What is a Franciscan Friar?

This final rule of the Friars Minor was published in 1223, reprinted in "Saint Francis of Assisi: His Essential Wisdom", edited by Carol Kelly-Gangi, (Fall River Press, 2010, p. 38.)

"I would have my brothers to labor and strive, and not to give place by idleness or unlawful thoughts or idle words", Saint Francis quoted by his official biographer Saint Bonaventure. 

Saint Bonaventure (born Giovanni di Fidanza; 1221 – July 15, 1274) was a preeminent Italian medieval scholastic theologian, philosopher, and Cardinal-Bishop of Albano, Italy. He served as the Minister General of the Franciscan Order for 17 years. As a child, he suffered a fatal illness. His mother prayed for the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi. Upon his recovery, Francis allegedly exclaimed "buona ventura" ("good fortune").

The friars ae t take nothing as their own, whether it be a house or a place or anything at all. Instead, they are to be as pilgrims and strangers in the world, and as those who serve the Lord in poverty and lowliness, let them go begging for alms with full hope in him. Nor should they feel shame thereby, since for our sakes the Lord himself came into the world as a poor man. Such indeed is the greatness of this perfect poverty that it makes you my dearest brothers, heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven, so that though you are thereby in want of this world's good you are made rich in virtues. Let this always be your "portion" here below for it will bring you to "the land of the living". Hold fast to it, most beloved brothers with all your soul and never desire to have aught else under heaven.
For the sake of Our Lord Jesus Christ. And, wherever the friars may be together or come upon any of their brethren, let them show by their behavior toward one another that they are all of one family. And if one of them is in need he should in full freedom and trust make known the need to the other. For if a mother has such care and love for the child born of her flesh, how much more love and care must not one have for him who is his brother according to the Spirit? And if any of them become sick the other friars are to take care of him which they would wish to have themselves.

p. 119 "What made me love the live of Saint Francis so much was the fact that it resembled the growth of the church. As the church began with simple fishermen and afterward developed to include renowned and skilled doctors, so it was in the case of the order of Francis, showing that it was not founded by the prudence of men, but by Christ." Saint Bonaventure

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