17. The secret of Capuchin popularity 18. Simplicity of life 19. The true Franciscan reform

(17) This was the reason that there was such an ardent devotion in the seculars when they saw such simplicity in everything and that this holy Congregation was distanced so far from the world and averse to every kind of worldly curiosity.

Those holy Father said, “We have two opposing ends: the world and God. The more we distance ourselves from God and from worldly curiosities in clothing, dwellings, food and in our dealings with others, the closer we come to God. However when we draw approach secular pomps and curiosities we distance ourselves from God and from the pure observance of our profession. Where we might think that we will edify the seculars, we will scandalise them because they seek nothing else from us except good example and simplicity. So to see a Capuchin covered with a sackcloth habit all day with citizens in the cities is something improper. To see him in the woods instead – this is his place. To see him pallid in a beautiful, large and curious house is something shameful and inappropriate. However to see him in a poor, humble and lowly little house is something fitting. To see him at table with a poor napkin and with great plates of meat and delicacies is not fitting. However a poor napkin, a slice of bread with a little meat on it, simple flasks and bowls are something in conformity with our poor state. Therefore there were cutting boards in few houses. However when a little meat was given the cook cut slices of bread and gave to the Friars a small amount of the meat to each in such a way that having eaten the meat, they also ate their cutting board.

(18) Such was their great simplicity that it seemed as though the very walls were fragrant with simplicity and holiness. In that large Chapter which our Father Saint Francis assembled at Our Lady of the Angels he preached after the sermon of the Cardinal of Ostia, the Protector of the Order, who had praised the Order and the Friars very much. To that great crowd which was there for the sermon he said publicly, “Although our Monsignor Protector has praised us very much because of the great faith and devotion he has towards us, nonetheless I tell you that we are not the true servants of God that we should be. Furthermore I tell you that when you see my Friars abandoning poor little houses which are far away from the cities and establish closer ones and build them sumptuous and large; and when you see them dedicate themselves to vain studies and curious sermons and holy prayer is abandoned; when you see them go around like vagabonds and avoid remaining withdrawn in the woods; when you see them accept burials, bequests and legacies; when you see them litigate in court and other similar improprieties, do not believe what they say. Instead avoid them as deceivers. For once having abandoned the true observance of the Rule their minds will become darkened and their conversation scandalous.

Therefore those servants of God used to say, “this Congregation will remain standing in so far as the Friars stay in simplicity. For this Congregation has not been made for many but for a s few true servants of God who want to observe the Rule as our Father Saint Francis and his companions observed it. However, whoever wants to live a lax life does a great wrong by entering this Congregation because there is shortage of lax Orders. They should enter one of those and leave this one in its simplicity as a place of God and a Congregation of true servants and knights of Christ where those who want to aim for perfection may withdraw and dedicate themselves more strictly to contemplation. In this way it may shine like the sun in the church of God and manifest to the world the life Our Lord Jesus Christ led in this world with His holy Apostles – with deeds and words manifesting the poverty, obedience, humility, abstinence, contempt for the world and the love and charity towards God and towards ones neighbour of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy Apostles, and of our Father Saint Francis and of his companions and true servants of God who in the Order have illumined the world so much with catholic and holy teaching, good example and holy virtues.”

Therefore those servants of God said, “Woe to those Friars who would make this holy Congregation lax and take away from the church of God this light which is so necessary in these times of ours, because they will receive God’s curse and that of our Father Saint Francis.”

(19) Just as the venerable Father Francis of Iesi said, “Know that God has granted us this opportunity to be able to observe our Rule as a special gift that so many holy men desired for such a long time and who with many tears had asked that immense Goodness for it and it was never granted them. However it has pleased Our Lord to grant it to us in our day. For it is truly obvious that this Congregation has come from God and not through human support and help. Its coming has been miraculous because Our Lord never wanted anyone to be able to boast of having established this Congregation. Instead all those who boasted of this Our Lord God immediately sent from the Congregation so that it would be understood that He has made this Congregation and no one else and that He wants it to have no other head than Father Saint Francis as it says in the prophecy cited above: that the reform will be made in the spirit of the Founder, who was Saint Francis. It does not say: in the holiness of a holy man. It is quite clear that the founding of the Congregation exactly as Saint Francis and his companions lived was miraculous – in dress, customs, houses and everything. So he says in the same place that God will enlighten this Congregation with His own light and after the universal persecution that has to take place against the clergy and against the whole church, God will give His light to this Congregation and to the few Friars who remain. Through the Holy Spirit the full and true observance of the Rule will appear in them as never before. Nor in the future will there ever be a higher observance and men more enlightened. As our Father says, “They will look more like Angels than men.” And no one should think that another Reform should be done. Rather, God will purify and enlighten this very one because all the reforms of the Order of Saint Francis until this one have been external and formal. However God will enlighten this one inwardly and inspire in it such love so that there will no longer be disagreement and contention among them. Rather they will observe the Rule they promised very easily and altogether without disputing.”

The venerable Father Francis of Iesi told me this. Amen.

APPENDIX TWO: On the way of life that the first capuchins led in their observance of poverty and on the charity found among them, their silence and other good ways