How Padre Ludovico went off to find Fra Matteo in the mountains of Fabriano

128 The visit of Ludovico and his brother to Fra Matteo 129 Ludovico’s intentions and proposals 130 He obtains a Papal Brief 131 He presents it to Giovanni da Fano, the Minister

(128) Because of their great fear towards the Synagogue after the death of the Saviour of the world, the Apostles remained behind locked doors, bewildered and frightened. Some were in the Cenacle while others hid in mountains or in caves. They tearfully pondered the death of their beloved Master. They mourned badly spent time while they followed the Son of God for those past three years. They thought they had been mistaken because they were void of any hope that Christ would rise again. Rather, they were frozen in the depths of faithlessness. Full of fear they worried that they too would be killed by the Master’s enemies. However, when that sweet Comforter, the Holy Spirit, was sent them from heaven, they came out of the Cenacle, caves and every hiding place as if drunk on the love of Christ and without any further concern about death or life. They preached Jesus Christ as the true Son of God and the Redeemer of all those who wish to believe and profess it.

Consoled by the Lord God Padre Fra Ludovico, together with his brother and dressed in the habit of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis, fearlessly and ardently set out on their journey. Instead they were ready to die and to suffer every torment for the honour of Christ. With veering right or left, the set off on the road to Fabriano in search of the great servant of God, Fra Matteo who was preaching in the villages and castles around Fabriano. When that servant of God first saw them from a distance he was amazed. He had believed that no one else in the world wore the habit of Saint Francis except himself. As they drew near and he recognised them. Weeping, he dropped to his knees and embraced his beloved brothers. Padre Fra Ludovico told him about his firm desire and what he had suffered and how he had been imprisoned by Padre Fra Giovanni. With tremendous joy they all thanked God who had shown them that this was all His doing since it began with the holy cross. As a confirmation that this was the work of God Padre Fra Matteo then told them about the vision the holy old man, Fra Francesco da Cartoceto, had in the friary at Matelica. He told them how he had taken up the habit, trusting in the words His Beatitude. The Pope told him that it is his will that the Friars observe the Rule literally. And he allowed Fra Matteo the habit that had been buried in silence for so many years. He said that the Lord our God had given the habit to us because we must reveal it to the world. He revealed the number of ways that the Lord God had visited him so that he could receive permission for that habit from His Holiness. He spoke of how many signs the Lord had given him to show that His will is that the Order be reformed with that habit.

(129) Padre Fra Ludovico answered, “Beloved Brother, I have also placed my trust in those words of the Pontiff and with that hope I have adopted this habit. However you know one can’t rest when dealing with such a powerful Order. We will need help. You are naive if you trust in just the one word that His Holiness said to you and granted you this habit. If someone were to want to do you harm, you would not be able to show anything for the permission you received. You did well to have recourse to His Holiness, but I have done better according to canon law. It wishes us to have recourse to the Superiors first. Then when they do not provide for you, you have recourse to the supreme judge. With great joy he showed Fra Matteo the letters. “See what I have done! Now there is nothing for me to do but have recourse to the Pope.”

Padre Fra Matteo answered. “I also thought to get the Brief His Holiness offered me. However, that night I was admonished by God not to seek any Brief. Such would be of no benefit except to flee from the cross. Therefore I left Rome without seeking anything else.”

Padre Fra Ludovico answered, “No doubt this enough for the sake of ones’ consscience. However if we want to reform ourselves something else is needed. If we want to wear this habit and live peacefully with Fra Giovanni da Fano and the Order we need to obtain either a Brief or a Bull that commands him to grant us the possibility to live in this way. You will be more certain too if God grants you this grace. I have sought advice from those who understand these things. They all tell me not to leave the Order. Our Reform began in a way that it remained under the General of the Conventuals for some time. The same for us. I do not want us to start to do a reform or to reform the Order. I only want to reform ourselves. In all this you know that I am of the same opinion – that we withdraw to a little friary and that the Minister may not be able to shift us. Whoever wants a Reform will do it for himself.”

(130) Padre Fra Matteo liked this deliberation of Padre Fra Ludovico. Since he sheltered at night in that little place near Albacina where they later had their first Chapter, the three of them withdrew to that little house. Fra Matteo quested a little bread for them. They spent the whole night in prayer, commending themselves to the Lord God. In the morning Padre Ludovico celebrated Mass in the tiny church. The other two received Communion. After he had a little breakfast, in great faith he set out immediately for Rome. When he arrived there, and since he knew no one there, he spent a few days visiting the Churches of Rome and commending himself nonetheless to the Lord God.

He spoke with someone whom he thought to be a mature person of some authority. He revealed his heart to him and that he was to seek a Brief to be able to wear the habit Father Saint Francis wore. It pleased the Lord God to give him a very kind priest who, after listening to him with the greatest attention, set him on the right path. According to the indications he gave Padre Ludovico it was thought this priest would have been Monsignor Francis Manutij, the almoner of His Holiness Clement VII. He said to him, “My son, if you want good support, go to the Theatine” who was the Archbishop of Naples and who held the office of Secretary of Briefs. Since he had founded the Congregation of Theatines and carried out the reform of the clergy, he was very fond of these reforms. When Padre Fra Ludovico went to him and revealed to him his desire the holy Prelate was so pleased he immediately took up their protection and straightaway sought a Brief from His Holiness. After authenticating it, he gave it to Padre Ludovico and promised to give him every possible support for the Reform to go ahead. When he saw the kindness and warm welcome of that holy Prelate Padre Fra Ludovico was very reassured by him, who for the love of Jesus Christ wanted to pay for a habit of albagio. That is the most worthless, roughest and poorest cloth there is. With great joy he bought him cloth for a habit. Later when he heard that the Capuchin Congregation was making progress he was very happy about it since it seemed to him that such a holy and exemplary Congregation was cause for the honour God manifest in His holy Church. At times when he used to talk about it or discuss it with Cardinals or other Prelates, he spoke about it with such affection, and he was overjoyed when others spoke well of it.

Padre Fra Ludovico received the Brief. Its contents said that Padre Fra Giovanni, the Minister of the Province of the Marches, should grant to Fra Ludovico and his companions a devout little friary where, with the capuchin habit, they might quietly observe their Rule according to the intention of Father Saint Francis. It commanded him under pain of excommunication to lend every help and not remove them from that friary unless they desire to be moved. As for everything else they will be obedient to their Superiors who can visit and encourage them with great charity according to what is in the Rule.

(131) With great joy Padre Fra Ludovico went back to Saint Peter’s and remained there giving thanks to the Lord God for a long time. The following morning he took the road back to the Marches.

He withdrew to a hidden place where he wrote letters to all his companions who were of the same mind. He let them know that he had obtained the Brief through the great favour of God and of the Theatine Monsignor. Now nothing else remained to be done except present the Brief to Padre Fra Giovanni. Together with Fra Matteo he spent the whole night in thanking God with many tears. God had prospered their undertaking. Then they took to the road to find the Father Minister. They sought advice from some Friar friends who told them, “Do not go there yourselves but send someone else instead. Otherwise he will play some trick on you and consider the Brief to be of little value.” Trusting in the Lord, Fra Ludovico continued his journey. When he arrived he knelt with great reverence and presented the Brief to the Father Minister. Immediately Padre Giovanni went to his own cell and carefully considered everything step by step. He did not want to give it back to him. And if he had not been afraid of excommunication, he would have thrown Fra Ludovico into prison.