About the holy man Brother Matthew of Schio, Priest and Preacher

Brother Matthew was from a region called Schio situated in the domain of Venice and in the Province of Saint Anthony. He was born to honest parents. As he boy he attended school until he learned to read and write and have a little knowledge of positive grammar. Further more since his father was poor he started work. However when he reached about eighteen years and recognised the dangers and fallacies of this world, the good youth decided to become Religious.

It pleased the Lord God that he was received into the Franciscan Order. Once he had made his profession and the Friars recognised his fine intelligence and very lively nature, the set him to study. He profited from this very much and within a short time became a preacher. He was physically quite healthy and very suitable for labour. This servant of God gave himself to study by himself and composed sermons. Where he preached it turned out very well.

When the Congregation of Capuchins came, as a man vigilant about the observance of the Rule, he began to reconsider his situation. As he said himself, he never had any qualms nor did he think that he was in a dangerous situation. Instead he continued along at a trot with the others and thought that his situation was fine. However when he saw how the Capuchins observed the Rule the Lord God opened his eyes. He got hold of some books that spoke about our Rule and he realised how far he was from its observance. He became so frightened about having to be damned that he could not think of anything else night and day. On the one hand he felt the difficulty of leaving that comfortable life in order to enter such an austere life. So he was preoccupied about this and commended himself adamantly to God so that He would be pleased to enlighten him and give him the grace to decide for what was more acceptable to His Majesty. One day when he was visited by the Holy Spirit, he said to himself, “Oh Brother Matthew, where you if you think not to quickly accept this great opportunity that God is offering you for your salvation? You are not observing the Rule in your present situation and yet you are obliged to observe it. If you had some excuse before because you were going on mindlessly, now that God has enlightened you what are you going to do?” Because of this he immediately took himself off and went to the Capuchins. He was among the first Capuchins in that Province. Finding that harsh life in the true observance of the Rule, the servant of God loved and had was so zealous about true observance that within a short time he became one who taught it to others. When the Capuchin Fathers saw him so zealous, devout and willing to suffer, as well as being well educated in the sciences, they often elected him as Vicar Provincial. He governed the Province of Saint Anthony with great maturity.

He was a most austere man and very zealous about holy poverty. He never wanted anything of his own use except what the Rule allowed him, except some books of sermons. Nor did he ever want to have more than one completely habit and a mantle. He went barefoot in summer and wore sandals in winter. He fasted on bread and water for all the vigils of Our Lady and other devout feasts.

Once on the Assumption, because he was old, out of compassion I begged him not to fast on bread and water so that he could withstand the effort to preach. The servant of God replied to me, “I have a robust constitution, and I believe that you are aware that when I eat a little I go red as scarlet in the face. Furthermore if someone can refrain from fasting on bread and water on the vigil of the Mother of the God, how is it possible to call him Christian if he is not devoted to Our Lady, and especially for Friars Minor because she is their special advocate?” It was a wonderful thing that when he took me as his companion he gave such a fervent sermon on Our Lady that it seemed like a flame of fire would come from his mouth. After preaching the servant of God went home to eat at the friary which was about two miles from the city.

This was his custom. When he preached throughout the year he always returned to eat with the Friars. He said he didn’t feel as though he had eaten if he ate outside the Friars’ refectory. He said, “Each time I find myself outside the Friary I don’t feel as though I am a Religious. I eat what my other brothers eat. For me all that is like mothers’ milk. When I eat things that my other brothers do not eat, they become poisonous for me. I have received this gift from God that I like this holy Congregation so much that it feels as though I was born here and that it is my paternal home. I don’t know what else I would be if not a Capuchin. I regret that this holy Reform did not come along earlier so that I could serve God in it as a young man and give him the flowering of my life. How many years have I spent badly while I lived like a senseless man without ever considering my obligations! May it please the Lord God that these few days of my old age be acceptable to Him. The more days I have the more I will give Him and if I could do more I would. Apart from holy baptism, I can’t think of any greater benefit that I have received from God. How obliged I feel towards His Majesty for having preserved me until this holy Reform came. How many times it entered my mind to want to see what Father Saint Francis was like. Now I see him. Now I see how Father Saint Francis and his companions observed the Rule because I observe. I tell you frankly that no one can understand the Rule unless he observes it because the Rule does not consist in the observance of formalities. Rather the one who is in love with God and is enlightened by the Holy Spirit can observe the Rule of the divine Francis because it consists in a true love of God, a true despising of oneself and in avoiding all the things that by their nature occupy the heart. Because the Rule is spiritual it must be observed by the spirit through the spirit. Therefore let us thank the Lord God who has given us the grace to see Saint Francis revived – not him but his life.

He was co austere that the Friars felt that he preferred the extreme rather than take the middle course. Once he was told, “Father, you will have to give an account to God because you have guided us so strictly, making us observe more than the rule and having had us do so many disciplines. I don’t know if your conscience reprimands you over this.” The holy man smiled and answered, “May God forgive you my sons. Our Father Saint Francis based the Rule on most high poverty. He was very strict towards himself and towards others. Therefore, was he doing the wrong thing? As Our Lord says, it is necessary all those who want to go to heaven to go along the narrow way. Because few go that way, few are saved. I will not have to give an account to God if I have made you walk along the way that leads you to heaven. Rather, I will surely have to give an account to God for when I have been too easy to grant you those things that accord with self-indulgence because I have let you go along the broad path that leads to hell. Our Rule is so high that it is impossible to do more than the Rule. On the other hand instead we are so inclined to obey our self-indulgence and become lax that it has been no small thing if I have maintained you so that the Province has not become lax. Woe to you if you have a Vicar who is so nice that he allows you everything you want, because he could not be called a shepherd but a squanderer.”

This servant of God became quite old. Nonetheless he remained very austere until his death. He could no longer govern he did not fail, however, to enlighten each one about how he should walk. He gave the very best example. With sound teaching and holy exhortations he encouraged everyone in the perfect observance of the Rule. When it was obvious later that he was nearing death, he seemed to grow in even greater fervour. He went to confession often and practised mental or vocal prayer almost continuously. He said, “This is the boat that brings us to port in this stormy sea of the world. Without prayer it is very difficult to persevere in the grace of God.” When the young Friars asked his advice, the servant of God answered them, “My sons, think about the end so that the flesh does not deceive you. Our battle is very important because if we allow ourselves to be conquered by the flesh we will gain hell. However if we walk according to spirit we will conquer and gain paradise. The one who loses paradise loses a lot. Therefore Father Saint Francis said, ‘So great is the good I am waiting for that I delight in every pain.’ Therefore about the end and you will know how to suffer easily for the love of God. In order to profit four farthings a merchant exposed himself to many dangers on sea and land. What must we do to profit such a good which will make us happy and blessed – not for one year, nor for ten years, but forever?”

It pleased the Lord God that this servant of His fell ill with a long and grave infirmity. The Fathers always said to him, “How are you Father?” The servant of God answered, “I am well. I am still waiting for the door to open so that I may go away to see my Lord, because I have been in this world too long and I am aware that I have done little good. However I trust in God that my Lord Jesus Christ will have done for it for me. I hope to be saved through His merits and I am completely happy.” With great fervour he received all the most holy sacraments and having many Friars around him that blessed tongue always exhorted them all to good for as long as he was able to speak. When he was at his very last breath he seemed to fall asleep and that holy soul passed away to its Creator after having served his Creator for about fifty years. With many tears he was buried. The Friars felt that they had lost a very important Father.

To the praise and glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.