Preference of religious orders for towns, cities, etc

[Damase]

I’m wondering if anyone can help me remember a poem that I recall having either heard or read on the Internet.

It goes something like:

The Franciscans love the small towns,
The Jesuits the large cities,
The Benedictines the countryside…

And I can’t remember the rest. The message of the poem—or maybe it was just a particularly nice passage of prose—is that the various religious orders tend to establish their houses and monasteries in certain places. I’ve certainly noticed, in Pittsburgh at least, that the Franciscan friaries and convents are in the suburbs, in what used to be independent towns and boroughs before the days of suburban sprawl. And although there aren’t any Jesuits in Pittsburgh, the Benedictines are located out in Latrobe, in the country.

Has anybody ever heard this little piece before? Does it seem to ring true to your experience? (I’m sure there are exceptions, of course.) And if you have heard it, do you remember where it’s from? I’ve been searching the Internet all day trying to find the rest—it’s driving me crazy!

 

[MarcusAndreas]

I live in a small town with strong Franciscan presence, so I suppose there’s something to it.

 

[AcolyteLector]

I’m wondering if anyone can help me remember a poem that I recall having either heard or read on the Internet.

It goes something like:

The Franciscans love the small towns,
The Jesuits the large cities,
The Benedictines the countryside…

And I can’t remember the rest. The message of the poem—or maybe it was just a particularly nice passage of prose—is that the various religious orders tend to establish their houses and monasteries in certain places. I’ve certainly noticed, in Pittsburgh at least, that the Franciscan friaries and convents are in the suburbs, in what used to be independent towns and boroughs before the days of suburban sprawl. And although there aren’t any Jesuits in Pittsburgh, the Benedictines are located out in Latrobe, in the country.

Has anybody ever heard this little piece before? Does it seem to ring true to your experience? (I’m sure there are exceptions, of course.) And if you have heard it, do you remember where it’s from? I’ve been searching the Internet all day trying to find the rest—it’s driving me crazy!

Some poem!–three lines down, and it still has no rhyme or meter. Hopefully the meaning you’re attributing to it is more consistent than the rhyme, in any case…

 

[Damase]

Some poem!–three lines down, and it still has no rhyme or meter. Hopefully the meaning you’re attributing to it is more consistent than the rhyme, in any case…

I was going for more of the sense of the poem than any actual poetic quality…

It might not even have been a poem. I simply can’t remember.

 

[Impertinens]

Unless I am mistaken, that is a Medieval verse:

Bernardus valles, montes Benedictus amabat, Oppida Franciscus, celebres Dominicus urbes. (Bernard loved the valleys, Benedict the mountains, Francis the towns, Dominic the populous cities).

My googling skills do not seem to be enough to find out the original source, though.

Hope this helps!

 

[Damase]

Unless I am mistaken, that is a Medieval verse:

My googling skills do not seem to be enough to find out the original source, though.

Hope this helps!

YES! Thank you, that’s it! (I must have simply supplied the Jesuits part out of my forgetfulness.)

I can sleep easy tonight. Thank you again.