Franciscan Friars T.O.R. - St. Francis, Father & Teacher

After an intense experience of vocational discernment, Francis found light and strength in his decision to listen to the evangelical exhortations to embrace a life of gospel mission (cf. Mt. 10: 7-10 and parallels).

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI: FATHER AND TEACHER OF THE THIRD ORDER

This experience happened, most likely, on Tuesday, February 24, 1209, on the Feast of the Apostle St. Matthew. A little later on, Francis and his earliest companions found a similar religious orientation in their triple consultation of the Gospels on April 16, 1209, in the church of St. Nicholas, parish church of the town merchants. Beginning at this time, in this little church and in the town squares of Assisi, the Franciscan fraternity was born.

In their itinerant apostolate these early Franciscan missionaries were known as the "penitents of Assisi" (AP. 19; L3S. 37) and remained as such until April of 1210, when Innocent III conferred on them the tonsure and gave them permission to preach penance (L3S. 52; 2 Cel. 192; LM. 3: 10). This event is very important because the men of Assisi passed from the "penitential" state to the "clerical" state, from Penitents they became Minors, the First Order of St. Francis was born. However, the primitive, spontaneous, penitential and lay ideal lived on in the franciscan penitential movement (c. 1211), called also the "Third Order of St. Francis."

In his Testament, written in September of 1226, Francis reflected on the direction of his vocation, his call to live a penitential life as a response to the prodding grace of God. In the Church of that time "to do penance" identified a form of religious life which demanded that one "leave the world," that is, to free oneself from personal concerns and earthly worries and dedicate oneself to a radical living of the gospel in order to progress in evangelical perfection. This ideal of "penance" occupies a central place in the experience of St. Francis and is characteristic of the evangelical expression of Franciscan spirituality. From its inception, the "Order of Penitents" was meant to be particularly expressive of this penitential spirituality.

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I. TERMINOLOGY

First of all it is necessary to clear up an error that is prevalent among many people, including those who have a fairly good grasp of Franciscan history and those who have not had the opportunity to study. The term "third" (as in Third Order) does not have a chronological significance, that is, the Franciscan penitential movement is not called a third order because it began after the first and second orders, but ratherbecause it has a mixed composition of men and women, cleric and lay.

The idea of three orders has a very interesting development in the thought of the Church. From the time of St. Gregory the Great (535-604) there has been a hierarchial understanding of the progressive stages of Christian perfection: committed Christians, secular clergy, pastorally committed monks and nuns, and those totally commited to contemplation. From 1161 the order of the Knights of St. James, approved by Alexander III in 1175, adopted a pattern of "three orders" in order to distinguish categories of membership, ranking from the least to most committed: a first order for the knights who were married or who were open to marriage, a second order for celibates with an obligation to remain celibate for life, and a third order for chaplains and tutors (private teachers or masters). From 1201 the Umiliati of Lombardy broadened the understanding of three orders, or means of incorporation, in that membership was open to a wide range of people and not reserved solely for knights and celibates. Nevertheless, according to the desires of the pope, it also reversed the hierarchical order and moved from the most committed to the least: a first order for clerics and nuns; a second for lay brothers and penitential women, and a third order of committed laity, men and women, who remained in their homes and were free to enter into marriage.

The historical and juridical reality of the Franciscan movement adopted the known terminology to describe its own experience, even though it changed it to meet its own needs. From its earliest history, the structure of the Franciscan order was made up of a first order, with male religious and clerics in vows; a second order, made up of consecrated nuns; and a third order, which included men and women, married, single, and celibates who lived with their families, or on their own, and who were dedicated to service and work on behalf of the Lord. Within this last group there were people, either living singularly or with others, who desired to live a more intense life of evangelical perfection. The former retired to hermitages and the latter to a community style of life, giving birth to the "Third Order Regular." The major part of this movement constituted instead the "Third Order Secular," which, since 1978, is more properly called the "Secular Franciscan Order" or " S. F. 0. "

In the historical and juridical sources of the Franciscan penitential movement (or Third Order) many other names have been used to describe the Third Order, among these include: "celibates of St. Francis," "brothers and sisters of penance, " "order of brothers and sisters of penance, " "order of penitents of St. Francis," "third order of penance," "brothers and sisters of the third order," etc. The name "Third Order of St. Francis" began to be used more often after the middle of the 13th century, around the same time as the decline of the Umiliati. However, the term can also be found in sources that predate its more popular use of the name. For example in the Ufficio ritmico of Julian of Speyer, which dates to 1231 or 1232, the author uses the expression "third order of penitents. " (AF X 383)

For an understanding of the historical texts it must also be kept in mind that other names for the "third order" were used by a variety of authors. Among these include: "brothers called to penitence," "men and women of penance," "society of penitents," "brothers of the third rule," "penitents and devotees (pinzocheri e pinzochere) of the third order," "poor brothers of the third order of St. Francis," "the brothers and sisters of the third rule of St. Francis, also called of penance," "holy order of the penitence of St. Francis." A knowledge of this terminology is indispensable for any intelligent reading and interpretation of the historical sources and legislation.

Furthermore it is necessary to clarify how other important terms were used in the historical writings in order to have a better grasp of how they should be understood today. I refer especially to the terms "secular," "lay," and "regular." The last word will be dealt with first in order to spend more time with the first two. Regular indicates a man or woman who leaves his or her family and occupation in order to be fully dedicated to God while living "under a rule" in communitty or in a hermitage. The terms secular and laity have different meanings in the ancient sources and in ecclesiastical legislation. In the late middle ages the "laity" were understood to be the ordinary faithful of the church (ordo laicorum), while the term "cleric" referred to Christians who belonged to a sacred order (those who had received the tonsure) and those Christians who were living a life of evangelical perfection; that is, hermits, conversi, penitents, members of religious orders, and the like. Thus, the ordo clericorum in the strict sense was comprised only of those in sacred orders.

However, in a wider sense, it also included Christians committed to an evangelical life of perfection like religious and oblates. Franciscan penitents in their origin belong to latter category: properly speaking, they are "clerics" in the wider sense and not "laity" or ordinary faithful; they are religious seculars!

The term "secular" simply indicates that one is living in the world, that is, in the environment of one's own family and not in a monastery or in a religious community. Therefore, not only a "laicus" but also a "clericus" is able to be secular regardless of whether one has received sacred orders or is a religious brother or sister. Unfortunately this terminology was not used equivocally in all respects and in all documents.

In the present Code of Canon Law in Canon 207, �1, the legislation of the Church distinguishes Church members by two categories: sacred ministers and laity. Such distinction, of divine law, is reflective of the hierarchical structure of the Church and is tied to one's participation in the diverse reality of the priesthood of Christ. Between the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood (or hierarchical priesthood) there is an essential difference, a difference that is not only of degree (cf LG. 10). On the other hand, the reality of God's call to people, as exhibited by a wider interpretation of the canons, exhibits a triple distinction: clerics, religious, and laity (Canon 207, �2) which expresses the full range of ecclesiastical life (LG. 44:4).

According to this understanding, in canon law, therefore, "the brothers and sisters of the SFO" are secular lay religious. Each of these distinct titles adds to and clarifies the meaning of the tertiary vocation. Nevertheless, the code deals primarily with only two unique and fundamental vocational categories: cleric and lay. One who has not received Holy Orders properly remains in the group of the laity, even if there is a commitment to a religious community. Religious do not, in fact, constitute a third category, but belong either to the clerical state or to the lay state. Neither of these should be seen as competing ways of life, each contributes in a vital manner to the life and sanctity of the Church (LG. 44:4, 43:2).

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In order to avoid misunderstanding it is necessary to consistently and correctly use a common language or terminology. In the areas of biblical and Franciscan study there is not yet a uniformity in the use of abbreviations, which allows the use of arbitrary designations for historical works, with a corresponding disadvantage for dialogue and study. This may seem a marginal issue for people who can keep track of all the different references, or if one were to use a computer with a database of all the variations.

In order to promote a clarity and precision in the correct use of the initials used to designate different aspects of the penitential Franciscan movement, I propose the following: TOF (Third Order Franciscan) indicates the entire Third Order of St. Francis, especially during the early years of the order when the movement included both seculars and regulars without juridical distinction. In 1323, in the bull Altissimo in divinis, Pope John XXII officially approved the regular life, which from the time of St. Francis had been one with the secular expression of Franciscan penitence in a spiritual and loving symbiosis. From this time, two historically and juridically distinct branches of the TOF

Translator's note: this lack of consistency is particularly evident in cross-cultural dialogue. For example, biblical references in Italy include the following designations among others: Es for Exodus, Eb for Hebrews, Gc for the letter of James, etc. In franciscaii studies the following can be found: Atiper for the Anonymous of Perugia, 3 Coti?p for the Three Companions, Legin and LegM for the Minor and Major lives of St. Francis respectively, etc. As yet there is no universally accepted use of abbreviations for either biblical or franciscan scholarship. Perhaps the use of Latin, as a common base, should be accepted in both areas.

Francis lived and worked in an intense and dynamic period of history, a period which saw the decline of the medieval era and the discovery of a new age. It was an age of the towns which were full of life, hopes and dreams. Likewise there was an awakening of an economic awareness in many countries along with a reemergence of ethno-political identities, also the laity emerged from its secular hibernation and began to assume strategic roles in both ecclesial life and in the conduct and establishment of social welfare outreach.

The Providence of God, which governs the world with the wisdom of love, inspired one simple and extroverted man, one who was both dynamic and a lover of solitude, a rich man who became poor in order to be free, one who was attentive to the problems of others, a man nourished by the Gospels and by prayer, one who was faithful to the Church, a poet open to the Spirit and the beauty of his fellow creatures, a brother among brothers and sisters.

Thousands of people thirsty for God gathered around Francis in response to his fresh call to respond to the power of the gospel message. Not only friars and sisters, but also the laity were inspired by him and merged with the penitential movement. "The brothers and sisters of penance" multiplied in a climate of fervor and with extraordinary rapidity.

In the sumnier of 1211 Francis, animated with greatest zeal, tried to reach the east (Syria, Palestine, Egypt) in order to announce the gospel to the Muslims. But the ship was battered by strong winds and ended up drifting to the coast of Dalmatia. A short while later, Francis set sail again and reentered Italy around Ancona. Setting aside the missionary attempt for a time, Francis, along with some companions, continued his apostolate of itinerant preaching in the center of Italy evangelizing Umbria, the Marches, Lazio, etc.

It is this environment which encouraged the Franciscan movement of penance or the Third Order, and which allowed a large number of people to recapture and live the early ideals of the "Penitents of Assisi." Various events combined to establish the foundation and origin of this great movement, these took place in diverse locations and can be seen in the effect the saint had on the population of Italy. Among these include the people of Pian dell'Arca near Cannara (fall of 1211), Alviano near Orvieto (spring of 1212), Greccio near Reiti (summer of 1212), Gubbio (1221), Poggibonsi (1221), Florence (1221), Rome (at various times starting in 1210 and continuing for many years afterward), Faenza, etc. Eventually, and with great vigor of expansion, many areas of Europe were attracted to the Franciscan way of life.

In the encyclical letter Sacra propediem, dated January 6, 1921, Benedict XV affirmed: from the testimony of the sources one can deduce from the evidence that "St. Francis was the true founder of the Third Order in the same way that he was of the First and the Second, and thus, without doubt he was their wise legislator. 4 The assertion from this pontifical document places us in step with a long line of such declarations from the historical writings that deal with the Third Order, it is also tied closely with the ancient and authentic writings of Franciscan history.

Nevertheless, some researchers have expressed some doubt as to the role of St. Francis in the foundation of the order of penitents, in some cases denying his paternity or reducing his role to one of marginal importance. Among the questions that have been put forward in this regard include: Can

( 4 Cf Magistero dei papi e fraternita secolare, edited by M.Bagi and L. Monaco, Rome, p.95.)

St. Francis be understood as the true and direct founder of his penitents, or did the movement spontaneously develop after (or as a result) of the itinerant apostolate of the first Franciscans? Did St. Francis simply give new energy and direction to an already ancient penitential movement in the Church? According to some of these hypothetical questions it is posited that it might be more exact to refer to the movement as the "Third Franciscan Order" rather than the "Third Order of St. Francis"! Some have even written that the merit of huius ordinis institutor (founder of this order) should be attributed not to St. Francis but to Nicholas IV in 1289!

The verification of the title "founder" for St. Francis can be cleared up in the sources. The ancient texts, historical and juridical, consistently maintain that the Franciscan Order of Penance, or the Third Order, was intentionally founded by St. Francis. The distinction, made by some, between "institutor," "legislator," and "founder" is much too sophisticated and alien to the mind of the biographers. These use the same terms when they speak about the rapport that St. Francis had with the brothers of the First Order, with the sisters of the Second Order, and with the brothers and sisters of the Third Order. The causal connection is identical in all three cases. According to the biographers and chroniclers, St. Francis was the true founder and master of a triplice milizia and thus has the same connection with each.

One look, even a hurried one, at the historical sources clearly sheds light for those who, "from the sources," arbitrarily deny to St. Francis the institution or foundation of this his "Masterpiece. "

First of all, Francis himself wrote a fitting "forma di vita" for his penitents, sending them the First (1215) and Second (1221) Letter to All the Faithful. Also for this group, Card. Hugolino codified and complied the ancient Menoriale propositi (1221). Further, the following biographers and writers affirm with certainty the direct paternity of Francis: Thomas of Celano (First Life of St. Francis, 1228/29); Gregory IX (Caput draconis, 1228); Julian of Speyer (Officium rhythmicum, 1231/32); Pseudo-Abrincese (Legenda versificata, 1232/33); Julian of Speyer (Vita, 1232/35); St. Bonaventure (Major Life of St. Francis, 1260/63), and Sermo II de S. Francisco (1267); the Anonymous of Perugia (1266/70); the Legenda monacensis (1275); Bernard of Bressa (Liber de laudibus, 1276); the Catalogus pontificum (limited to the 13th century); the Legend of the Three Companions (1290/1380); the Catalogus generalium (from the early 14th century); Ubertino of Casale (Arbor Vitae, 1305); the Legend of Perugia (1311); and finally the Fioretti (1327/1380), in order to end with a work that is well known and popular. To these and other historical witnesses can also be added papal documents, as well as documents from local churches and civic institutions.

This most abundant, clear and consistent documentation does not permit us to doubt the direct paternity of St. Francis in regard to the "brothers and sisters of penance," or the Third Order.

St. Francis lived at a time of tremendous religious upheaval, a period of renewal that was experienced in the social world as well. During this time a variety of spiritual movements were led to interpret the authenticity of their religious experience against the supreme measure of Christ and his disciples. The Umiliati, the Poor Catholics, the Poor Men of Lombardy, the Waldensians, and others, whether on an individual level or communally, were profoundly involved in rediscovering the life of the evangelical perfection. Along with these groups, the ancient penitential movement, which dates back to the early centuries of the church, was still present and active in some areas of the church.

Francis and his early companions also compared their lives and their itinerant apostolate with the model of evangelical life and the inspiration of gospel living. However, unlike some of the groups just mentioned, they were always concerned with being in accord with the Pope and consistently sought ecclesiastical approbation and direction.

The primitive sources reverberate with the ideals which animated the world in which the Franciscan movement developed. The biographers were not concerned with presenting a detailed and chronologically precise description of Francis and his apostolic activity. Rather, they sought to present to the reader his evangelical identity, or to sketch with a literary brush the complex movement of this charismatic figure. The continuous use of biblical allusions, and the symbolic way Francis was often portrayed, captured the inner spirit of the man and are able to bring him to life for us. This type of hagiography, however, does not easily yield the kind of biographical information we would expect in the modern age. Nevertheless, we are able to discover quite a lot of information about Francis from his biographers and from the early chronicles that touch on his life.

In spite of the design and intention of the biographies, the historical sources unanimously assert a causal and close connection between St. Francis and the "Franciscan" penitential movement. The time and the circumstances of the foundation of the primitive expression of the Franciscan life and the early apostolates revolve around the existential experience of Francis. According to the biographical testimony, at first he was involved in his own conversion, his own response to the presence of God in his life, and was not concerned with founding any kind of religious community. But the Holy Spirit chose the Poverello as a focal point of gathering and as a reference for many who wished to respond in a similar way to the gospel message. The early companions, Clare and other women, and a crowd of laity all came to Francis and he received them as gifts from God. In this way three Franciscan orders were born, each destined to express their own unique gift of gospel spirituality and each graced by God with many vocations. As always, the driving force of these orders was the Lord (cf. 2 Cel 204), but Francis intentionally cooperated with the plan of God and became the father of many people, almost a new Abraham. The connection and rapport between Francis and three institutions is identical, he is the founder, father, and teacher of the First, Second, and Third orders.

There is no justification to simply relegate to Francis, as some are wont to do, either the role of a reanimator of a pre-existent group, or as a champion of a organization of laity involved in personal and ecclesiastical renewal, while at the same time denying him the title of the true founder of his penitents. To hold such an opinion would be like building a bridge in mid air. Those who do so depart from the foundation of historical truth and negate the paternity of Francis and his influence on the foundation of the First and other orders. They unfortunately either ignore the strong witness of history, are not aware of it, choose to ignore it, or try to explain it away without allowing it to speak on its own. It serves us well to recall only some reliable historical sources to prove this point. Thomas of Celano, an eyewitness of the first Franciscan experience, presents Francis as an "excellent craftsman " of the evangelical life who founded a "threefold army" each branch of which "he gave a norm of Iife, and he showed in truth the way of salvation in every walk of life (I Cel 37). " Gregory IX, already a friend and collaborator of St. Francis when he was simply Cardinal Hugolino, affirmed that the Poverello "sent into the battle three battalions of valiant soldiers (AF X 401). Julian of Speyer, also a direct witness of the early Franciscan movement, wrote that Francis, "organized three orders: the first named the friars minor, the middle those who are poor women, and the third of penitents" (Officium AF X 383). He further asserts that St. Francis was the author of "three celebrated orders" and "the third, of no mean perfection, is called the order of penitents, made up of clerics and laity, single, celibate and married, heartily comprising all at the same time" (Vita in AF X 346, n. 23). One finds similar affirmations in official documentation, such as the early text for the liturgy of the feast of the saint. Pseudo-Abrincense also clearly attributes "three orders" to St. Francis, and further gives the first place to the "order of penitents" Leg. vers., app. 11, lib. 7, vv. 60-66 in AF X 509). St. Bonaventure spoke about a great number of people "clerics and laity, virgins and married of both sexes" who were bound to the "new laws of penance according to the rule which they received from the man of God" and that Francis "decided to name this way of life the Order of the Brothers of Penance" (LM 4:6). The same affirmation is given in Serino II, where the Seraphic Doctor writes that Francis, "instituted the Third Order, called the Order of Penitents" (Opera IX 576). It is important to note the consistency of this documentation and the fact that none of the early sources deny the influence Francis had on three orders. Nor should we overlook two passages in the Acts of the provincial chapter held in Bologna in November of 1289, only three months after the Rule of Nicholas IV. The Acts show that the brothers and sisters of penance had a clear idea of their Franciscan identity and their connection with St. Francis. Two times the text identify Francis as the "father of the penitents": "Ad honorem . . . beati Francisci confessoris, devotissimi patris fratrum penitentium, " and "vigiliam beati Francisci ad honorem ipsius pretiosissimi patris fratrum penitentium" (AFH 18, 1925: 348, 350).

The historical texts place the Third Order firmly in the Franciscan movement and affirm that the early members of the order recognized this fact. Those who approach the literature with an open mind must be convinced that the biographers, chroniclers, and bulls consistently affirm Francis' direct paternity of three orders in the same way and without discrimination.

The Anonymus Perusinus or Anonymous of Perugia (1266-1270) records one version of the institution of the "Order of Penitents," which was growing at the same time as the First and Second orders. The order was then, according to the text, "confirmed by the Supreme Pontiff (41). 5 The Legend of the Three Companions (1290-1320) also records the foundation of "three new orders," which symbolically reflected Francis' devotion to the Trinity, and the fact that they "were each in due time approved and confirmed by the sovereign pontiff (3S XIII:60)." The latter text may be referring to the rule presented to the Third Order by Nicholas IV on August 19, 1289, with the bull Supra Montem. However, this interpretation is not obvious, nor is it very satisfying. Meersseman, for example, is convinced that the author of the text is referring to a previous ecclesiastical approval of the Third Order (Dossier, p.4 #1). It is this sense that is also indicated in the Anonymous of Perugia, which was edited and completed some twenty years before Supra Montem. Since there exists no other testimony which points to some other expressed papal intervention, we must conclude that the Anonymous of Perugia and the Legend of the Three Companions allude to an implicit approbation, confirmed and reconfirmed in various official acts, between 1221 and 1227.

The Franciscan penitential movement did, in fact, obtain repeated and clear recognition by the church. In the first place, the Memoriale, approved by Honorius III, given as a rule to the penitents of St. Francis on May 20, 1221, demonstrates an obvious ecclesiastical approval. There also exist various pontifical bulls that exhibit an implicit, but indisputable, papal approval. In Significatum est, dated December 16, 1221, Honorius III clearly confirmed the movement and its ecclesial character. This affirmation was repeated by the pope in his letter to all the bishops of Italy on December 1, 1225. Gregory IX, the former Cardinal Hugolino, vigorously confirmed the existence and direction of the Franciscan penitents in his bulls Detestanda of May 21, 1227, and Nimis patenter on May 26 of the same year. This pope made many other interventions on behalf of the Franciscan penitents in which he clearly expresses the church's recognition of the movement. Innocent IV many times reconfirmed the interest and the favor of the church in regard to the

( 5 Translation used of the Anonymous of Perugia, is by Fr. Eric Kahn, O.F.M.)

Franciscan Order of Penitents. In the same sense there were many other papal comments culminating in the bull Supra montem in 1289, which gave the Penitents of the Third Order of St. Francis a definitive rule based on the Memoriale of 1221. Therefore, it is legitimate for us to posit, however implicitly, that the Third Order of St. Francis received official approbation before the time of Nicholas IV, a Franciscan pope.

7.0 DIRECTORY AND CHRONOLOGY OF ANCIENT SOURCES
THAT DEAL WITH THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS

The documentation is extremely vast and considerable. The texts fall into the categories of writings of St. Francis, biographies and chronicles, papal documents, and legislation. The following are offered as a preliminary guide to these sources.

First of all it must be stated that, in this area, documents concerning the period previous to December 16, 1221 are lacking. Overall, we are able to point out that for the 13th century there exist some 60 papal documents that deal with the Third Order, other than those that have been lost or those of dubious authenticity. For the 14th century we can produce 81 pontifical documents that relate to the Third Franciscan Order, 10 of which deal specifically with the Third Order Regular. The 15th century produced 701 papal documents concerning the Third Order of St. Francis. In the 16th century, with the diffusion of the Third Order Secular and the expansion of individual communities and federations (or congregations), the number of papal bulls likewise grew and have continued to be promulgated up to the modern day. In order to find these documents, we must turn to the following: the Archivium of Bordoni, the Apostolica privilegia of De Sillis, the Indiculus of Alva y Astorga, the Bullarium Franciscanum (Bfns 1-3), the Bullarium Romanorum Pontificum (28 volumes between 450 and 1740), the Regestum pontificum attached to the Annales of Wadding (vol. 1-32), and to more recent sources from the Roman Curia.

The following papal documents are among those that contain integral sections that deal with the Third Order of St. Francis:

For those who wish to delve deeper into these sources we would like to point out the extraordinary studies done by G. Ordoardi in the spirit of inter-Franciscan cooperation on the movement of penance. (6)

St. Francis affirmed that the rule was "the book of life, the hope of salvation, the marrow of the Gospel, the way of perfection, the key to paradise, the agreement of a perpetual covenant. He wanted it to be had by all, to be known by all . . . He taught them to keep it ever before their eyes as a reminder of the life they were to live, and, what is more, that they should die with it." (2 Cel 208)

7.3.1 The first rule of the Franciscan Penitents was the living witness of St. Francis.

Lino Temperini, TOR
________________________________________
6 Cf. G. Odoardi, L'Ordine della penitenza di san Francisco nei documenti pontifici del secolo XIII, in Aa. Vv, L'Ordine della penitenza di san Francesco d'Assisi nel secolo XIII edited by O. Schmucki, Rome 1973, 79-115, esp. 80-94; L'Ordine della penitenza nei documenti pontifici del secolo XIV, in Aa. Vv. I frati penitenti di san Francesco nella societa del due e trecento, edited by M. D'Alatri, Rome 1977, 21-49, esp. 23-27; Id, LOrdine della penitenzia nei "Bullarium Franciscanum" 1400-1447, in Aa. Vv., IImovimento francescano della penitenza nella societa medioevale, edited by M. D'Alatri, Rome 1980, 23-45; Id., La vitacommunitaria tra i penitenti francescani nelle bolle papali dei secolo XXIII, in Aa. Vv., Prime manifestazioni di vita comunitaria maschile e femminile nel movimento francescano della penitenza, edited by R. Pazzelli and L. Temperini, Rome 1982, 21-38.

To the extent that such a project is possible, all the bulls dealing with the Third Order Secular and Regular should be collected in one volume. This would facilitate the study and consolation of the documents for those who do not have access to the originals.

1. In 1209, St. Francis and his first companions constituted the primitive community of "Penitents of Assisi".

2. In 1211, a popular movement began among those "Brothers and Sisters of Penance" who wanted to follow Francis (TOF)

3. By 1215 there existed numerous examples of community life (in hospitals, hospices, hermitages, etc.

4. About the middle of the 13th century there appeared throughout Europe the first confederations and foundations from which would spring the male and female Congregations of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis.

5. From the start of the Franciscan era the Third Order (known as the Franciscan Order of Penance) was formed as a institution distinct and different from the First and Second Orders. It has always been characterized by the presence of men and women, namely of "brothers and sisters".

6. In 1289 Nicholas IV approved the Franciscan "Third Order" (TOF in fact already delineated by two important orientations TOS and TOR).

7. In 1323 John XXII formally approved a community or "regular" life in the Franciscan Third Order (Bull: "Altissimo in divinis" of November 18th).

8. In 1397, the first approval is granted to a Congregation of TOR Nuns (the Religious Institute founded by Bl. Angeline of Marsciano).

9. Other male and female Congregations, obtained their approval at different times, in different nations and were independent of one another.

In the course of centuries many Congregations have disappeared and many more have come into existence.

TOR - Third Order Regular (friars and sisters), in different
Congregations with proper initials. (ex: OSF).