Prologue

NICOLAS BISHOP, Servant of the Servants of God, that he may be remembered forever.

The sower went out to sow his seed. This is the figure of Jesus Christ, Son of God, clothed in our humanity, who came from the bosom of His Father into the world to sow the word of the Gospel among all men: the good and the evil, the learned and the ignorant, the fervent and the cowardly. And since He came to draw all to Himself and to save all men, offering Himself as a sacrifice to God, His Father, to be the price of their redemption, He scattered His seed, which is His evangelical doctrine, indiscriminately over all, without favoring anyone, fulfilling what a prophet had said: that He would be on the earth like a ploughman.

Now, although a small portion of this seed, which God has thus scattered by His benevolent and communicative charity, fell by the wayside—that is, in hearts open to the suggestions of the devil, where it was trampled by sinful affections; and another portion fell on the rocks, that is, in hearts not cultivated by faith, where it withered because it lacked the nourishment of grace; another portion fell among thorns, which signifies hearts torn by anxieties caused by riches, where it was choked by disordered cares; yet another portion fell on good soil, which is the figure of a gentle and docile heart.

Such is the order of the Friars Minor, established and rooted in poverty and humility by the illustrious confessor of Jesus Christ, Saint Francis, who, being himself a product of this true seed, communicated through his Rule this precious germ to the children he had and whom he gave to God in the practice of the Gospel through his ministry.

These are the children who, as the Apostle Saint James says, received with a spirit of meekness the eternal word, the Son of God, who united Himself with human nature in the womb of a Virgin, and who has the power to save others. These are they who profess this holy rule established on the word of the Gospel, authorized by the life of Jesus Christ, supported by the actions and teachings of His apostles, who were the founders of the militant Church.

This is the pure and spotless religion in the eyes of God the Father, which, so to speak, bears within itself the testimony of the Trinity, having descended from the Father of lights, having been taught to the apostles by the examples and doctrine of His Son, and the Holy Spirit having inspired it to the blessed Francis and those who followed him. This is finally the religion that henceforth no one must attack, since Jesus Christ authorized it by the marks of His Passion, having willed that he who was its founder should bear them impressed on his body in such a tangible and glorious manner.

But all these advantages did not prevent the ancient enemy from employing his artifices against the Friars Minor and their rule; and even, striving to sow tares among the good grain, he occasionally raised up people full of jealousy, envy, anger, and indiscreet zeal; critical and biting minds, who raged against them and tore their rule apart with calumnies, claiming that it was neither permitted nor possible to observe it, and that it was dangerous to engage in it.

Not reflecting that, as we have said, this holy rule consists of precepts and useful and salutary warnings; that it is authorized by the example of the apostles; that it has also been confirmed by the holy Apostolic See; and that it is supported by a great number of very credible testimonies which God has granted to the holiness of several who lived and died in observance of this Rule, some of whom, for their lives and miracles, have been numbered among the Saints by the same Apostolic See.

Moreover, Pope Gregory X recently declared, at the General Council of Lyon, that this rule was approved because of the manifest benefit it provides to the entire Church. But what seems even more remarkable to us, and what we consider with great attention, as all Catholics ought, is that God, looking with favor on this Order and those who embraced it, has granted them protection so powerful and salutary against the ill will of their enemies that not only were they not broken by these stormy waves, nor was their courage abated, but on the contrary, their regularity increases daily and they are even more faithful in fulfilling their obligations.

Nevertheless, so that there may be no confusion in the rule, and that everything may be clear and precise, according to the measures that the Brothers of this Order have taken in their last General Chapter; having for this purpose delegated to Us our most beloved sons, the Minister General and some of the Provincial Ministers who were at that chapter, which shows that they desire with great fervor of spirit to observe their rule exactly; and also to remove from critical and quarrelsome minds any pretext to exercise their malice, We have judged it appropriate to clarify certain articles of the rule which might appear doubtful; to give further explanation on some others that have been clarified by our predecessors; and to ensure that the Brothers live with greater purity of conscience, by explaining to them certain articles concerning the rule itself.

We, therefore, who from our earliest years have had an affection for the said Order that has grown with age, having seen some of the companions of Saint Francis, who had knowledge of his life and conduct, with whom we have often discussed the rule and the holy intentions of this blessed confessor; and when we were honored with the dignity of cardinal, and later established by the holy Apostolic See as Governor, Protector, and Corrector of the same Order; having learned in particular everything concerning it, due to the responsibilities entrusted to us, and finally being called to the functions of the apostolate, and finding ourselves, by the things we have just mentioned, and furthermore by long experience, well instructed in the pious intentions of said holy confessor and the points concerning the rule and its observance.

We have turned our thoughts toward the said Order, and have thoroughly examined both what is known to have been approved and declared by our predecessors, as well as the rule itself and all that pertains to it. We have ordered, declared, and approved, with fuller knowledge, certain matters contained in this present writing; after approving them, we have confirmed, granted, and published them, having also regulated several others with greater reflection and clarity, as is detailed at length in the following articles.