Spain
In 1906, a small
congregation of Regular Tertiaries of Mallorca, comprising both priests and brothers, was
united to the Order to form the Spanish Province of the Immaculate Conception.
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The
20th Century
By: Fr. Nicholas Sastre Palmer, TOR
Translated by Fr. Seraphin J. Conley, TOR
THE HISTORY OF
THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION
PROVINCE
ESPANA
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TOR
Resource Manual
(Pages 26 -32)
The
Ancient Spanish Congregation
The
Kingdom of Castille: The phenomenon of a religious community form of life following the
Third Rule of St. Francis is recorded around 1370 in the northwestern region of Spain
(Galicia and Leon), also in the south (Andalusia). In Castille, these Brothers and Sisters
of the Third Order of St. Francis were called: "frayres," "freyles"
and "freyas" or "freylas." The founder of these Tertiaries of
community life is said to have been a Canon of St. James of Compostela, Juan "el
Cardenal, " who, according to legend was received into the Order of Penance in 1214,
by St. Francis himself. Thereafter, this person is supposed to have established both male
and female congregations of Tertiaries of common life. (cfr. SOTO, J.L. Proyecto espafiol.
in A.I.A., II, 40/1980/37-72).
In
the Kingdom of Castille, these communities of Tertiaries established by different founders
make one think of immediate and concrete origins linked to the reform movement which arose
throughout europe in the mid-14th century (the beginnings of the Observant Reform, the
Benedictine Reform at Subiaco, etc.)
In
the southern region of Spain, the movement of Franciscan Tertiaries towards community life
seems to have been rooted, although this is unproven and unclear, in the eremitical life
of Friar Tomasuccio da Foligno. This reformer had various Spanish followers, among them,
Rodrigo the Logician who after the death of his master, withdrew into the mountains of
Cordoba.
The
origins of these diverse groups indicate that the community form of life on the Iberian
Penisular was not necessarily an evolution from the Third Order Secular. The founders of
these fraternities may or may not have been secular tertiaries previously. What is certain
is their adoption of the Third Order Rule of St. Francis as the most suited to their
purpose whether charitable, pastoral or, simply, the eremitic-cenobitic life.
The
Galician Group
In
1372 we discover the first Franciscan Tertiary community at Mellid (Province of Coruna,
the diocese of Mondonedo) under the title of the Holy Spirit. Fernan Lopez, the Notary,
and his wife gave to Friar Alfonso some houses for a church and convent to serve the
hospital for the poor and pilgrims. (cfr. PERARNAU, Nuevos datos ... ). This donation and
the foundation was confirmed by the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII in a Bull of February 26,
1396.
In
1392, outside tile walls of Mondonedo in Villaorente, we find the house of St. Martin in
reconstruction and a document dated September 21st in which Clement VII granted
indulgences to anyone visiting the church and helping this work of charity.
Around
1382, Fernan Gomez de Andrade established the Convent of Sta. Catalina de Montefaro near
the seashore. Benedict XIII ratified the foundation of a Church dedicated to St.
Catherine. With another Bull of 1403, he approved the incorporation of the parish church
of Sta. Maria del Nino to the house at Montefaro. Moreover, the Hospital of Puentedueme
with its church and hospice was placed under the house of Sta. Catalina. It is evident
that here we are dealing with a center of pastoral and charitable activities.
Sta.
Maria la Nueva, or "of Marcarelos" in Santiago was founded by Friar Alfonso of
Mellid through the donation of some houses on May 13, 1390.
The
Community of Valparaiso, located in the Diocese of Tuy near the border with Portugal, was
not connected with the group at Mellid and Montefaro. It was founded by Friar Juan de
Esteban with his own resources and donations from benefactors. The chapel was dedicated to
the Virgin Mary. The Roman Pontiff, Boniface IX, on May 21, 1401, ratified this foundation
and the conventual buildings and granted permission to establish another house, Sta.
Catalina, for Tertiary women. Both these foundations seem to have been of the
cenobitic-contemplative type.
Another
foundation, that of Avargia, whose exact location within the Archdiocese of Santiago de
Compostela has not been identified, was also not connected to the Tertiary foundations of
Mellid or Montefaro. The founder was Paul Nicolas de Sicilia who petitioned the granting
of indulgences for this Hermitage on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. This petition was
granted by Pope Boniface IX in a Bull of October 4, 1400.
The
Leon-Castile Group
The
Community at Holy Spirit, outside the walls of Astorga, was established canonically by the
Pope on September 13, 1403. This leads one to suppose that the actual date of its
foundation was somewhat earlier (c. 1383). This Community seems to have followed a
contemplative and eremtical style of life.
The
Convent of Santa Maria de Val, or Valle, in Benavente, Province of Zamora, Diocese of
Astorga, was probably established in 1392 under Bishop Pascasio (1390-93). Pope Benedict
XIII in a Bull dated September 9, 1403, confirmed this foundation and granted indulgences
to whomever contributed to its charitable works.
The
Convent of San Juan del Monte in Mayorga, near the Diocese of Valderas (Leon) is mentioned
by Pope Benedict XIII in a Bull addressed to the Archdeacon of Tricastela (Lugo). This
document of September 9, 1403 confirmed for the community the same privileges granted to
Santa Maria de Val.
Santa
Maria del Soto, in the Diocese of Zamora of the ancient Kingdom of Leon, is mentioned in a
Bull of September 9, 1403. Pope Benedict directed the Archdeacon of Zamora to confirm the
possession of the church and residence of the tertiary community.
A
house in Villapando, province of Zamora, Leon is known only from the granting of a plenary
indulgence "in articulo mortis," on September 9, 1403, to a tertiary, Friar Juan
del Mercado.
Santa
Maria de la Mejorada, some 5 kms. from Olmedo in the Province of Vallodolid, Diocese of
Avila, is known to have been the residence of tertiaries for several years. It was a
hermitage having houses, gardens, a poplar grove and vineyard granted "in
perpetuum" to the tertiary friars about the year 1378 by Diego de Roeles, the Bishop
of Avila (1378-85). This convent would be the cause of a lawsuit with the Jeronimites who
began at this time and closely resembled the tertiary communities.
Santa
Maria de los Valles, Diocese of Burgos, whose founders Francisco de Roa and his six
companions, went to Valencia and received the permision of Pope Benedict XIII to build a
convent at this hermitage in a Bull dated January 31, 1415.
The Andalusian Group
Approximately
during the same period as the foundations in Galicia, there also arose in the south of
Spain communities of tertiaries living a common life, although of a more contemplative
style.
Holy
Spirit Hermitage, Osuna. This hermitage was constructed in a mountainous place around 1373
on land donated by Alfonso Gonzalez. These religious lived exclusively by their own manual
labor as is seen from the Bull of September 15, 1395 in which Benedict XIII exempts the
Community from the duty of paying tithes.
The
Community of Casafuerte, Diocese of Seville, is mentioned in a Bull of May 30, 1396 in
which Pope Benedict XIII granted to the local Minister the power to absolve and to
administer the sacraments to the friars and servants of the house.
It
was probably this same Minister, Fray Juan, who exchanged the hermitage of Our Lady of
Cuevas for the former parish church of San Juan de Arznalfarache and another rural place
near Bollulos par del Condado (Huelva) with Archbishop Gonzalo de Mena of Seville on
January 16, 1400. Benedict XIII, in a Bull dated February 2, 1409, directed the Patriarch
of Constantinople, Alfonso de Egea, Administrator of the See of Seville, to confirm in
favor of the tertiaries, the transfer of the Church of San Juan Aznalfarache outside the
walls of Seville.
Thus,
around the year 1400, the tertiaries in the south of Spain had at least 4 houses (2
dedicated to pastoral activity and 2 of a contemplative life style). Generally, this is
true of the organization and lifestyle of the known communities of tertiary friars: the
service of God in the loneliness of a hermitage or, near urban centers, in houses
dedicated to the service of the poor and infirm, or to the faithful in the churches they
staffed.
Houses
dedicated to charitable assistance located at:
Mellid
Santa
Catalina de Penha
Santa
Maria la Nueva
Houses
dedicated to pastoral activity:
Houses
dedicated to a contemplative or eremitical life:
The
Convent at Montefaro was involved in
both pastoral and charitable activities.
In
all the papal documents, the religious of these communities are uniformly designated as
"Brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis." In the Bull Humilibus precibus
September 9. 1403, Pope Benedict XIII adds to this title the equivalent: Brothers called
of Penance ... (fratrum de Poenitentia nuncupatum).
Each
house and fraternity was independent, except for those affiliated to the principal house
as, for example, to Mellid or to Montefaro. In charge of each house was a Minister with
faculties similiar to those of the Ministers Provincial of the Ist Order.
In
1423, there is evidence for the existence of a Sevillian Province of the Third Order (cfr.
BFr, Vii, 594 ii. 1574-1575). It is possible that the Castillian and Leon group formed a
regular province which was later called the Province of Leon. In 1509 this Province was
placed under the Observant Province of Santiago de Compostela. (cfr. VILLAPADIERNA,I.
OFMCap., Vida Comunitaria de los Tertiarios de Espana, in Primi Manifestazioni di vita
.... Convegno Assisi, 1981, pp. 91-111).
15th
Century and the Unification
of the Tertiary Communities of Spain
(cfr. Pazzelli, pp.304-318)
For
good order and the avoidance of useless problems, Pope Martin V ratified many acts of the
anti-pope, Benedict XIII. In this way, he confirmed all the concessions granted to the
Spanish Tertiaries with the Bull Apostolicae Nobis of July 15, 1422.
Pope
Eugene IV, on February 6, 1442 with the Bull Injunctum Nobis granted the definite approval
to the entire Spanish Congregation of the Third Order Regular and authorized the friars in
the dioceses of Castille and Leon to hold a chapter every three years for the election of
a Visitator General.
Relations
between the Spanish
Third Order Regular and the Friars Minor
From
1289 until 1471 there seems to be no papal document referring to relations of the Third
Order Regular with the Friars Minor. In 1471, some difficulties arose from a Bull of
Sixtus IV concerning the right of the Friars Minor to visitate secular and regular
communities not affiliated with any Congregation (Franciscan?) approved by the Holy See.
The legal battles continued until 1526 with some periods of calm.
In
1526, Fray Antonio de Tablada, Minister General of the Tertiaries of Castille, Leon and
Andalusia petitioned the Roman Curia to clarify these legal questions and so end the
controversies. Clement VII in his famous Bull Dum uberes fructus (cfr. BORDONI:
Archives of the TOR, pp.397-413) confirmed all the privileges previously granted to the
tertiaries of Spain. Among these was the right to elect their own Minister General and to
be exempt from any dependence on the Friars Minor. A later Bull of Paul III Exponi Nobis
Desuper modified some concessions of Clement VII.
On
July 3, 1547, with the Bull Ad fructus uberes Paul III approved a triple Rule for the
tertiaries in Spain. (cfr. BORDONI, Archives of the TOR, 444-482) At this time the Spanish
Regular Tertiaries extended throughout the entire territory of Spain and Portugal.
In
1567, Pius V, with the Apostolic Brief Superioribus sensibus suppressed the Tertiaries
Regular of Spain and submitted them to the Order of Friars Minor Observants. This papal
decision was very much influenced by the King of Spain, Phillip II, and by Cardinal Diego
de Espinoza, Inquisitor and President of the Royal Council of State. However, the
following year, the ministers of some 6 convents forcefully insisted on presenting their
case to the Pope and they were not suppressed. At the end of the 16th century, the
Franciscan Tertiaries Regular obtained from the Cardinal Protector with the approval of
the Pope, Clement VIII, the authorization to be governed by their own Visitator
Provincial, chosen from among the Friars Minor and always with the permission of the OFM
General. This same Cardinal Protector decreed on January 18, 1600 that the convents of the
Tertiaries Regular within the Kingdom of Granada would constitute the Bethica Province of
the Third Order Regular.
By
1625 we find re-established 3 flourishing Provinces: Portugal, Bethica (Andalusia?) and
Galicia-Leon.
About
the middle of the 17th century, the Spanish Tertiary Friars tried to unite with the Third
Order Regular in Italy. They were unsuccessful since they were never able to obtain the
"beneplacitum" of the Friars Minor.
The
civil suppressions of the years 1834-5 were the cause of the disappearance of all
religious orders in Spain, among them the Congregation of the Third Order Regular of St.
Francis.
The
Spanish TOR in modern times
The
re-founding of the Third Order Regular in Spain was due to Fr. Antonio Ripoll Salva, born
at Lluchmayor, Mallorca on September 8, 1844, the Feast of the Nativitiy of Mary to whom
he was especially devoted.
As a
young man he gathered some companions and formed a confraternity under the patronage of
Mary Immaculate. They rented a room where they held conferences on spiritual themes and
taught catechism to the neighborhood children.
In
1872, Antonio, Juan Garau and Mattia Cardell took steps towards the formation of a
tertiary community dedicated to the Virgin Mary. With the permission of the pastor, they
moved into some rooms attached to the Church of St. Bonaventure. The small community hoped
to be approved as a Congregation of the Third Order Regular. Aided by his pastor, Fr.
Gabriel Mir, Antonio was able to undertake studies for the priesthood and was ordained on
August 14, 1887. The small community hoped to be approved as a Congregation of the Third
Order Regular. Various major superiors of the Friars Minor were approached to this end but
without success. Finally, in 1893, the Bishop authorized the formation of a diocesan
congregation of the Third Order Regular. The Commissary General of the Friars Minor, Fr.
Serafin Linares delegated the Vicar Provincial of Catalonia to formally establish the
small Franciscan fraternity.
On
June 11, 1883 the 3 priests: Frs. Antonio Ripoll, Bartolomeo Salva, Antonio Puigserver and
the 3 brothers: John Garau, Bartolomeo Cler and Miguel Canyelles were invested with the
grey habit of the Third Order Regular. Unaware of the existence of the TOR in Rome,
contact had been made with the Third Order Regular Congregation of Albi. A modified form
of the Albi Congregation's habit was adopted: gray color, heelreaching tunic with cord,
the capuce ending in a blunt point in the front and sharp pointed at the rear. The new
fraternity professed the Rule of Leo X and followed the Constitutions of the French TOR
Congregation.
The
Congregation continued to grow and desirous of making the profession of solemn vows, made
their petition to the Minister General of the Friars Minor, Dionysius Schuyler. He was
well disposed but wanted to restore the ancient system which had led in the past to the
assimiliation of the TOR friars into the Order of Friars Minor. After some difficulties
with the Minister Provincial of Catalonia, who wanted them to form part of his province,
they sent representatives to Rome to present their case to the General. Fr. Schuyler
suggested that they first become Friars Minor and when they had increased in numbers an
OFM Province might be re-established on Mallorca. They went to the Spanish Cardinal Vives
y Tuto, a Capuchin to seek his advice. He directed them to their "own Order" at
the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. They were received by the Minister General, Fr.
Angelo de Mattia who welcomed their petition to be incorporated into the Order as a
Province. The various canonical formalities were quickly expedited by Cardinal Vives y
Tuto who personally wrote the petition of Union and suggested that the new Province be
dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary. On May 7, 1906 the Decree of Union was
issued by the Sacred Congregation of Religious. On May 13th, Fr. Bartolomeo Salva and
Francisco Fornes had the joy of making their solemn profession into the hands of the
Minister General at the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian.
The
new Province was blessed by God and enjoyed a steady growth in numbers of friars and
convents. Friars were sent forth to labor in Mexico and among the Spanish speaking people
of the United States. In 1961, responding to the plea of the Holy Father, John XXIII, the
Province accepted a difficult mission in the Andes of Peru. The Prelacy of Huamachuco is
located 3,000 metres above sea level, covers an area of 8,000 sq. kms. comprising 3
provinces of the Department of La Libertad and has a Catholic population of more than
200,000. Two friars of the Province have been ordained bishops and ministered as
Ordinaries of the Prelacy of Huamachuco: Mons. Damian Nicolau Roig (1963-81) and Mons.
Sebastian Ramis Torrens (1991-).
The
Province of the Immaculate Conception in Spain also has had the honor of giving two of its
sons to serve as Minister General of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis:
Fr.
Arnaldo Rigo (1920 - 1932)
Fr.
Jose Angulo Quilis (1983 - 1994)
Presently the province has 5 colegios and 4 parishes in
Mallorca, two colegios and 5 parishes on mainland Spain. It continues to serve the
Hispanic speaking people of Newark and Elizabeth, NJ in the USA. Besides its mission in
Huamachuco Peru, the Commissariat ministers in Lima and Trujillo. The Province is
exemplary in that it has given so generously of itself to the church and the Order.
For more information:
La Porciuncula
Apartat 170, 07600
S'Areal, Mallorca, Spain
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