Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Paul Sabatier (best historical biographies txt) π
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he did not endure them with joy he was not a true Brother Minor.[14] The noblest virtues are subject to scruples, that of perfect humility more than any other, and thus it is that excellent men religiously betray their own convictions to avoid asserting themselves. He resolved then to put the direction of the Order into the hands of Pietro di Catana. It is evident that there was nothing spontaneous in this decision, and the fact that this brother was a doctor of laws and belonged to the nobility squarely argues the transformation of the Franciscan institute.
It is not known whether or not Ugolini was present at the chapter of September 29, 1220, but if he was not there in person he was assuredly represented by some prelate, charged to watch over the debates.[15] The bull which had been issued a week before was communicated to the friars, to whom Francis also announced that he was about to elaborate a new Rule. With reference to this matter there were conferences in which the ministers alone appear to have had a deliberative voice. At these conferences the essential points of the new Rule were settled as to principle, leaving to Francis the care of giving them proper form at his leisure. Nothing better reveals the demoralized state into which he had fallen than the decision which was taken to drop out one of the essential passages of the old Rule, one of his three fundamental precepts, that which began with these words, " Carry nothing with you ."[16]
How did they go to work to obtain from Francis this concession which, a little while before, he would have looked upon as a denial of his call, a refusal to accept in its integrity the message which Jesus had addressed to him? It is the secret of history, but we may suppose there was in his life at this time one of those moral tempests which overbear the faculties of the strongest, leaving in their wounded hearts only an unutterable pain.
Something of this pain has passed into the touching narrative of his abdication which the biographers have given us.
"From henceforth," he said to the friars, "I am dead for you,
but here is Brother Pietro di Catana, whom you and I will all
obey." And prostrating himself before him he promised him
obedience and submission. The friars could not restrain their
tears and lamentations when they saw themselves thus becoming in
some sort orphans, but Francis arose, and, clasping his hands,
with eyes upraised to heaven: "Lord," he said, "I return to thee
this family which thou hast confided to me. Now, as thou
knowest, most sweet Jesus, I have no longer strength nor ability
to keep on caring for them; I confide them, therefore, to the
ministers. May they be responsible before thee at the day of
judgment if any brother, by their negligence or bad example, or
by a too severe discipline, should ever wander away."[17]
The functions of Pietro di Catana were destined to continue but a very short time; he died on March 10, 1221.[18]
Information abounds as to this period of a few months; nothing is more natural, since Francis remained at Portiuncula to complete the task confided to him, living there surrounded with brethren who later on would recall to mind all the incidents of which they were witnesses. Some of them reveal the conflict of which his soul was the arena. Desirous of showing himself submissive, he nevertheless found himself tormented by the desire to shake off his chains and fly away as in former days, to live and breathe in God alone. The following artless record deserves, it seems to me, to be better known.[19]
One day a novice who could read the psalter, though not without
difficulty, obtained from the minister general--that is to say,
from the vicar of St. Francis--permission to have one. But as he
had learned that St. Francis desired the brethren to be covetous
neither for learning nor for books, he would not take his psalter
without his consent. So, St. Francis having come to the monastery
where the novice was, "Father," said he, "it would be a great
consolation to have a psalter; but though the minister-general
has authorized me to get it, I would not have it unknown to you."
"Look at the Emperor Charles," replied St. Francis with fire,
"Roland, and Oliver and all the paladins, valorous heroes and
gallant knights, who gained their famous victories in fighting
infidels, in toiling and laboring even unto death! The holy
martyrs, they also have chosen to die in the midst of battle for
the faith of Christ! But now there are many of those who aspire
to merit honor and glory simply by relating their feats. Yes,
among us also there are many who expect to receive glory and
honor by reciting and preaching the works of the saints, as if
they had done them themselves!"
... A few days after, St. Francis was sitting before the fire,
and the novice drew near to speak to him anew about his psalter.
"When you have your psalter," said Francis to him, "you will want
a breviary, and when you have a breviary you will seat yourself
in a pulpit like a great prelate and will beckon to your
companion, 'Bring me my breviary!'"
St. Francis said this with great vivacity, then taking up some
ashes he scattered them over the head of the novice, repeating,
"There is the breviary, there is the breviary!"
Several days after, St. Francis being at Portiuncula and walking
up and down on the roadside not far from his cell, the same
Brother came again to speak to him about his psalter. "Very well,
go on," said Francis to him, "you have only to do what your
minister tells you." At these words the novice went away, but
Francis began to reflect on what he had said, and suddenly
calling to the friar, he cried, "Wait for me! wait for me!" When
he had caught up to him, "Retrace your steps a little way. I beg
you," he said. "Where was I when I told you to do whatever your
minister told you as to the psalter?" Then falling upon his knees
on the spot pointed out by the friar, he prostrated himself at
his feet: "Pardon, my brother, pardon!" he cried, "for he who
would be Brother Minor ought to have nothing but his clothing."
This long story is not merely precious because it shows us, even to the smallest particular, the conflict between the Francis of the early years, looking only to God and his conscience, and the Francis of 1220, become a submissive monk in an Order approved by the Roman Church, but also because it is one of those infrequent narratives where his method shows itself with its artless realism. These allusions to the tales of chivalry, and this freedom of manner which made a part of his success with the masses, were eliminated from the legend with an incredible rapidity. His spiritual sons were perhaps not ashamed of their father in this matter, but they were so bent upon bringing out his other qualities that they forgot a little too much the poet, the troubadour, the
joculator Domini .
Certain fragments, later than Thomas of Celano by more than a century, which relate some incidents of this kind, bear for that very reason the stamp of authenticity.
It is difficult enough to ascertain precisely what part Francis still took in the direction of the Order. Pietro di Catana and later Brother Elias are sometimes called ministers-general, sometimes vicars; the two terms often occur successively, as in the preceding narrative. It is very probable that this confusion of terms corresponds to a like confusion of facts. Perhaps it was even intentional. After the chapter of September, 1220, the affairs of the Order pass into the hands of him whom Francis had called minister-general, though the friars as well as the papacy gave him only the title of vicar. It was essential for the popularity of the Brothers Minor that Francis should preserve an appearance of authority, but the reality of government had slipped from his hands.
The ideal which he had borne in his body until 1209 and had then given birth to in anguish, was now taking its flight, like those sons of our loins whom we see suddenly leaving us without our being able to help it, since that is life, yet not without a rending of our vitals. Mater dolorosa! Ah, no doubt they will come back again, and seat themselves piously beside us at the paternal hearth; perhaps even, in some hour of moral distress, they will feel the need of taking refuge in their mother's arms as in the old days; but these fleeting returns, with their feverish haste, only reopen the wounds of the poor parents, when they see how the children hasten to depart again--they who bear their name but belong to them no longer.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Giord., 14; Tribul. , f^o 10.
[2] Any other date is impossible, since Francis in open chapter
relinquished the direction of the Order in favor of Pietro di
Catana, who died March 10, 1221.
[3] This too short fragment is found in Β§ vi. of the Rule of the
Damianites (August 9, 1253): Speculum, Morin, Tract. iii., 226b.
[4] 2 Cel., 2, 3; Bon., 162; cf. Conform. , 184b, 2, and 62b, 1.
[5] Sigonius, Opera , t. iii. col. 220; cf. Potthast, 5516, and
6086.
[6] 2 Cel., 3, 4; Spec. , 11a; Tribul. , 13a; Conform. ,
169b, 2.
[7] Died in 1229. Cf. Mazzetti, Repertorio di tutti i
professori di Bologna , Bologna, 1847, p. 11.
[8] See Mon. Germ. hist. Script. , t. 28, p. 635, and the
notes.
[9] Wadding, ann. 1220 , no. 9. Cf. A. SS., p. 823.
[10] 2 Cel., 1, 16; Spec. , 100a-101b.
[11] Giord., 14; cf. 2 Cel., 1, 17; Spec. , 102; 3 Soc., 56 and 63.
[12] Cum secundum. The original is at Assisi with Datum apud
It is not known whether or not Ugolini was present at the chapter of September 29, 1220, but if he was not there in person he was assuredly represented by some prelate, charged to watch over the debates.[15] The bull which had been issued a week before was communicated to the friars, to whom Francis also announced that he was about to elaborate a new Rule. With reference to this matter there were conferences in which the ministers alone appear to have had a deliberative voice. At these conferences the essential points of the new Rule were settled as to principle, leaving to Francis the care of giving them proper form at his leisure. Nothing better reveals the demoralized state into which he had fallen than the decision which was taken to drop out one of the essential passages of the old Rule, one of his three fundamental precepts, that which began with these words, " Carry nothing with you ."[16]
How did they go to work to obtain from Francis this concession which, a little while before, he would have looked upon as a denial of his call, a refusal to accept in its integrity the message which Jesus had addressed to him? It is the secret of history, but we may suppose there was in his life at this time one of those moral tempests which overbear the faculties of the strongest, leaving in their wounded hearts only an unutterable pain.
Something of this pain has passed into the touching narrative of his abdication which the biographers have given us.
"From henceforth," he said to the friars, "I am dead for you,
but here is Brother Pietro di Catana, whom you and I will all
obey." And prostrating himself before him he promised him
obedience and submission. The friars could not restrain their
tears and lamentations when they saw themselves thus becoming in
some sort orphans, but Francis arose, and, clasping his hands,
with eyes upraised to heaven: "Lord," he said, "I return to thee
this family which thou hast confided to me. Now, as thou
knowest, most sweet Jesus, I have no longer strength nor ability
to keep on caring for them; I confide them, therefore, to the
ministers. May they be responsible before thee at the day of
judgment if any brother, by their negligence or bad example, or
by a too severe discipline, should ever wander away."[17]
The functions of Pietro di Catana were destined to continue but a very short time; he died on March 10, 1221.[18]
Information abounds as to this period of a few months; nothing is more natural, since Francis remained at Portiuncula to complete the task confided to him, living there surrounded with brethren who later on would recall to mind all the incidents of which they were witnesses. Some of them reveal the conflict of which his soul was the arena. Desirous of showing himself submissive, he nevertheless found himself tormented by the desire to shake off his chains and fly away as in former days, to live and breathe in God alone. The following artless record deserves, it seems to me, to be better known.[19]
One day a novice who could read the psalter, though not without
difficulty, obtained from the minister general--that is to say,
from the vicar of St. Francis--permission to have one. But as he
had learned that St. Francis desired the brethren to be covetous
neither for learning nor for books, he would not take his psalter
without his consent. So, St. Francis having come to the monastery
where the novice was, "Father," said he, "it would be a great
consolation to have a psalter; but though the minister-general
has authorized me to get it, I would not have it unknown to you."
"Look at the Emperor Charles," replied St. Francis with fire,
"Roland, and Oliver and all the paladins, valorous heroes and
gallant knights, who gained their famous victories in fighting
infidels, in toiling and laboring even unto death! The holy
martyrs, they also have chosen to die in the midst of battle for
the faith of Christ! But now there are many of those who aspire
to merit honor and glory simply by relating their feats. Yes,
among us also there are many who expect to receive glory and
honor by reciting and preaching the works of the saints, as if
they had done them themselves!"
... A few days after, St. Francis was sitting before the fire,
and the novice drew near to speak to him anew about his psalter.
"When you have your psalter," said Francis to him, "you will want
a breviary, and when you have a breviary you will seat yourself
in a pulpit like a great prelate and will beckon to your
companion, 'Bring me my breviary!'"
St. Francis said this with great vivacity, then taking up some
ashes he scattered them over the head of the novice, repeating,
"There is the breviary, there is the breviary!"
Several days after, St. Francis being at Portiuncula and walking
up and down on the roadside not far from his cell, the same
Brother came again to speak to him about his psalter. "Very well,
go on," said Francis to him, "you have only to do what your
minister tells you." At these words the novice went away, but
Francis began to reflect on what he had said, and suddenly
calling to the friar, he cried, "Wait for me! wait for me!" When
he had caught up to him, "Retrace your steps a little way. I beg
you," he said. "Where was I when I told you to do whatever your
minister told you as to the psalter?" Then falling upon his knees
on the spot pointed out by the friar, he prostrated himself at
his feet: "Pardon, my brother, pardon!" he cried, "for he who
would be Brother Minor ought to have nothing but his clothing."
This long story is not merely precious because it shows us, even to the smallest particular, the conflict between the Francis of the early years, looking only to God and his conscience, and the Francis of 1220, become a submissive monk in an Order approved by the Roman Church, but also because it is one of those infrequent narratives where his method shows itself with its artless realism. These allusions to the tales of chivalry, and this freedom of manner which made a part of his success with the masses, were eliminated from the legend with an incredible rapidity. His spiritual sons were perhaps not ashamed of their father in this matter, but they were so bent upon bringing out his other qualities that they forgot a little too much the poet, the troubadour, the
joculator Domini .
Certain fragments, later than Thomas of Celano by more than a century, which relate some incidents of this kind, bear for that very reason the stamp of authenticity.
It is difficult enough to ascertain precisely what part Francis still took in the direction of the Order. Pietro di Catana and later Brother Elias are sometimes called ministers-general, sometimes vicars; the two terms often occur successively, as in the preceding narrative. It is very probable that this confusion of terms corresponds to a like confusion of facts. Perhaps it was even intentional. After the chapter of September, 1220, the affairs of the Order pass into the hands of him whom Francis had called minister-general, though the friars as well as the papacy gave him only the title of vicar. It was essential for the popularity of the Brothers Minor that Francis should preserve an appearance of authority, but the reality of government had slipped from his hands.
The ideal which he had borne in his body until 1209 and had then given birth to in anguish, was now taking its flight, like those sons of our loins whom we see suddenly leaving us without our being able to help it, since that is life, yet not without a rending of our vitals. Mater dolorosa! Ah, no doubt they will come back again, and seat themselves piously beside us at the paternal hearth; perhaps even, in some hour of moral distress, they will feel the need of taking refuge in their mother's arms as in the old days; but these fleeting returns, with their feverish haste, only reopen the wounds of the poor parents, when they see how the children hasten to depart again--they who bear their name but belong to them no longer.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Giord., 14; Tribul. , f^o 10.
[2] Any other date is impossible, since Francis in open chapter
relinquished the direction of the Order in favor of Pietro di
Catana, who died March 10, 1221.
[3] This too short fragment is found in Β§ vi. of the Rule of the
Damianites (August 9, 1253): Speculum, Morin, Tract. iii., 226b.
[4] 2 Cel., 2, 3; Bon., 162; cf. Conform. , 184b, 2, and 62b, 1.
[5] Sigonius, Opera , t. iii. col. 220; cf. Potthast, 5516, and
6086.
[6] 2 Cel., 3, 4; Spec. , 11a; Tribul. , 13a; Conform. ,
169b, 2.
[7] Died in 1229. Cf. Mazzetti, Repertorio di tutti i
professori di Bologna , Bologna, 1847, p. 11.
[8] See Mon. Germ. hist. Script. , t. 28, p. 635, and the
notes.
[9] Wadding, ann. 1220 , no. 9. Cf. A. SS., p. 823.
[10] 2 Cel., 1, 16; Spec. , 100a-101b.
[11] Giord., 14; cf. 2 Cel., 1, 17; Spec. , 102; 3 Soc., 56 and 63.
[12] Cum secundum. The original is at Assisi with Datum apud
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