Book Three: The Life of the Friars; Ministers and Vicars General; Cardinal Protectors

• Fundamental Principles of the Capuchin Reform
  1 Imitation of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis 2 The Observance of his Testament 3 The Capuchin Constitutions 4 The Importance of these foundations 5 The three religious vows 6 The Franciscan Rule 7 The renunciation of privileges
• Holy Obedience and how the first Capuchins observed it
  8 Election of Superiors 9 Conduct of subjects 10 Characteristics of obedience 11 Respect and veneration towards Superiors
• Holy Poverty: The Perfection with which those first Fathers observed it
  12 What is poverty 13 Poverty and obedience 14 Solitude and obedience
• Poverty in the necessary things we use
  15 Poverty, the foundation of the Franciscan Order 16 Austerity of the habit 17 The use of the mantle 18 Sandals 19 The opinion of the seculars about these things
• The strictness and austerity they observed regarding food
  20 The example of the Seraphic Father 21 The use of meat 22 Reputation for holiness 23 Abstinence
• Dwellings, and how the Friars slept
  24 The first Franciscan houses 25 The first Capuchin friaries 26 Divine Worship 27 Sleeping 28 Nothing in excess, nothing odd
• On stores and the about the miracles that happened because God provided for them in the needs
  29 Trust in Divine Providence 30 The Angel of the Lord succours Saint Francis and his companions 31 The Lord provides for the needs of the first Capuchins: a) at Sansepolcro b) at Ferrara
• Holy probity
  32 The Seraphic Father’s regard for it 33 The Capuchins, a mirror of probity 34 Ways to preserve it
• Silence
  35 How Saint Francis recommended silence 36 The Capuchin Constitutions prescribe silence 37 Its most faithful observance
• About the use of necessary things
  38 Object for personal use 39 All things are in common 40 It is unfitting to have things for ones own use
• About the great charity they had among themselves
  41 The affection of the first Franciscans 42 Fraternal charity sweetens the harshness of life 43 Fraternal correction
• The Anchoritic Life the early Fathers led
  44 Solitude and apostolate 45 Capuchin in the footsteps of Saint Francis
• The preaching of the early Fathers
  46 The preaching of Saint Francis and his Companions 47 The Capuchins renew the preaching of Sacred Scripture in the Church 48 Marvelous fruitfulness 49 Their life was all a sermon
• The first General: Saint Francis of Assisi
  1 Origins of the Franciscan Order and historical sources of the narration 2 Jesus Christ reveals to Saint Francis the life to lead 3 The imitation of Christ 4 The conformity of the Franciscan life with that of Christ 5 What the houses of the friars should be like
• The Second General – Brother John Parenti
  35 How he became a Religious 36 He is elected Minister General 37 He visits the Order 38 Ordinances of the General Chapter 39 Solemn inauguration of the basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi 40 Translation of the body of the Seraphic Father 41 The first declaration on the Rule
• The Third General: Brother Elias
  42 How the Brother Elias’ governing harmed the Order 43 His behaviour before and after the death of Saint Francis 44 The opposition of some renowned Friars 45 The use of the mantle 46 Brother Elias is deposed His end 47 Other events in this period
• The Fourth General: Brother Albert of Pisa
  48 His election 49 His governance
• The Fourth General: Brother Haymon of Faversham
  50 Celebration of the General Chapter Gregory IX and the Franciscan Order 51 The Four Masters expound the Rule 52 Two Franciscan Martyrs 53 Privileges 54 Chapter ordinances
• The Sixth General: Brother Crescentius
  55 The Legend of the Three Companions 56 The General is named Bishop of Iesi 57 Controversy over the observance of the Rule 58 The General is deposed from office
• The Seventh General: Brother John of Parma
  59 The Election 60 The Visit of Innocent IV to Saint Clare 61 Liturgical directives 62 Activities if the General 63 Renunciation of the Office 64 His holy death
• The Eighth General: Saint Bonaventure
  65 His election and the ordinances of the General Chapter 66 Lawmaking activity 67 Biographer of Saint Francis 68 The translation of the body of Saint Anthony 69 Chapter ordinances 70 Saint Bonaventure – Cardinal
• The Ninth General: Brother Jerome of Ascoli
  71 The Successor of Saint Bonaventure 72 Nicholas III and the Franciscan Order 73 The General Promotes literary activity 74 He becomes Cardinal
• The Tenth General: Brother Bonagrazia of San Giovanni in Persiceto
  75 Jerome of Ascoli convokes the Chapter and Bonagrazia is elected 76 The Capitulars ask the Pope for a Cardinal Protector 77 The Pope expounds the Rule 78 Regulations regarding Our Lady of the Angels 79 The stigmata of Saint Francis
• The Eleventh General: Brother Arlotto of Prato
• The Twelfth General: Brother Matthew of Acquasparta
  81 Election of the General and pontifical directives 82 Martyrs of the Order 83 The General becomes a Cardinal
• The Thirteenth General: Brother Raymond Godfrey
  84 Solemn celebration of the Chapter 85 The General does not accept the Episcopate
• The Fourteenth General: Brother John Minius of Morrovalle
  86 Boniface VII present at the election: The General receives Saint Louis to the Order 87 Canonisation of Saint Louis King of France and the death of Saint Louis, Bishop of Tolosa 88 The General is made Cardinal
• The Fifteenth General: Brother Gonzalvo of Spain
  89 Election 90 The Spirituals and the Community 91 The General’s zeal for regular observance 92 His death
• The Sixteenth General: Brother Alexander of Alexandria
  93 His brief Generalate 94 The Friars at Narbonne
• The Seventeenth General: Brother Michael of Cesena
  95 The election of Michael of Cesena and the canonisation of Saint Louis, Bishop 96 More on the Friars of Narbonne 97 The shape of the habit is changed
• The First General: Brother Matthew of Bascio
  1 The Origins of the Friars Minor Capuchin 2 election of the first General 3 The first Constitutions 4 Brother Matthew renounces the Generalate
• The Second General: Brother Louis of Fossombrone
  5 Brother Louis General in virtue of the Bull 6 Progress of the Order under his government 7 How he conceived the Capuchin Order
• The Third General: Brother Bernardine of Asti
  8 Bernardine of Asti governs the Order for nine years 9 The Constitutions of 1536 10 Bernardine is re-elected in 1536 11 Spread of the Order 12 Eulogy
• The Fourth General: Bernardine Occhino of Siena
  13 He is elected Minster General twice His governance His fall
• The Fifth General: Brother Francis of Iesi
  14 First Francis of Iesi is Commissary then Vicar General 15 Exam for preachers 16 Latin text of the articles he proposed and approved 17 He governed in a divine manner
• The Sixth General: Brother Bernardine of Asti
  18 He is re-elected and attends the Council of Trent
• The Seventh General: Brother Eusebius of Ancona
  19 His election 20 He was very zealous about poverty 21 His re-election He corrects the preachers
• The Eighth General: Brother Thomas of Città di Castello
  22 His election 23 His government 24 His re-election
• The Ninth General: Brother Evangelist of Cannobia
  25 He governed only three years The best defence of the Order
• The Tenth General: Brother Marius of Mercato Saraceno
  26 His election 27 He had a gift for popular verse 28 His second triennium
• The Twelfth General: Brother Jerome of Montefiore
  31 His election 32 His governance 33 The Capuchin Friars in Spain
• The Thirteenth General: Brother John Mary of Tusa
  34 His election 35 He was a great canon lawyer 36 The Capuchins in Germany
• The Fourteenth General: Brother James of Mercato Saraceno
  37 His election 38 He was a gracious preacher 39 His visitations
• The Fifteenth General: Brother Jerome of Polizzi
  40 He is elected for six years 41 He cannot visit the Provinces of Spain and France 42 He did not get on well with the Protector
• The Sixteenth General: Brother Sylvester of Monteleone
  43 Clement VIII presides over the General Chapter and Father Silvester of Monte Leone is elected
• Cardinal Andrew della Valle
• Cardinal Francis degli Angeli
• Cardinal Pius Rudolph Leonelli
• Cardinal Julius della Rovere
• Cardinal Julius Anthony Santori
• 1. The importance of poverty. Its various aspects. 2. Poverty of buildings according to Saint Francis 3. the first Capuchin friaries
• 4. Fraternal hospitality 5. Abstinence 6. Poverty in clothing 7. Tribulations 8. Different opinions about the Capuchins
• 9. The all preached 10. They preached the Gospel 11. Bountiful apostolic fruitfulness
• 12. Penance and austerity 13. Silence 14. Familiarity with seculars 15. About Provisions 16. About peculiar things
• 17. The secret of Capuchin popularity 18. Simplicity of life 19. The true Franciscan reform
• Fundamental Principles
  1 The imitation of Saint Francis 2 The study and observance of the Rule 3 The Franciscan habit 4 Holy contemplation
• On the true observance of Poverty
  5 Poverty as the foundation of the Franciscan Rule 6 Poverty in dress 7 Austerity in food and austerity of life 8 Poverty of buildings 9 On superfluous and curious things 10 God provides for the needs of the Friars 11 They kept all things in common 12 The owners of the friaries 13 The punishments of Friars who own things 14 On provisions 15 Recourse to spiritual friends 16 Spiritual poverty 17 Zeal for poverty
• On silence and the love they had among themselves
  18 Their observance of silence 19 Love sweetens suffering 20 Charity towards the sick 21 Divine worship and abstinence
• On holy obedience
• On holy chastity
• On the anchoritic life
  24 Love for solitude 25 Advantages of solitude
• On Preaching
  26 The preaching of the Lay Friars 27 The Capuchins re-establish the preaching of the Scripture 28 Their fruitful preaching
• On the observance of the Testament and work
  29 Manual work 30 In the hospitals 31 Opinions about manual work 32 The successful opinion