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The Order of Friars Minor Conventual (OFM Conv) is a male religious fraternity in the Roman Catholic Church that is a branch of the Franciscans. The friars in OFM CONV are also known as Conventual Franciscans, or Minorites. Dating back to the 13th century, OFM Conv. has provinces worldwide. Dressed in serge habits with white cords, the friars teach in schools, serve as
chaplains A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intelligence ...
, run hospitals and provide aid to the poor.


Background

The OFM Conv. is a
mendicant A mendicant (from la, mendicans, "begging") is one who practices mendicancy, relying chiefly or exclusively on alms to survive. In principle, mendicant religious orders own little property, either individually or collectively, and in many inst ...
Catholic religious order. It is one of three separate fraternities that make up the First Order of St. Francis, for friars only. The Second Order is the Poor Clares, for nuns only. The Third Order can be for men or women, secular or religious.


Source of the name

There are several theories as to the source of the name "conventual": * In the Bull ''Cum tamquam veri'' of 5 April 1250, Pope Innocent IV decreed that Franciscan churches where convents existed might be called "Conventual churches". * A second theory is that the name was given to the friars living in Conventual convents. * A third view is that the Latin word ''conventualis'' was used to distinguish the friars of large convents from friars who lived solitary lives like hermits. Today the term "convent" denotes a residence for nuns; however, its original meaning meant residences for either men or women.


Friar versus monk

A friar is not the same as a monk. Both take the evangelical counsels (vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience). * The monk chooses a life of cloistered
asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...
while the friar chooses a life of service in society. For the friar, the exercise of public ministry is an essential feature, for which the life of the cloister is considered as but an immediate preparation. * The monk lives in a self-sufficient community, while the friar works among laypeople. The friar receives donations or other charitable support initially. * The monk often takes an vow of "stability", committing himself to one community in one place. The friar commits to a community spread across a province. He will move to different houses of the community within his province.


Current status

OFM Conv. includes 30 provinces, 18 custodies, 460 friaries and 4048 friars worldwide as of August 2018. There are four provinces in the United States. Friars serve in parishes, schools, and as chaplains for the military and for other religious orders; they serve in various types of homes and shelters, and with Catholic Relief Services. Particular characteristics of the Conventuals' tradition are community life and the urban apostolate. The Conventuals enjoy the privilege of caring for the tomb of St. Francis at Assisi and that of St. Anthony at the Basilica in Padua, and they furnish the penitentiaries to the
Basilica of St. Peter The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a Church (building), church built in the Renaissance architecture, Renaissanc ...
in Rome.


Habit

The OFM Conv. habit consists of a tunic fastened around the waist with a thin white cord, along with a large cape which is round in front and pointed behind with a small hood attached. The color may be either black, which was adopted during the French Revolution, dark grey, or light grey which is worn by friars in
East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...
.


History

The original friars of OFM-Conv. sought to spread the ideals of
Saint Francis St. Francis or Saint Francis may refer to: Roman Catholic saints *Francis of Assisi (1181–1226), Italian founder of the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) *Francis of Paola (1416–1507), Italian (Calabrian) founder of the Order of the Minims * ...
throughout the new urban social order of the Middle Ages. Some friars settled in the urban slums, or the
suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
of the medieval neighbourhoods where the huts and shacks of the poorest were built outside the safety of the
city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
. In London, the first settlement of the friars was set in what was called " Stinking Lane". Since the suburbs were also the place where
hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
s were set up, the friars were often commissioned by the city government to facilitate the care of the sick. The friars also helped to construct sturdier buildings, replacing the previous huts, and constructed churches. Robert Grosseteste, then Bishop of Lincoln, marvelled that the people "run to the friars for instruction as well as for confession and direction. They are transforming the world."


Rule of poverty

As the Franciscan Order became increasingly centered in larger communities (“convents”) and engaged in pastoral work there, many friars started questioning the utility of the vow of poverty. The literal and unconditional observance of poverty came to appear impracticable by the great expansion of the order, its pursuit of learning, and the accumulated property of the large cloisters in the towns.Some friars favored a relaxation in the rigor of the rule, especially as regards the observance of poverty. In contrast, other friars wanted to maintain a literal interpretation of the rule. The "Friars of the Community" sought to take Francis's ideals to the far reaches of a universal Church. After the founder's death, they began the task of translating Francis's earthly existence into what they saw as a more socially relevant spiritual message for current and future generations. The Conventual Franciscans nestled their large group homes into small areas of land surrounded by poverty. They used their abilities to combat the hardships and injustices of the poverty-stricken areas where they settled. After the death of Francis in 1226, his successor Brother Elias encouraged more leniency in the rule of poverty. A long dispute followed in which the “Friars of the Community”, who had adopted certain mitigations, gradually came to be called Conventuals. Friars who zealously supported strict observance were called ''Zelanti'', and later Observants. After the death of the Minister General, Bonaventure, in 1274, the Order grew even more divided. The Conventuals received papal dispensations, or permissions, to build their communities in the cities in order to preach the Gospel and serve the poor. The Observants followed absolute poverty and the eremitical and ascetical dimensions of Franciscanism."History", Curia OFMConv
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Establishment of two fraternities

In 1517, Pope Leo X called a meeting of the entire Franciscan Order in Rome to end this dispute about the vow of poverty and reunite the two factions. The Observants agreed to a union, but demanded that the entire order observe the vow of poverty without any dispensation. The Conventuals said they would not agree to any union that would require them to give up their dispensations. Recognizing the impasse, Leo X decided to officially divide the two factions into separate fraternities * Leo incorporated all the Franciscan friars who wished to observe the rule of poverty without dispensation as the Friars Minor of St. Francis, or Friars Minor of the Regular Observance. They would have precedence over the Conventuals; he moreover conferred upon the Friars Minor the right of electing Minister General of the Whole Order of Friars Minor. * Those friars who wanted to live under dispensations were constituted a separate body with the name of Conventuals (Bulls ''Omnipotens Deus'', 12 June 1517, and ''Licet Alias'', 6 Dec. 1517) and given the right to elect a master general of their own, whose election, however, had to be confirmed by the Minister General of the Friars Minor. The latter appears never to have availed himself of this right, and the Conventuals may be regarded as an entirely independent order from 1517, but it was not until 1580 that they obtained a special cardinal protector of their own.


Constitutiones Urbanæ

In 1565 the Conventuals accepted the Tridentine
indult In Catholic canon law, an indult is a permission or privilege, granted by the competent church authority – the Holy See or the diocesan bishop, as the case may be – for an exception from a particular norm of church law in an individual case ...
allowing mendicant orders to own property corporately, and their chapter held at Florence in that year drew up statutes containing several important reforms which
Pope Pius IV Pope Pius IV ( it, Pio IV; 31 March 1499 – 9 December 1565), born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 December 1559 to his death in December 1565. Born in Milan, his family considered ...
subsequently approved. In 1625 new constitutions were adopted by the Conventuals which superseded all preceding ones. These constitutions, which were subsequently promulgated by
Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...
, are known as the "Constitutiones Urbanæ" and are of importance, since at their profession the Conventuals then vowed to observe the Rule of St. Francis in accordance with them, that is to say, by admitting the duly authorized dispensations therein set forth. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII reorganized the Franciscan Orders, giving each its own Minister General. The Urban Constitutions remained in force until 1932, when they were revised and replaced. A further substantive revision occurred in 1984, following the Second Vatican Council. The Constitutions were revised again in 2019, which remains the current version.


Notable members of the order


Saints

* Saint Peter de Regalado (1390–1456) *
Saint John of Dukla John of Dukla (also called "Jan of Dukla") is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He is one of the patron saints of Poland and Lithuania. Biography John was born in Dukla, Poland, in 1414. He joined the Friars Minor Conventual,Jones, p 273 and ...
(1414–1484) * Saint Joseph of Cupertino (1603–1663) * Saint Francis Fasani (1681–1742) * Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894–1941)


Blesseds

* Albert Berdini of Sarteano (1385–1450) *
Francesco Zirano Francesco Zirano (1565 – 25 January 1603) was a Roman Catholic priest from Sardinia and a professed member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. He is recognized as a martyr in the Catholic Church. Born and raised in Sardinia, he became a ...
(1565–1603) * Antonio Lucci (1682–1752) * Bonaventure of Potenza (1651–1711) *
Antonin Bajewski Antonin Bajewski (17 January 1915 – 18 May 1941), born Jan Eugene Bajewski, was a Polish Franciscan friar. He has been declared a martyr by the Catholic Church following his death in Auschwitz Concentration Camp in 1941 and was beatified as one ...
(1915–1941) * Michał Tomaszek (1960–1991) * Carlos de Dios Murias (d. 1976) * Zbigniew Strzałkowski (1958–1991)


Venerables

*
Quirico Pignalberi Quirico Pignalberi (11 July 1891 – 18 July 1982) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Conventual Franciscans. Pignalberi served as a medic on the frontlines during World War I and served as a novice master and re ...
(1891–1982)


Servants of God

* Nicolò Cortese (1907–1944) * Michael Jerome Cypher (1941–1975)


Popes

*
Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...
(1414–1484) *
Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...
(1521–1490) * Pope Clement XIV (1705–1774)


Scholars

*
Simon Tunsted Simon Tunsted ( – 1369) was an English Franciscan friar, theologian, philosopher and musician. The authorship of ''Quatuor Principalia Musicae'', a treatise on music, is generally attributed to him. He originated from Norwich, though his year ...
(d. 1369) *
Nicholas of Freising Nicholas of Freising, commonly known as Nicholas the Minorite, was a member of the Franciscan Order during the early 14th Century. He is presumed to be the author of the ''Chronicle of Nicholas the Minorite'', an account of the conflict over Aposto ...
() * Cornelio Musso (1511–1574) * Girolamo Diruta () *
Mario di Calasio Mario di Calasio (1550 in Calascio, Abruzzi, Italy – February 1, 1620 in Ara Coeli) was an Italian Minorite friar. Biography Joining the Franciscans at an early age, he devoted himself to Oriental languages and became an authority on Hebrew. Onc ...
(1550–1620) *
Philip Faber Philip Faber (Fabri) (1564, Spinata di Brisighella – Padua, 28 August 1630) was an Italian Franciscan theologian, philosopher and noted commentator on Duns Scotus. Life In 1582 he entered the Order of St. Francis (Conventuals), at Cremona. ...
(1564–1630) *
Matthew Ferchi Matija Ferkić or Matija Frkić ( it, Matteo Ferchi, en, Matthew Ferchi (Ferkich); 1583 – 1669) was a Croatian Franciscan Conventual scholastic philosopher from Krk. He was from the island of Krk ( it, Veglia). He was a Scotist, and wrote a ''V ...
(1583–1669) * Andrea di Castellana (
Scalimoli Scalimoli was a Franciscan friar and Roman Catholic Church, Catholic theology, theologian, better known by his religious name, Andrea di Civita Castellana, Castellana, from his place of origin in Apulia, Mezzogiorno, southern Italy. Biography He ...
) () *
Bartholomew Mastrius Bartholomew Mastrius (Bartholomaeus, Bartolomeo Mastri) (Meldola, near Forlì, 7 December 1602 – Meldola, 11 January 1673) was an Italian Conventual Franciscan philosopher and theologian. Life Born at Meldola, near Forlì, in 1602, he was a ...
(1602–1673) *
Francesco Lorenzo Brancati di Lauria Francesco Lorenzo Brancati di Lauria (10 April 1612, Lauria – 30 November 1693, Rome) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal and theologian. Life and career At the age of seventeen di Lauria was struck with a dangerous illness, and ...
(1612–1693) * Antoine Pagi (1624–1699) * Vincenzo Coronelli (1650–1718) *
François Pagi François Pagi (7 September 1654 – 21 January 1721) was a French Franciscan historian of the Catholic Church. Life Pagi was born at Lambesc in Provence. After studying with the Oratorians at Toulon, he became a Conventual Franciscan, and wa ...
(1654–1721) * Giovanni Battista Martini (1706–1784) * Stanislao Mattei (1750–1825) *
Nicholas Papini Nicolas Papini (c. 1751 – 16 December 1834) was an Italian monk and historian. Life Having entered the Order of the Conventuals he taught Italian literature at Modena, was secretary of the Provincial of Tuscany, custos of the Sacred Convent ...
(1751–1834) *
Maria Antonio of Vicenza Antonio of Vicenza (1 March 1834 – 22 June 1884) born in Vicenza, died in Rovigno, was a Reformed Minorite. After his ordination in 1856, he devoted himself to the study of scholastic authors, especially of St. Bonaventure whose ''Breviloquiu ...
(1834–1884) *
Thomas Grassmann Rev. Thomas Grassmann, OFM Conv, (born Frederick Francis Grassmann) (December 18, 1890 – October 1, 1970) was a Conventual Franciscan friar, historian and archaeologist of Colonial New York, who discovered the site of the Mohawk American Village ...
(1890–1970) * Celestin Tomić (1917–2006)


References


Sources


Ordo Fratrum Minorum Conventualium - Conventual FranciscansConventual Franciscan Friars in the United States


External links

*
Friars Minor Conventual in Uganda
Greyfriars in Uganda
Conventual Franciscans in Wrocław, Poland
History with pictures
VIDEO: OFM Conv - Ordo Fratrum Minorum Conventualium
OFM Conv - Ordo Fratrum Minorum Conventualium {{Authority control 1209 establishments in Europe Religious organizations established in the 1200s Christian religious orders established in the 13th century Conventual Franciscan bishops