The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi - + Saints' Works

A Letter to Clerics
[EpCler II]
Later Recension 86
THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Let us attend, all clerics, to the great sin and ignorance, which certain men have over the
Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Names and His written
words, which sanctify the Body. · We know, that there cannot be a Body, unless first it is
sanctified by the word. · For we have and see nothing corporally of the Most High Himself, in
this age, except the Body and Blood, Names and words, through which we have been made and
redeemed "from death to life" (1 Jn 3:14). · However let all those who minister such most holy
ministries, consider within themselves—most of all those who minister indiscreetly—how vile
are the chalices, corporals, and (altar) linens, where the Body and Blood of the Lord is sacrificed.
· And by many in vile places He is abandoned, borne about in a wretched manner and received
unworthily and ministered to others indiscreetly. · Even the Names and His written words are
sometimes by feet trampled upon; · because "the bestial man does not perceive the things that are
of God" (1 Cor 2:14). · Are we not moved in piety concerning all these things, when the pious
Lord Himself offers Himself into our hands and we handle Him and receive Him each day by
means of our mouth? · Or are we ignorant that we must (one day) come into His Hands? ·
Therefore let us quickly and firmly amend (ourselves) regarding all these things and the others; ·
and wherever the Most Holy Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been illicitly placed and
abandoned, let Him be removed from that place and let Him be placed and sealed in a precious
place. · Similarly let the Names and written words of the Lord, wherever they are found in
unclean places, be gathered together and they ought to be placed together in an honorable place. ·
And we know, that we are bound above all to observe all these things according to the precepts
of the Lord and the constitutions 87 of Holy Mother Church. · And those who have not done this,
let them know, that they shall render "an account" before the Lord "on the Day of Judgement"
(cf. Mt 12:36). · This having been written, so that it ought to be better observed, let them know
themselves (to be) blest by the Lord God, who have had it copied.
The First Letter to the Custodes
[EpCust I]
In the religious Order founded by St. Francis there were eventually three levels of administration: the
central government was directed by the Minister general; the regional governments by the Ministers
provincial. Still smaller regions were governed by a Custos (pl. custodes), who could be assisted by
guardians, and who had the care of one or more convents of friars, or later by guardians, who each had
the care of a single convent.
As Minister general St. Francis addressed this letter to exhort the custodes to attend to those things
86 For footnotes common to both recensions, see EpCler I.
87 This is a reference to Pope Honorius III's Sane cum olim of Sept. 22, 1219 A.D., which
reaffirmed the discipline imposed by the recent Fourth Lateran Council (cf. constitution XIX)
regarding the honor due the Most Blessed Sacrament.
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