Franciscan spirituality

Committed to Upholding the Dignity of All of Creation
Franciscan spirituality manifests a profound reverence for the human person as
one made in the image and likeness of God and values and esteems creation as
brother and sister, reflections of God’s goodness and glory. It understands that
Creation and the world, despite the impact of sin, remain fundamentally good as
gifts from God. In its witness to fraternity has an appreciation of and reverence
for the individual within the global community. Franciscan spirituality
acknowledges the necessity of human work and strives to uphold the value of
human labor and the dignity of workers. It insists on a commitment to social
justice by striving for solidarity with the poor and marginalized, the powerless
and the voiceless as images of Christ Crucified. It seeks to give concrete expression
of and commitment to global and local peacemaking by seeking and initiating the
process of reconciliation.
What is so special or unique about Franciscan Spirituality?

Faithful to the Gospel and the Church
Franciscan Spirituality includes as a fundamental
component obedience and loyalty to the Church and
magisterium.
“To Live a life according to the Gospel”
(“VITA EVANGELICA”)

Poverty
The Fundamental Disposition of Franciscan
Spirituality is openness to God, the giver of every gift. It
refers everything back to God.
Humility
Francis identified humility as a sister to poverty.
Humility is grateful acceptance of God’s gifts, especially
the gift of God’s Son in Word and Eucharist.

Distinguishing Features
Francis encountered the poor and
crucified Christ through his
suffering brother, the leper

Hallmark of Medieval Spirituality
Christocentric is a doctrinal term within Christianity, describing theological
positions that focus on Jesus Christ, the second person of the Christian Trinity, in
relation to the Godhead/God the Father (theocentric) or the Holy
Spirit (pneumocentric). Christocentric theologies make Christ the central theme
about which all other theological positions/doctrines are oriented.
Source: wikipedia.org
The Franciscan movement is widely known for its Christocentric spirituality.
Francis of Assisi cherished profoundly the mysteries of Christ's life, especially the
mystery of the Incarnation and the mystery of Redemption. Franciscan sanctuaries
like Greccio and La Verna are living reminders of Francis' deep devotion to the
humanity of Christ. They are like replicas of the Holy Places which Francis visited in
1219-1220, when he went to the Orient as a herald of evangelical peace.
Source: piercedhearts.org

Franciscans Ideal of
Holiness:
Christ the brother becomes an
object of emotional
contemplation; his spiritual
followers go with him and share
in his humiliation and poverty,
his joy and pain, especially the
pain of passion.

“EXPROPRIATIO”
-renunciation of worldly goods

The Masters of Spirituality
“Itinerarium Mentis in Deum”
(The Mind’s Journey to God)
- Considered to be one of
the highest achievements of
human creative genius.

Fundamental Point of Bonaventure’s spiritual doctrine:
Man is the image of God in his natural being, and
the likeness of God in his supernatural being.

Original sin obliterated the likeness and left only
the image of God.

New Creation (recreatio animae)

New Creation
(recreatio animae)

PEACE
(Purgative)
TRUTH
(Illuminative)
LOVE
(Unitive)
Incipient
Proficient
Perfect

Two Kinds of Contemplation:
• Intellectual contemplation
• Sapiential contemplation

EXEMPLARISM
noun, Theology.
• the doctrine that all
knowledge is based on the
perception of the
exemplars of reality that exist
in the mind of God.
• the doctrine that the death of
Christ is of service to
humanity solely
as an exemplar of perfect love
and self-surrender.
ILLUMINATION
Noun
• Intellectual or spiritual
enlightenment
Source: Dictionary.com

Devotio Moderna, or Modern Devotion, was a movement for
religious reform, calling for apostolic renewal through the
rediscovery of genuine pious practices such as humility,
obedience, and simplicity of life. It began in the late fourteenth-
century, largely through the work of Gerard Groote, and
flourished in the Low Countries and Germany in the fifteenth
century, but came to an end with the Protestant Reformation. It is
most known today through its influence on Thomas à Kempis, the
author of The Imitation of Christ, a book which proved highly
influential for centuries.

Spiritual works that attributed to Bonaventure:
- Meditationes vitae Christi (“Meditations on the
life of Christ”)
- Speculum Beatae Mariae Virginis (“The Angels
greeting to Mary”)
- Stimulus amoris (“The Prickynge of Love”)
- Mediatio pauperis in solitudine (“Meditation in
solitude of one who is poor”)

Arbor Vitae Crucifixae Iesu
(“The Tree of the Crucified Life of Jesus”)

Ubertino was summoned before Pope Benedict XI,
forbidden to preach at Perugia, and banished to the
convent of Monte Alverna. During his banishment,
Ubertino wrote the Arbor Vitae Crucifixae Jesu
Christi (The Tree of the Crucified Life of Jesus), exalting
a literal interpretation of the Rule of St. Francis and the
poverty of Christ. In the book, Ubertino identified Pope
Boniface VIII, another opponent of the Spirituals, and
Benedict XI as the first and second beast of the
Apocalypse
source: wikipedia.org

Angela of Foligno, T.O.S.F., (1248 – 4 January
1309) was an Italian Franciscan tertiary who
became known as a mystic from her extensive
writings about her mystical revelations. Due to
the respect they engendered in the Catholic
Church, she is known as "Mistress of
Theologians".
Angela was noted not only for her spiritual
writings, but also for founding a religious
community which refused to accept becoming
an enclosed religious order that it might
continue her vision of caring for those in need.
It is still active.
The Catholic Church declared Angela to be
a saint in 2013.

Ramon Llull, T.O.S.F.
- was a philosopher, logician, Franciscan
tertiary and Majorcan writer. He is credited with
writing the first major work of Catalan literature.
Recently surfaced manuscripts show his work to
have predated by several centuries prominent
work on elections theory. He is also considered a
pioneer of computation theory, especially given
his influence on Leibniz. Within the Franciscan
Order he is honored as a martyr. He
was beatified in 1847 by Pope Pius IX. His feast
day was assigned to 30 June and is celebrated by
the Third Order of St. Francis.
- Source: wikipedia.org

“Llibre de contemplació en Déu”
(Book on the Contemplation of God)
”Llibre d'Amic e d'Amat”
(Book of the Friend and Beloved)
Blanquerna is a novel written around 1283 by Ramon
Llull. It chronicles the life of its eponymous hero. It is
the first major work of literature written in Catalan.

Saints and Martyrs
“Franciscan Protomartyrs”
Six years before Saint Francis of Assisi died, five members of his Order were
killed by the Mohammedans. The names of these glorious Franciscan martyrs are: Saint
Berard, Saint Peter, Saint Otho, Saint Accursius, and Saint Adjutus. Their death was the
inspiration which led Saint Anthony of Padua, the most notable Franciscan saint after
Saint Francis, to join the Franciscan order.
Source: catholicism.org

Saints and Martyrs
“Martyrs of Ceuta”
A group of seven Franciscan Friars
Minor missionaries to Muslims in the Ceuta
area of modern Morocco. Initially treated as
madmen, within three weeks they were ordered
to convert to Islam, and when they would not
they were first abused in the streets,
then arrested, tortured and
beheaded in 1227 in Mauritania Tingitana
(Ceuta, Morocco).
Local Christians secreted the bodies away and
gave them proper burial in Ceuta.
.
They were Angelo, Daniele, Donnolo,
Hugolinus, Leone, Nicola, Samuele.
Source: catholicsaints.info

Saints and Martyrs
The 14th Century Martyrs
Nicholas of Tavelic
Deodatus of Rodez
Peter of Narbonne
Stephen of Cuneo
The 14th Century Beatis
Odoric of Pordeonne (died 1331)
James of Strepa (died 1409)

Influence on the Liturgy and Popular Devotions
The Friars Minor evolved a form of worship which
was shorter and at the same time closer to
individual piety.

Nicholas III made the
reformed of Franciscan
Breviary compulsory in
all churches in Rome,
and was extended to the
whole of Latin Church.

In 1223 Saint Francis of Assisi instructed his
friars to adopt the form that was in use at
the Papal Court (Rule, chapter 3). They
adapted this missal further to the needs of
their largely itinerant apostolate.
Pope Gregory IX considered, but did not put
into effect, the idea of extending this missal,
as revised by the Franciscans, to the whole
Western Church; and in 1277 Pope
Nicholas III ordered it to be accepted in all
churches in the city of Rome. Its use spread
throughout Europe, especially after the
invention of the printing press; but the
editors introduced variations of their own
choosing, some of them substantial.
Source: forums.catholic.com

Pilgrimage site in Mount Varallo

"Those who are in charge of these sacred
mysteries, and especially those who are
careless about their task, should realize that
the chalices, corporals and altar linens
where the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ are offered in sacrifice should be
completely suitable. And besides, many
clerics reserve the Blessed Sacrament in
unsuitable places, or carry It about
irreverently, or receive It unworthily, or
give It to all-comers without distinction.
God’s holy name, too, and his written
words are sometimes trodden underfoot,
because the sensual man does not perceive
the things that are of the Spirit of God“
-Writings of St. Francis of Assisi

This feast is of medieval origin.
It was kept by the Order of
Friars Minor before 1263
when Saint
Bonaventure recommended it
and the Franciscan chapter
adopted it, and the Franciscan
Breviary spread it to many
churches.

“Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
nunc et in hora mortis
nostrae”
Ringing of the bell and
praying the Angelus was
started by Blessed Benedict of
Arezzo.

In 1254 a decree of the
Blessed John of Parma
introduced the final
antiphons of the Virgin into
the Divine Office, and they
were later incorporated in
the Breviarium Romanum

The Franciscan Order was the first to
propagate devotion to St Joseph in the
Western Church. The first Life of the
glorious Patriarch was written by a
Child of St Francis (Patrignani); the
first Feast in his honour was
established by a General Chapter of
the Order, at Assisi A.D. 1399; and the
first Confraternity under his
patronage was founded by a
Franciscan missionary, Blessed
Bernardine of Feltria, A.D. 1487.
Source:wikipedia.org

Franciscan spirituality

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Franciscan spirituality

Similar to Franciscan spirituality (14)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Franciscan spirituality

Editor's Notes