Franciscan History

The history of the Franciscan Order is long and rather complex. The Order expanded rapidly after the time of Francis and became entrusted by the authorities in Rome with all sorts of special tasks on behalf of the papacy. The Friars also became popular preachers and this meant they needed places to study and be taught.

The Observances

For the next few centuries opinions in the Order divided over whether it was right to have houses and libraries as the Church suggested or whether the friars should have literally nothing like Francis and beg food from an increasingly over burdened population. For a long time, these two groups stayed in one Order but with two "Observances" of the Franciscan Rule. Each time a solution was reached, it seemed it appeared again in the following generation.

Throughout the middle ages and beyond the Franciscans were marked by the founding of new "observances" as time and again people tried to live out the lifestyle that Francis had mapped. It was not until 1897 that all these observances were put back together into the Order of Friars Minor as it is known today.

Expansion of the Order

Nevertheless, the Order continued to grow and expand, sending missionaries to the farthest corners of the known world. Friars followed Marco Polo to China and laboured in North Africa among the Muslims. They accompanied Christopher Columbus to the New World building their famous missions through Latin America and California. Friars accompanied La Perouse to Australia, one of them being buried in Sydney; Australia's oldest European grave.

As well the Order provided many famous saints; among them St.Anthony of Padua, St.Paschal Baylon, St.Bernardine of Siena, St.Bonaventure, St.John of Capistrano.