About the holy man Brother Francis of Macerata, Lay Friar

Brother Francis was from a city in the Marches called Macerata. He was born to honest but poor parents. In his youth he attended to the ways of the farmer. When his father died he was left with his poor mother. In the world he was a always devout youth, universally loved by everyone.

When he turned about eighteen years old, moved by the Holy Spirit, the desire to serve God came upon him. Because he was a poor man he did not want to enter an Order where he would have to go around well dressed. He said to himself, “You are poor. IN the world you have to struggle. If you enter and Order where you will suffer less than in the world, you will not be going there to serve God or to make an effort but to flee poverty and leave behind the struggles you have in the world. Therefore it is better that you become a Capuchin where at least you will add obedience to your poverty which is something you do not do in the world, as well as honesty which have not observed in the world. There you will fast because in the world you did not fast.” In this holy discourse and discussion he decided to become a Capuchin.

Received by Brother Louis of Fossombrone into the Congregation he was one of the first Capuchins. He led a life that was more angelic than human for he was so zealous about the observance of the Rule. It was something amazing. He always went barefoot in summer and winter. He never wanted to wear more than just one habit only – a poor, coarse and completely patched habit. When the Friars left some off-cuts, thinking that they were of no use, Brother Francis put them onto his habit and he always wore it almost completely covered with sackcloth. He was marvellous in his abstinence since he rarely ate more than once a day. With great devotion he did the forty-days according to the custom of Father Saint Francis. However he also fasted on all the Fridays of March, on the vigils of Our Lady as well as the other more devout times. He desired nothing other than to do penance. Even though he suffered extremely, sometimes he felt that he was not doing as much as he desired. Nonetheless his great enthusiasm to imitate the early Fathers who went into the deserts as solitaries was such that he also went into some woods or harsh mountain and remain withdrawn into that solitude for two months, or fifteen days, or something similar. Then he returned to the place of the Friars because he would become concerned about being outside obedience. He did this because of his simplicity since some of the Friars said to him, “Brother Francis, we are living too comfortably. It is necessary to be like the holy Fathers who stayed in the desert and never saw the face of man. They lived on whatever herbs and fruit they could find and drank water. This was the true religious life.” Brother Francis heard this and the following morning the Guardian waited for him to make a little minestra for the Friars to eat according his custom. However there was no Brother Francis. However because they knew very well about his desire and knew him for his simplicity and goodness so that he often made these excursions, they did not wonder about it. They knew that we was a man who could be alright and did not worry that he would do anything wrong. Then after a little while the news came that he was staying on some mountain. When he returned they laughed about it and said, “Her comes the anchorite!” They never gave him a penance however the Father Guardian said to him, “You poor fellow! How did you leave without an obedience?” With great humility he answered, “My dear Father, aren’t I obliged to do the very best I can? I went away to do better. Holy Friars told me that that is the true life and I believed it.” The Guardian said, “You are too simple. If you had died outside of obedience your soul would have gone badly.” The simple servant of god replied, “P Father Guardian, God is making you speak. It is no wonder that I felt so compelled so that I felt I could not stay there any longer. See how the Lord takes care of me and has made me come back.” So he continued. With this feeling in him he never wanted to leave again.

He was so dedicated to holy prayer that no one ever saw him converse with Friars except put of necessity. Never did an idle word leave his mouth. When he was questions he answered ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ His simplicity was such and he was so cleansed from love of the world that his mind was always on God. When he went on a journey, since he had no need to talk he always went a little ahead of his companion or stayed back a little while doing his devotions. When seculars greeted him he answered, “May God give you paradise.” His voice trembled somewhat. He always appeared as if he were about to weep. His charity towards his neighbour was marvellous and when he looked into someone’s face he had such a kindly gaze that it seemed that he carried everyone within his heart. He could never think evil of anyone except himself whom he regarded to be the greatest sinner in the world. When he went to collect alms he often returned him with empty pockets because for the love of God he usually gave away nearly all the he found. His simplicity was such that whenever he saw poor people who begged from for the love of God, his heart became so softened that he was almost outside himself. It was not possible for him to withhold alms from them if he had some in his pocket even if the Superiors often reprimanded him about it. He served the sick with such simplicity and charity that he would have gone most nights without sleeping. Nor did he worry about eating so that he could some work of charity for his neighbour. Father Louis assigned him to the Hospital for the Incurable. He served there many years with such care and charity that all of Rome spoke about him and everyone called him the mother of the sick. He wore a very rough hairshirt so that he could always be aware of the pains of purgatory.

Because he had to serve at the Hospital he felt that he could not give himself to prayer as much as he desired. So when he assigned to the Province of the Marches he gave himself to holy prayer with such fervour that he stayed in the woods almost continuously. He never went back to rest after Matins but always persevered at prayer in the church until the first Mass had been said. He always said the Office very early in the morning and did his devotions. Then he returned to whatever task had been imposed on him. His desire to give himself entirely to holy prayer was such that he was severely tempted by solitude for many years. However when he sought the advice of Father Bernardine of Monte dell’Olmo who told him that this was a temptation from the devil he completely calmed down. When he felt tempted he used to respond loudly, “Devil! Devil! You will not deceive me any more!”

However because Or Lord God usually tries the servants He calls to the state of perfection, His Majesty did not want this simple servant of His to be without some trial. With him refined and purified quite well by it He could reveal to him His secrets. With the temptation about solitude gone He allowed him another, more serious temptation. He came to such a state that he was in no way able to say the Our Fathers. However when he wanted to begin to say the Hours as the Rule imposes, his mouth twisted and his eyes rolled back so that he seemed to be possessed by the enemy. He couldn’t say a single word especially this: Adveniat regnum tuum. Here the devil turned his tongue in his mouth and made him say Adveniat regulum tuum. Because of this he was so perpelexed about not being able to say the Hours that he could not rest day or night but was always full of regret and wept. He said, “These are my sins. The Lord cannot tolerate me because I am the greatest sinner in the world. Nor do my prayers please Him.” At the same time he continued to try to commend himself with many tears to the Lord God so that He would allow him to be able to say the Our Fathers. However when he tried, he felt that he would burst and his whole body became so weak and his mouth locked shut, he was as breathless as if he would die. The Friars had compassion on him and to calm him they sent him to the Pope. He was introduced to His Holiness by Mr. Francis Vannucci, who was very friendly towards the Congregation and was very devout to Brother Francis in particular. Since he was the almsgiver of His Holiness Paul III he wanted to strongly recommend to him that he dispense Brother Francis. However His Holiness wanted to have him say the Our Father and when he saw these the horrible gestures that Brother Francis did he was stunned. Nonetheless he did not want to dispense him completely but said to him, “Go my son. Say whatever little you can. I absolve you from that which you cannot say. From now on, be in peace about this.” However because he had said that he should do as much as he could, and since he felt as that he could never do as much as he could, he returned to His Holiness again who calmed him much better. After many years he began to say most of it however it was necessary for him to have the help of some Friar. When he faltered the other said to him, “Continue on, you have said it well.”

He bore this trial until he died and it was a grave purgatory for him in this world. It kept him so abashed that he regarded himself to be the worst man and greatest enemy of God in the world. The poor fellow was always solitary, weeping with his eyes lowered, considering himself unworthy to be seen by men. He was ashamed to speak with the other Friars. When he started to lose his physical strength due to old age and could not continue the abstinences that he used to do when he was young, he felt that he was unworthy of water. Since he was just as enthusiastic about holy poverty the servant of God did not dare to satisfy his hunger with bread and always ate the things that had gone off and which were despised by the others. When he heard about Friars being troubled the servant of God did not rest until he consoled them. When he could not do this with words he went off into solitary places and disciplined himself there very vigorously while praying a long time to the Lord for his troubled brother. Then he returned to him to see if the trial had left him and when he found him comforted he embraced him with great tenderness and said, “My son, I have great compassion for you. I know very well how serious it is to be tried by the enemy.” When he heard about the tribulations of the poor seculars he poured out tears for them continuously and said to the Friars, “My brother, I do know if you know about the tribulation that our benefactor is suffering. Do not forget him but pray to God for him to give him the grace so that poor soul may not be lost.”

This servant of God was so used to suffering and so kind by nature that it was almost impossible for him to get angry except against himself. When he was asked about some worry, he answer with his head lowered as if he would weep, “My brother, I know nothing nor can know. However if it will do you any good I will pour out my blood for you.

Because he did not know how to read it was his custom to commend himself to the Friars so that they would read the Rule to him. When someone came to read he threw himself down to kneel upon the ground. With his faced lifted towards heaven he listened with incredible devotion to what the Rule contained. He pondered verse by verse whether he failed to observe the Rule in any way. Recollected within himself he asked God very devoutly for forgiveness for that in which he failed.

It pleased the Lord God to want to reward this servant of His. For after he had served in the holy Order for about fifty years, when he was in the fraternity of the old friary at Pesaro, he fell gravely ill. In that illness he gave the very best example of marvellous patience. Completely recollected in God, armed with the most holy sacraments, he passed away to his Creator. He was buried in that friary.

How acceptable this servant of His was to God, His Majesty wanted to show by making him illustrious with many miracles. When he collecting alms int eh place of Macerata it happened that when he was returning home he was surrounded by an almost countless number of poor people, for it was a time of famine and he had found a fair amount of bread while questing. Because of this he had great compassion on them. Urged by kindness and without considering the needs of the poor Friars, indeed with a fearless faith and the hope that the Lord God would not fail His servants, he gave all that bread to them. When he returned to the Friary without any bread, he found the Friars were waiting for him with great expectation since it was dinner-time and there was not one crumb of bread in the house. Furthermore, since the friary was being built there were many masons. Therefore when the Guardian heard that Brother Francis did not bring any bread he said immediately, “Brother Francis has done his usual and had to give it to the poor.” The Guardian was very worries and did not know how to provide. He worried more about the masons being scandalised because their meal time had passed. He could not refrain from giving him a strong reprimand. HE said to him, “I was wondering if you did your usual thing. Where can I go now in order to give food to so many Friars and seculars? There is not a crumb of bread in the house. You have behaved badly. And so that you may learn for next time go and give yourself the discipline soundly.” The he gave the order that two Friars go again to the city to find some bread. Brother Francis did the discipline joyfully and when he heard that he commanded the two Friars to go and find some bread, while still beating himself he said, “Father Guardian, do not send more Friars. Go and look in the cellar. There may be some there.” The cellarer replied, “There is not even a mouthful. There is no need to look.” Weeping, Brother Francis replied, “Go, Father, in the name of God and look carefully.” Moved by these words the Guardian went to the cellar. When he opened a chest there he found if full of fresh, white bread, all of one kind.” Stunned by this the Guardian knew that this was a miracle of God because His Majesty was so pleased that His faithful servant Brother Francis had given the alms out of love for Him that he did not want anyone to suffer.

From then on the Guardian bore the greatest reverence and devotion towards him. Because all the masons saw this news of the miracle spread everywhere both in the city and in the countryside where even today some still remember it. Because of it there was such a gathering of people who came out of devotion to visit Brother Francis and to commend themselves to his holy prayers because of different sicknesses that it was necessary for the Father Vicar of the Province to transfer him from that friary because of the trouble it gave to the Friars. Nor was Brother Francis able to endure it.

He also did another miracle. It was when Lady Antonia Topina, a lady from Macerata, had been seriously ill for a long time. She sent a servant to the Friary to beg the Father Guardian so that for the love of God he would send Brother Francis, for whom she had the greatest devotion. Since the Guardian could not disappoint the lady he sent her Brother Francis and gave him Brother Modestus of Macerata as his companion. When they had entered the house of the Lady they found her so sick in bed that she cold not turn to either side. When she saw him the lady said to Brother Francis, “Father, I sent for you so that I may ask a favour from you and I hope that you do not refuse.” Brother Francis replied, “If there is anything I can do and if it is for the honour of the Lord, I will do everything for the love of God and for love of you.” The lady answered, “I don’t want to tell you unless you promise it me first.” She did this because she knew about the humility of this servant of God. Finally Brother Francis promised her. The lady said, “The favour I want, Father, is that you pray to God for me and that you make the sign of the Cross over me.” Brother Francis answered humbly, “My Lady, this is more fitting for Father Modestus than me because he is a priest.” However the lady repeated many times with great insistence, “Brother Francis, you promised me and you cannot refuse. Therefore make the sign of the Cross for me.” When Brother Modestus said that he would do it for her, the devout servant of God pulled up his cowl and lifted his eyes and made the holy sign of the Cross. Without saying anything else he left the woman with great haste. It was amazing! He had not yet arrived at the foot of the stairs when the woman felt perfectly healed and began to thank God with many tears. She immediately got up from bed and from then on she spoke about the miracle to anyone who would listen.

This servant did another miracle when he was in the friary at Pesaro where he was collecting alms. Once a lady from the court of the Duchess was gravely ill with a flow of blood. She had borne this infirmity with great discomfort for twelve years. In that time she had taken many medications but none of them had been any benefit to her. So she thought to herself that if the holy man, Brother Francis – who had the reputation for doing miracles – should pray to God for her He would heal her. With this good faith she sent a servant to ask Brother Francis if he would visit her in the palace of His Excellency. Therefore when Brother Francis went there, with great humility the lady commended herself to him and told him about her grave infirmity. When Brother Francis heard this he had great compassion towards her. Without saying anything else he took a loaf from his pocket and said to her, “This is alms bread given to us for love of Jesus Christ. Eat it and you will be healed.” Taking the bread with great devotion the woman ate it and immediately she felt perfectly healed.

News of this miracle spread throughout the whole city. Because of this the Duchess, Lady Victoria Farnese, had such great devotion towards him that every time Brother Francis went to her for almsshe had a loaf given her from his pocket and with great devotion she ate some of it them gave some to her children. Brother Anselm of Thiano, the Guardian of the friary at Pesaro at the time, testifies to this and affirms that he heard it from the moth of the healed lady herself.

The Lord worked another miracle through this servant of His. It was when he was in the old friary of Corinaldo. Mr. Anthony dal Sale from Corinaldo was very devoted towards the Friars and used to come quite often to our friary out of devotion. When he found the Friars eating or praying he did not knock at the door but waited outside the friary by himself busying himself at his devotions until the Friars had finished what they were doing. Once he found that the Friars were praying and the notion came upon him to enter, even though it was contrary to his custom. Not wanting to disturb anyone he entered by the forest and walked through the woods. There he saw Brother Francis in before under the shade of a tree lifted up a good distance into the air with his face lifted up towards the heavens. He was completely absorbed in ecstasy so that he no support on any side and did not touch the ground or anything else. Amazed when he saw this he went back modestly so as not to disturb him. When the prayer was over he told all this to Brother Anselm, the Guardian of that friary.

No less amazing was what happened to this servant of God when he was compelled by the doctors to go to the bath at Porretta because of serious illness. He was staying the house of a woman who was very devoted towards the Order. One evening the woman had to pass in front of the room where Brother Francis was rested. Through the cracks in the door she saw that the room was filled with light. Amazed at this she quietly drew near to the door and she heard Brother Francis weeping and devoutly speaking as if there was someone else with him. Knowing that there was no one else in the room apart from Brother Francis and that he had no lamp or other light she was even more amazed. Drawing nearer in order to hear whom it was with whom he spoke she clearly heard that Brother Francis was speaking with Our Lady and that that the light was not the light of a fire but from the divine radiance that came from the Mother of God. Because of this he devotion towards him grew greater and then she told of the miracle to the Friars and anyone who wanted to hear about it.

The Lord God worked many other miracles though the merits of this servant of his but because I do not have perfect information I will not write about them. Also it seems to me that this are enough in order to know about how many merits Brother Francis of Macerata had and so that we should follow in the footsteps of this servant of God. Amen.