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

(65) The eighth General was the Venerable Father and holy Bonaventure of Bagnorea from the Province of Rome. He was elected in that Chapter assembled in Rome, in the second year of the Pontificate of Alexander IV. In that Chapter it was decided that a Minister or Custos could do what Guardian can. On the first of March of the same year he made his exposition on the rule which is the same as that of Innocent IV.

(66) In the year of the Lord 1260 he assembled the General Chapter Narbonne. In that Chapter he ordered and reduced to a better shape the General Constitutions of the Order. When he saw how far the Order had departed from the true observance of the Rule, he did all he could to bring it back to true observance. So he wrote an exhortatory letter which was very useful for all the houses in the Order. This Chapter ordered that the Friars, especially in those things that contradict the exposition of Gregory IX, should no longer use Innocent IV’s exposition of the Rule.

(67) In the year of the Lord 1261 the holy General wrote the Life of the blessed Francis which is in the old Office. He did not put in that biography things that were not proven true by reliable witnesses. In the same year, after the death of the holy Pontiff Alexander IV, Urban IV succeeded him. He was elected Pontiff on the day of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. On the same day the blessed Giles, the companion of Saint Francis, passed away to the better life in the friary at Monte Perugia. Saint Bonaventure said God had given Brother Giles this grace – all those who devoutly commended themselves to him in matters pertaining to the salvation of their souls had their prayers heard by means of this saint.

(68) During the Easter octave in the year of the Lord 1263 the body of Saint Anthony of Padua was translated and placed in a dedicated church that had been built to his revered memory. Although had been buried in the earth for thirty years, nonetheless his tongue was found still fresh and ruddy as if he had just died. Picking it up with great reverence, with many tears the holy General said these words in the presence of everyone, “Oh Blessed tongue which always praised and blessed God and gave occasion to others to bless Him. Now it is obvious just how meritorious you are before God.” He kissed it with great reverence and tenderness and commanded that it be positioned fittingly.

(69) In the same year the General Chapter was convened in Paris at which some rubrics were added to the Breviary and the preaching Friars were ordered to exhort the people in their sermons to greet the Blessed Virgin Mother Mary when the bell sounded in the evening. For it was the opinion of some great and holy doctors that Angel greeted her at that hour. This holy ceremony approved by the Church takes it origin from Saint Bonaventure.

In the year of the Lord 1266, since Urban IV had passed away to the better life in 1264, Clement IV was elected the following year. The General Chapter was convened in Paris in the same year and nothing new was ordered.

In the year of the Lord 1269, after Clement IV had already died, this General assembled the General Chapter in the city of Assisi. This Chapter decided that Mass be sung solemnly every Saturday in honour of the Blessed Virgin. It ordered Friars Minor not to use tin vessels at table nor have glass beakers.

In the year of the Lord one thousand two hundred and seventy one, Gregory the Tenth occupying the See of Peter, our saintly General convinced his Holiness to list all the Provinces of the Order. While adding two more Provinces, His Holiness sanctioned it. On the insistence of Saint Louis, King of France, this holy General composed the devout office of the Holy Cross which begins Regem captum et irrisum, flagellatum et crucifixum.

(70) In the Spring of the year of the Lord 1274, when the holy General was in Paris, the holy Pontiff Pope Gregory X chose him as Cardinal and Alban Bishop. Although he strongly resisted, His Holiness wanted his choice to be sound and firm. However he stayed in that dignity only a little while because about two months later he passed away to the better life.

(71) He governed the whole Order for eighteen years to the great satisfaction of everyone. The Order calmed down very much under his leadership. He visited the Order with the very best example and reformed it all. His death was mourned by the whole Order and greatly saddened the Prelates of Holy Church.