Bl. John of Parma and the Reform of the Order

Blessed John of Parma, one of the greatest Minister General of the Order:

“Since the state of gospel perfection we have promised is very high, the Lord our God requires of us the highest observance of the Holy Gospel, as well as a great faith and a great charity and lofty deeds.

Just to keep away from sins is not enough since all Christians should keep away from them. Rather, it is necessary to do the works of perfection, to live the apostolic life that the Friars themselves have promised.

Therefore God requires of the Friars the highest poverty, the deepest humility and an ardent and continuous prayer-life. And the same goes for the other virtues. They should not desire any worldly or earthly thing. Gazing upon the naked Christ, let them carry the naked cross after him instead, living evangelically – dead to the world and living only for Christ.

But you know, my beloved sons and brothers, how the Order has lapsed. By their actions Superiors preach that is permissible to live on their own. They do not explain to the novices the true intention of our Father Saint Francis that they should distribute their goods to the poor, as found in the Rule. Quite the opposite. They tell and encourage the novices to keep things in order to buy books, build walls, or for the other needs of the Friars. They go against the Rule and despise the commandment of the gospel. They are less than happy with two tunics, made of rough and lowly cloth and patched with sackcloth and other off-cuts, as the Rule imposes on them. Against the precept of the Rule, they don’t want these any more. They want to use fine cloth. They judge those who speak against this to be fanatics and hypocrites.”