About some lax Friars who gave great resistance to both the Reform of the Zoccolanti Fathers and the Capuchin Reform.

360 Opposition given to the Zoccolanti Reform and the Capuchin Reform 361 The conduct of the General Paul Pisotti of Parma 362 The reprimand given him by Sixtus of Rivarolo 363 Advantageous consequences for the Capuchins

(360) Just how important a good leader and holy leadership is to the Order may be seen in this. As long as our Seraphic Father lived the Order was always completely innocent and within the most perfect state of true evangelical observance, just as the author of the Memoriale della Religione says. And as we see in all rulings both spiritual and temporal, the Order prospers in so far as these things are directed by good guides. Hence you must know that when the Congregation began it was very much attacked not only by the Order but also by certain lax Friars for whom living the Rule seemed to great an evil. Therefore when those zealous Fathers used to talk about the Reform when they were in the Order at the time, these lax Friars immediately opposed them with all their power. They sought to impede it as much as they could; not only so that the Reform not be done, but that it not even be talked about. The Lord God usually does not give full power to the enemy. However he only relaxes his grip in so far as it fulfils his plan and produces a benefit for his elect. Therefore they could not much impugn what the Reform had become. However it went along weakly, the Capuchin Reform happened. If they attacked their own Reform, they strove much more viciously to impede and annihilate ours. They were unable to do much because at the time a General who feared God very much governed the Order. They were unable to turn him to their way of thinking. Rather he always took the side of the enthusiastic Friars and of the good. He always supported the Reform even though feebly because of the great opposition he had. In this way both Reforms endured. Because this leader was not wicked nor a persecutor of the good, but rather he favoured them, the adversaries thought up another piece of malice. Since the General Chapter was soon and in order to expire the office of that good Father, they strove with their machinations and ways to have some one elected who was completely in accord with their will. They wanted someone who hated all those that he saw to be inclined towards a good life and true observance of the Rule.

(361) He was very learned, but lax and without spirit. When the whole multitude gathered for the General Chapter in Messina on 12 May 1532, for the feast of Pentecost, they elected this learned man who was wanted so much by the lax Friars. He was the greatest enemy the Capuchin Congregation ever had. He no sooner took up the post of General than he began with great fury to persecute the poor Congregation. When he came to Rome he completely let go of the fear of God as bridle for himself. When those Fathers in Calabria sent him their letter asking him to allow them to be able to reform, he sought with great astuteness take hold of the bears of the letter to put them in prison. Then like an unchained lion he struck at those Fathers in order to get rid of them if they had not been helped by our Lord God by means of the Most Excellent Lord the Duke of Nocera. The Duke was like a father to the Fathers of Calabria in that beginning when they began the Capuchin Reform in those parts as will be described in its place. However when he came to Rome he made use of all the Christian Princes in order to knock down this poor Congregation to the ground. He used letters to be favoured by them with His Holiness. He sought and obtained Briefs which fulminated so much that they not only excommunicated those who joined the Capuchins, but also anyone who gave them alms, anyone who received them into his homes, and anyone who spoke with them. As is described in its place, he put Padre Ludovico in prison with the intention of having him die in jail. However the Lord miraculously delivered him from his hands.

It would be a shame to commit to paper what he did to the Reform of the Zoccolanti Fathers. He sent Commissaries to the Provinces and said he sent them to promote the Reform. When he found Friars who supported it or who wanted to join it, he had them put in prison. On one occasion one of the friends of this General who at that time was Minister and belonged to that clique of lax Friars, when a holy old man went to ask him permission to come to the Capuchins. Furious, he took a lump of wood and clubbed him as much as he wanted. I could name others, both perpetrators and victims, but for the sake of appropriateness I will not put it down on paper, because I know both. Of those who were imprisoned many things could be said of those lax Friars without spirit. However since it seems to me this matter should not be enlarged upon, I will leave it.

(362) This wretch lasted some years. In this time our congregation suffered extraordinarily. It pleased the Lord God that when this General went on visitation, this happened in the Friary at Mantua. A holy man was there called Brother Sistus, who was adorned by miracles and was regarded a very holy man by everyone. He had many revelations from god. One of them was this. He was called by the General on visitation and asked if he wanted to say anything in the visitation. The servant of God knelt down and answered him with many tears. “Reverend Father, I have nothing else to speak about in this visitation except your defects. Therefore I ask your pardon and I regret I have to say this bad news. Therefore know what Our Lord has revealed to me and wants me to tell you. The Reform was extremely necessary for the full observance of our Rule and by the merits and prayers of our Seraphic Father God had granted it to the Order. Because you and your followers have impugned the Reform of the Order and put it all into confusion, Father Saint Francis has begged from our Lord God that the said Reform be done whether you want it or not. However it will not be done within the Order but in another habit. It will be detached from you r Order completely. And so because of your demerits and your complicities you have deprived the Order of the Reform which was so necessary for it. Because of this the Lord God does not want you to continue in this office. Rather within a short time you will be removed with your great vilification and you will die miserably as a persecutor of those who want to do good.” This holy man began to weep so uncontrollably since ti was so close to his heart. For a good while he was unable to say the slightest word. However, rising before the General, he hurried back to his cell. Just as all the Friars saw, for many days he did little else but weep as he considered the anger of God which had to befall that General and the great harm to souls which had to follow on in his Order. For he had impeded such a good thing which God had granted it because of the merits of Father Saint Francis.

The prophecy of the holy man was fulfilled for not long after, by the just judgement of God, that General was deprived of office and died in a most miserable way.

When this man had died, our Congregation breathed somewhat. Everyone understood that he knew that the Lord fought for us. They were so lost that from then on that clique dissolved completely, especially because the government of the Order changed. The man who was elected in his place proceeded with more fear of God although he did not fail to do all he could to stop anyone coming to the Capuchins from the Order.

(363) The frightening death of that poor fellow was a great benefit to those who had desired to come to the Capuchins. For it was known that the matter was from God because his opinion did great harm because they said that the Capuchin Reform was not the true Reform and that it would last only a short time. However when they saw how God helped the Reform many great servants of God decided to come. It was also instructive for the adversaries who withdrew for fear of the anger of God. It was instructive also to Padre Ludovico da Fossombrone since even he began to doubt whether the Reform would be able to achieve it goal because he had been so beaten on account of the grave tribulations. Therefore the vengeance was very opportune because he grew in courage and he was so strengthened that from then on, as he used to say, no doubt ever entered his mind that the Congregation came from God. The poor fellow said, “In the depth of our misery the Lord God has given us a helping hand. Therefore sons let us not be ungrateful to him and let us acknowledge this benefit from him. For I frankly confess that even though I was struggling very much, none the less because of all the opposition it was impossible that this outcome happen by human means. However we have received from the mercy of God because as for myself I was totally lost in such intrigues for many years, because God always enlightened me regarding the situations and all my undertakings ….”