The history of Christian monasticism exhibits an
ever-widening social outlook. The early hermits had devoted themselves, as
they believed, to the service of God by retiring desert for prayer, meditation,
and bodily mortification. St. Benedict's wise Rule, as followed by the medieval
monastic orders, marked a change for the better. It did away with extreme forms
of self-denial, brought the monks together in a common house, and required them
to engage in daily manual labor. Yet even the Benedictine system had its
limitations. The monks lived apart from the world and sought chiefly the
salvation of their own souls. A new conception of the monastic life arose early
in the thirteenth century, with the coming of the friars. [23] The aim of the
friars was social service. They lived active lives in the world and devoted
themselves entirely to the salvation of others. The foundation of the orders of
friars was the work of two men, St. Francis in Italy and St. Dominic in Spain.
[23] Latin frater, "brother."
ST. FRANCIS, 1181(?)-1226 A.D.
Twenty-eight years after the death of St. Bernard, St.
Francis was born at Assisi. As the son of a rich and prominent merchant St.
Francis had before him the prospect of a fine career in the world. But he put
away all thoughts of fame and wealth, deserted his gay companions, and,
choosing "Lady Poverty" as his bride, started out to minister to
lepers and social outcasts. One day, while attending Mass, the call came to him
to preach the Gospel, as Christ had preached it, among the poor and lowly. The
man's earnestness and charm of manner soon drew about him devoted followers.
After some years St. Francis went to Rome and obtained Pope Innocent III's
sanction of his work. The Franciscan order spread so rapidly that even in the
founder's lifetime there were several thousand members in Italy and other
European countries.
