Fundamental Principles

1 The imitation of Saint Francis 2 The study and observance of the Rule 3 The Franciscan habit 4 Holy contemplation

(1) That which happened to Noah also happened to those venerable Fathers who came to the Congregation from the body of the Order. Noah had seen the way of life the people led before the flood and he also saw the ways practised by the sons of Adam after the flood. So these venerable Fathers had seen the way of life that the entire Order generally led and then later they saw what the Holy Spirit had done in those few, simple little brothers who began the Congregation of Capuchins. They understood clearly that it had been an inspiration from God and something truly miraculous since those Friars were not learned, not very expert and persons who were naturally very simple. Nonetheless they had taken up again that early way of life with which our Seraphic Father and his twelve Companions had begun in the beginning of the Order. They imitated them in their houses, in the way of living according to most high poverty just as those early Fathers of ours practised in the beginning by adopting the habit totally conformed with theirs in regard to colour, shape, length and breadth. As the Venerable Father Bernardine of Asti said, “This has been something truly wonderful. In the beginning the habit had been forgotten by the Order. Even though I would have heard the Rule read and studied the declarations, I frankly confess that I never understood it until I saw how it observed among the Capuchins. Nor was I ever able to understand what the caperone was until I saw it worn by the Capuchin novices. The same goes for dwellings and everything else.”

(2) Because of this they argued that the Religion had quite neglected and departed from the true observance of the Rule. They consulted among themselves what had been the cause of such ruin in which so many learned men and good souls did not understand the Rule of Saint Francis even though they were obliged to its observance. They recognised that this had been a bad habit in which they thought they were within the true observance of the Rule in their way of life and did not care to study it.

So with great care the Capuchin s began to study the declarations of the Supreme Pontiffs, the Chronicles of the Order, the Legend of the Three Companions and the Conformities. From these books they understood the way of life the Order led in the beginning. It lasted for many years that they read little else at table except things of Father Saint Francis. They understood the reason that in this the Order had become lax. They recognised that by accepting the care of monasteries, taking up the confession of seculars, receiving bequests and legacies, taking up the study of vain sciences, and other things as well had done them a lot of harm. Therefore with those beautiful Constitutions which they made they thought to bring these things to the Congregation: that the Congregation would not accept the care of Nuns at any time; it would never accept the hearing the confessions of seculars and that it would not take up the care of confraternities. Those Venerable Fathers said, “While the Congregation observes these Constitutions they will always observe the Rule perfectly” – therefore they arranged them a hedge in order to preserve the vineyard of the Lord – “however should the hedge of the Constitutions be breached, the infernal enemy will easily devour the vine.”

(3) They also said that the lowliness of the habit is very important. Therefore those Fathers firmly reprimanded when they saw any variation either in its shape or lowliness just as some did who made cowls so short that there was hardly any point. They said that this was the true shape of the cowl – that it be pointed and that when pulled down it should cover the whole face. Also that the cloth be think enough that while it is on the head it should stay straight.

(4) They tried as much as possible not to introduce into the Congregation those customs that the body of the Order had. They were not customs but abuses. As for themselves they distanced themselves as much as they could from superficial formalities and unnecessary dealings with seculars as well as other things that are not fitting for good Religious. Freed from everything unnecessary they gathered as much as they could in order to have time to dedicate themselves totally to holy contemplation. Therefore they said, “We see that the entire Order regulates us for the sake of holy contemplation which on its own is enough for the perfect observance of the Rule. Without that contemplation, as good as all the others things may be, they are not however perfect. For all these things are means which lead us to that end.” This was the reason that they took up houses far from the cities and they detached themselves as much as they could from all unnecessary conversation. Because of this the seculars had such devotion towards them that anyone who could see them and speak with them considered himself truly blessed.