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

(8) The Third General was the Venerable Father, a learned and holy man, Brother Bernardine of Asti from the Province of Rome. He was elected in the General Chapter held in Rome at Saint Euphemia in the year of the Lord 1536 on the 24th May to the great satisfaction of the whole Congregation. He was elected many times and governed the whole Order with a marvellous example of holiness for nine years. Until that time the Congregation had never assembled, and after the number of Friars grew to so many, it never had a perfect shape and religious way of life until the time of this venerable Father.

(9) The holy and devout Constitutions that were have were made in this Chapter and sent each Province its own Vicar Provincial. Again a very adequate Bull was obtained from His Holiness Paul III and all the Friars left that Chapter very edified and satisfied. This then clinched our Congregation since in these holy Constitutions it received that sound and beautiful way of living religiously in the perfect observance of the Rule and a well organised way of life.

(10) Nonetheless the enemy of human nature who never sleeps tried to upset that holy and canonical election by means of certain detractors who set out to show His Holiness that there was ambition among those venerable Fathers. At this that holy and vigilant Shepherd wanted the Chapter to assemble again in the month of September. When it assembled in the same place of Saint Euphemia, in order to find out for himself, His Holiness sent the Bishop of Trani to supervise the Chapter. He was one of the scrutineers and he saw the simplicity and faithfulness of the poor Congregation. The election of Brother Bernardine of Asti was confirmed. When His Lordship had examined everything carefully to his satisfaction, he firmly reprimanded the detractors. When he returned to His Holiness he informed him in detail and it turned out well for the holy Congregation for His Holiness recognised that the Congregation was fine gold that on passing through so many furnaces of tribulation shone more than ever. This was the reason that, if he loved us earlier, his devotion now doubled. From then on he no longer listened to our detractors.

(11) Under this Venerable Father Congregation grew a lot. When he visited it, it was already extended throughout Italy and was in Sicily. Corsica was taken up in his time. After he had visited the Congregation and returned to Rome he said these words, “My sons, let us rejoice. I have visited the entire Congregation and I have not found any defect that may be mortal sin. Instead since every one is so well united it has been more necessary for me to reprimand those who want to do things on their own strength rather than to spur them on and urge them to the perfect observance of the Rule.”

(12) This venerable Father was one of the pillars of our Congregation. The Court, the Friars and the seculars who proclaimed him to be a saint universally loved him. His life was irreproachable and God made his life illustrious with many miracles.

It pleased the Lord God that he pass away to the better life when he was in the great city of Rome.