Origins of the Franciscan Order

Chapter II: The "Novelty" of the Order of Friars Minor

Chapter II THE "NOVELTY" OF THE ORDER OF FRIARS MINOR So far in this study, we have attempted to throw light on those problems which arose as the new Order, almost spontaneously, grew around the person of St. Francis. In the course of our research , it became increasingly clear that, although this new como munity was without any doubt a religious Order, it represented something completely new in the religious life of the Church. Our next step is to engage in the much more interesting task of delineating those elements which reveal the note of novelty that characterized. the Order, and which, therefore, captured the attention of those writers who witnessed its growth. As we do so, it will be evident that this involves likewise an examination of the structure peculiar to the new Order, which would fashion it into a well-organized society.' The Franciscan movement, as the foregoing discussions have shown clearly enough, aspired to a life within the Church on a level with existing religious orders; nevertheless, as we have yet to prove, by no means did it desire to live a cloistered life, as the term was then understood. For this reason, new forms of discipline were needed to bind together this community, which from the outside seemed so loosely knit, and permit it to take on the form of a common life, with certain new features. It is precisely the particular discip53 54 Origins of the Franciscan Order linary forms adopted by the Franciscan community that allow us to discern the new kind of Order which is here introduced into the life of the Church, and which, in a certain sense, set a pattern c for the future. The presentation of these elements also helps us to understand the great difficulties which were to arise before this process of development in the life of the Church reached a satisfactory conclusion. 1. Itinerant Preachers If there was anyone feature of the new Order which was particular striking, it was the fact that it had no "cloisters" in the old sense of the word. Rather did the friars go through the world calling people everywhere to repentance and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Such an apostolate, obviously, made the the stable, cloistered life unthinkable. This important facet is noted by Burchard of Ursperg, who characterizes the Friars Minor - by contrast with the Poor Men of Lyons - as a community which has no fixed dwelling (A). James of Vitry, for the year 1216, relates with even greater detail that after their annual gatherings the friars would scatter through all the provinces of Italy: "Throughout the year they are dispersed through Lombardy, Tuscany, Apulia and Sicily" (F). A few years later (1220), after the friars had gone heyond the borders of Italy, he noted more explicitly: "They are sent out two by two throughout the world" (G); that is, they were sent by their superior in groups of two or more into the various countries, provinces and cities (H). At about the same time, Buoncompagni the Rhetor remarks with a certain degree of disapproval that the friars wandered "sine discretione" through cities and towns (J). The Chranican Narmanniae records, not without malice, probably in view of the "stabilitas loci" of the old Orders, that the friars were running about everywhere (discurrerent circumquaque) (L). The English Benedictine chroniclers speak of the fact that they went about "in groups of ten or seven" through cities and villages "to preach the word of life" (M).' Of the itinerant preaching of the Friars Minor, Honorius III speaks with complete approval: "And sowing the seed of the word of God, after the example of the Apostles, let them go about by different places (mansiones)" (I, 2b).' The "Novelty" of the Order of Friars Minor 55 This way of life, as not confined to anyone place, but determined by the needs of the apostolate, James of Vitry describes even more exactly: "By day they go into the cities and villages to win souls to God, dedicating themselves to the active ministry; at night, however, they return to deserted or remote places to give themselvs to contemplation" (F). To this end, they forego everything heretofore regarded as essential to the monastic life, where it impedes their ministry: "They have no monasteries or churches,' fields or vineyards or animals, houses or other property where they may lay their heads" (H):' Here again they are clearly...