On holy obedience

(22) The zeal of those venerable Fathers about holy obedience was great. For it last for many years that although the Provinces had been separated nonetheless the General kept an eye on those Provinces that needed Friars. He took some from those Provinces that had many in the habit and supplemented the other Provinces. He did this with such familiarity and ease that it seemed that the whole Congregation was nothing but one Province. And when Friars were moved, the familiarity and intimacy among all the Friars in the Congregation was such that to be taken from one Province to another did not matter much. Great good came from this practice. One the one hand it reinforced their unity and familiarity and on the other hand it solved the problem of the Provinces and houses. Such was the zeal throughout the whole Congregation for it to make progress that they took no account of any good deprived of some Province. Hence they went readily to wherever holy obedience sent them so that even though they may have recognised some difficulties – especially when new Provinces were established- nonetheless they boasted that their Superior could be sure of them.

It was the same in the friaries. One would never have heard any Friar excuse himself or resist holy obedience. However when they heard the voice of their Superior, kneeling down with great gentleness, they obeyed their Superior. It lasted quite a long time that very few Friars stayed in the same Province or in the same house for long.