and guardian (guardianus). “Servant” is a title that Francis uses for himself and his office (v.9); “custodian” refers to the provincial minister entrusted with the spiritual care of the brothers ; and “guardian” is connected with an itinerant group of brothers, and who were not always directly present to each other. Very significant is verse 7, which Esser corrected based on the majority of manuscripts. Previous to Esser’s edition, the phrase read: “And love them in this and wish that they be better Christians...