How Padre Giovanni usurped the Brief

132 The conduct of Giovanni da Fano 133 He petitions Rome to annul the Brief obtained by Padre Ludovico 134 The Brief is revoked 135 Padre Ludovico takes refuge with the Camaldolese in the Fratta di Perugia (Umbertide) 136 His uncle defends him 134 In the mountains around Cingoli he reassures his hesitating brother 138 Padre Ludovico’s change spreads throughout the Marches 139 The country folk everywhere welcome him kindly 140 Giovanni da Fano criticises the behaviour of Ludovico and Matteo

(132) As we often see in the Scriptures, hatred is always the cause of evil. In particular, because of his hatred, Saul persecuted the great Prophet and servant of God king David for quite a long time. Often he tried to have David killed. God allowed Saul’s hatred so as to draw great good from it. Refined by so many tribulations King David merited to be exalted by God as King over the chosen people of God, praised for his holiness and prophecy. He is also exalted as a prophetic writer who so clearly showed the coming and death of the Son of God.

In the very same way the Lord God allowed this great Father fall upon the poor Congregation so grievously. And so from this came the beginning of the Reform. Refined by many difficulties Fra Ludovico gave the most beautiful and best kind of start to this Congregation. Enlightened later Fra Giovanni let everyone know that he opposed Fra Ludovico like an unfettered lion not because of stubborn malice but because he thought that he was doing the right thing.

(133) With the Brief in his hands he withdrew to a friary of his Order so as to do things properly and with advice as does a judicious man. There he gathered the Fathers of the Province to consult with the about the Brief Padre Ludovico got. He said to them, “Fathers, you know how much I have I tried to remove the hard-headed Fra Ludovico from the arrogance of reforms. I put him in prison, not to keep him there but only to humble him. Then acting on the opinion of some Fathers I freed him. I thought he might have settled down. Now I am more concerned than ever about his case because he has allied himself with that crazy fellow Fra Matteo. Before there was no one else but him. Now their sect has grown to number four Friars, including the madman Fra Francesco da Cartoceto. With that scarecrow on their heads, hypocritally they all happily go around like reformers of the Order. They have obtained this Brief from His Holiness.” He picked up the Bried and read it to them and said, “Now you can see how many worries I have in order to combat this mentality. If we do not protect ourselves this will cause us much suffering. I want your counsel and advice about what we can do to defend our Order.”

Dumbfounded by these words those Fathers concluded that recourse must be had with Rome to try to annul the Brief, citing the rela difficulties that have come from it. So Padre Fra Giovanni wrote to the Court Procurator and gave him an account of everything. He informed him that things would get worse if all diligence and care was not used to have the Brief quickly revoked and so as not to give time to the enemy in his determination to plot against the Order. Other wise he his about turn everything upside down. “Act as soon as you can to have Brief issued by His Holiness so that I can pursue him with the secular arm as an apostate and destroyer of his Order.”

(134) The Father Procurator understood. Since he was a learned and very prudent man he was diligent so as to have the Brief revoked. He made the allegation that Padre Fra Ludovico and his companions acted under a semblance of wanting to reform themselves in a spirit of freedom outside of obedience and the Order. They wander around like lost sheep, here one minute there the next, without any regard for religiosity. Like an excommunicated apostate he has deceived His Holiness by saying he wants to reform himself.

When he met with His Holiness he portrayed Padre Ludovico as such a bad light that His Holiness thought it must have been completely true. He granted a Brief so that he could lead those Fathers back to the obedience of the Order. If they remain obstinate the secular arm can be used since it is true that they are apostates and have made false claims in the Brief. However if it is true that that they have obtained the Brief because of an authentic zeal, it us understood that their Brief is not revoked by this one and nor are they excommunicated. It was obvious and clear with many other words that His Holiness did not revoke the Brief if it were true that they did truly wanted to reform themselves.

(135) However if Padre Fra Giovanni was given an inch he took a mile. Without regard for the intention of the Brief, he went after the poor fellows as if they had been perfidious enemies of God. It spread about commonly that they were excommunicated. This was no small difficulty. On one hand they had received the Brief, but they were unable to show it and justify themselves with seculars, and show that they weren’t excommunicated. So poor Fra Ludovico was compelled to give way to anger and flee into the mountains and hidden places where Padre Giovanni’s forces could not reach them. Hence he had to withdraw to the Fratta di Perugia where they stayed four months in a cave. Almost no one knew they were there except the Most Reverend Camaldolese Fathers. They were well aware of Padre Ludovico’s good intentions and his innocence. They gave him a lot of help and counsel and were the last refuge for Padre Ludovico. When they needed a little bread, or wanted to go to confession, or to recreate a little, they went to those Fathers. The poor fellows stayed in the cave where they had nothing but a pitcher used to collect a little water by night. They slept on the ground and had nothing else but their mantles. They ate nothing else but bread and wild greens and drank water.

So as not to bother those Fathers the poor fellows then decided to leave there and quest for a piece of bread. However when the women and children saw them they ran away. Many said, “You never see hermits like these any more. They look as though they have just escaped from hell. I wonder if they live in some hidden part of these woods and practice alchemy. They really are horrible. Nowadays you can’t trust vagabonds. They can’t come to my house. They won’t get any bread from us.” Others said, “Perhaps they really are servants of God because they go barefoot and have thin and worn out faces. They are dress poorly. If they had money they wouldn’t go around like this. They have made that pointed cowl to protect themselves from the rain. Therefore I believe they are great servants of God.” These gave them alms. The servants of God went back to the cave. They spent the day commending themselves affectionately to God so that He might enlighten them. Padre Ludovico said, “You know my heart, my Lord, and that I am not movtivated by vainglory or hypocrisy, but only to do something acceptable to your Majesty. I am very glad to suffer what we suffer now for your love. May your Majesty always give us the strength so that we may be able suffer. Make the way easy for us so that we may reform ourselves and observe all we have promised.”

And that is how things went along slowly. This was because the Pope wasn’t in Rome but was in Orvieto and then spent some months in Viterbo.

(136) Fra Giovanni did not fail to use spies so as to know where Fra Ludovico was. He ordered that Fra Ludovico be thrown in jail immediately if he should appear in Rome. Therefore Padre Ludovico remained in hiding and waited for the mercy of God to offer him a safe way to Rome, because he was a man who knew how to speak for himself and did not lack friends who helped him.

After these four months in secrecy he returned to his relatives in Fossombrone. He told his uncle about the persecutions Padre Giovanni brought him. He also gave an account of his intention. His uncle flew into quite a rage and immediately wrote to the Father Minister. He said if he didn’t leave his Fra Ludovico alone he would give Padre Giovanni a day he’d never forget. He was just the man to do it too because he was a proud soldier and had often fought in the ring too. Consequently Padre Giovanni was very frightened of him and somewhat checked his own brazen approach. Instead he looked for more secret ways in which he could get his hands on him.

(137) Padre Ludovico withdrew to the mountains of Cingoli. He stayed hidden there, helped and supported by some farmers who were his friends. Padre Giovanni desired nothing more than to know where Fra Ludovico sheltered at night. Since it was spring Fra Ludovico could not be ambushed because he slept in a different place each night. During this time they suffered grave temptations and often regretted being caught in this tangle. What afflicted him more was that his brother often rebuked him. “You have brought me to these mountain pastures only for me to die in jail. May God forgive you.” Padre Ludovico always made efforts to calm him and said to him, “My brother, do not abandon me. Have patience. God will bring great good from this suffering of ours. With the help of God I want to do a Reform that will be of great benefit to the world and to the Order. You know well that many holy servants of God wanted to be able to reform. Can’t you see that not even a shred of the Rule is observed anywhere and that we are in a bad position when outside the observance of the Rule? Don’t you know how much our first Fathers suffered to bring our Reform to perfection? And now, don’t they benefit from it in paradise? His Divine Majesty allows all those who want to serve him perfectly to be persecuted and purified like gold in the furnace. One cannot come to the true rest of real contemplation – which is the goal of God’s servants – without being purified. Our bread and water, our sleeping on the ground – all our great suffering purges us from every earthly affection and makes us hateful to this world. After winter comes the spring. Rest comes after tribulation. Can’t you see God’s miracle? After it was lost for so many years, we have merited by His special mercy to wear the habit of our Father Saint Francis, the true habit of the Order. This is a sign that through the merits of our Seraphic Father, His Majesty wants to reform his Order. It is a special privilege for us to be the founders of such a holy Reform. Can’t you see that Padre Matteo adopted this habit because of a revelation from God? Today we are fugitives, but in short while all those dressed in this holy habit will be given great honour not only by the people, but also by the nobility. Even the Prelates of Holy Church will cherish us. Rest assured my brother that this will be a Reform that is more important than many others. For it takes again the true foundation in everything. It is completely conformed to our Father Saint Francis and the beginning with those first Fathers.”

Padre Fra Ludovico said this because, as we mention elsewhere, his whole purpose in doing the Reform was to be conformed totally to what Saint Bonaventure and the Three Companions say about the way of life at the beginning. “How much Saint Francis suffered in founding the Order! What could we say about Father Paoluccio of Foligno! How much that servant of God struggled to begin the Reform of the Observance! How much Saint Bernardine, Capistran and blessed Brother James of the Marches struggled. How many calumnies and persecutions they suffered and now in heaven they are enjoying the benefits of their efforts just as founders are rewarded by God. The Order has never been in greater need of Reform than it is today. How many learned and Venerable Fathers you know who desired the Reform so much. When they strove for it they made progress because they were learned and very important men. However suffering frightened them and because of this all that remains of their efforts are lax friars. The Lord God wanted us, who are uneducated and unimportant, to begin this Reform in order of confound the pride of the world. Therefore be glad that our efforts will be greatly rewarded by God.”

Often Padre Ludovico’s words were so persuasive that his brother would calm down completely. Fra Raffaello became even more fervent than Fra Ludovico and conducted himself very well. After they obtained the Bull he always said to Padre Ludovico, Fra Matteo and to his brother that he always carried an authenticated translation of the Bull with him. Fra Raffaello didn’t live very long after the Congregation was established. He was in the old friary at Tivoli when full of merits and with great holiness he passed away to a better life.

(138) Padre Ludovico began to increase his time away isolated in the mountains because this was the year 1526. There was a great famine with hardly been any rain during April and May. This caused a lot of suffering. He wrote to ask his relatives to give him news about things in Rome because he wanted very much to try and get a Bull for the Reform. However he received the reply that the Pope was preoccupied with the Florentines and Charles V. He gave few audiences. Therefore they advised him not to go.

It pleased the Lord God that knowledge of Father Matteo’s preaching and change of clothing began to spread. Throughout the entire Province of the Marches the news spread that he had taken up the capuchin habit. Learning from the Friars knew that he was in the mountains of Cingoli, friends and others who desired Reform sent him many letters. These informed him about everything the Minister was doing against him. Detailed knowledge of the Minister’s whereabouts was very helpful for him. He gave the Minister a wide berth just to be safe. When he heard that Padre Giovanni had to return to his home near Cingoli, Fra Ludovico fled from there to Montefortino. There he stayed with the Camaldolese Monks who were very fond of him.

Because of the novelty of the capuchin habit at the time many rumours spread throughout the Order. The lax Friars condemned the Capuchins and spoke as much evil about them as they could. The good Friars who desired the Reform were very happy about it and talked a lot among themselves. There were only a few days when Padre Ludovico did not receive letters that begged him to give some foundation to the Reform. They said, “As soon as so-and-so and I hear that you have obtained a Bull we want to come and find you. Know that you have given a great fright to all our Superiors and the whole Order. Everything is topsy-turvy and there is talk of little else. Our Reform will never went as listlessly as it does now since the Superiors really hate it. Nonetheless, do not lose heart because God will not endure this much longer. The prayers of so many holy men will reach the throne of God. They have been praying so long for this holy Reform. Because the Superiors have impugned it, we have been found unworthy that the Reform be carried out in our midst. Instead God wants it done outside the Order. The habit of Father Saint Francis is the sign that God has revealed to us, Be glad then because soon you will attract a hundred Friars from the Province of the Marches. They are all good, spiritual men who will follow you.

(139) These letters were very important to Padre Fra Ludovico and his brother since Our Lord continued to dispose them to suffer all kinds of difficulty and persecutions that came their way because of this situation. They wished that things would settle in Rome. They wanted especially that Cardinal Colonna, who rebelled against His Holiness, to leave Rome. This gave them the more trouble than anything else and then resulted in the sack of Rome.

When winter came the poor Fra Ludovico could no longer sleep out in the open. Therefore he went down to a certain village where there was a Church. Because the benefice was meagre the priest rarely said Mass there. Nor did he ever reside there. With the church there was a little house where Padre Fra Ludovico retired at night. Very early in the morning, before daylight, he used to say Mass. After questing a little bread in the village he then withdrew to a safe place. Because of this those country folk came to love him. They provided everything he needed from what they had. At night they brought him to that little house. For Padre Fra Ludovico this was a great consolation because the villagers assured him of their help when he had explain to them the danger he was in. One morning after Mass the people said to him as with one voice, “Father, your saying Mass is the very greatest service to us since we have rarely heard Mass. So rest assured that not even a bird can enter the village by night or day without our dogs informing us. As soon as we see that someone is coming to do you some harm we will let you know immediately. We will not fail to help you.”

(140) In these ways he was consoled. The servant of God saw that if God sent him struggles and He also supported him. On seeing God helping him in this way his heart grew even fonder of Him. He hardly ever stopped thanking Him and wept almost continuously. So full was his spirit that he would have stayed at prayer day and night shedding tears while considering the misery of this world. Those who should have been helping him sought in their hatred to do him harm. Like those who do not grasp the judgements of God, they despised such a good thing as the Reform of the Seraphic Francis. The Minister was still tormented when he saw nothing could catch Fra Ludovico in his net, no matter how hard he tried. He gave sermons to the Friars in which he always praised the Order, saying that had been so many holy men who had died in a very holy manner with many miracles. “They all led the same life as we do. Therefore, sons, calm down and let go of the conceits of that simpleton Fra Matteo and the cunning of Brother Padre Ludovico.” Then he explained that the Pope had excommunicated them and that the General, if he could get hold of them, wanted to imprison them. “Father Saint Francis never saw that habit. When he renounced his father and even the clothes he wore he was naked. The Monsignor covered him with the muleteers’ mantle. Since it had a pointed cowl Saint Francis wore it on his head. Then when he went off to Gubbio he had made a Religious habit for himself. It is because of this that these madmen say that Saint Francis wore the pointed cowl. Today they are outside the Order and sleep here or there like shepherds, without saying the Office or the Mass or anything else. Behold the deceit of the devil. Therefore stand firm, my sons, and do not let yourselves be deceived. For obedience is the first vow and the devil has taken it from these madmen and they wander about in a spirit of license.”

The Most Reverend Padre Giovanni made no reference about how they all slept in huts or in caves when our Father Saint Francis began the Order. They ate sitting on the ground and were happy with a little bread and water. Often they survived just on turnips. When Father Saint Francis was away at the Carcere in Assisi, all his companions stayed on their own and rarely saw one another, dedicating themselves to holy contemplation. Although all the things the holy Relgion uses may be good, nonetheless many of them are not as important as contemplation alone, since all the other things are for that purpose. As our Father says. “Those who do are not learned, let them not worry about acquiring learning. But above all they should desire to have the spirit of the Lord, which spirit all other things serve.”

To the praise and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.