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

THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
else under heaven in perpetuity, on behalf of the Name 305 of Our Lord Jesus Christ. · And,
wherever the friars are and have come upon one another, let them mutually show themselves (to
be) members of each other's family. 306 · And let one without fear 307 manifest to the another his
own need, since, if a mother nourishes and loves her own son (cf. 1 Th 2:7) according to the
flesh, how much more diligently 308 ought he love and nourish his own spiritual brother? · And, if
any of them has fallen into infirmity, the other friars ought to serve him, as they would want to
be served themselves.
Chapter VII
On the penance to be imposed on friars who are sinning.
If any of the friars, at the instigation of the enemy, 309 has sinned mortally, 310 for those sins,
concerning which it had be ordained among the friars, that one have recourse to the Ministers
provincial 311 alone, the aforesaid friars are bound to have recourse to them as soon as they can,
without delay. · Indeed let the Ministers themselves, if they are priests, with mercy enjoin upon
them a penance; 312 if indeed they are not priests, let them have it enjoined by other priests of the
order, as it will seem to them to better expedite (the matter) according to God. 313 · And they 314
ought to beware, not to grow angry and be distressed on account of the sin of anyone, since anger
and distress impede charity in themselves and in others.
Chapter VIII
On the election of the Minister general of this fraternity; and on the Chapter at Pentecost.
Let all 315 the friars be bound to always have one of the friars of this religion 316 as Minister
305 lit. pro nomine, i.e. in the service of the honor and love due His Person.
306 lit. ostendant se domesticos invicem inter se.
307 lit. secure, "without care or worry," just as brothers in a family do.
308 lit. diligentius, which literally means both "more diligently" and "more lovingly."
309 i.e. of a devil.
310 This section refers not to private sins nor to the Sacrament of confession, but regards public
offenses, for which there must be public restitution and satisfaction so as to restore fraternal
charity (cf. 1 Jn 5:16-17) and justice. The following phrase "it had been ordained" refers to what
would have been determined in these matters by the Order, prior to the incident's occurrence.
311 For an explanation of the offices in the Order see the introduction to "The First Letter to the
Custodes" [EpCust I].
312 i.e. some sacrificial act to make satisfaction for the wrong they have done.
313 The requirement that the penance be given by a priest, both manifests the role of Christ and
His Church in the work of reconciling a fallen friar with his confreres, and entrusts this work of
reconciliation to Christ and His Church, to which St. Francis desired his Order to be forever
bound.
314 i.e. the ministers.
315 lit. universi, "each and every."
316 see fn. 156.
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