Following Saint - François and the Tiere-Order - P. Damase Danveau o.f.m

Nihil Obstat

Cadomi, die 2a septembris 1941 in,
festo beati Ioannis-F.Burté
Fr.Leo Seiller.o.f.m. Cens.Dep.

Imprimi Potest

Parisiis, die 7a septembris 1941
in festo beatae Mariae de Borbonio
Fr. Amadeux Lefevre o.f.sm.
Min.Prov. S. Dionysii in Gallia

Imprimatur

Rhedonis. Die 9a septembris 1941
in memoria Gabrielis de la Ribourde
Clemens Archiep

Foreword
Total view	Chapter First The Third Order, craftsman of Christian sanctification,
Chapter Two The Third Order, means of personal sanctification,	Chapter Three The Third Order, means of sanctification famaliale,
Chapter Four The Third Order, means of social sanctification,	Chapter Five A family of souls
Chapter Six The Third Order and the movements specialized of Catholic action	Chapter Seven On the upward path

Foreword

The present booklet makes continuation as a matter of course to Life Marvelous of Saint-François. One trace the endearing face of the small Poor of foundation, the other sign the way to imitate it.

Many admire holy François and his/her/its work, many are enthusiastic of his/her/its examples and his/her/its mind, some are sensitive to the poetry that springs of his/her/its heart, others become attached to the appeal of the Franciscan spirituality. These different appreciations justify themselves fully and their whole constitutes a beautiful and incomparable homage.

One will never repeat enough, however, that the best way to glorify holy François, it is, for the society people, to enter in the Third Order, to don the humble Franciscan liveries and to endeavor then, by the observance of the Rule, to walk on the glorious trace of his/her/its steps.

One will never repeat enough that surest means to start learning the Franciscan spirituality, it is to enter in the Third Order.

One will never repeat enough to the Christian truths of the world that think of their salute and the sanctification of their soul, that a Christian life school exists for them, recognized and constantly advisable by the Popes, in the Third Order of François saint.

One won't repeat jet enough that the Third Order constitutes an advantageous popularization of the religious life accessible to the souls that live in the middle of the agitation of the century. He/it has a value incontestable sanctificatrice for the individual and can have on the happiest society of the influences.

The teachings of this work are not new. They make present only under a modern shape the traditional doctrine. However, they would like to underline the possibilities that the Rule of the Third Order offers to assure the work of the personal sanctification and his/her/its radiance on the world especially.

Numerous are today the souls of good will, in all ranks of the society, and especially in youth. One day next, do we wish it, will the young and their guides understand, this that the Popes didn't stop proclaiming, the utility and the inappreciable advantages of this" popularization of the religious life ". While waiting, our duty he/it is not to make all our efforts so that one approaches of this source of water to live, of this Third Order of François saint? this booklet will be a new test toward this goal.

In view of easiness the reading of these pages and to assure the profit of it, we searched for a big clarity of language and we cut our text by numerous subtitles. One will see there there an effort of simplicity.

" Anyone, declared the pope grégoire, IX, will have the foolhardiness to criticize, to contradict and to turn in derision the Third Order, will incur the malediction of God and siants Pierre apostles and Paul. "

No one will want to fall under this malediction, but all will hear the voice, of the Christ who speaks in Rome.

" We would like to persuade you, said Léon XIII to a big crowd of pilgrims received in audience, young and big, to make you receive dan the Third Order. " " Create some Fraternities everywhere ", recommended Magpie X." He/it is to wish that in every city and in every township, wrote Benoît XV, the Third Order counts a group of members henceforth, non inactive and that are content of their only title of tertiary, but well of those that expend much energy with goodwill and generosity for their own salute and the salute of their brothers. Why even the various Catholic Associations, who increase everywhere, Associations of young people, workers and women, would not become affiliated - them not to the Third Order? ".

Finally Magpie XI gave, in 1926, this order to the Clergy and to the Religious Franciscans; " Persuade to those that is registered in this holy militia to hire itself/themselves of it this very year of the seventh centenary of the institution of the Third Order.

This advice and these pressing calls will be sensible. That the priests, in particular the confessors and the directors of souls. don't hesitate; has orient the souls generous and anxious of perfection toward the third order of François saint.

That God and our seraphic father holy François illuminate and bless those that will read these pages. They are able there to find an aide and an encouragement for the practice generous of Christ's law.

Rennes, September 1st, 1941

Fr. Damase Danveau. Franciscan

Chapter First
The Third Order, craftsman of Christian sanctification,

The modest builders of our cathedrals, knowing that they worked to God's glory, pushed their work until the possible perfection and sculpted the details that they knew how to escape by their position the looks of the men sometimes. He/it imported them little that their work kept this obscurity all their efforts competed to the splendor of God's House.

The Christendom is in its way a big and beautiful spiritual cathedral, it is the Christ's mystical Body, the living and immense temple of the Holy spirit. In the uninterrupted constructional work of this cathedral, the Tiers0Ordre applies modestly but efficiently to achieve the spiritual beauty of the souls these living stones of the building. This work will escape most of the time the human, only looks will appreciate it the divine Architect. That imports. The Franciscan institution contributes thus each day to the supernatural splendor of God's true House.

It is there the humble glory of the Third Order.

It is also there the encouragement that there finds those whose activity uses itself in favor of the Third Order. To achieve the deep beauty of the souls to the glory of God's Christ: what noble and holy task.

The Christian living in the middle of the century, in the whirlwind of the business and the enjoyment, of the incontestably strong exposed to let drag them far from God, in the way of indifference and the bad passions. If he/it wants to save his/her/its soul and to serve God, he/it should practice the piety, to observe the commands and to use the plain means that the Saint Church places at its disposal, faithfully especially of the sacrament of Penitence and the sacrament of the Eucharist.

If an impetus of perfection enlivens this Christian, if fervid desires inflate its heart, if it wants to surmount the dangers of the world more easily and to live a more intense Christian life, it won't linger; to feel the need of a particular support for the realization of himself devout intentions. This generous Christian will find a condom, a help, a light and a strength in the Third secular Orders that he proposes the church. The Third party - Order of François saint - of foundation, the most popular and most widespread, the most favored of indulgences and most advisable by the Popes, offer himself more especially to his/her/its good will and to his/her/its generosity of soul

Nature of the Third Order

"The tertiary secular, says the Right Cannon (art.702), are the supporters who live in the world under the control of a religious Order and according to his/her/its mind and that endeavor thus to aim to perfection Christian by suitable means in their state, while following the rules approved for them by the Holy See. "

This text, that applies to all Third Orders, perfectly illuminate the nature of the Third Order of François saint. Some words will be sufficient to explain it.

An Order composed of Secular.

The Third Order, according to his/her/its institution, according to the papal tradition and according to his/her/its rules, is a secular order to religious mind, composed of Christian living in the world. He/it has a Rule, a Novitiate, a consecration of life by the Profession, a Dress, a canonical Office, of the common meetings and the practice of the virtues corresponding to the vœux of religion.

While remaining in the world and while accomplishing all duties of state, family and society, the tertiary have the advantage to feel connected to the religious life. To the outside and for the eyes, they don't differentiate themselves of the Christian others, but the whole difference is inside and consist in a will to lead a Christian life more in conformity with the gospel, by the observance generous of God's Commands.

The Third Order is distinct of the confraternities and archiconfréries. These, indeed, don't have like special goal that such or such devotion: so the confraternities of the Very Saint Sacrament, of Marie's Children, of the various scapulars, of the Good Death, etc. The Third Order has a more complete program of Christian life on the other hand. He/it is superior to them by his/her/its goal and by the means of perfection put at the disposal of his/her/its members.

The Third Order is distinct of the Catholic œuvres. These can answer some needs and can exercise a moralizing or social action; they are far from stretching to perfection and to provide the means of it like Third party-Order. The tie that unites the members of these œuvres is far from having the stability, the value and the efficiency of the tie religious qu, without vœux however, unites the tertiary between them and with the big Franciscan family.

The Third Order maybe or the basis or the coronation of the parochial œuvres. The colons of view justify themselves according to the different situations of the parishes.

The Third Order doesn't exclude anybody. From fourteen bygone years, all, young people, girls, men and women of all ages and all conditions are admissible; and one would be wrong to look at it as reserved to the women. It is a fact, on the contrary, that the men, once entered to the Third Order, attach themselves of it, that they deepen their Christianity there and initiate little by little to the piety and to the interior life. All declare happy to be in this beneficial way.

Under the control of a Religious Order

Saint-François wanted to make to descend until the Christian living in the century the efficiency of the religious life and to spread the religious mind thus in the world. It is for the Third Order that he/it founded, that he/it enlivened his/its speech and his/her/its mind, developed himself during the centuries to the shade of the gilt-edged convents. This union permitted to undergo without weak, even to the established Fraternities far away, the test of the times, of the places and are circumstances.

This control exercises itself at least every year by the canonical Visit. The tertiary sanctify themselves indeed, insofar as they observe the letter and the mind of the Rule. To maintain this regularity, the Superior, or to his/her/its defect a Father of the First Order, duly delegated, goes there, in every Fraternity, to realize so all: people and things, is held according to the prescriptions. He/it corrects the abuses, resuscitate the devotion and maintains the seraphic mind.

The "rendering of accounts" asked by the yearly Visit is u dawns vital of the organization of the Third Order. One can affirm that the way of which one submits of it marks the degree influences it of the First Order in the spiritual life of the tertiary. If one takes this point seriously of the Adjusts, the canonical Visit will constitute for every tertiary a bath of devotion and an impetus in his/her/its vocation. If one disregards this Visit, the vitality that derives the affiliation to the Franciscan order will decrease and even will disappear. N' is that step the explanation of the affadissement and the barrenness of the Third Order for some? How a branch separated of the trunk, could he/it bloom and could carry some fruits?

The goal of the Visit is to maintain and to develop, at the tertiary, the knowledge of his/her/its Franciscan vocation, his/her/its enthusiasm for this ideal; his/her/its faithful observance of the Rule and his/her/its efforts for his/her/its perfection. The Visit allows the tertiary, by a faithful exam, to must where it is some on the path of his/her/its vocation, following François saint.

Every tertiary is going to find the Father Visitor therefore, confess him himself defaults to the Rule and open him, if he/it wants it, his/her/its conscience. He/it must not hesitate to solicit him the explanations, lights and instructions.

The Father Visitor is the" living soldering" of the secular soul with the order, has it channel" for where pass the sap for one life better. The Father Visitor is a" animator ", that brings a teaching and that prints an impetus. His/her/its function requires an expertise and a goodwill all individuals, to be source of dynamism, as it must.

The control of the Franciscan order appears thus direct and immediate with regard to the tertiary and Fraternities.

According to the mind of Saint François

Pope Magpie XI depicted with admiration the beautiful face of the founding saint of the Third Order; his/her/its sublime poverty, his/her/its deep humility, his/her/its perfect charity, his/her/its angelic purity, his/her/its heroic penitence, his/her/its devotion to the church, that made him give the glorious name of Catholic and apostolic man.

The tertiary cannot find a more beam models generosity and holiness. The tertiary remains in the world, but he/it broke with the mind of the world and with his/her/its mad wisdom. The tertiary got solemnly in a state of life approved, advisable and watched by the church. He/it not only worries to assure his/her/its salute, but again to improve, to cultivate in himself the virtues to which apply the religious in their cloisters.

Also the tertiary searches for t him a more fervid prayer, an union to narrower God, a more sincere humility, the efficient detachment of goods of the earth, an understanding and devoted charity, a happy and confident submissiveness to all the legitimate authorities.

He/it achieves this ideal while impregnating itself/themselves of the mind of the seraphic Patriarch and while walking faithfully on his/her/its traces.

To stretch to perfection.

The goal of the religious life is to facilitate, by suitable means, the acquirement of the Christian perfection. The Right Cannon affirms this truth in his/her/its definition of the orders
nuns (die 487). He/it takes this same affirmation when he/it speaks of the different Third-Orders; "The tertiary are the supporters, who endeavor to stretch to perfection Christian, by means appropriated to their state of life. "

The suitable means that the Third Order provides to itself members can condense in these three elements that constitute the essential of all religious life: the religious profession that dedicates the whole life, the rule that disciplines it, the mind that impregnates it and give him his/her/its impetus.

To those that enter cleanly into the religious Orders say, the church will not only ask for the practice of the precepts, but also the vœux of the three evangelical advice - poverty - chastity - obedience in order to free them of themselves and to dedicate them to the unique service of the Lord..

To the members of the Third Order, the church asks strictly only for the observance of the precepts, but it invites them to impregnate itself/themselves of the mind of this three advice according to the condition of each.

In the Christ's Body Mystics, each to his/her/its vocation and his/her/its clean mission. As there staying faithful, every soul will bloom, will unite to his/her/its Chief and will live in fullness.

While following the Rule.

As the religious that they imitate, the Tertiary follow a Rule, solemnly approved by the Holy See.

It was first the one written in 1221 by François saint, with the help of the cardinal Hugolin. Then the one promulgated in 1289 by the Pope Nicolas IV. Finally the one that Léon XII, after having renewed it and adapted to our time, promulgated solemnly by the constitution Misericors Dei Filius of the 30masi 1883, this revision as the Sovereign Pontiff declared it, has want anything touch in the intimate nature of the Third Order, that stays intact and whole; she/it doesn't carry in anything reached to the essence of the Third Order, which continuous to be that that to that wanted his/her/its Founding saint himself.

(attention here: since the book has been written the rule has been mortified by the Pope Paul VI June 24, 1979)

The Rule is a spiritual regulation that indicates the road of the perfection, it is an insurance for each that it is in the good direction, it pushes the generous mind to the full blossoming of their life in the Christ, the Rule is superior to all regulations approved by directors of conscience who can have some that an authority p^rivée. The Rule emanates the official authority of the church.

The Dads recognized in the Adjusts the Third Order an instrument of perfection and they didn't stop repeating through ages; "Live your Rule, tertiary of François saint, and you will become has your of Christ others. "

Quick, for me, it is Christ.

The goal that the Third Order proposes, it is the conformity the Christ Jésus by the faithful initiation of François saint. To good right, we can put in the mouth of the Poverello these words of Paul saint: Be "my imitators as I am it myself of the Christ. " (Tite III, 7.) While imitating Christ, he/it became the living copy and the most alike picture that were ever of it.

François' imitation of sat will open to a t`es big number of souls sees them that will bring back them will unite them to the Christ.

Two fundamental virtues will translate this ideal in all details of the existence: the evangelical Poverty, that will detach the soul of everything that is not the Lord, the divine Charity that will push it to the service of God and the neighbor.

The evangelical poverty

The Franciscan poverty, it is not the hate of the Creation, nor the refusal to use some creatures; it is not the contempt of the Father's work, nor the dismissal of the beings and things.

The very included poverty constitutes a liberation of our soul that assures his/her/its impetus toward God.

To possess, same rich being, but without being enslaved ever to the objects, that must serve us. Not to stop to our person that that of which to serve to the God glory. Not to appropriate us the objects avidly, or slaves of goods of this world. To free us by a relative poverty or of least spiritual.

Then, so to be stripped of all, to enjoy all and all reporter to the Christ and to God, such was the lesson of gospel that François gave to the world" All is ours ", says holy Paul, so that" we are the Christ's, as the Christ is God's. "I Cor.3,23.)

This poverty will envelop the physical assets and will make give up what one possesses, it will envelop goods of the body and the mind and should give up what one is. She/it generated the true humility that the man makes as him are before God and before the world.

The divine Charity.

The evangelical poverty succeeds infallibly to this term. Detached of terrestrial things, the soul will turn toward God and toward his/her/its brothers, the men. She/it will get to the Christ's service.

By all his/her/its person's grant, without searching for self-esteem, the tertiary will want to participate in Jesus' task salvatrice. He/it will work in his/its modest sphere, instead that the Providence marked him, to the sanctification of the souls. He/it will know how to pursue a domestic, professional and social apostolate tirelessly. He/it will bring to all peaces and joy to make his/her/its best brother" Christian" and to give them by there to God.

So the divine charity, necessarily pushing to the neighbor's service, will succeed to the love of the Christ and God's glory.

Conclusion.

The Third Order of François saint, that produces in the souls these happy effects, merit well to be called, valued and considered like a craftsman of Christian sanctification. In the spiritual and mystical cathedral, he/it makes a necessary and beautiful work.

Blessed either God that, providentially by the seraphic holy François, opened to the souls of good will, a path assured toward the perfection. Each can become thus easily a" living stone" of the mystical city, one future elected of God's kingdom.

Chapter Two
The Third Order, means of personal sanctification,

Be perfected like your celestial Father is perfected." Speech of Our Lord Matt.5-48

One day, return us the sacred narration, Notre-Seigneur explains to his/her/its apostles the nature of the perfection that it waiting for them. you don't satisfy, told to them it;, of the practice all outside of the pharisiens. These are hoary sepulchers. lilies apply to the things that see themselves, He/it doesn't search for the purity and the holiness of the soul. "As Jesus waited him; of his/her/its disciples a holiness more complete and especially interior and He/it concluded his/its teaching by these words: "For you, be perfected like my celestial Father is perfected. "

By these words, Notre-Seigneur drew to his/her/its apostles and through their people, to all Christian the programs of the evangelical perfection.

Be perfected ", "become perfect ". It is an order, a command, an order that he/it gives. If Notre-Seigneur gives us this order, it is that we are not perfected, what is easy to note, but it is also for what it wants that we make some efforts to reform us and to become better. There we, assisted by the divine grace, the possibility of a high perfection, are of it.

However, Jesus' will is formal: "My will to me, it is that you became of saints: voluntas mea is sancitficatio vestra. "The ideal offered our ambition is sublime: It is God himself. There is what the Christ proposes to all disciples without the holy Gospel.

To achieve this order better, two fundamental ideas must first of all be established, to know:
1 - all Christian are called to the perfections and the holiness.
2 - the Third Order is for them a means efficient and providential of personal sanctification.

Can holy François, the seraphic father, model finished of evangelical perfection to drag the generous souls to his/her/its continuation and to sustain them in the work courageous of the personal sanctification.

The research of the progress is natural.

One speaks a lot of bones days of improvement progress and perfection for the sciences and for the arts, for the men and for the actions for the present and for the future… One improves, indeed, the earth and the races of house pets. One invents and one perfects the machinery of agriculture and the industry, the man now possesses the means to browse of immense spaces in some hours and to transmit his/her/its thought immediately to the other tip of the world. One increased the material well-being of the humans considerably. There are certainly beautiful results…

It would be perfected so by all these progress one managed to procure to all men a few more of happiness and joy. But, alas! The modern progress also appears, in a lot of cases, craftsman of misfortune and makes sink a lot of tears.

However that may be, if it is natural to search for the material progress and the perfection of the body, it is necessary again and even more to worry the soul, the moral life and the moral progress. The body is only a part of the man and the world. What makes the value of the human life, it is the value of the soul; and this qu makes the value and beauty of 'soul, it is the virtue.

What is the perfection?

What is the perfection? What is necessary to understand by this word?

The perfection designates the state of a to be accomplished by opposition in the state of a to be outlined.

Let's do enter in a sculptor's studio, That see ourselves? First of all of the blocks of marbles, that have just arrived of the career. They are formless, coarse, ungainly… advance, here is of it that already underwent the artist's work, they already present an idea, a realization, one guesses what he/it will become. There is finally the work that finishes and master-working. It is an admirable statue, to the flexible and living shapes.

When an artist conceives a sublimates intentions, when he executes this plan harmoniously, his/her/its work is perfected in its kind: It is a chief-d'œuvre. So Michelangelo meditates the Virgin's pains in Mount Calvary and sculpt this striking chief-d'œuvre: The Piéta. So Jacopone of Todi writes the magnificent stanzas the Stabat Mater.

A perfect work, it is therefore wisely a œuvres conceived and adroitly executed.

The divine Artist

Above all artists of the earth, stand the Sovereign Artist: God. In the creation of the heaven and worlds, in the creation of the beasts and the man, God's intentions was perfected and the admirable execution. The book of the Genesis expresses us, after the completion of every work, the satisfaction and the contentment of the creative artist. "God saw that it was well. "

While creating the man, God had in view his/her/its divine Son Jesus - Christ. He/it wanted to make some, according to, expression of "Paul saint, the visible picture of invisible God ". He/it also wanted that all read other men resembled to this Christ "prédilectionné": "the one is well my Son - beloved, will say God by two times. In Him, I put all my complaisances. "

The Christian Perfection.

The man's perfection therefore resemble has it Christ and, by this divine Mediator, to God himself. Also the order of Notre-Seigneur is it formal: Be perfected, as my celestial Father is perfected. "He/it will say another time these words: "I came on earth and I gave you the example so that you make yourself what I made. "

Nearly notice here strength and the extent frightening of these words. The divine Mr. addresses to all, without distinction of rank one of state; he/it doesn't say: Be "perfect like such character of the Former Will ". but he/it says: "As God ". And he/it adds: "Kingdom of the Heaven endures violence ", it has had, to get it, that those that know how to get used to themselves a beneficial violence.

The Christian perfection consists therefore has get to the school of the gospel to contemplate God's visible picture, Our Lord Christ, and to endeavor then to imitate his/her/its life and himself sublime virtues.

The example of François saint

Saint François knew how to get to the school of the gospel! he/it knew to open the eyes and to fix them on the person adorable e Christ 2 Young man, in love of joy and honor, he/it heard the "Christ's call one day, be perfected like your celestial Father is perfected. "He/it broke his/its heart the fascinations of the world and rushed following the poor, humble and obedient Christ. He/it knew how to correspond to the action worthy of the grace, that makes the saints. He/it was not content with praying, he/it made penitence, he/it reformed himself/itself, he/it practices the Savior's very virtues in order to copy God's very virtues thus. In the work of the perfection, he/it is an encouragement and a model.

Happy are therefore the Christian that belong to the holy family of the children of François saint. To drive them surely and to this necessary perfection, to bloom their Christian life until the holiness, to imitate the sublime virtues of Our Lord Jesus they won't find a means easily ever more hard and more efficient than the Third Franciscan Order.

The Third providential middle Order of sanctification

God wanted the Third Order in order to facilitate to the society people work and their personal sanctification, to prove it, there is only to recall his/her/its historic institution.

The example, the predication and the miracles of François saint had moved its contemporaries so, his/her/its eminent virtues had caused such an impetus toward the cloister, that all big of the society came out of the generous souls that would enroll himself under the banner of brothers Miner or under the one of the Girls of Claire saint.

To it, he/it could have some inconveniences there… This exodus removed at the world his/her/its elite. "I wondered recently, says holy François one day to his/her/its setting, to institute a third order, where people of the world will be able to serve God in a perfect manner. "

Inspiration of of it - High, intention of the Providence, François achieved this proiet without lingering, he offered to all Christian a real Order, with a dress, a rule, a novitiate and a profession,: a secular Order, that means composed of society people, but a secular Order with a real religious mind. He/it took the religious life thus accessible to people of the century", thanks to the Third Order, will say Lacordaire one day, one cannot believe anymore that he/it necessarily fails escapes the world to rise to the imitation of the Saints, and to arrive to perfection. All room can become a cell, all house, a thébaïde. "In these words the big wealth of the Third Order explodes.

Value of the profession in the Third Order

The religious state, indeed, none consists not strictly in the vœux and the common life, but in the research of the evangelical perfection for the practice of a rule approved by the church, the vœu is a powerful auxiliary of the perfection but it in is not gas. The mind fundamental of the Third Order, as the religious mind, is essentially the obligation result of the profession to live according to the holy Gospel and to stretch to perfection, that means to improve without stop.

So holy François named his third family" the Order of the Penitence ", this and not to insist on the bodily penitence, but above all to insist on the transformation of life. Consequently, he/it asks the tertiary to stop serving the world and his/her/its passions to follow and to imitate Jesus Crucifié.

The Third Order, according to his/her/its profession, entails therefore for his/her/its members the duty to live more for God and to stretch more directly so, even in the world, to the holiness of life, the profession of the tertiary the makes the state areligieux participate then. She/it takes her/its secular life, and vows it, dedicate it, dedicate it to God, as the one of the religious. The church accepts like official this consecration produced by the profession of the Third Order. She/it records it, she/it blesses it and the offer to God (1)

As he/it clearly appears, the Third Order throws the Christian toward the perfection; according to his/her/its promise, he/it should aim to the holiness by all acts of his/her/its life. The obligation, that ensues some, remain however all the love, since the Rule doesn't oblige at the risk of sin.

The Third middle Order efficient of sanctification.

The Third Order, having placed the Christian on the true path of the sanctification, now go provide him the possibility of realization of it. He/it will make it some for proposing him means of correction and the means of perfection. He/it is right to signal them briefly.

Means of correction.

1 - the Rule starts with operating the necessary entrenchment. Her to separate the tertiary" of the world and the mind of the world" while prescribing him the flight of social life, the abstention of the dangerous spectacles and the frivolous pleasures. She/it saves him everything that dissipates the mind of devotion thus and everything that wakes in the soul the disorganized passions up.

To arrive to a substantial result on this point, the Rule of the Third Order intends members the big and austere virtue of penitence. She/it presents it to him under all aspects; the simplicity, in life and in the use of the things, frugality years to drink it and to eat it, the wise moderation in his/her/its desires and his/her/its ambitions, the holy humility in his/her/its thought and his/her/its to drive, poverty years his/her/its detachment of goods and riches. The Rule of Third party-Order offers to itself members thus a whole true program of asceticism, foundation of all Christian life.

The soul of the tertiary is then free of all hindrance and all burden, alert and free to spring toward the summits, as the agile runner on the track.


The Rule comes from it then to the conduct of the Tertiary opposite the neighbor. She/it orders him the correction of the language. "The one that doesn't fish by the language, affirm the apostle holy Jacques, is a man appears. "The tertiary will avoid all speech against the religion or tale the good mœurs, all lie, all slanderous or slanderous subject, all injury, all insult and all anger. The Rule wants or even shines in the Tertiary conduct the dignity, goodness and the charity. As she recommends to him the patience the sweetness, the mind of understanding and concord. In this society, where often the man is a wolf for the man, the tertiary will leave, like François saint in the forest of Gubbio, the tense and brotherly hand to touch and to win the cœurses.

3 - the Rule envelops the tertiary of his/her/its sweet and light yoke. The brunette wool scapular is the dress of the humble penitent, that submits to God's will. His/her/its lightweight carries entire t on the shoulder. It is the yoke of the Lord. Carried with devotion, he/it gives the religious mind and remind it.

The cord symbolizes the purity of the heart and s sense. He/it is carried two-fold to recall the love of God and the neighbor; his/her/its three nœuds represents the three big virtues nuns grants of tertiary must print itself. He/it makes remember the ties of Notre-Seigneur also during his/her/its passion.

By the constant recall of his/her/its significance, the humble dress of the Third Order will raise the Christian soul to the invisible realities and will prepare it all smoothly to don one day, to the sky, clothes it puts glory.

Means of perfection

On the land of the soul, prepared thus and free, the Rule of the Third Order goes constructed stone now by stone and day per day the beautiful building of the holiness.

1 - she/it starts with imposing to the tertiary the prayer under all his/her/its shapes.

"It is necessary to pray always ", says Notre-Seigneur. Integrated to the church orante by his/her/its profession of the Third Order, the tertiary will recite the office of the twelve Paternoster daily. If he/it arranges of more than time, he/it will be able to replace it by the office of the Virgin Saint. So he participates, for the same reason as the priest and the religious dedicated, to the big honor of the liturgical prayer, source of grace and deep peace.

The Mass constitutes the prayer par excellence. Also the Rule of the Third Order asks it to the" tertiary that can" it without harming to health or his/her/its duties of state, the daily aid to the Saint Sacrifice, showing a wise prudence thus, but indicating by there the act of religion to which the life of the tertiary must unite more and more and must identify.

In the case where the tertiary cannot go at the church the morning, he/it will be in the mind of his/her/its Rule if he/it adopts the devout convenient of the" spiritual Mass ". This one consists in uniting by the thought to the three essential parts of the Saint-Sacrifice that celebrates itself Oblation, Consecration and Communion and to live all day in union with the Christ.

Without the Sacraments, we would not know how to arrive to perfection. The Rule knows it. She/it fixes to the tertiary an indispensable minimum in the Confession and the Communion monthly. His/her/its mind, yet, to drag to a more regular company, especially of the holy Eucharist, according to desire of the Church.

2 - after the prayer, the Rule of the Third Order considers the life of the tertiary.

She/it looks after the sanctification of the ordinary stocks, mainly of meals, she/it recommends the achievement perfects different duties of state, by which God shows his divine will on us. They are not to perfection "obstacles", they must become some unlike the senses and instruments. They make us practice the obedience and the necessary humility in our condition.

It is a sign of mental balance and serious piety that this daily application to his/her/its duties of state or family. The tertiary must be a model on this point.

He/it is not right to isolate itself/themselves of the men, God condemns the spiritual selfishness. The rule of the Third Order reminds to the tertiary the duty of the neighbor's edification. Towards all, he/it will maintain the kindliness and the charity, he/it will give the good example around him, he/it will devote himself/itself in all works of apostolate to his/her/its range. He/it will become thus, the example of his/her/its blessed Father, a leaven of Christianity.

3 - to achieve the perfection of the soul gradually.

The Rule asks the tertiary to make every day, the soul searching. This practice imposes itself to all soul anxious to progress. But, here, let's hear ourselves well. It is not about so much this meticulous research of the sins, as oneself makes it before the confession, that of a some control of his/her/its soul in the acquirement of such or such virtue.

The soul searching is first "the mirror" where we compare our real face with Christ's ideal picture. This fixed look every day on God's Son invites us insistently to copy his/her/its divine Virtues.

The soul searching becomes then "the scale of the perfection" that makes us climb, echelon by echelon, the summits of the holiness. The roofer of slate doesn't climb of a jump on the roofs, but he rises bar by bar. Seize every day this scale and endeavor to go up there. Made vote exam with method, loyalty and perseverance, the results will surprise you and will fill you of joy. You will have the mastery of your soul.

4 - as means of perfection, the Rule of the Third Order assures the comfort of life again in Fraternity.

It is there for the Christian a precious help and a mark of predilection of God. On the road of the Sky, he/it doesn't advance more alone. He/it is in company. Sustained by the teachings of the monthly meetings, encouraged by the beautiful examples of his/her/its brothers, he/it will advance more surely.

Every year he/it will benefit from one retirement and the canonical visit. His/her/its piety is controled thus, guided and walled according to the Rule and the mind of François saint. It will maintain at home a constant regularity in his/her/its spiritual progress and will advance beauty and the fertility of his/her/its life.

The tertiary will put its soul in family, in the Fraternity and in the assembly of his/her/its brothers he/it will taste the joy of the union, the support of the common prayer and the happiness of the charity. That it is good and comforting to be united of heart and soul with his/her/its brothers!.


The tree recognizes itself to his/her/its fruits.

This simple analysis is sufficient to make glimpse the immense advantage of the Third Order. Yes, indeed, he/it constitutes an admirable setting of Christian life and a powerful auxiliary to reach the perfection and the holiness.

The Popes didn't stop presenting it insistently from all over the world to all supporters. "We recommended the Third Order heartily, declare Léon XIII, in the goal to call the more of possible souls to the acquirement of the holiness. " "The Third Order makes the Christian truths ", it says another day. After Léon XIII, all Popes renewed the calls and the exhortations in his/her/its favor.

To the rest, the Third Order didn't he/it give his/her/its proofs? He/it produced a considerable number of saints and saints. As a tree planted on the side of waters, he/it never lost his/her/its beauty and his/her/its fertility. To every new generation, God came to pick his/her/its flowers and his/her/its delicious fruits.

Conclusion

What admirable school of perfection and individual holiness is open in the Third Franciscan Order! Always endeavor ourselves to understand the deep lessons of it. Let's let combine by his/her/its mind. Let's use his/her/its means and his/her/its advantages.

Insofar as the Christian will become the children of Small Poor of foundation, they will have become alike pictures of god's Son and they will have realities his/her/its sublime order: perfect like your celestial Father is perfected. "

Chapter Three
The Third Order, means of sanctification famaliale,

The Christian family is one of God's chiefs-d'œuvre. He/it founded it himself at the origin of the Adam humanity and Éve have been created and united forever by God and submitted by Him to the law of the unit, of the indissolubility and e the fertility.

Christ restored the family t sanctified it by himself examples while living thirty years of his/her/its hidden life in the domestic home of Nazareth. He/it finally dedicated it by his/her/its strengthened legislation and by the institution of the sacrament of the marriage.

A scream of alarm runs in our society: "The faille is disorganized and is ruined: the family dies himself. "It is there, unfortunately, the sad reality. He/it is visible that the domestic pain is immense and ask the remedy and the salute imperiously.

The church, and therefore the Third Order, they are not particularly qualified to rescue the domestic institution, to re-establish it on his/her/its bases and to make it refleurir in his/her/its beauty first? To ask the question, it solve it. The means to save the family, it is to make refleurir there the religion, and the Third Order appears itself, in truth, like a" providential and at the same time efficient" means" of domestic sanctification, it is - to say sanctification of the spouses and children.

Now study the Third Order under the domestic angle. It is there an interesting topic and of full actuality. Can the a lot of Saint Virgin Marie, model finished of the wife and the mother, to help the Christian spouses to take advantage perfectly of graces accumulated in the sacrament of marriage, In this goal, the Third Order is them of an immense advantage.

The family's origins

The family is the most elementary and most natural of the human associations. She/it acts as foundation to the religious and civil society. She/it is the unit first that, while increasing, form the church and the Nations at a time: sacred land where came to hatch touts the human expectations, starting point of the happiness of the peoples and God's glory.

The family had for God copy himself. Before every century, indeed, in an unique God there are three divine People; the Father, the Son and l 'Mind-Saint. The Three surrender an ineffable testimony of life, intelligence and love. They know themselves, speak themselves and like themselves eternally. Absolute Unit, incomparable society, fertility always present; here is; the adorable, fertility always present: there is the adorable Trinidad, copy of the human family (2)

God creates the man to his/her/its picture and to his/her/its resemblance, He immediately gives him a companion similar to Himself. He/it prescribes them the unit and the fertility as laws: there is the founded family. Christ will restore the family in his/her/its beauty first and will sanctify it by the institution of the sacrament of the spouses.

The family's decadence

In spite of the sublimity of his/her/its institution, in spite of the holiness of his/her/its restoration, by the mistake of the men, because of the human passions, the faille suffered through the centuries… It undergoes pernicious influences and it sometimes sinks in debauchery and the sin. The gospel, strong basis of the homes, has been forgotten or has been rejected by the spouses themselves.

He/it was some thus in the beginning of the XIII e century. The Christian life of the families had need to be renovated. Enslave to the temporal things, the men coveted with frenzy the rich e t and honors, while living in the luxury and the pleasures. There were the scandalous riches and the awful miseries. Disorganization ended in the jealousies and the hates.

God comes to the family's help

It is whereas pure to heal these pains, God sent holy François. This one had just founded successively the order of the Minor Brothers and the one of the Poor Ladies. These two Orders grew and increasing, driven on the path of the virtue and the holiness by the advice and the examples of the founding saint.

François' speech was if inflamed, so persuasive, that everywhere where it passed, the crowds wanted to leave the world and to enroll itself/themselves in the religious life. A lot of these people, however, were married; the men had women and children, of duties of state and the unchangeable situations. As holy François told them these words; "Remain, remain in the world, you that are married, don't separate what God united. Me règlerai myself this qu you have to make to save you. "

Toward the end of the year 1221, François passed to Poggibonsi and entered in an united family, at Luchesio. He/it has his/its intentions known then. "I thought recently, he/it tells these = two spouses, to institute a third order where the society people and in particular the married people will be able to serve God in a more perfect way; I believe that you would not know how to make better than to inaugurate it. "At once, Luchesio and Bona Donas, his/her/its wife, accepted the proposition. The Saint received them with joy and gave them a modest material dress and a rope for belt, it was there the providential germ of the Third Order and the Penitence, that spread soon in all the church.

The order of the married people.

The Third Order appears grant to the origin as the order of the married people, Saint François instituted it for the sanctification of people hired in the bonds of matrimony and for which the religious life and the cloister are closed customarily. In the thought of our Seraphic Father, the Third Order is therefore well a means of filial sanctification, that means a means to spiritualize this association of the man and the woman, whose goal is" the edification" of the spouses in the Christ, the mutual help and the human life propagation.

It is there, he/it seems us, a fundamental point, to which one doesn't have enough maybe wondered. The Third Order presents itself then like a providential instrument, finished of God and established by François saint to encourage the holiness of the spouses and to restore, a new time, thus the disorganized family and déchristianiser.

The ideal union

What is this therefore that the union of the spouses? What is this therefore that the family? Is some what consists the mutual role joined? Is he/it right to ask for himself him?

The union of the spouses, it is not only the simple cohabitation, nor even the only civil community; it is a community uniting the body and the souls, and especially a spiritual community. To the rest, big pope Magpie XI says it expressly in his/her/its encyclical Pressed Connubii:

"The union of the spouses is a pooling of the whole life and all goods of the person humane. "However, the clean goods of the human person they are not not first the feelings of the court and the virtues of the soul: the Christian love, the religion, the piety?

Also, the Christian love, it is not only the love carnal. It is a lot more and much better than it. It is especially the love of the spouse's soul, alike picture, of God.

So therefore the love human of the spouses carries itself on goods and the terrestrial happiness, this love doesn't stop itself of it, don't fix himself of it, but rises a lot higher, until God. Indeed, His/her/its Holiness Magpie XI, in this same Encyclical wrote again: "The pooling, of their vice, the mutual support that the spouses must be suitable, must aim to form in them and to perfect every day more" the interior man ". "Their daily reports, always assure Magpie XI, must help them to progress from day to day in the practice of the virtues, to grow especially in the truths charity towards God and towards the neighbor. "Also the marriage appears indeed as the beautiful union of two cœurses for the time and for the eternity.

The means to achieve this ideal

To achieve this beautiful program of domestic sanctification, the Third Order constitutes an incomparable instrument between l are hands of the spouses.

The tertiary, indeed, according to François saint, remain and live in the world, but as true disciple of the Christ, he/it is not anymore from the world. Without being stickler to the extreme, the Rule of the Third Order read demand to eliminate his/her/its life everything that could destroy or lessened the Christ's life merely in his/her/its soul. In this goal, the Adjusts prescribes him to escape the dances and the dangerous spectacles" ", the "worldly theaters", and the corrupting movies" ", to avoid the unseemly words and the libertine subjects and not to take any oath without serious and just reason. The Rule was made the important prescription following again: "In their family, the tertiary won't let splice in their house the books and the newspapers that can carry a few attack to the virtue, and they forbade reading of it to their subordinates. " (II chap., parag.8,) such A flight of social life, such a dismissal of the mind of the world establishment a strong rampart around the heart of the spouses and place the home of their loves, as in an impregnable citadel.


Instructions for the domestic happiness

The Rule of the Third Order puts the germs of the domestic happiness then when it requires the candidate the fidelity to the Catholic faith, the good mœurs and the mind of concord. The fidelity to the Catholic faith will allow the spouses to start their family on the unshakable basis of the religion. What misses in a lot of families, it is the religion. In the family of the tertiary, he/it won't be some so: the faith and the religion will shine and will be the sources of the true domestic happiness.

The good mœurs required by the Rule will first be however the tertiary spouses a reciprocal fidelity, for the husband in authority, soft and firm at a time, opposite his/her/its wife and the his/her/its children, for the woman a courageous and persistent devotion. For the spouses, it will be again an exact observance of the divine laws that presides at the origin of life. They will populate to stay they of beloved and happy children. They will apply in end there the achievement perfects all their duties of state.

Saint François knew c for that he asked the spouses by the this requirement of the good mœurs, Alas: one sometimes considers the marriage like a curtain behind which all seems authorized! The good domestic mœurs constitutes all a program life and of holiness.

The Seraphic Father also requires the tertiary the mind of concord and understanding. This virtue is indispensable within the conjugal society. She/it will establish the good understanding and the intimacy there between the spouse and the wife.

Saint François adds these instructions again very farms:
"In their family, the tertiary will apply to give the good example, to deliver itself/themselves to the exercises of piety and to the good œuvres. " (II chap., parag.8.)

Family of the Tertiary.

What beautiful spectacle that to see lice united by the ties of the love, the piety and the virtue! What beautiful spectacle to see to advance them, the hand in hand, on the road of life, that drives to the eternal glory of the Sky! What beautiful spectacle to see in the children who make them cortege the burst of the same virtues and the impetus of the same love.

These spectacles offer themselves to the eyes that want them to see, because God, to the course are centuries, always maintained in the Christian people, as the shooting light in the lantern of the lights, of these devout and fertile homes where germinate the saints.

The first example of two tertiary spouses was given by Lucesio and Bona Dona, his/her/its wife to which holy François himself imposed the dress. They had acquired their fortune more or less by means licit. Touched then by the grace, he/it started practicing the charity and their house soothsayer" the inn of the poor people ".

The end of the XII century was going to see to shine another beautiful example, probably more admirable than imitable. Two spouses tertiary, living together, will lead a completely angelic life, these are the holy spouses Elzéar of Sabran and Delphine of Sign. They kept by a very rare special grace in, the conjugal state, the most perfect virginity. All two received the honors of the altar (3)

He/it is allowed to mention the Christian families where one of the two spouses, tertiary, knew how to make radiate the mind and the grace of the Third Order on the members of his/her/its home.

Saint Louis, kings of France (1214-1270), married, May 26, 1234, the princess Marguerite Bérenger, girl of the account of Provence. The young queen was beautiful, draw and perfectly elevated. The two spouses liked themselves of a tender and faithful love. They had eleven children. They offer a beautiful model of Christian and tertiary family. (4)

Saint Elisabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), that, saintly, lived with his/her/its noble spouse Thuringian Louise. Of their loves four children were born during the seven years that they passed together. Must leave it then in 1227 to the Crusade where he/it found the death. His/her/its holy wife died four years later.

The blissful Humiliating Cerchi (1291-1246), born to Florence, had an avaricious spouse and infidel. She/it endured her/its snubs patiently during five years, then she/it sanctified the six years of his/her/its short widowhood admirably.

Saint Ferdinand III (1198-1252) was born of a vicious father, of parents excommunicates, in a kingdom put in forbids. His/her/its life made opposition to his/her/its birth. He/it hunted the Moorish of the whole south of Spain and reinstalled the Catholic religion there. He/it got married with Béatrix of Souable and, in seconds marriages, with Jeanne of Ponthieu. His/her/its eldest son reigned under the name of Alphonse X. Saint Ferdinand was a holy spouse and a good father d e family at the same time as a big king and a victorious conqueror.

The blissful Novellon, of Faenza, in Italy (122-1280), abused his/her/its youth. The beginnings of his/her/its marriage were not more edifying. A terrifying illness caused its conversion. Nouvellon supported during one time of his/her/its wife's injuries, his/her/its patience succeeds in converting it it also. They led a devout and charitable life then. The blessed sanctified his widowhood then in big austerities.

The blissful Pierre, of Siena,; in Italy (1180-1289), was a Christian worker model. With his/her/its devout wife, he/it held a trade of haberdashery. Their business prospered, but one always noticed their extreme loyalty. They used their goods in favors of the poor people.

The blissful Railcar, of Pésara (1300-1356) m remained widow to twenty years. She/it concentrated on her/its only son toues his/her/its affection. Some years later, God having it to him in survey, she/it sanctified in the penitence and poverty a long widowhood of thirty years.

Although not belonging to the family of the Third Order, let's mention the blissful Jeanne of France however (1464-41505), founding of the Annonciadeses and fervid disciple of the Franciscan family. Girl of Louis XI, gotten married to the unworthy Louise of Orleans who used his/her/its marriage and betrays it, she/it was a wife models, magnetize and devoted; she/it supported with a heroic patience the martyrdom of his/her/its reputation.

The blissful Louise Albertoni (1474-1533) and his/her/its pickets spouses give us a the supporter's example to duties of state. Bride, she/it is all devotion for his/her/its husband. It is herself that supervises the education of the three born girls of their unions. When she/it died, aged of 59 years, the people of Rome followed while crying the coffin of the one that had practiced towards all one big and deserving charity.

Closer to us, how not to mention some names: Lady Marguerite Bosco, mother of saint Jean Bosco,; the countess of Ségur, mother of My Lord of Ségur that was so zealous for the Third Order: the big Christian boss, Léon Harmel (1829-1895), admirable father of family; Albert of Mun (1811-1914) ` Grailhard-Bancel, so devoted to the social and domestic reason,; Mr. Duthoit, exemplary faille father,; the scholarly Pierre Termier; Mr. and Mrs. George Goyau, etc…

In Javron, in Mayenne, the memory of a courageous mother of family of eleven children remained living. It is Augustine Letonnelier (1853-1916). She/it took the dress of the Third Order at the age of 29 years, during a big mission in Javron, preached by the Franciscans. She/it can be mentioned as the model of the wives and mothers (5).

Finally, how not to mention this family who not long ago lived years the small city of Alençon, then in the one of Lisieux, Mrs. Martin was tertiary, and in his/her/its domestic home, penetrated of Franciscan mind, rose holy Theresa of the child-Jesus, the ninth child, whose soul had so many affinities with the one of the Small Poor of foundation.

What marvels of holiness they won't be able to produce the homes of the tertiary of François saint again!

The exercises of the Christian life

Not only the Rule of the Third Order puts the germs of the domestic happiness, as we saw it, but again it specifies the exercises fundamental of the Christian life within the faille. She/it asks, indeed, the prayer, the recitation of the twelve Paternoster office, that can make itself joint for the spouses, the prayer before and after the meals that he/it will be all natural to recite to the high voice, she/it also recommends the soul searching that can make itself during the prayer of recited in the evening by the whole family. The life of piety and insured of the sort in these big lines.

After the prayer, the Rule imposes frugality in the meals, what is one of the aspects of these big virtues of moderations, simplicity and penitence that it wants to see to shine in all tertiary. It is not necessary that the spouse and the wife get along on these practices and observe them of a common agreement?

While having this conduct, they will fill all spontaneously the big duty of the example, recalled by the Rule. The children watch and observe more that one doesn't believe it often. They will be built and driven to their tower on the path of the perfection.

The Christian atmosphere.

All these requirements of the Rule of the Third Order don't create them a Christian atmosphere that will envelop the home of the tertiary? All it will allow these spouses to make their family: a family according to the holy Gospel, a few on the model of the one that lived in Nazareth. In their domestic home all Franciscan virtues will shine; the simplicity that alleviates the courses, the moderation that assures the moral balance, the mind of sacrifice that impregnates the works, the confidence that rests on the esteem, the love that dilates the souls and, finally, the joy of François saint, the seraphic father.

The Third Order will facilitate the union of the spouses, the union is souls, that are the most important. She/it will achieve herself/itself by the pooling of their life and their aspirations, by the communion to the same Ideal and by a mutual impetus that will entail one and the other toward the same summits.

The tests won't save their home maybe, the difficulties of the existence will stand one day or the other before them, the physical and sometimes moral sufferings, will enter by force in their home, it is the share of all humans and no one would know how to escape there. They will support these pains courageously with this faith that makes be resplendent darkness. And if their soul is deeply Franciscan, even to his of the adversity, they have taste the austere flavor of the" perfect joy ", the one of which spoke holy François to brother Léon e that it felt himself more of once to the bottom of the heart.

The Franciscan homes.

In these feelings, the tertiary spouses will be able to accomplish their mission then perfectly on the earth. Their family will be balance and their happiness unshakable park that him s will lean on the Christ of Gospel and the host. They will find in God forces it and the necessary grace to carry through their sublime task of mother father.

They will be able to finish their Christian education work while infusing to their children the love and the listens to François saint. All youngsters, they will like to enroll them without the archiconfrérie of Cord of François saint. Later, their young people and their girls will don as them the liveries of the Seraphic of foundation. Humble liveries of the Third Orders, that recall the humility and the penitence. They are the strong and powerful ties that connect them as visibly to the one that Jesus chooses one day like door - standard of his/her/its healthy Stigmata.

Every family of tertiary will be able to become thus within this world of perdition like a community of Christian truths. The fire of the Christian life relighted gradually in this way, home by home, will end up warming all cœurses in God's love and by restoring the Christ's Peace in the middle of the human agitations, this days, one will recognize honestly that the Third Orders were one of the active elements of the domestic restoration (6)

Conclusion

Yes, sincerely, while thinking on this topic: "the Third Order, means of domestic sanctification ", no one will believe to discover an aspect of novelty there. All will understand, on the contrary, that it replace the Third Order in the exact line of the origins of the Franciscan institution.

The Third Order is of its nature a leaven of Christian life and history learns us that it immediately played the role of it, since his/her/its origin, to act, leaven must be placed in the dough and non detached of the mass. In the same way if we want that the Third Order produces all his/her/its effect, let's not be not afraid to plunge it in the real life, to place it in his/her/its true setting, to throw it in the concrete and the convenient. It is there for him a question of vitality and fertility.

Chapter Four
The Third Order, means of social sanctification,

"I wondered, declared holy François to the people who listened to his/her/its predication, to institute a third Order for people of the world in order to allow them to serve God in a more perfect manner. "

The whole goal of the Third Order uncommunicative st in this short sentence. The institution of the seraphic Father n,a of others destination and doesn't have other ambition that to make bloom in the Christian people the true and intense Christian life, by research the true and intense Christian life, by the research of the evangelical perfection, according to a Rule adapted to the conditions and duties of state of each.

However the Christian life is not perfected if it doesn't govern the entire man as it is: in the flesh, living individual in society, member of a family, practised a profession, occupying a situation and citizen of a country, these are there, certainly, his/her/its various and distinct aspects, but non separated, because they integrate in one only and same individual and that the being's perfection supposes the perfection of each of these aspects precisely.

From then on the tertiary, capable to think and anxious to live his/her/its Franciscan life fully, can ask this question lawfully: Is "the Third Order it for me a means of sanctification of my whole life, and especially of the social life? " "Yes", let's answer us without hesitation

Now expose how the Third Order can be a means of sanctification of the social life. It be expose the beneficence of the Franciscan institution at the same time opposite the society and by there again to celebrate his/her/its utility and his/her/its marvelous fertility for the Christian people.

The society is natural

The man is made to live in society. Even within the Paradise terrestrial, decorated with the grants of the nature and the grace, the lone man could not find happiness. Immediately God made this remark; "It is not good that the man is alone. Let's make him a companion, all similar to him" He/it created Éve, even pulling it from Adam's own flesh.

The man is made to live in society. Only, he/it cannot satisfy to the aspirations of his/her/its heart and the necessities of his/her/its physical life. He/it needs his/her/its similar, and the history of Robinson Crusoe is only a fiction of the English novelist Daniel of Liver, precursor of J,J, Rousseau,

Without insisting for a long time on this important truth, let's recall here the dream of Sully Prud-Man in one his/her/its poems:

The plowman m,a says in dream: "Make your bread ",
I don't eat anymore, scrape the earth, and sow.
The weaver told to me: "Make your dresses yourself ",
And the mason told to me: "Take the hand-held trowel ".

I knew my happiness and that to the world where we add. No one can brag about to happen of the men, and since that day, me the ais all beloved. "

The ideal society of the men.

Which among you, friends readers, didn't dream at some hours to live in a really brotherly society where the heart would like to take a rest, where the soul would come to draw strengths incessantly for the big duties of life, where the reports between the men would escape the injustices and the violences, where l 'would mind of justice be reinforced and would be eased by the mind of charity, where finally all men would feel of the brothers in humanity and in a common faith?

This beautiful dream is a deep aspiration of the human heart and like a nostalgia that remains us of the terrestrial Paradise. But, to construct in dream, it is necessary to close the eyes and to entrench itself/themselves of the concrete life, because if one holds the eyes opened on the world, the reality presents itself awfully to our different.

Life was never as brutal, also materialized, as destitute of ideal, the men, has place to be brothers remain some wolves ready to fight and to tear itself/themselves; do they exploit themselves one another, do they envy themselves, do they fight themselves, Where the justice is? Where is the charity? Where is the Christian mind brought by the Christ?

It is necessary to restore the society.

What is the most urgent task of the present hour? It is to give back; to the society the mind of the gospel, all to restore in the Christ and to bring back in the courses the Christ's soft and true Peace. Savior Jésus is the corner stone, the key of arch of the natural and supernatural world, of the life of the individuals as the life of the societies. He/it has salute there that in Him.

How will we restore the society in the Christ? how the Third Order will he/it be the providential instrument of the social salute?

The social role of the Third Order.

If he/it can have a collective reform of the human societies there, if he/it can have a reform of the laic legislations of the States there, it is not necessary to forget, that it to suppose to the basis an individual reform, that as becoming widespread becomes the social progress. All reform of the mœurs must start therefore with the personal moral reform. The social improvement can only result the individual's improvement. " Quid leges sine moribus? What are the laws without the mœurs? ", said the old. Elizabeth Leseur will say much better again by this beautiful thought: "When you will have reformed your soul, wonder that you reformed the world. All soul is the lever that raises the world. All soul that rises, raise the world."

Here is why one must recognize to the Third Order a social influence, without for it to pretend that he/it is a specifically social and economic doctrine.

The Third Order is only a bread shaped with the crumbs of the evangelical bread, It is a code of total perfection, suiting the men of all times, to drive them to God himself.

The Third Order acts on the human society while forming the Christian complete, that means men enlivened of the Christ's mind and while organizing them in brotherly groupings. The social influence of the Third Order, it is his/her/its religious and moral influence on the tertiary that live in the society.

He/it is grant necessary c to show now in the detail how the Third Order is for each of his/her/its members means of sanctification of his/her/its social life.

The Rule of the Third Order makes every tertiary within the society the home of convictions, the man of the duty, the man of the union and the peace and, finally, the man of the Catholic action.

The man of convictions.

The first required condition to become member d,une Fraternity, it is the fidelity to the Catholic Faith, that identifies practically to the submissiveness in the Roman church and to the apostolic Seat.

The tertiary, to the example of François saint, has the sense of the Christ and the devotion to the Pope", what I think, he/it exclaims with Brunetière, go ask for it in Rome ". The tertiary endeavors therefore to behave in Christian, to consider all thing under the angle of the religion. In particular, he/it applies to combine of the doctrine of the church and gets without rear - thought to the school of the popes. He/it pulled the Encyclicals and all teachings of the hierarchy, he/it will receive as the rule of his/her/its conduct the opinions and the least instructions of his/her/its pastors.

So he/it will forge himself/itself of the deep convictions, a blameless mentality and a judgment without complaisance for the mistakes of the time. He/it will deserve on his/its turn most beautiful homage assigned to his/her/its seraphic Boss, when all nicknamed l' "Catholic man ".

Within this world where darkness darkens the truth and where so many minds float in the various doctrines and sometimes the most perilous, the tertiary will constitute the small group of the illuminated and educated supporters, propertied in their soul the truly light and capable to guide the hesitant and the shy. If he/it is true that" the ideas drive the world", they will exercise a beneficent corporate action then for the biggest a lot of human society.

The man of the duty

The tertiary must also distinguish itself by his/her/its good œuvres. This requirement of the Rule to suppose all the faithful achievement of the Decalogue and the prompt observance over it opposite the neighbor of those time fundamental of the human and Christian society: the justice and the charity.

The tertiary will be therefore before a whole" just and charitable man ". these two small adjectives are said quickly, but when it is necessary to descend in all details of applications, one immediately notices their tugging requirement.

The constant achievement of the daily duty requires all one big dose of energy and to want. Unfortunately, at the man, will is the faculty the more attack by the sin and most deficient dan his/her/its activity Each pretends to have intelligence, it likes to put forward his/her/its mind, but most confess not to have strength to accomplish their duty, and proclaim that the virtue is a too elevated ideal.

The Third Order abstains from asking for the practice of things surérogatoires, but it requires the faithful observance of the commands of God and the church and the achievement generous of his/her/its state duties. The Rule constantly recalls this obligation to the tertiary, it is there one of conditions of the admission, that continues all along the existence to impose itself/themselves unreservedly. The Third Order becomes thus a school of will where one can every day forces it of the effort and the sacrifice. He/it makes of each of himself members" a beaming social value ".

The tertiary applies to become a just man in the whole strength of the term, just in his/her/its life, just in his/her/its profession, in his/her/its trade, in his/her/its relations,. He/it constitutes whereas strong stone of the social building and he/it contributes thus in a certain way to the progress human of the entire society.

The man of the union and the peace

"The tertiary will take care, declare the Rule to the chapter second (paragraph 9), to maintain between them and with the other the charity and the kindliness. They will apply to pacify the factions according to their means. "

Saint François left preaching the peace everywhere. More of once his/her/its exhortations disarmed the hands of the citizens of a same city loans to fights: still his/her/its speech generated in the cœurses the kindliness and the charity.

The tertiary will avoid therefore to become of the minds griefs, malevolent, sowing trouble and suspicions, of the haughty, jealous and susceptible characters, everywhere. One should not be to oblige ever of reproach them the indiscreet subjects, of the inconsiderate reports, the daring judgments, the slanders and the treacherous colonies.

To the example of François saint, that was the angel of the peace and concord, the tertiary will apply to achieve to the letter the evangelical beatitude: "Blissful the pacific because they will be called God's Children. "They will be of the pacific in their house as in the social life. In the family, in the profession, in the different classes of the society, between the peoples and the nations, has an union to create, to maintain and to develop. To every instant emerge of the elements of faction, of the principles of jealousy, spite and hate.

Within this world of miseries, every tertiary will endeavor to be the hyphen between his/her/its family's members, of his/her/its shop or his/her/its office. Him essayera to maintain the good understanding in spite of the diversity of the characters, the opinions and interests.

The famous Italian sociologist Toniolo said the social question, these words,: "The one that will solve it won't be the politician, nor the scientist, but the saint", By these words, he/it heard, not to exclude the work of the science, because he/it was himself big scientist, but to proclaim that the Christ's doctrine was able to alone to offer the radical solution of it and to create this spiritual atmosphere where the answers of the science would find the possibility to be welcomed and to produce their effects. Maybe also, the sociologist thought - t him to the big face of François saint.

Instruct in his/her/its school, the tertiary of the XIII e and XIV centuries wrote beautiful pages in the social history of the Middle Ages; to the tertiary of today to write theirs now while radiating around d,eux the union of the cœurses and the peace of the men.

The man of the Catholic action

The life of the Christian must be all dedicated to God and God's service. Anything of that that doesn't look at his/her/its reason hears to let it indifferent. Also, according to his/her/its means he to the church will devote himself/itself. Achieving this truth, the Rule of the Third Order asks its members for two things: that they give the example and that they make the apostolate.

Saint François and himself first mates of Rivo Torto converted by the example, by the humble and subject work, before preaching. One day same, they browsed in silence the streets of foundation, wanting to bring up by there what had to be their first predication.

Applying to live the holy Gospel fully and to follow his/her/its R`le faithfully, the tertiary, on his/her/its turn, will preach example, without ostentation and without weakness. Of his/her/its conduct will clear itself an appealing strength for those of his/her/its setting. She/it will want him the sympathy of the best and joy to feel a trainer.

More than ever, the hour is to the Catholic action, it is necessary to christianize the entire society. It is there a considerable task. Also the Sovereign Pontiff and the Bishops count them on the collaboration of all true Catholics.

However, of his/her/its nature, the Third Order has the tendency to form an elite of fervid Christian that will expend much energy then in the various shapes of the Catholic action.

Consequently, the tertiary will be interested in the different œuvres that exists, to the works of piety, as the religious offices, the solemn ceremonies to some dates, the pilgrimages, etc…, the social works that try to establish a bigger justice between the men or those that exercise the Christian charity towards the poor wretch, the works of social interest as the schools, the patronage, the movements, domestic, the struggle against the curse, etc. Here, it is the vast land of action, big as the world; work is immense, it asks for the zealous and courageous workers, no one can avoid to give a part of his/her/its time and his/her/its heart to this struggle of the Good against the pain (7).

Of people little reflexive believe sometimes that the big eternal principles are useless to the conduct and to happiness terrestrial of the men; that they are good to amuse, during the days of tranquillity, the philosophers or the theologians who argue to distract itself/themselves. A lot of people estimate that, in the moments of crisis, in front of the big difficulties of the social life, it is necessary to disregard the principles that don't serve to anything to resort you to the makeshifts that serve to all.

There is a regrettable mistake!

The importance of the principles.

The primordial truths are" the very actuality" to the days of thistle and danger. Do they possess the secret of the salute", That imports to my life such and such question of theology? ", do you dare to declare. It is as if you said: "That imports of turns among saints or egoists. "You look again like this man who would say: That imports me light, the heat and wheat! What I need, it is bread! "

Unhappy! without light and the heat, seed would not germinate in the furrows. The streams of the sun are necessary to gild the crops, as the harvester, the miller and the baker to make your bread.

So in the human order, forget it of the eternal truths is the deep reason of the pains. More that a truth is primordial, more it is necessary, more his/her/its applications are universal.

There is a Christian social order, founded on the natural law, explained and perfection been born by the gospel, constantly accommodated by the church to the necessities of the times. There is a social doctrine, Catholic, therefore also based on the right reason, completed by the Revelation, put to the point of his/her/its Sovereign Pontiffs, Léon XII, and particular, s,en is made the incomparable master, Magpie XII, on his/her/its turn, renewed the exposition of it.

It is at this source that the tertiary will be going to draw the principles that will guide it in the blossoming of his/her/its social life, and in his/her/its economic reports with his/her/its similar.

The example of Luchesio

We spoke higher of the first tertiary Luchesio. This man had a woman according to his/her/its heart, Bona Dona, and possessed a flourishing trade. But nor the joy of his/her/its home, nor the success of his/her/its commerce didn't satisfy its ambition. He/it wanted to splice in the society of the nobles. To arrive there, he/it tried to increase his/her/its fortune by unjust practice and the shameless speculations.

To this moment, the speech of François saint touched it, it converted. A short time after, he/it received the Saint's hands the humble liveries of the Third Order of the penitence. Then the speculator, last for the other and biting to the gain, became the just and the charitable of the city and his/her/its house was called" the inns of the poor people ".

(Attention is going to read his/her/its life to the tie 280 Thank you)

The Third Order, today as always under the condition hoes it to understand and to live it, multiply the Luchesios and the Bona Donas. It is one of the ways, and least efficient, to christianize the economic and social reports between the men.

The thought of Léon XIII

Léon XIII, that applied to make the social education of the Catholics, has develop his/her/its thought in the encyclic Auspicato (December 17, 1882): "In the middle of times so difficult and so big perils has place to hope for a lot of the Franciscan institutions. If them florissaient, the faith and the honesty of the mœurs refleuriraient also. The appetite messed up of the perishable things would be stopped. The men, unite by the ties of the fraternity, would like themselves between them. The desire between the classes and the society would be eradicated. The question of the reports of the rich and the poor himself règlerait perfectly. "

This short quote constitutes the most eloquent advocacy and the for authorized that has been written ever in favor of the social influence of the Third Order. It is as the commentary of this speech that Léon XIII repeated repeatedly: "My welfare reform, to me, it is the Third Order of François saint! "

Conclusion

The world waits of the best days. It is not sufficient to wait for them, it is necessary to make them. It is the duty of all and each, in the middle and the situation where God placed us.

The individual progress, while becoming widespread, generate the collective progress and the social progress. While observing their Rule faithfully, while living to the evangelical manner, while being the Christian models and the living examples, the tertiary will sanctify themselves like God, their demand, and them will become to the surplus the precious agents of the reform moral social e of the entire society.

Chapter Five
A family of souls

The child who comes to the existence is not only the fried of the union of a father and a mother, he is also for a long time the member of a society formed and widespread around him. In his/her/its family, the child to live within this human group.

After the years of unconsciousness where he/it remains disconcerted in the mass, the individual,
human will feel the necessity not to isolate itself/themselves of his/her/its similar. Also, for not to vegetate nor corporally nor spiritually, and while keeping his/her/its individuality, he/it will mingle to the social life to reach his/her/its development, his/her/its blossoming and his/her/its happiness. The man has been created like a constituent element of the society.

However it is the man, as he/it is, that God took to raise it to the supernatural state. The grace doesn't suppress the nature, it is added of it and perfect it, here is why, year the institution of the supernatural order, God encouraged the natural aspiration put to the heart of his/her/its creature and made of Christianity a social and public realization. The Catholic church is this supernatural society where each baptized, all keeping his/her/its personality and his/her/its clean responsibility, will unite to the Christ and his/her/its brothers for his/her/its development, his/her/its blossoming and his/her/its happiness.

This community of the Christian souls, this solidarity of the members, this supernatural society is so real and perfect, that the apostle holy Paul could develop in his Epistles the magnificent doctrine of the Mystical Body. The church Catholic st the society of the supporters, that forms only one Body, whose Christ Jésus is the Head.

Look toward the past.

The Middle Ages, really Christian at the same time as deeply human, cultivated this mind of association everywhere. big and flourishing corporations organized themselves to this time on the civil flap. To his of a same part, one belonged to such or such corporation according to the temporal service to which one had devoted itself. Each pursued its goal e t and opened out a generous activity. All competed to the very general of the city and achieved as well as living and fertile unit.

The mind of association developed itself in the same way on the spiritual plan. The order of François saint
is the in are more beautiful successes of this tendency. Our Order appears well since the origin like a large religious corporation where members of this immense society that are the church grouped themselves in a more intimate community, under the impulse of foundation Seraph.

The first mates of François saint a wanted to leave this Church not, out of which he/it dawned salute there. They didn't have the pretension to rise to him - over of her. They stayed a compact group that one would not know to compare better than to a true family in the middle of a big city. The church herself could only win to possess these families, especially living that their members united more between them. These Christian lived together didn't feel enclosed by the ties of the flesh, but some spiritual ties as powerful united them henceforth and for the present and the future constituted them in truth in" a family of souls ".

Our family of souls.

To some branch of the Franciscan family that we belonged, that we are of the first or the third Order, it is necessary for us to become aware of toues this big family who is ours, to unite us in the cult of the Same Father, to penetrate us of the real and fertile communal mind.

It is not solely the Third Order that it is necessary to explain and to celebrate before the possible candidates. It is of Franciscan family all whole, imposing as the majestic waters of a big stream; it is holy François of foundation, his/her/its example, his/her/its virtues, his/her/its mind,: it is the beautiful cortege of the holy and holy that the three Orders make advance through the centuries like an interminable procession for God's glory.

More the souls are associated, more they are warned against their s weakness and are pulled to the discouragement that watches the isolated. And if they feel surrounded of souls energetic and courageous, their own impetus will benefit by force from an addition and of liveliness. Stimulated by the examples, sustained by the brotherly emulation, these souls will be able to give, all their output. It notes itself every day.

The Franciscan Family forms thus through the time as through the space, in the common past in the present, an immense and profitable Corporation years the big City of the Christian church. What grace to belong to this religious Family who triumphed over the test of seven centuries, to feel driven on the path of the sky by all saints who shared the same ideal, and to see itself/themselves sustained by a multitude of father, brothers and sœurs that comes currently on the earth. It is there an advantage that one will never understand too much.

The Franciscan solidarity

To be part of an Order as the one of François saint, one takes advantage of the advantages that in all association the activity of the members produced and to achieve. However, I would like to attract a little now the reader's attention on some effects marvelous of supernatural order that appears in his/her/its religious fraternities as ours.

For all members of the Franciscan Orders, he/it is allowed to express these three affirmations to the advantage of each: one deserves of it one for another, one asks one for another there, one satisfies there for them sinned the some of the other.

It is necessary to add again that the death herself doesn't put a term to this beneficent communication that the church calls the communion of the saints.

To take advantage of merits of the other

If it is already good to be stimulated to the spectacles of the good examples of our brothers, as it is again more advantageous to get in ourselves as an increment of the only fact of their good œuvres. It is what achieves itself by the involvement to their merits.

Probably one increases in itself the sanctifying grace that by a personal merit, the plant doesn't produce any fruits that by the sap that circulates in them, the mind doesn't acquire the science that by the application to the survey. The act of another one that can arrange another soul positively to the brewing of the sanctifying grace.

But there is a merit of order inferior, that remains communicable, God was the friends' of his/her/its favorite servants the complaisance that he has for these. Is it minded to make the will of those that likes it. However, don't these last want they of all members of their spiritual family are sanctified? Because of them, he/it sends present graces therefore more numerous that facilitate the sanctification of the other members of the order.

So as a soul increases its supernatural life, this growth succeeds again, by this detour, to perfection of his/her/its near, Between members of the Body Mystics, between cells more intimately bound the some to the other as in a religious order, we take advantage reciprocally of our merits.

Here verifies itself very precisely words already mentioned of Elisabeth Leseur: "All soul that rises, raise the world. "

Reciprocal prayers

To the communication of the merits the profit of the prayers is added. A brief explanation will be sufficient.

The prayer is not granted infallibly, teaching the theologians, that if it acts of us - same (8). Because it is ourselves that our humble, confident and persistent prayer puts in state to receive God's grants ` while our cannot act positively on the neighbor's disposition. Every soul, indeed, have his/her/its feeling sovereignly summon.

But the other, in the present case, make body with ourselves. They belong to the Franciscan order, they came there and stayed there in the same feelings e piety and of devotion. All lets to suppose that they won't put obstacle to these graces asked for them at the same time as us for us, and that God, granting our prayers, will bless them with abundance.

The Franciscan solidarity will assure the profit of the reciprocal prayers, that calling on God's mercy will procure a large effusion of graces infallibly on all members of the Seraphic order therefore.

Satisfaction for the sins.

Our prayers and our good works include a third value so-called satisfactoire, and that one is reversible of the some to the other without any dwindle. We can support instead our brothers the pain due to their sins. We substitute our own acts for theirs, we pay for them, and the divine Creditor is satisfied.

Some theologians even give out the opinion that God would be less demanding when the pain is offered for an others that if the guilty party pays for himself. Why it? Because the charity, that especially gives the value to the satisfaction, is usually bigger when one agrees to give itself/themselves of the pain for others.

What consolation of what profit to participate thus in the good works that are exercised and practiced in our Order.

Every member of the Franciscan order has his/her/its part therefore to the sacrifices of all priests, to the prayers of tos the brothers and sœurs that sing God's praises, to the works of the apostolic men so much e Christendom q'en country of missions, to the vœux of the virgins and to the tears are penitent.
What magnificent particular aspect of the doctrine of the Communion of the Saints, that allows us thus to satisfy for the sins the some of the other.

Of the ties brotherly infrangibles

The Third Order makes of each of his/her/its members a real child of François saint. This filiation drags, not only a real involvement to the spiritual merits of the living members of the seraphic order, but it also assures a part to the supernatural goods of all family Franciscan, including those that are already in the Sky,

The death doesn't separate the Brothers and the Sœurses. They remain the order to which us are aggregated.
The ties his/her/its t doesn't point broken. Of the top of the Sky, they worry of us, they pray and interpose for us. And God blesses us in consideration of their merits and their prayers.

Several times per year, a general absolution is given us, either in Fraternity, either individually to the confessional to complete the work of the forgiveness of our sins by the remission that they deserve. Numerous partial and plenary indulgences are conceded us. We owe this discharge to our saints of the Sky. They united their merits to those of the Christ and the Virgin, they worked hard so much here below, whereas they had so little to satisfy for themselves, they accumulated an inexhaustible treasure of which benefits all in the first place those that are aggregated to their family.

Also the Family of the Sky, the Purgatory and the Earth remains united by the ties brotherly infrangibles and continues to help itself/themselves efficiently by this marvelous collaboration that reveals us the consoling doctrine of the indulgences.

Life in Fraternity.

The Third Order is a pooling of wills, of the energies, of resources human and supernatural of all members. If one cannot require the joint existence achieved by the religious, since every tertiary must park its social life, his/her/its occupations and are duty of state, the common life affirms itself nevertheless by life in Fraternity. Once per month at least, all tertiary of a same locality must meet and must group himself.

"To the perfect invites the lone life, said holy Thomas, only. But the other have interest to associate to receive the teachings, the examples and the corrections, so useful to that wants arrives to perfection spiritual. " (Théol sum., Iia, Iiae,q, 188. )

The monthly meeting is family's assembly where one teaches to know itself/themselves, to estimate itself/themselves and to like itself/themselves.

In family's meetings, one prays together and one listens to the speech that builds together; one learns common e the manners to think, to pray and to act that constitutes the mind of the order,; one inquires about his/her/its memories, his/her/its traditions and his/her/its customs; one speaks together and one reviews the common order word; in a word, one experiments what says the psalm: "It is soft and good to live in fraternity. "

Next to the meeting, that often takes place at the church and that encloses itself by the blessing of the Saint-Sacrament, and even to replace it, it would be desirable to organize a familiar meeting everywhere to get all advantages that we have just signalled. This assembly would look like a sort of Circles of study, that would assure a bigger fraternity between the members. A cleaner sympathy would spring from it and would spill an influence more active and more generous. So the tertiary, whose ideal is to come closer of the religious life, will find here his/her/its communal life part.

Family's duties

Let's mark while finishing duties of the tertiary opposite their Fraternity. They can sum up in two words: "bitter and to collaborate ".

That the tertiary likes its Fraternity. Of her he doesn't receive a lot of advantages and of kindness? This Fraternity is his/her/its spiritual family, it is at his/her/its home that himself warms his/her/its heart, it constitutes the visible tie that connects it to the big Order. She/it is for him the generous channel that brings him the mind and life, lights and the spiritual favors. The fraternity requires all one sincere and deep affection.

The means most convenient to prove his/her/its attachment is of attends regularly to the meetings, to come there to radiate finally a good mind, to avoid disparagements and the critiques, on this delicate mechanism, to spill the argument lubricates it the humility, the generosity and the charity.

The tertiary will collaborate with its Fraternity to the extent of access of his/her/its individual perfection. That he/it endeavors to become a living member, to pull the whole profit desirable of his/her/its Third party-Order and so by there of to make pass it dan his/her/its life. In this goal, he/it will accomplish all obligations of his/her/its Rule, he/it will combine of the mind Franciscan, he/it will stretch to perfection of his/her/its soul by a daily effort.

Within the Fraternity, of the Fraternity, each will open out his/her/its good will and his/her/its devotion. One will bring all his/her/its goodwill in the common life, while answering the prayers, while reciting the office, while singing to the meetings, while communicating to the very his/her/its thoughts and his/her/its feelings, while participating in touts the demonstrations of the Franciscan vitality. One has will accept the loads in all simplicity and one will apply to fill them better of his/her/its, accurately and with goodwill. Very supernaturally also, the hour come, one will know to fade away and to leave his/her/its load without estimating itself/themselves ever victim of an injustice or an ingratitude.

The tertiary will have at heart to bring all their contest to the works undertaken by the Fraternity. They won't forget, either, to cooperate to the recruitment. It is a duty for all. If the big number is not the aimed goal, it in is not less true than a certain number is desirable, otherwise the Fraternity becomes languid, don't interest anybody anymore and dies of starvation. One will use itself to the recruitment with discernment and perseverance, one will search for young recruits in particular.

To fill all his/her/its duties precisely always denotes a supernatural mind, a noble heart, a big soul.

Obligations of the persons responsible.

A Fraternity of Third party-Order is not a tertiary _ a tertiary isolated, etc., but on the contrary an organized group, a small classified society, a true spiritual family. He/it follows from there that an authority whose mission has the tendency to achieve the common good of the members of the Fraternity exists. This authority rests directly and immediately in the Discrétoire, that is responsible for to walk it of the Fraternity, his/her/its vitality and sound oh apostolic radiance.

The priest, who is the Director of the Fraternity, represent and exercise the outside authority, detained by the church and the superior of the Franciscan order. His/her/its role doesn't suppress the interior authority however and must substitute itself of it. A good Director always applies to what the Discrétoire very really exercises his/her/its mission (9).

A Fraternity won't give its full output and won't bring to his/her/its members everything that these can wait for some that if each of the discreet fills with goodwill and wisdom the duties that are incumbent upon his/her/its load. It is of a sovereign importance. A tree doesn't return any beautiful and good fruits that if it is cultivated and built in accordance with his/her/its nature.

That every Discrétoire endeavors therefore, while hunting all routine and all passivity, to become, in union with the Director, the head of the Fraternity, a head that reconsiders the Franciscan ideal, that adapts it to the particular environment where one is, that debates some means to take to get a progress and that prints thus to all association the movement and life.

That every Discrétoire becomes more quickly qu an advice of" responsible Leaders" that meets, that deliberates, that confers, that acts.

Can each of our Fraternities to possess this true Discrétoire, organized, zealous and apostolic, it will be the sure guarantee of a new flight for the big and centennial Franciscan Institution.

Family's meeting

Too often the monthly meeting has the aspect that of a banal meeting of piety. The Tertiary meet once per month, to the manner of other faithful pickets of all another one association, to recite some prayers together and to receive a preacher a short instruction on any topic of religion. It is not sufficient so that the Third Order of Saint François carries all his/her/its fruits.

Certainly, it is necessary to pray together and it will always be profitable and necessary to make hear the good opinions of a predication. But he/it has appeared indispensable of didn't take some of the gospel in the total way and infuse the mind of the gospel in the total life of the men. He/it must provoke a lasting enthusiasm and a generosity sustained in the work of the perfection, following the ardent holy François of foundation.

Let's know how to organize living meetings, where the members can converse between them and can establish deep ties of Christian fraternity together. That each of the monthly meetings stays more and more family's meeting ", a home intense from where life and the mind of François saint spill with abundance on the tertiary and on the society all whole.

The family's mind

The tertiary joined to the Franciscan family not to be less Catholic, but on the contrary in order to find the means there to become again more she. In the big sanctuary of the church, the Third Order is not an isolated chapel, but one nerve that looks at the high altar and drives there. The tertiary will always be exemplarily souls Catholic.

In this goal, the tertiary will feed an ardent love for the church. It is her that, having given birth us to the supernatural life, eve on us and drives us. She/it continues the Christ through the centuries. Thanks to her, the religious Orders prosper and radiate. So much reasons to like the church!

That the tertiary take place in the ranks of the Catholic action. That they work with goodwill to the radiance of the evangelical mind and the Christian charity.

The biggest family.

It is not necessary that the unit is souls and the communion of the spiritual goods, that exist within our Franciscan family, make us forget the so beautiful dogma of the Communion of the Saints, to the marvelous extensions. It would be then, under the appearances of an enrichment, a real impoverishment.

The communication of the spiritual goods and the reversibility of the merits constantly comes true between all members of the Christ's Body Mystics. Let's think and let's live this so beautiful and so consoling doctrine. She/it widens our heart and give some wings to our soul.

It will be then a supplement to our joy that to remind us at the same time as a more intimate exchange makes itself again continually between all members of our Franciscan Family.

So the vitality and the fertility of our Third party-Order will constitute an advantageous enrichment for the whole society as for every soul in particular.

The Third Order will continue the providential and supernatural task that God has him départie for the salute and the perfection of the souls thus. He/it will pursue, through the centuries, the construction of this living Temple, where God enjoys to live from now on, while waiting for the blossoming of the ineffable glory of the eternal City.

Chapter Six
The Third Order and the movements specialized of Catholic action

Why even the various Catholic associations who increase everywhere, associations" of young people, worker and women ", would not they become affiliated and of women", would not they become affiliated to the Third Order, to persevere to work to the glory of Christ and the triumph of the church, with the mind of peace and charity of which was enlivened Saint - François? Benoît XV

One designates today, under the name of specialized movements of Catholic action, the involvement organized of the supporters according to the different social surroundings to the work of apostolate of the church, this collaboration has for goal to propagate and to defend the Christian ideal.

The Catholic action appears therefore as the vast federation of all efforts of apostolate and conquest within the society. She/it includes all shapes of action, so different that they are" That is the universal and in agreement action of all Catholics, without exception of age, of sex, of social condition, of culture, of national and political tendencies ", so expressed itself Magpie XI.

The goal of the Catholic action.

The task pursued by the Catholic action is the re christianization of the entire society: open considerable, that solicits numerous contests in the various lands open qu goodwill and to the apostolate.

By definition, Christ's disciple is apostle. Because him convinced st that his/her/its faith is indispensable to the salute of his/her/its brothers, it must work to spill it to" that God's reign arrives ". It doesn't have the right to lose interest of the diffusion of the ideas Catholic and the conversion of the men that surrounds it, and more especially of those of his/her/its middle. God asks every Christian, not only a passive testimony, but an effort of apostolate.

Under the direction and the impulse of the hierarchy of the church, the Movements of the Catholic action endeavor to win the souls to the Christ. Each of their members feeds the noble ambition" to redo Christian his/her/its brothers ".

Required of Christian life

But, before acting efficiently, it is not necessary to form itself? Before radiating his/her/its Catholicism around oneself, in a work or on the mass, to penetrate itself/themselves deeply of it is not necessary before?

Yes, before even to make the Catholic action, or of the least in the same way to his/her/its efforts of conquest, it is necessary to think of his/her/its own Catholic formation and to work there without stop. The Christian laïcat asks for the deeply Christian souls, of the well prepared militants and sustained by one life serious inside. One in improvises itself nor professor, nor converter, nor apostle; one doesn't improvise itself more militant of the Catholic Acton.

S.S. Magpie XI frequently came back on this important point, His/her/its exhortations to the Catholic youth insisted always so that operated itself this work of personal and Christian formation, life inside is" the soul of all apostolate ". the militant must live intensely in Christian to conquer his/her/its brothers more surely.

The specialized Movements are not, in itself, of the complete Movements, capable to be sufficient itself/themselves in all to nourish the spiritual life of their members. They must isolate themselves of the other, nor to partition itself/themselves strictly inside. They are not able to, either, to lose interest of what existed before them and of what maintains itself around them, in a word to ignore the other organisms of Christian life that bloom as them in the Christ's church.

Where one sees the role of the Third Order.

Has exactly where can settle between the Third Order and the Change of Catholic action a relation, of which one can think and of which it would be necessary to use. (10)

The Franciscan institution always presented itself like a high Christian formation school. However, the authority of the church and the history of the Third Order during the centuries testify his/her/its value and his/her/its efficiency. He/it seems that the Third Order could be considered like an organism capable to train the workers of the Catholic action. He/it appears especially capable to shape these generous and ardent militants, these persistent and tenacious militants, these devout and supernatural militants, in a word,: in Christian laïcat that will collaborate financing with the apostolate and hierarchical.

The young militants of the Catholic action have need to be sustained, formed e fortified in their Christian life and in their practice of piety. The true Third party-Order is capable to procure them this indispensable moral support.

Participating then in the kindness of the religious life by their affiliation to the Third Order, obligated by their profession of tertiary to aim to the fullness of Christianity and to impregnate itself/themselves of gospel, what marvels they would not accomplish, these young militants of the specialized Movements!

Some directors of souls had the intuition of this dynamism contained in the Third Order, and the experience justified their judgment. The example of Guy Sixois, this young militant of Roubaix, is the proof of it. "My director, he/it declares, has me speaks of the Third Franciscan Order and showed me his/her/its advantages: involvement to the religious life, source of spiritual graces, school of penitence mind. And then, I will have holy François as parton and the father. He/it will certainly help me in my difficulties, of apostolate jociste. "the Third Order became for this young militating to the point of supports of his/her/its spiritual ascension (11).

To create a new world

The Third Order has for essential end the perfection of each of his/her/its members; he/it provides them the suitable means and the there of it conducted by his/her/its Rule. He/it can form good therefore Christian and of good Christians, of the devout and zealous laymen, who will expend much energy then in the various shapes of the Catholic action. He/it will exercise this way a very profitable outside influence; he/it will be the leavens asset of the laïcat that devotes himself in the works of apostolate.

Benoît XV, in the encyclical Consecrated prope diem of January 6, 1921, expressed the wish of the expansion of the Third Order in all parishes Christian and same formulated; the desire to see the various Catholic Associations becoming affiliated to the Third Franciscan Order. That one allows us to mention this important passage again:

"He/it is therefore to wish, he/it wrote, that there is not only one vielle, only one village, anymore only one township where the Third Order doesn't meet many members, and not of inactive members and that are content of their only title of tertiary, but well of those that expend much energy with goodwill and generosity for their own salute and for the neighbor's salute. And reason even the various Catholic Associations who increase everywhere, associations of young people, worker and women, would not they become affiliated to the Third Order, to persevere to work to Jesus' glory - Christ and to the triumph of the church, with the mind of peace and charity of which was enlivened holy François.? "

Would not this be not again to signal this precious influence of the Third Order in the formation of the militants that Benoît XV made choice of François saint as celestial Boss of the Italian Catholic action, and that Magpie Xi spread this patronage then to all the Catholic action?

We will finish while juxtaposing the two wishes expressed by the pope Benoît XV and Magpie XIS and this closeness will justify the content of this short chapter.

"He/it is to wish, wrote Benoît XV, as we come reading, that he/it has plus…un there only village, where the Third Order doesn't meet a bn numbers members ", of tertiary that expend much energy with goodwill and generosity for their own salute and for the neighbor's salute.

Of them are side, Magpie XI left off n,a to wish, in identical terms, in his/her/its encyclicals and his/her/its speeches concerning the Catholic action", that there is not only one city anymore, only one village, destitute of a generous phalanx of laymen, collaborating with the clergy ".

These desires of the last two Popes establish the relation considered in the Catholic action and the Third Franciscan Order well.

The Third Order will have at heart to answer the confidence of the Sovereign Pontiffs. To make it better, the tertiary will reject the old-looking shape that in some places their Fraternities could take. To the wind of the mind that blows, they will renew their habits, will readapt their conduct, will accept the best ways to act of the new methods. He/it won't fear to shake the worn-out or routine conceptions, to upset the inertias and the fears that paralyze. It is in this renewal, in truth, that the confidence rests the expectations of the Pastors Suprêmes of the church.

Saint-François, the Boss of the Catholic action.

XI magpie, in the beginning same of his/her/its encyclical Ritual expiatis of April 30, 1926, on the seventh centenary of the death of François saint of foundation, he/it wrote: This man (holy François), that was given of in Top for the good of his/her/its time so uneasy, and more again for the amendment of the Christian society of every century, the Catholic action received it of Our immediate predecessor for celestial Parton. Also Our Son that, according to Our prescriptions, devote himself in this domain, they must unite, as he/it agrees, to the very numerous posterity of François saint to recall and to glorify in choir his/her/its actions, his/her/its virtues and his/her/its mind. "

In the thought of the Sovereign Pontiff, holy François must exercise therefore in fact his/her/its functions of patronage on the Catholic action from all over the world, that wants to say, to assure his/her/its intercession close to God to all those that devote himself on time to the rough tasks of the apostolate modern. And, them, these evangelical workers, invited by the big Chief to work under the direction allowed of the lawfully constituted hierarchy, in the immense field of family's Father, must turn toward François, not only to admire it and to sing it, but also to imitate his/her/its virtues and to be inspired by his/her/its mind.

XI magpie, in a speech of May 19, 1927, specified its thought thus: "To first view (holy François) can seem little an indicated for the Catholic action. Hey well! No, he/it is, on the contrary, quite well indicated and very chosen, as Boss of the Catholic action.

"Indeed, his/her/its lived life not only offered the spectacle of a spoliation pushed until the enthusiasm, of a poverty, of a seraphic charity, of an union with active God until ` has the condemnation, but more goodness with all thrusts as far as making the love of it, not only of the men, but even of the creatures, and of it not of the lips, but of the heart…

"What characterizes it, it is that he/it pulled his/her/its therefore sublime such a wealth of holiness, that he/it was able to and known to penetrate everywhere… Today the holy Patriarch lives again, not only in his/her/its big religious family of men and women, but also in the numerous tertiary scattered all over the world. This shape of holiness penetrated everywhere, because it was reserved him to carry has his of touts the social classes the imitation of his/her/its holiness, first basis of the Catholic action.

The militants of the various specialized Movements, who will think on these words of the Sovereign Pontiff, won't hesitate anymore to enroll itself/themselves following the Small Poor people of foundation. The Third Order, as he/it was in the past, will be for ex-same and for their action, a school of apostolate and holiness.

For the centuries to come, God and holy François will always give to the Franciscan institution the fertile and abundant sap that assures the rich crops of souls.

Chapter Seven
On the upward path

We will finish these pages while providing to the members of the Third Order a theme of exam on the Rule. Without austerity and the clarity of a simple induction, each will be able to note the progress or the deficiencies of his/her/its spiritual life more easily. It will be easy to take the resolution that invites then for transfers "a true and beaming Third-Order."

You called me, Lord, to know you and to like you following François saint. Thank you, my God, of this grace. I want, at the moment, in all loyalty, to put back me in presence of the supernatural requirements of my Christian life.

"Me, in presence of God in honor of the immaculate Virgin and François saint I promise…"

Did I take my professions sufficiently seriously in the Third Order? »

Did I look at "it like a true promise renewing the liabilities consecrated of my baptism of my solemn Communion, promise made in presence of God and received officially by the church? »

Am I persuaded that this promise obliges me fairly to serve God of my better", and by my good will to become better Christian because tertiary? »

"I promise to observe God's Commands. »

Am I "convinced that these words of my profession oblige me to an observance more faithful and more delicate of God's Law?

1 - the first command imposes me towards God the homage all set of the soul and the body by the e acts the virtue of Religion.

* I have care to instruct me on the Religion?

* Have I worry it about to preserve my faith, to maintain it and to profess it better than the simple Christian?

2 - the second command obliges me to respect God in my thoughts, my words, my promises and my oaths.

* I have the respect of God's Name?

* I of God's holy Presence have?

* I of the divine Providence have?

* Am I faithful to live in union with God?

3 - the third command imposes me the cult opposite God and the sanctification of Sunday.

* Am I anxious to honor God by an interior and outside cult?
* Am I anxious to honor God by a personal cult?
* Am I anxious to honor God by a domestic cult?

4 - the fourth command adjusts all my duties of state in the situation where God placed me.

* I have the worry to sanctify me in my family and with my family?

* Am I faithful to fill my duties of state?

* Am I a good son? or good girl?

* Am I a good spouse? a good father? a good big' father?

* Am I a good wife? a good mother? a good big' mother?

* Am I a good worker? a good worker?

5 - the fifth command orders me to respect and to develop life in myself and in relation to the neighbor.

* Am I attentive to my health?

* Am I to search for the truth in my mind, the domination on my passions, the habit of the good and the virtue?

* I have my neighbor's worry, of his/her/its spiritual and material interests?

* Am I disposed to practice a true and courageous charity?

6 - the sixth and ninth commands have for goal to re-establish the beautiful harmony between the soul and the body and to respect the divine laws of life.

* According to my condition, did I observe these commands?
* In touts circumstances, sui me attentive to reject the impurity and all c there who drives?

7 - the seventh and the tenth commands impose me the obligation of the justice opposite the neighbor.

* I am applied to practice a true justice opposite all &
* Am I applied to pay for my debts?
* Am I applied to sell or to pay rightly for the price?
* Am I applied to work conscientiously?
* Am I applied to give a just salary?

8 - the eighth command forbids me to wound the truth.

* Am I attentive to avoid the lie?
* Am I attentive to make false evidence?
*Am I attentive to avoid the slander and the calumny?

" I promise to observe the Rule of the Third Order. "

1 - convenient perpetual.

* Am I faithful to carry my scapular, yoke of the Lord and symbol of my consecration to God by my profession? and my cord, symbol of the purity of the heart?

* I have the mind of concord and charity, essential requirements for the admission to the Third Order?

* Did I develop in me this mind since my profession?

* Did I search for to pacify the factions, in my different surroundings of life?

* I of good mœurs have? does that mean I in my conduct have the habits, the thoughts, the judgments and the Christ's actions, as well as shows them to me the gospel?

* Am I disposed to penetrate my life of the Franciscan mind of poverty? of penitence? Of humility? Of Joy and charity universal?

* I have the mind of apostolate and conquest?

What is my part in the Catholic action, wanted by the Popes?


2 - convenient daily

When me the am I then, faithful to attend the Mass? When is it impossible to me, am I faithful to the practice of the "spiritual Mass "?

* Am I faithful and prompt in the recitation of my Twelve Paternoster Office? or of the office of the virgin Saint? is the office for me the prayer of the continuous Mass, the big embassy of the church by God?

* Am I faithful to my soul searching? Is he/it for me a control in the effort of my spiritual life?

* Am I prompt to offer to God my main actions, in individuals my meals?

3 - convenient monthly.


* Am I every month faithful to my confession?
Is she/it for me an effort against the routine and the slackness?

* I have the worry to receive communion and to receive communion well? As much as I the then? What place holds in my life the cult eucharistique?

* Am I faithful to my monthly meeting?

* Co this that I know how to embarrass me if need be not to miss it?

* Do I bring an active presence of the prayer, of liveliness, of charity, there?

* I have the love of my Fraternity?

In case of forced absence, do I have the precaution to excuse me?

Convenient yearly.

* Am I faithful to the fastings of the vigil of François saint and the immaculate - Conception?

* Did I pour my contribution regularly to the case of my Fraternity?

* Am I as much as I then generous the?

* I have recipient of aid to funeral ceremony of the Brothers or the Sœurses?


"I promise to satisfy according to the Visitor's will. "

Did I present myself to the canonical Visit?
* Au I given account to the Father Visitor of the manner of which I observed my Rule during the year?
* Did I observe opposite the Father Visitor duties of respect, trustworthy, of loyalty and obedience?
* Did I accept the penitence or the load that he/it wanted to impose me?
* Did I ask for his/her/its paternal opinions to advance on the path of the perfection more surely?


Conclusion

Oh my God, I finish before you the revision e requirements of my Rule of the Third Order. I am confounded before all my carelessness and all my cowardices…

The institution of François saint, my seraphic father, is indeed a means efficient of evangelical perfection, adapted to my state and to my condition. You put me this instrument between the hands. I don't have the right to break it, to distort it or to abandon it. My duty, on the contrary, is to serve of it to me fairly, generously, courageously…

Lord, learn me to be generous da the achievement of my Franciscan Rule and duties of my state;

Lord, learn me, finally, to copy the virtues of my seraphic Father, to that I ask to help me better and better and to sustain me every day in the work of my perfection.