Saint Francis Caracciolo

However, he often asked God to make His will known more particularly; this happened in a wonderful way. In 1588, John Augustine Adorno, of an illustrio us house of Genoa, h Jean-Augustin Adorno Co-founder of the Order of Clerics Regular Minor. aving generously renounced the world whose vanities he had first followed, embraced the ecclesiastical state and formed the project of founding a new institute of priests who were to join the exercises of the active life to those of the contemplative life. He first communicated his views to Fabricius Caracciolo, then abbot of the colle Fabrice Caracciolo Abbot of Saint Mary Major and co-founder of the Order. giate church of Saint Mary Major in Naples, and a relative of our Saint. Together, they chose a third companion, also named Ascanio Caracciolo. By a mistake that Providence undoubtedly arranged, the note that the two founders were writing to make their intentions known to the one they had chosen was delivered to the Saint; he went to them: they were at first astonished to see him; the mistake was soon explained, and all three thanked the Lord for having thus brought them together. In order to mature the holy project, they retired to the hermitage of the Camaldolese Fathers, near Naples. There, in solitude, in meditation, and in the austerities of penance, they prepared the Rules of the Institute, of which Adorno had long had the idea, but of which our Saint, although the last to arrive, was to be the true founder. Besides the three solemn vows of religion, they wanted the members of their Society to take a fourth, that of seeking no dignity in the Church and of accepting none except by the express command of the Sovereign Pontiff; they prescribed frequent examinations, the practice of prayer, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and rigorous m ortifications. One of the brothers was t adoration perpétuelle du saint Sacrement A central practice of the institute consisting of honoring the Eucharist without interruption. o be charged each day, in turn, with fasting on bread and water; another, with taking the discipline; a third, with wearing the hair shirt; so that penance never ceased to appease the anger of God and to draw down His blessings. In order that the adoration might also be perpetual, each religious spent an hour in prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament.

When the community numbered twelve members, our Saint and Adorno went together to Rome to solicit the approval of the Sovereign Pontiff. The reputation for virtue they had already acquired was so great that several of their relatives and friends resolved to go and meet them;

LIVES OF THE SAINTS. — VOLUME VI. 29 but these humble priests, who had begged all along the way, and who would have thought they were losing the most glorious of all their titles by ceasing for an instant to be the poor of Jesus Christ, took another route: they arrived in Rome without being known, and, instead of staying in palaces, they mingled with the poor who were asking for alms at the door of the Capuchins. Dom Ascanio had a leper as a companion at table and in bed, whom he served with great love, cleaning and kissing his wounds. Our pious pilgrims visited the sanctuary and the churches, in order to place their Order under the protection of the holy Apostles, the Martyrs, and other Saints whose relics are the richest treasures of Rome. Recognized among the poor by their relatives, they would not accept any service from them other than being introduced to the Sovereign Pontiff. Sixtus V, whose memory is so dear and whose name is so great in the Church, welcomed them favorably, and, on July 1, 1588, after mature examination, approved the new Congregation under the title of Clerics Regular Minor.

In the following month of August, the two servants of God returned to Naples as they had left, as poor beggars. Not even having a church in which to establish themselves, they were forced to make their profession in the oratory of the White Penitents on April 9, 1589. Dom Ascanio changed his name to that of Francis, out of devotion to the holy pat François Founder of the Clerics Regular Minor. riarch of the Friars Minor. Shortly after, they were ceded the house and the parish church of Mercy, which became the first seat of their Order.

Once they had established their companions in that convent, Saint Francis and Adorno left for Spain; the Pope had exhorted them to introduce their Order there; moreover, Adorno had previously lived in Madrid, and he sti Madrid Place of the foundation of a monastery and of the saint's death. ll had important business to settle in that country. They made this journey as they had the one to Rome, on foot, living on alms, walking under the protection of God. In Madrid, the innkeeper who gave them hospitality having recognized them as Saints, they were forced to withdraw to a convent of Discalced Carmelites to escape the expressions of veneration from the people. It is true that they could not obtain authorization at court to establish their Order in Spain, the time marked in the designs of God not yet having come; but they were consoled by two extraordinary encounters they had in Valencia, when they were returning to Italy.

The first was with an English religious, a refugee in Spain to flee the persecutions of Queen Elizabeth. He seemed to be waiting for them at the gate of Valencia, instructed no doubt of their arrival by a divine revelation. As soon as he had approached them, he spoke to them of their Order, of the fatigues they had suffered, and of those they were still suffering. Then, taking Saint Francis aside, he predicted that his Congregation would soon flourish in Spain and that he would be its first general. The second was at the Dominican convent. The two servants of God had joined the poor to whom the porter, who was a holy religious, was giving food; when it was their turn, he gave each of them a rosary, of those he made himself, and signaled them to wait for him. Having led them into his cell, he served them food and asked, to reward the favor, to kiss their feet; which he did despite their resistance. Our humble pilgrims were quite confused by this honor and wanted to know why the holy religious was mortifying them thus: "You are," he replied, "the founders of a new Order, which will soon spread for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and which will flourish particularly in this kingdom."

"And when will these things happen?" asked Saint Francis. — "Not before three years," replied the servant of God. Then Saint Francis, also animated by the spirit of prophecy, added: "It will take more than four years, without counting the patience and trust in God, which we will need." Indeed, the thing happened as they had predicted. Adorno had already received the same prediction, in the same city, seventeen years earlier, from the mouth of Saint Louis Bertrand, who had thrown himself at his feet, despite his resistance, saying: "This honor is due to y ou, because God has saint Louis Bertrand Saint who prophesied the foundation of the Order at Adorno. destined you to found an Order that will serve the Church of Jesus Christ usefully."

Before embarking, our Saint gathered the sailors and passengers in a chapel of the most holy Virgin, and let them know that great perils awaited them on this crossing, and that they should place themselves under the protection of the Star of the Sea. The storm he had predicted broke out after three days; when everyone was preparing for death, and the ship seemed on the point of disappearing into the abyss, Saint Francis assured them that no one would perish; which came to pass, for the ship ran aground on the sand, without having received any serious damage. As they surrounded our Saint, to whose prayers they believed they owed their lives, he went ashore with his companion, to spare his humility this testimony of gratitude; they went deep into a vast forest to spend the night in prayer; but fatigue prevailing, they fell asleep, after having nourished themselves with a few roots. The next morning, when they wanted to return to the ship, God permitted them to lose their way. They wandered for five days, almost dying of hunger and fatigue. Finally, they found near a cave a goat that allowed itself to be milked, and pieces of black and dried bread that they dipped in its milk; they thus recovered the strength to leave the forest; they found the sea and a ship of the Republic of Genoa ready to leave for Naples. Thus, all the obstacles that seemed to delay their journey only served to make it shorter. Our Lord granted the wishes of Saint Francis who had asked Him, upon leaving Valencia, to lead him to his brothers as promptly as possible. He found them very numerous: the convent of Mercy could no longer contain them.

Some time after his return, he was given the church of Saint Mary Major, where the Congregation established itself in 1591, with all the more joy as it was thus placed under the special protection of the Blessed Virgin, who had already given them more than one proof of the interest she took in their affairs, having, from the beginning of the foundation, encouraged Adorno in his designs with these words: "Fear nothing, I place under my protection the Order you are planning." But we forgot to say that Saint Francis, before tasting this consolation, had undergone great trials. His continual labors, his harsh mortifications, the little sleep he took on a table that served as his bed, caused him a serious illness; he bore its pains and weariness with a cheerful and tranquil face, a reflection of the peace of his soul, always resigned, always united to Our Lord. To this sorrow succeeded another, which was undoubtedly much more sensitive for the servant of God. Adorno, who had returned to Rome and had obtained from the two successors of Sixtus V the confirmation of the Institute of which he was the superior, died in Naples, consumed by labors, at the age of forty, on September 29, 1591. Francis was chosen to replace him, and he was the first to receive the title of General, according to the prediction that had been made to him in Valencia. It was very difficult to overcome his humility on this point, and he only consented to accept this office for three years. More master of his person in this position, he took advantage of it to increase his exercises of piety and mortification. A zealous observer of the Rule, he wanted no point to be missed, conforming himself to it in everything and exceeding the penitential practices it prescribed. Three times a week, he fasted on bread and water, habitually wore a rough hair shirt, took the discipline every night, and spent that time partly in study and partly before the Blessed Sacrament. When sleep pressed upon him, it was often on the step of the altar that he took his rest, which never lasted more than three or four hours. He gave seven hours each day to the contemplation and meditation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. A sincere lover of poverty, he showed in everything his esteem for this virtue. If he was given new clothes, he exchanged them for the most worn ones of the simple brothers. An enemy of any distinction that could honor him, he carefully avoided the slightest marks of it, declaring loudly that they were not due to him, and that the company only supported him out of pure charity; he usually signed his letters, Francis, sinner, and prayed that he be regarded as such, so profound was his humility!

The hope of finally establishing his Congregation in Spain led Francis to that country once again in the year 1594; he was accompanied by the son of the president of the supreme council of Naples, whom he had received into the number of his religious. Upon his arrival in Madrid, he went to lodge at the hospital for Italians, where he cared for the sick with more eagerness than one puts into flattering the courtiers of a king from whom one hopes for a favor: as he needed, in this circumstance, to be particularly favored by Our Lord, it was only right that he should first win over the poor, who are the only courtiers of this King born in a stable. It was from there, from this palace of the poor, that he addressed a petition to Philip II, King of Spain, to obtain permission to found a house of his Order in the capital of the kingdom. The court charged Cardinal Quiroga, Archbishop of Toledo, with the examination of this matter, who immediately granted the permission to found a house in Madrid. The Saint gave this first convent the name of the glorious patriarch Saint Joseph. The cells were small, the church narrow and poor, but the grace of God sufficed for everything. The good that the new religious, and especially our Saint Francis, did was immense: sinners were converted in crowds at their voice; the church was always full of people who wanted to reconcile themselves with God.

The devil, furious to see so many prey snatched from him, resolved to overthrow this new establishment before it was firmly rooted; he stirred up against the religious a nobleman who brought the royal council of Castile to his side. The order was given to Francis and his companions to leave for Italy within ten days; but, superior to all events, because he relied only on Him who is the Master of all and who always brings them to His ends, he bore this contradiction with the greatest resignation. This pure abandonment of all his desires was so pleasing to this good Savior, who held the hands of Our Lord, that He consoled His servant: he obtained some delay; and, when he later left Madrid, he did not have the sorrow of seeing his work destroyed, for this house has been sustained to our own days. Upon his return to Italy, he founded the hospice of Saint Leonard in Rome, and he was received with the greatest kindness by Clement Clément VIII Pope who approved the reform of the Trinitarians. VIII, who even wrote to Spain in favor of his Order.

While going to Naples, he passed through Aquila and Villa-Santa Maria, which was a fief of his house. As soon as his vassals recognized the son of their master, they flocked in crowds: some kissed his hands, others knelt down; all expressed their joy. It was too much not to alarm his humility; he stopped in the middle of the public square, knelt down himself on the ground, and, drawing a crucifix from his heart, he gently blamed them for honoring a wretch like him, urged them to render all their homage to the crucifix, and declared to them that he had only returned among them to repair, as much as he could, the bad examples he had given them in his youth. Thus, after asking their forgiveness with tears, he went to hide in a secluded place, where he spent the night in prayer. New consolations awaited him in Naples; Fabrizio Caracciolo, Abbot of Saint Mary Major, had entered the Institute and had just made his profession there. The Saint, who honored him as the first companion of Adorno, would have liked to see him placed at the head of the Society, but he had the sorrow of feeling this burden fall once again for the third time upon his own shoulders; he was re-elected General for three years; but he made so many requests to Clement VIII that his election was confirmed for only one year, at the end of which he became provost of the convent of Saint Mary Major in Naples, and master of novices.

The city soon felt the ardor of his charity; he distributed abundant alms to the poor, provided dowries for poor young girls, and brought back sinners through his preaching and prayers. At the same time, he formed holy religious who were the support and glory of his Order. Spain was no less favored than Italy: our holy religious were able to establish several houses there, which became centers of light and sources of grace for this beautiful kingdom: Francis made a third journey there, and it is well to believe that his reputation for holiness, his patience, his charity, his humility, his zeal, and the blessings that heaven granted to everything he undertook, contributed much to these establishments; he was hardly referred to by any other name than that of preacher of divine love. He often had these words of David on his lips: "The zeal of your house has devoured me!" His actions said it even more loudly. The glory of God was the motive that made him act in every encounter. The forgiveness of injuries was one of the traits where he delighted in copying his divine model, Jesus crucified. Such atrocious calumnies had been spread in Spain against the Friars Minor that the authors of these infamous rumors were pursued and condemned to an ignominious punishment. The first step of our Saint, upon his arrival in Madrid, was to go and throw himself at the feet of the king's ministers to obtain, by dint of tears, the pardon of the guilty.

He gave the example of the most humble obedience everywhere. Here is a trait that paints him entirely:

He was accustomed, when passing before an image of the most holy Virgin, to say an Ave Maria to her: once, carried away by his love, he recited the prayer out loud, so that the superior heard him. He came out of his cell and said to him: "Father, remember that we are in a moment of silence; be quiet." The Saint was silent immediately and knelt down to receive the correction of his superior; he remained there for an hour and a half, until finally the superior sent word for him to rise.

Italy had the happiness of seeing our Saint again in 1604, never to lose him. He continued to fulfill various roles in his Congregation, which he finished strengthening through his virtues and miracles. He healed all the sick brought to him with the sign of the cross and cast out demons, who regarded him as one of their most terrible enemies. Finally, when he had, so to speak, placed the keystone to the edifice of his Order, he obtained, in 1607, to be relieved of all duties, so as to think only of his eternity, to live only in heaven, and to speak only to his God. He chose as his dwelling the space under a staircase in the house in Naples, where he was often found raised in ecstasy, his arms extended in a cross: it was there that people came several times, on behalf of Pope Paul V, to offer him the miter and the crosier, but they could never triumph over his resistance: "I want to achieve my salvation in my little corner," he said to his companions, "for one must die, and often when one thinks of it the least. I have only a few days of life left," he would say again, "here we are at the end."

He indeed foresaw his death as imminent and announced it openly; thus he prepared himself with care for this formidable passage, when the affairs of the Institute obliged him to go to Agnone, in th e Abru Agnone Place of the saint's death. zzi, for a new foundation. He wished to take advantage of this occasion to visit Loreto, that holy house inhabited by the Blessed Virgin and where the Word was made flesh. By dint of insistence, he obtained from the guardians the favor of remaining there at night in prayer. When he was imploring the protection of the Queen of Heaven for his Order, Adorno, his former companion, appeared to him in religious habit, but all resplendent with light. He assured him, with a smiling face, of the protection of the most holy Virgin, and told him that he was already enjoying glory; that he would soon follow him there, and that two other religious would die immediately after him.

The next day the Saint continued his journey; upon arriving in Agnone, he said these prophetic words: Hæc est requies mea in sæculum sæculi: "This is my resting place for ever and ever"; but he was not understood, for he was in excellent health. He met a young man who was leading a licentious life, and warned him to convert to the Lord, telling him that it was time to leave the path that was leading him to eternal perdition. This foolish young man received his advice with laughter, and answered him by mocking his threats. "Well then!" replied the Saint with a severe look, "since you mock this last call of God's mercy, before an hour has passed you will fall into the hands of His justice!" He died indeed before the hour had elapsed, and without having wished to do penance, to the great terror of all those who were witnesses to this dreadful punishment.

On the first day of June, he was seized by a fever that at first seemed insignificant, but which soon became violent enough to force him to take to his bed. He immediately prepared himself for death. He was heard repeating often: "Lord Jesus, how good you are; Lord, do not refuse me this precious blood that you shed for me. — O paradise! O paradise!..." he cried out, rising on his bed as if to spring toward where all his desires carried him. On Tuesday, June 3, the eve of Corpus Christi, he asked for the holy Viaticum, after having made a general confession of all his sins. Although very weak, he nevertheless got out of bed as soon as he saw his God arrive, and received Him on his knees with the greatest fervor. He then thought of bidding farewell to his brothers, whom he was leaving for some time in exile, by addressing to them a letter in which he exhorted them to fidelity to their Rule, as well as to the love and practice of all virtues. He had his crucifix in one hand, an image of the most holy Virgin in the other, and, looking attentively at this divine Brother, this heavenly Mother, he spent the last hour of his life in the sweet contemplation of the dear society that awaited him up there. On Wednesday, an hour before sunset, his soul burning to take flight on the wings of love toward the bosom of his Beloved, he was heard to exclaim: "Let us go! Let us go!" — "And where do you wish to go, Father Francis?" he was asked. — "To heaven, to heaven!" he replied with a clear voice and a face full of joy. He departed there while pronouncing these words, on June 4, 1608, at the age of forty-four years and seven months. To satisfy the devotion of the people, who came in crowds to visit him, it was necessary to leave his holy body exposed for three days, which was then transported to Naples, where it is still religiously preserved. His miracles and his virtues determined Clement XIV to beatify him on September 10, 1769. Pius VII solemnly canonized him on May 27, 1807, and he inserted his office into the Roman Breviary. His life is available, written in Italian by Father Augustin Concelli, of the same Order.

He is depicted kneeling before a monstrance, because he spent entire nights before the altar, and because he gave his disciples the rule to maintain, in their communities, the perpetual adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. We have drawn this summary from the continuators of Ribadeneira and Godescard.