FRANCIS
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FRANCIS
by their particular constitutions which, for the rest,
differ widely according to the end of each foundation.
These various congregations of regular tertiaries are
either autonomous or under episcopal jurisdiction, and
for the most part they are Franciscan in name only,
not a few of them having abandoned the habit and
even the traditional cord of the order.
For the vexed question of the origin and evolution of the three orders, see Mijlleh, Die Anfiinge des Minoritenordms und der Btissbruderschaflen (Freiburg, 1S85), 33 sqq. ; Ehrlb in Zeitschr. f. k. Theol., XI, 743 sqq.; Mandonnet. Les regies et le gouvemement de VOrdo de Fwnitenlia au XIII' siecle in Opuscules de critique historique, vol. I, fase. IV (Paris, 1902); Lemmens in Rom. QuaTlalschrifl, XVI, 93 sqq.; Van Ortroy in Analecla Bollandiann, XVIII, 294 sqq., XXIV, 415 sqq.; d'Alencon in Etudes Franciscaines, II, 616 sq.; Goetz in Zeitschrijt far Kirchengeschichte. XXIII, 97-107. The rules of the three orders are printed in Seraphirce Leqislaticntis Texlus Originates (Quaracchi, 1897). A general conspectus of the Franciscan Order and its various branches is given in HoLz- APFEL, Manuale Hislorice O.F.M. (Freiburg, 1909); Heim- BUCHEB, Die Orden und Kmgregalionen (Paderborn, 1907). H, 307-533; also Patrem, Tableau si/noplique de tout I'Ordre Sera- phique (Paris, 1879); and Cusack, St. Francis and the Francis- cans (New York, 1867).
Paschal Robinson.
Francis Caracciolo, Saint, co-founder with John Augustine Adorno of the Congregation of the Minor Clerks Regular; b. in Villa Santa Maria, in the Abruzzo (Italy), 1.3 October, 1503; d. at Agnone, 4 June, 1008. He belonged to the Pisquizio branch of the Caracciolo and received in baptism the name of Ascanio. From his infancy he was remarkable for his gentleness and uprightness. Having been cured of leprosy at the age of twenty-two he vowed himself to an ecclesiastical life, and distributing his goods to the poor, went to Naples in 1.585 to study theology. In 1587 he was ordained priest and joined the confra- ternity of the Bianchi della Giusiizia (The white robes of Justice), whose object was to assist condemned criminals to die holy deaths. A letter from Giovanni Agostino Adorno to another Ascanio Caracciolo, beg- ging him to take part in founding a new religious in- stitute, having been delivered by mistake to our saint, he saw in the circumstance an evidence of the Divine Will towards him (15S8). He a.ssisted in drawing up rules for the new congregation, which was approved by Sixtus V, 1 July, 1588, and confirmed by Gregory XI V, IS February, 1591, and by Clement VIII, 1 June', 1592.
The congregation is both contemplative and active, and to the three usual vows a fourth is added, namely, that its members must not aspire to ecclesiastical dig- nities outside the order nor seek them within it. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is kept up by ro- tation, and mortification is continually practised. The motto of the order " Ad majorem Dei Resurgentis gloriam" was chosen from the fact that Francis and Adorno made their profession at Naples on Low Sun- day, 9 April, 1589. In spite of his refusal he was chosen general, 9 March, 1593, in the first house of the congregation in Naples, called St. Mary Major's or Pietrasanta, given to them by Sixtus V. He made three journeys into Spain to establish foundations under the protection of Philip II and Philip III. He opened the house of the Holy Ghost at Madrid on 20 January, 1 599, that of Our Lady of the Annunciation at Valladolid on 9 September, 'iGOl, and that of St. Joseph at Alcali sometime in 1001, for teaching sci- ence. In Rome he obtained possession of St. Leon- ard's church, which he afterwards exchanged for that of St. Agnes in the Piazza Navona (18 September, 1.598), and later he secured for the institute the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina (11 June, IGOC), which was made over to him by a bull of Pope Paul V, and which was, however, annulled by the Bull "Susceptum" of Pope Pius X (9 November, 1900).
St. Francis Caracciolo was the author of a v.aluable work, "Le sette stazioni .sopra la Passione di N. S. GesCl Christo", which was printed in Rome in 1710. He loved the poor. Like St. Thomas Aquinas, a rela-
tive on his mother's side, his purity was angelic. Pope
Paul V desired to confer an important bishopric on
him, but he steadfastly refused it. His frequent
motto was " Zelus domus tuic comedit me ' '. Invited
by the Oratorians at Agnone in the Abruzzo to con-
vert their house into a college for his congregation, he
fell ill during the negotiations and died there on the
vigil of Corpus Christi. He was beatified by Pope
Clement XIV on 4 June, 1709, and canonized by Pope
Pius VII on 24 May, 1807. In 1838 he was chosen as
patron of the city of Naples, where his body lies. At
first he was buried in St. Mary Major's, but his remains
were afterwards translated to the church of Montever-
ginella, which was given in exchange to the Minor
Clerks Regular (1823) after their suppression at the
time of the French Revolution. St. Francis is no
longer venerated there with the old fervour and devo-
tion.
Candida-Gonzaga, Memorie delle Famiglie nobili delle pro- mncie mendionah d'ltalia (Naples, 1876), III; Memorie delta Famiglia Caracciolo del Conte Fraricesco dei principi Caracciolo (Naples, 1893-97); which give the history of his family. Livea of the saint by Vives (Naples, 1654); Pistelli (Rome, 1700); Cencelli (Naples, 1769); Ferrante (Naples, 1862); Taglia- latela, Terzo centenario di S. Francesco Caracciolo (Naples, 1908), For the history of the order see Tapia, De religiosis rebus (Naples. 1594); Piselli, Notizia historica della religione de PP. Chierici RegolaH Minori (Rome, 1710).
Francesco Paoli.
Francis de Geronimo (Girolamo, Hieronymo), Saint, b. 17 December, 1042; d. 11 May, 1716. His birthplace was (Irottaglie, a small town in Apulia, situated about five or six leagues from Taranto. At the age of sixteen he entered the college of Taranto, which was under the care of the Society of Jesus. He studied humanities and philosophy there ; and was so successful that his bishop sent him to Naples to attend lectures in theology and canon law at the celebrated college of Gesu Vecchio, which at that time rivalled the greatest universities in Europe. He was ordained there, 18 March, 1060. After spending four years in charge of the pupils at the college of nobles in Naples, where the students surnamed him the holy prefect, il santo prejetto, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, 1 July, 1070. At the end of his first year's probation he was sent with an experienced missioner to get his first lessons in the art of preaching in the neighbourhood of Otranto. A new term of four years spent labouring in the towns and villages at missionary work revealed so clearly to his superiors his wonderful gift of preaching that, after allowing him to complete his theological studies, they deter- mined to devote him to that work, and sent him to reside at tlie C!esu Nuovo, the residence of the pro- fessed fathers at Naples. Francis would fain have gone and laboured, perhaps even laid down his life, as he often saitl, amidst the barbarous and idolatrous nations of the Far East. He wrote frequently to his superiors, begging them to grant him that great favour. Finally they told him to abandon the idea altogether, anil to concentrate all his zeal and energy on the city and Kingdom of Naples. Francis under- stood this to be the will of God, and insisted no more. Naples thus became for forty years, from 1676 till his death, the centre of his apostolic labours.
He first devoted himself to stirring up the religious enthusiasm of a congregation of workmen, called the "Oratorio della Missione", established at the professed house in Naples. The main object of this association was to provide the missionary father with devoted helpers amidst the thousand difficulties that would suddenly arise in the course of his work. Encouraged by the enthusiastic sermons of the director, these good people became zealous co-operators. One re- markable feature of their work was the multitude of sinners they brought to the feet of Francis. In the notes which he sent his superiors concerning his favourite missionary work, the saint takes great
