Prologue

Source: archive.org

Leo, Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God. In perpetual remembrance.

The Merciful Son of God, Who, in laying a sweet yoke and a light burden upon men, made provision for the life and for the salvation of all, bequeathed to the Church which He established not His power alone but His mercy also, that so the blessings obtained through Him might, by the same continuance of love, be propagated for all ages. And, therefore, just as all that Jesus Christ did or said throughout His life was marked by a gentle wisdom and the greatness of an unconquered benevolence, so, too, each institution of the Church displays a wondrous indulgence and leniency, from which it is seen that in this respect too the Church resembles God, Who is Love (1 John 4: 16). Now it is the special work of this maternal affection wisely to adapt the laws—so far as may be—to the age and its manners, and at all times to observe the greatest discretion both in their framing and enforcing. And the result of this habitual charity and wisdom is that the Church is enabled to join an absolute and eternal immutability of doctrine to a prudent variation of discipline. Conforming Our mind and heart to these principles in the exercise of the Pontificate, We deem it Our duty to consider impartially the nature of the times, to weigh all circumstances so that no one should be turned aside by difficulties from the practice of useful virtues. We have now been pleased to submit to this rule the association of Franciscans of the Third Order —styled the Secular—and to determine with care whether it were best to make some slight modifications in its laws because of the changes in the times. That illustrious institution of our Father Francis was warmly commended to the faithful by Us in Our Encyclical Letter \textit{Auspicato} which We published on the 17th of September of last year. We published it with no other wish or aim than this—that by it as many as possible might be recalled on Our invitation to the pursuit or Christian sanctity. For the chief source of the evils which oppress the world, and of the dangers that threaten us, is the neglect of Christian virtue; and men cannot heal the former nor can they avert the latter in any way except by hastening to return, publicly and in private, to Jesus Christ who “can save forever all those that draw nigh, through Him, to God” (Heb. 7: 25).

The Franciscan institutes are based wholly on the observance of the precepts of Jesus Christ; for the holy founder had no other aim than that the Christian life should be exercised in those precepts—as in a gymnasium—with greater diligence. The first two Franciscan Orders, of course, which were instituted for the exercise of great virtues, pursue a loftier and diviner aim: but they are the heritage of a few—of those, namely, to whom God has given the grace to strive with a special zeal for the sanctity of the evangelical counsels. But the Third Order is adapted to the many; and the records of times gone by, and the nature of the society itself, both show how great is its influence in promoting justice, honesty, and religion.

We must render thanks to the Author and Helper of all good counsels, that the ears of the Christian people were not closed to Our exhortations. From many places We hear that devotion to Francis’ of Assisi has been aroused, and there is everywhere an increase in the number of persons seeking admittance into the Third Order. Wherefore, as though to give fresh impulse to men already running, We determined to turn Our thoughts to all that in any way hinders or retards this salutary race of souls. First we saw that the Rule of the Third Order which Nicholas IV, Our Predecessor, approved and confirmed in his Apostolic Constitution Super Montem on the 18th of August, 1289, is not in all points suited to the present age and present customs. Hence, since the duties assumed could not be fulfilled without excessive difficulty and trouble, it has hitherto been necessary to dispense with many important rules on the petition of the associates; that this cannot be done without injury to the common discipline will readily be understood. Then, too, there were other matters in the association which called for Our attention. The Roman Pontiffs, Our Predecessors, welcomed the Third Order from its birth with the greatest good will, and granted its members very many and valuable Indulgences. The scope of these Indulgences has become in the lapse of time somewhat confused, and it has often been a matter of discussion whether the Pontifical indulgence applied in certain cases, when it could be gained, and of what kind it was. Assuredly there has been no want of foresight on the part of the Apostolic See in this matter: Pope Benedict XIV., for instance, in his Constitution Ad Romanum Pontificem, of the 15th of March, 1751, set himself to put an end to previous doubts; since then, however, many more have naturally risen. We have been induced by the consideration of inconveniences of this kind to appoint some Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church who are members of the Sacred Council of Indulgences and Sacred Relics, to review the old rules of the Tertiaries with care, and to collate and examine all the Indulgences and privileges, and when they had formed a mature judgment on the matter, to report to Us what they thought should be retained. and what altered, in view of the condition of the times.

When this was done according to instructions, the Cardinals proposed to alter the former Rules and adapt them to the present mode of life by the changing of certain chapters. In the matter of Indulgences, that there might no longer be any room for doubt, and that all risk of doing anything unlawful might be avoided, they gave Us their opinion that We, after the example of Benedict XIV., would act wisely and usefully if we would revoke and abrogate all Indulgences which have hitherto been in force, and to decree new ones for the Association.

Therefore, for the good and the happiness of the future, for the increase of the glory of God, the encouragement of piety and zeal for all virtues. We by Our present letters, in virtue of Our Apostolic authority, renew and sanction, in the manner described below, the Rule of the Third Order of St. Francis, called the Secular. It must not be thought that in consequence of this act anything is taken from the nature of the Order, which We by all means wish should remain unchanged and intact. And furthermore, We will and command that the members shall enjoy the release of temporal punishments, or Indulgences and privileges enumerated in the Index subjoined, totally revoking all indulgences and privileges which this Apostolic See had before this day granted the Order, no matter at what time, or under what name or form.