Francis was named for
St. Francis of Assisi. When he was thirteen, his parents placed him in a Franciscan
friary. At fifteen, he made a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi with his parents. His was so
impressed by what he saw that he went home and did an unusual thing: he became a hermit in
a cave overlooking the sea. By the time Francis was twenty years old, two other men who
had heard of his holiness had joined him. They took the name "Hermits of St Francis
of Assisi", which was later changed to "Minim Friars". Minim means they
were the "least" in the household of God.
Like Francis, most of the friars were charitable, uneducated men who wanted to do penance
for love of God. Francis felt that a person had to do heroic acts of self-denial in order
to grow spiritually. To the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Francis added a
fourth vow: perpetual Lent. Interestingly, this order attracted many candidates, and the
whole countryside praised God for Francis's gifts of prophecy and miracles.
Though Francis loved the contemplative life, he later felt that God was calling him to an
active life of defending the poor and the oppressed. Francis was fearless and did not
hesitate to scold King Ferdinand of Naples and his sons for their wrongdoing.
In 1482 when King Louis XI of France was dying, he begged Francis to come to cure him,
promising the saint money and favors. Francis at first refused, but the pope ordered him
to go to France to prepare the king for death. When the king saw Francis, he fell on his
knees pleading for a miracle. Francis said that the lives of kings are in God's hands and
Louis ought to let God cure him. Besides helping the king to die peacefully in his arms,
Francis influenced the fate of nations. He restored peace between France and Brittany by
advising a marriage that united the ruling families. Francis also helped bring peace
between France and Spain.
Francis stayed in France for twenty-five years and died in the France court. Though his
miracles were many, he was canonized for his humility and wisdom in blending the
contemplative life with the active one. He is a good example for the busy people of today.
Francis proposed his followers some by-law to be practiced in their religious life. The
final Rule, after three experiments, was accepted by all members and officially approved
by Pope Julius II on July 28, 1506.
A second order started on July 11, 1495, when a group of Spanish women professed the rule
of the Minims. They are cloister nuns and are spread in Spain and Italy.
Pope Alexander VI by means of a pontifical document officially approved the foundation of
a secular Third Order of Minims in 1501; they live the spirit of St. Francis in their
families and other environments.
Last Update: 11/24/98 by
Web Author: Tony Parra
Copyright ©1997 by Minim Fathers C/O All Saints Church - ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED
Go to The Minim Friars