Beginnings of the Third Order Regular in the USA

(By: Fr. Michael J. Higgins, TOR)
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Province, Loretto, PA - USA

The history of the two provinces in the United States, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception of Mary, are two uniquely "American" expressions of this Franciscan tertiary spirit and commitment.

INTRODUCTION:

Throughout the history of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis a common unifying theme can be seen in the importance placed on service to the people of God. The brothers and sisters of the Third Order, as Fr. Lino Temperini points out so well in his various contributions to this volume, have always been guided by their individual and collective awareness of the needs of the Church and formed by their willingness to respond to those needs. From the earliest recorded experiences of the "regular" branch of the Third Order, the sisters and brothers have worked in hospitals and hospices, educational institutions of various kinds, in spiritual direction and in any number of other areas in which people were in need of prayerful and loving service
The history of the two provinces in the United States, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Conception of Mary, are two uniquely "American" expressions of this Franciscan tertiary spirit and commitment. Both provinces were born out of a genuine and prayerful desire to be of service to the people of God, and both continue to struggle be responsive to the ever-changing needs of the Church in the United States.

Irish Foundation in the United States

The history of the Third Order Regular in Ireland dates back to the later part of the 14th and early part of the 15th centuries. These tertiary communities were small communities of clerical and lay friars who supported themselves by manual labor, farming the fields around their friaries and through educational apostolates to the working class and poor Irish families. Patrick Quinn points out that the curriculum of these schools would have focused on native learning - the grammar, poetry, histories and sagas of Gaelic Ireland, as well as the genealogies of important families. 1

There is some evidence that, at least in some of these foundations, the brothers worked side by side with tertiary women, "living in separate buildings of the same friary." 2  It is important to note that this apostolate to the poorer people in the outlying areas of Ireland seems to be a conscious decision on the part of these Third Order communities. Rather than teach Latin, rhetoric, philosophy and theology to the children of the rich and privileged, they taught practical courses in farming, the native Gaelic language, and basic catechesis. Franciscan minority and a love for the weakest members of society seem to have been a prevalent charism. Bonaventure Kiley, who for many years served as provincial archivist with a great deal of expertise and dedication, points out that at one time there were in Ireland "some fifty houses of the Regular Tertiaries besides the numerous groupings of the men and women of the Third Order Secular." 3
footnotes:
1 Patrick Quinn,TOR, "The Third Order Regular of St. Francis in Ireland,"
Analecta TOR (Vol. XXIV, 153, 1993), p. 253.
2 Quinn, p. 254.
3 Bonaventure Kiley, TOR, "The Loretto Franciscans," in Bicentennial History of Loretto, Pennsylvania: 1976, ed. by Joseph J. Bentivegna, Ebensburg, PA: Damian Printing Co., 1976, p. 95.

Unfortunately, history was not kind to the Third Order Regular in Ireland. The Reformation of the 16th century was particularly brutal for the Franciscan family in the British Isles. Many friars lost their lives, monasteries and convents were pillaged, burnt and destroyed and the practice of religious life was outlawed. The Third Order Regular, which flourished so well on Irish soil, was uprooted and destroyed. According to some historians the Order was able to survive until the early part of the 18th century, when the last friary "passed into the hands of the First Order." 4  Some stories, now considered to be apocryphal, recount how friars clandestinely continued to live their religious life in hiding and provided a living bridge with the ancient communities in Ireland.

In the beginning of the 1800s, the Third Order Regular was once again established in Ireland.

It began again at Merchant's Quay with a group of zealous men from the secular tertiaries at the Friar's Minor church of Adam and Eve. The first Third Order Regular friary was established in May of 1820 in Milltown, with the second being opened in September of that same year at Dalkey. 5

Also around the year 1820, a Franciscan community of brothers was founded in the Archdiocese of Tuam in Ireland 6 in order to work with youth in education. This diocesan group, which at first was under the jurisdiction of the OFM Observants, adopted the Rule of the Third Order Regular and was formed into a diocesan community under the Bishop of Tuam. The apostolate of this tertiary community, which included houses in Dalkey and Mt. Bellew, was very much like the apostolate of the first Third Order friars in Ireland. "In addition to teaching school they farmed the land that by their labor they might be self-supporting and the poor would not be denied an education." 7 The community grew and established religious houses in a number of towns, including Roundstone and Clifden. Once again the tertiary charism of minority and service to the poor was a guiding force in the community. "The spirit of Francis once again inspired men and women to respond to the concrete ministerial needs of the local church ... " 8

Due to the poor economic condition of Ireland in the middle part of the 19th century, a condition exacerbated by the potato famine and the immigration of thousands of Irish to the United States, the friars were forced to look to other countries for financial support for their apostolic work. There was also a desire to help those suffering the effects of the famine in Ireland. Thus in 1846 three Irish brothers left Dublin for the United States, settling in Louisville, Kentucky, where they set up a school. Unfortunately, "sickness plagued the Brothers and the school was closed little more than a year later." 9  In 1847 another group of brothers journeyed to the US and settled in Loretto, Pennsylvania, in October of the same year. Loretto was at the time a part of the Pittsburgh Diocese.

The brothers settled in Loretto in response to a request from the bishop of Pittsburgh, Bishop Michael O'Connor, who was in need of a religious community to work in the educational apostolate
footnotes:
4 Quinn, p. 260.
5 Quinn, p. 262.
6 John P.M, Doyle, TOR. (compiler) History of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance. Unpublished Manuscript, Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1947.
7 Kiley, p. 95.

of the diocese. Loretto was chosen as the site for the new establishment because it included a parish school in need of teachers (established in 1800 by Prince Demetrius Gallizin), land available for farming and cultivation, and the possibility for expansion. Along with the incredible tasks of expanding the school, establishing a religious community in the town, and preparing the land for crops, the brothers were also involved in fund raising for the starving people in Western Ireland.
In 1848 the superior of the brothers, "Brother Giles, along with a number of the brothers, were to draw up a rule of government and write a petition to be sent to Rome enabling the Brothers to pass from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Tuam, Ireland, to that of the Bishop of Pittsburgh." 10 In the same year the foundation for St. Francis Academy, which would eventually become St. Francis College, was begun with Bishop O'Connor officiating at the ceremony which laid the cornerstone.
Other establishments in Pennsylvania included St. Paul's School and St. Peter's School in Pittsburgh, a farm and school for boys in New Bedford, and an orphanage in Cameron's Bottom (a little town not far from Loretto). As the school in Loretto expanded, these other apostolates were gradually turned over to others or abandoned. According to a census taken in 1850 there were twenty-three brothers stationed in Loretto: twenty-one from Ireland, one from Belgium and one from England. "Ten of the brothers listed their profession as teachers and the remainder were occupied in various jobs such as farmers, carpenters, shoemaker or tailor. " 11
Also in 1858 the bishop of Brooklyn in New York, Bishop John Laughlin, invited the brothers into the diocese again to work in the educational apostolate.

This was done and the community increased until 1900 it had 125 professed Brothers working in the cause of Christian education. They had charge of fourteen parish schools for boys, a college, two high schools, and a novitiate house situated at Centerport, Long Island. 12

In the early part of the 1880's the bishop of the Diocese of St. Paul in Minnesota, Bishop John Ireland, approached the brothers with the same request that his two brother bishops in Pittsburgh and Brooklyn had made years before. He too had a need for a solid community of religious to work in the educational apostolate of the diocese. Once again the brothers responded to the request of the bishop and the need of the Church in the US. "In or about 1882 ... the Brooklyn brothers opened a school for Indian boys at Clontarf. ... From it sprang the community of Spalding, Nebraska, in the diocese of Omaha. " 13 Through much sacrifice and hard work the brothers managed to keep the school in Clontarf running as a viable apostolate. However, in 1894 they were forced to close the institution. Up to that time the Federal Government had paid for the education of the Indian boys, but when this subsidy was withdrawn, they could not carry on. 14 
footnotes:
10 Kiley, p. 97
11 Kiley, p. 99
12 Doyle p. 59
13 Doyle p.59
14 Doyle p. 59

Under the guidance of Bro. Joseph Fielding, the brothers moved from Minnesota and established a school for boys in Spalding, Nebraska. Although this community was never very large, having a maximum of seven religious, their hard work and dedication laid the foundation of a successful apostolate.

By the turn of the century there were three main groups of Irish brothers working in the United States: Loretto, Brooklyn and Spalding. Each of these communities was connected with the community in Ireland, actively involved in the education of boys, and under the jurisdiction of their local diocesan bishops.

Union with the Third Order Regular

As their ministry in the United States continued the brothers were increasingly faced with the need for a stronger connection with the Franciscan family. Part of this need arose from the fact that at least some of the priests that were appointed by the bishops to look after the sacramental needs of the brothers were ignorant about religious life, which at times occasioned misunderstanding and resentment. Another aspect arose from the desire of some of the brothers to pursue study for ordained ministry in the Church. To do this they were forced to either leave their communities and join another or find a diocese. Lastly, the brothers saw the benefit in having ordained members in the communities to help in the overall ministry to the boys in their schools.

The first of the communities to petition for union with the Third Order Regular was the community in Brooklyn. Under the direction of Bros. Raphael Breheny and Linus Lynch, who at first tried to reorganize the community under the authority of the bishop, an official request was made in 1906 to the General, Most Rev. Angelo deMattia. However, the bishop of Brooklyn was against the proposed union and actively worked to block it. As a result, "the question of the incorporation of the Brooklyn community in the Order was consigned to the archives......" 15
On November 20th of the same year the movement for union continued with the Spalding community sending its request for incorporation to the general, Fr. DeMattia.

The Bishop of Omaha, the Most Reverend Richard Scannell, wrote a letter giving his consent and the Very Reverend Bernard Galvin, parish priest of Spalding, also sent a letter in which he praised the movement. On December 8, 1906, the Father General signed the decree of union of the Spalding community with the Order and petitioned Pope Pius X, January 12, 1907, to grant faculties to establish the Third Order Regular in the diocese of Omaha and to receive the solemn profession of the religious there who had completed the third year of simple vows. On the 12th of January the favor was granted. For the execution of the Venerable Rescript the Father General sent the Very Reverend Stanislaus Dujmovic, definitor general from the province of Dalmatia, to America accompanied by Father Catalini of the Umbro Picena province. 16

The papal approbation of the union, with the blessing of Pope Pius X, was officially dated November 29, 1907.

footnotes:
15 Doyle, p. 61.
16 Doyle, p. 62.

After the union of the Spalding brothers with the Order was approved, the brothers in Brooklyn who felt a strong desire to be part of the incorporation left New York in the spring of 1907 and joined their fellow friars in Nebraska. Apparently the first to leave was Bro. Raphael Breheny, who for many years had worked for the union of the Brooklyn community with the Order. Following his lead, At the end of the month of July, some twenty-three brothers left Brooklyn and under the direction of Brother Linus took their way to Spalding where they arrived in good time and were received by Brother William Osbelt, the superior of the house, Father Stanislaus Dujmovic, the General Delegate, and Brother Raphael Breheny. 17

The Spalding community, now officially part of the Order, increased to 30 friars. "Relying heavily on the teaching abilities of the Brothers from Brooklyn, the fraternity opened Spalding College with fifty boys in January of 1908. " 18

The last community to apply for incorporation into the Order was the fraternity in Loretto. On December 29, 1907, and with the approval of Bishop Eugene A. Garvey, the bishop of Altoona 19, the brothers petitioned Rome for union. The union was supported by the General who then approached the Holy See for the necessary permissions. On May 22, 1908, the Holy Father, Pope Pius X, approved the incorporation of the Loretto brothers with the Third Order Regular and the General was given the required faculties to oversee the process. Further permission was given to accept into Solemn Vows those brothers who had completed three years in Simple Vows and to open a house of novitiate in Loretto. The General and the General Curia "affected the union on May 28, 1908". 20

To oversee the union of the Loretto fraternity with the Order, the General appointed as his delegate Fr. Jerome Zazzara, a doctor in Sacred Theology, and Fr. Anthony Balestieri as Novice Master. Bro. Raphael Breheny, along with three other friars from Spalding, also traveled to Loretto to help with the incorporation. As a result of the union, the Order in the United States swelled to fifty-four friars with twenty-eight in Spalding and twenty-six in Loretto.

When the Spalding and Loretto communities joined the Third Order Regular, several of the Brothers immediately began studies for the priesthood. Victor Brown studied in Rome and was the first American ordained as a priest of the Third Order Regular on July 14, 1910. Angelus Laughlin and Leopold Campion were ordained in Loretto on July 25, 1910, and Linus Lynch and Raphael Breheny were ordained in Spalding on August 10, 1910. 21

At the request of Bishop Garvey, Fr. Jerome in November of 1909 accepted St. Anthony Parish in Johnstown as a permanent apostolate of the friars and Fr. Anthony Balestieri was appointed Pastor. "The significance of St. Anthony's is that it became the third house of the friars in America
footnotes:
17 Doyle, p. 62.
18Thomas Matts, "The Franciscans in Loretto 1900 - 1925, in Bicentenial History of Loretto, Pennsylvania, 1976, ed. by Joseph J. Bentivegna, Ebensburg, PA: Damian Printing Co., 1976, p. 130.
19 A diocese which was at first part of the Pittsburgh diocese.
20 Matts, p. 130.
21 Matts, P. 131.

and this satisfied a requirement for the formation of an autonomous American province. 22 In December of 1909 Fr. Jerome also accepted the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Altoona from the bishop and himself took on the role of pastor. Both of the parishes had large immigrant Italian populations and the presence of Frs. Jerome and Anthony was a true blessing to the diocese which was trying to meet the needs of these parishioners.

On July 20, 1910, Fr. Angelo deMattia, the Minster General through the whole process of the various attempts at union, requested the Holy See to approve the establishment of an autonomous province in the United States. The petition was granted by the Sacred Congregation of Religious on August 2, 1910, the Feast of the Portiuncula. The new American province was officially erected on September 25, 1910, and was commended to the patronage of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The General appointed the following friars to guide the newly established province:

V. Reverend Jerome Zazzara - Provincial
Brother William Osbelt - Custos Provincial
Reverend Rapheal Breheny - 1st Definitor
Brother Angelus Laughlin - 2nd Definitor
Brother Leopold Campion - 3rd Definitor
Brother Aloysius Gilmartin - 4th Definitor

The province at this time was involved in the teaching apostolates in Spalding and Loretto and the two parishes in Johnstown and Altoona. It is significant to note that right from the beginning of the new American province there was a presence both in the educational and in the parochial apostolates. As the Third Order had done for the centuries, the friars in the United States were striving to meet the needs of the their local church. However, this diversity of apostolates also caused tension in the newly-formed provincial structure.

The early years of the province were important in that they helped consolidate the identity of the Order in the hearts and minds of the friars. There was also a an important shift in the community from a diocesan congregation made up of brothers into what would eventually become a predominantly clerical province. These years also saw the expansion of St. Francis College and the introduction of seminary courses for the friars and, somewhat later, for the diocese.

The first classes in theology were offered in 1910 and were taught by Frs. Jerome Zazzara, Anthony Balestieri, and John P.M. Doyle, who had recently joined the community.

By 1911 a full course of studies in theology was set up and cycle courses were offered. In September, 1912, Bishop Garvey of Altoona sent the seminarians of his diocese to Saint Francis for their theological studies, and this marks the official birth of Saint Francis Seminary. The academic year 1912-13 opened with twenty-two students in theology. 23
footnotes:
22 Matts, p. 131.
23 Matts, p. 132.

St. Francis Seminary continued to provide a solid theological training for the friars, and for a number of dioceses, until the 1978-79 academic year. Trinity College in Sioux City, Iowa, was also founded during the early period of the province. Fr. Jerome Zazzara proved to be an able administrator and zealous priest throughout these developments.

In the first election in Sacred Heart Province, held during the General Visitation in June and July of 1913, and presided over by the General, Fr. Pius Dujmovic, Fr. Raphael Breheny was elected Provincial.

His council was composed of Fathers Angelus Laughlin, Linus Lynch, Victor Brown and John P.M. Doyle. Father Jerome Zazzara was elected Custos of the province. 24
Unfortunately ill health forced Fr. Raphael to resign after three years of his five-year term and Fr. Francis Smyth took over provincial responsibilities until the new chapter in 1918.

Division and the Birth of the
Immaculate Conception Province

The chapter of 1918 proved to be a very stormy affair and laid the groundwork for what would eventually cause a split in the province and the establishment of a new American province. Since the General could not be present for the chapter, Fr. Victor Brown was appointed as the General's delegate and presided over the proceedings. Fr. Victor decided that, since the Italian friars were still officially members of their respective provinces in Italy, they could not have passive voice in the chapter. These friars, along with some of the vocals at the chapter, refused to accept the election of Fr. Louis Donahue as provincial. As a result, the chapter ended with Fr. Louis claiming the title of Minister Provincial and Fr. Francis Smyth holding on to his title as Commissary Provincial.

The matter was carried to Rome and the Sacred Congregation decreed that for the sake of peace in the province a new chapter should be held under the presidency of a friar from another province. (July 1, 1919) The same Sacred Congregation directed that the Italian Fathers should formally declare their intention to be incorporated in the province of the Sacred Heart in America and be excardinated from their provinces in Italy. 25

Father Arnaldo Rigo, who was later elected Minister General, was appointed as the General's delegate and president of the chapter that was held in the convent of the Most Blessed Trinity in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1919. Fr. Louis was once again elected as provincial. However, as a result of deepseated dissatisfaction, a petition was made by the Italian friars, along with a number of supporters, for the establishment of a separate commissariat. After the petition was voted upon and approved by the chapter, Fr. Arnaldo returned to Rome and presented the request to the General.
It was discussed in the General Curia and approved, and a petition was presented to the Sacred Congregation of Religious which on January 22, 1920, authorized the Father General to erect the Commissariat and to name the Commissary, having first received the consultative vote of all the friars. 26

footnotes:
24 Doyle, Appendix, p. 1.
25 Doyle, p. 64.
26 Doyle, p. 64.

On March 25, 1920, the General erected the new American commissariat. The commissary at first numbered twelve friars, including Fr. Jerome Zazzara, who was appointed Commissary Provincial, and houses in Johnstown and Altoona. The commissariat was given the status of province by the General, Fr. Dujmovic, on August, 25, 1925. At this time it consisted of thirteen friars (five Italians and eight Americans) and included houses in Johnstown, Altoona, Barnesboro and Hollidaysburg. Fr. Jerome Zazzara was elected as the first provincial of the new American province dedicated to Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Anyone who has had the pleasure and challenge of being a part of a provincial chapter can readily imagine the forces that were at work in the chapters of 1918 and 1919, and which led to the division of a relatively new province. From the perspective of the 1990's it's tempting to try to assess the various dynamics that were at work in these confrontations. It's also easy to try to place the blame on one side or the other with an attempt to identify those friars or influences that caused the split. However, in the final analysis, this kind of investigation into the past is not very helpful. The facts seem to point to two groups of friars both of which were deeply convinced of the rightness of their position. As with anything else, the situation has to be judged on what it produced. In this case, the events of 1918 to 1925 produced two American provinces which were both interested in serving the needs of the people of the people of God and the local church.

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