Francis starts his life as a lay penitent. The penitent movement was very strong in his day, hence the secular order of Franciscans and later that of the Dominicans. But the actual work of reforming the Church begins long after 1209. The order is recognized in April 1209.
Catherine is not truly a reformer. Her reach was in the area of Ascetical and Mystical Theology, not in Ecclesiology. She is certainly one of the most respect Spiritual Theologians in Church history. But she did not have much influence in converting Catholics to Christianity. Her circle of influence was rather small. It is only after her death, when the Dialogue is revealed that her work reaches beyond Siena.
Whereas, by the time that Francis and Dominic passed, their orders were all over Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. They had turned Catholic education around. The Franciscans and Dominicans ran the most prestigious universities and Europe and were the most sought after scholars. The Franciscans had brought down clericalism. A pity that Vatican I reintroduced it, but that’s another story. The Dominicans penetrated every heresy of the time. By the time that the Franciscans reach their 20th birthday, they already had control of the Church’s government. There was a Franciscan pope and numerous Franciscan bishops and cardinals. We cannot forget St. Pius V who was a Dominican and was very careful in his restoration of the Tridentine form not to step on the toes of the Franciscans or Dominicans.
He allowed the Dominicans to keep their rite. Although the Franciscans never had an actual rite, we had the precursor of what is today the EF. It was known as the Mass of St. Peter, with its own canon, without Gregorian chant, with the priest facing the people and with dialogue. The Franciscans were allowed to keep this mass for use in our houses when the superior general pointed to the pope that St. Dominic had written that the Dominicans must venerate the Franciscans, see not evil in them, accommodate to them in every way and treat them with great kindness. Pope Pius, being a saint was not about to turn his back on his spiritual father.
There was a stronger influence by the friars of both orders than by women like Catherine and Clare, who were outstanding in their own right. I would say that both of them were at the forefront of women’s rights within the Catholic Church. Catherine, of course was a laywoman. However, she was the head of a community of men and women. This was unheard of. She was on intimate terms with popes and bishops, also unheard of.
Clare was also on intimate terms with popes and bishops. She was the only woman superior who ever dared to challenge the liturgy. She explicitly wrote in her rule that Gregorian chant is not to be used during mass or the LOTH, only simple chant and laudas were to be sung. Laudas were hymns of praise. Sort of, but not quite, a Medieval form of Glory and Praise music. It serves the same function, but it’s more subdued.
I think that second to Francis of Assisi, the greatest influence in Church history has been exercised by Francis de Sales. The number of Salesian movements in huge and powerful. It is powerful in numbers and in finances too. There are lay, clerical and religious Salesian movements around the globe. Their greatest contribution to the Church is the spirituality for the laity. St. Francis de Sales is the first to set out an organized spirituality for the laity.
This is rather interesting, because Francis de Sales himself was a devout Secular Franciscan. But the rule of the Secular Franciscans or the Brothers and Sisters of Penance, as the order was known during his time, the rule was too mystical and far above the comprehension of the average layman. We have to remember that this was a time when the average layman was either a laborer, tradesman or a nobleman. None of which had much of an education.
Francis de Sales takes the Rule of Penance and peels it open as one would peel and onion and write the Introduction to the Devout Life. He takes what Francis had written and he explains in a manner that is systematic, user friendly, but does not lose its profoundness. He not only explains, but he gives very clear applications for daily life. He was an absolute master in theology and psychology. His work is a must read for everyone, Catholic or not, who aspires to the devout life.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, FFV
