About the holy man Brother Matthew of Cascia, priest

Brother Matthew was from a villa in Cascia called Onelli. He was born to simple, poor and good Christian parents. Because they were farmers they nurtured Brother Matthew in great simplicity. As a child he learned to read a little. His parents set him to the art of farming. However, as it pleased God, burning with fervour to serve God in Some Order, and because he was quite young, and the only opportunity he saw was a one of the Fratini that he saw in the friary of Saint Francis. They served at Mass, sang the epistle and sang in choir. He began to love that life and since he attended that friary the Fathers clothed him as a Conventual Fratino. Not long after he grew in his understanding of the Order and left the conventuals and became a Zoccolante Friar. He always wanted to be in the poor friaries.

When the Capuchin Reform emerged the holy man Brother Louis of Foligno who was already a Capuchin visited him. By his persuasive arguments, Brother Matthew left the place where he was in fraternity. He was alone at the time because the other Friars were away on certain business. He came to the Capuchins and Father Eusebius of Ancona received him when he was the first Vicar of the Province of Saint Francis. Brother Matthew always led a very exemplary life. While he was young he went barefoot almost always. He never wanted to wear more than a habit that was completely patched with sacking. He was so enthusiastic about poverty that I believe that among the Capuchins in the province of Saint Francis there has never been anyone to surpass him. He was so zealous that he could not suffer stores of any thing. When garlic, onions, apples, nuts and the like were stored he could not rest until the Father Vicar got rid of them. He always wanted to be in the poorest friaries. Also he was very austere in eating because he fasted almost continuously. He always fasted on bread and water for the forty-days that our Father Saint Francis was accustomed to do. He always did these with the greatest devotion as well as certain vigils of Our Lady, of Our Lord and of other feasts of particular saints to which he was accustomed and for which he fasted out of devotion.

I don’t believe had the grace of contemplation very much because he occupied himself nearly continuously in vocal prayers. He said the Office of the Dead, the Seven Psalms and other devotions nearly every day.

He talked little with anyone but always remained withdrawn. He never wanted anything for his use other than that which the Rule allowed. He fled from secular friendships at all cost. Therefore I have had it from a trustworthy who Friar who knew him since he was a child and who regarded him as a virgin. Such was the purity and simplicity evident in him that he seemed like a man from the next life. He had consideration for himself but continuously carried out the lowliest tasks. He was very keen enthusiastic about holy obedience. When Chapters were celebrated he always wanted to know if anything had been ordered. He inviolably observed the Constitutions and those things observed in Chapters. The whole world could not have made him go against the Constitutions.

Although he was so simple, nonetheless he was made Guardian for many years in certain little friaries because of his good life. He led it with an iron rod. He was very zealous about the Divine Office and very anxious that no hour be missed night and day. Sometimes he was restless over it and annoyed the Sacristans because of his great zeal about the Divine Office. When he was very worn out sometimes or had just arrived after a long journey, even though he felt so exhausted that he could hardly stand up, he got up for Matins nonetheless. When we hays in the house he never failed to come to all the hours or prayer and discipline.

He never spoke except sometimes by way of encouragement and about things regarding the Rule. He was more relaxed in speaking about this than anything else. He never wanted to hear about or talk about other news.

He persevered in this way of life within the holy Congregation and Province of Saint Francis for about forty years. When the holy man was old and he felt he could not do any other good he applied himself to making rosaries and gave them to the Friars in order to invite them to say the rosary of Our Lady. However when he was young he laboured very faithfully in the necessary tasks for many little places were established during his time. Although he never wanted to get involved in building and he was not physically robust, he never failed nonetheless to help with the poor buildings and in enclosing the site of the house in making gardens and the like.

Finally when Our Lord God wanted to reward this servant of his, he fell seriously ill. After having received all the most holy sacraments that holy soul passed away to a better life. He was buried in the holy place of the Carcere. Amen.