Our rule of life

The rule of our order was officially approved by Pope Honorius III in his bull of November 29, 1223 (see photo below). A bull (from the Latin "bulla," meaning "seal") is a document, originally sealed, by which the pope issues an important legal act. This rule, known as the "rule bullata," is the definitive form of the "Life" initially presented by Francis and his brothers to Pope Innocent III in 1209. Despite its age, it is still today the official rule of the Order of Friars Minor (Minorites, Conventuals, and Capuchins). It defines our way of life in fraternity according to the charism desired by St. Francis. It can be summarized as follows:

"To observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without anything of our own, and in chastity."

We provide the full text below. A first version of this rule, called the "rule non bullata," was drafted in 1221.

 

Rule of the Order of Friars Minor.

Honorius, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved sons, Brother Francis and the other brothers of the Order of Friars Minor, greeting and apostolic blessing. It is the custom of the Apostolic See to grant satisfaction to pious wishes and to accord its benevolent favor to the just desires of petitioners. Therefore, beloved sons in the Lord, moved by your pious prayers, we confirm for you by apostolic authority and provide the protection of this writing to the rule of your Order, approved by our predecessor, Pope Innocent, of blessed memory, and reported herein. This rule is as follows:

1. Prologue.

 The rule and life of the Friars Minor is this: to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity. Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to Pope Honorius and his canonically elected successors and to the Roman Church. And the other brothers are bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors.

2. Of those who wish to accept this life and how they are to be received

If there are any who wish to accept this life and come to our brothers, let them be sent to their provincial ministers, to whom alone and to no others is it granted to receive brothers. Let the ministers examine them carefully on the Catholic faith and on the sacraments of the Church. And if they believe all this and wish to confess it faithfully and observe it firmly until the end, and if they have no wife, or if they have one and their wife has already entered a monastery, or if she has already taken a vow of continence and has given them permission with the authorization of the diocesan bishop, and if their wife is of an age not to arouse suspicion, let them tell them the word of the Holy Gospel, to go and sell all their possessions and apply themselves to distributing them to the poor. If they cannot do this, good will is enough. And let the brothers and their ministers take care not to concern themselves with their temporal goods, so that they may freely do with their goods whatever the Lord inspires them to do. If, however, they ask for advice, let the ministers have permission to send them to some God-fearing men, on whose advice they will distribute their goods to the poor. After that, let them be given the habit of probation, that is, two tunics without hoods, a belt, breeches, and a hood reaching to the belt, unless sometimes, to these same ministers, something else seems good according to God. At the end of the year of probation, let them be received into obedience, promising to observe this life and this rule forever. And in no way shall they be permitted to leave this religion, according to the decision of the Lord Pope, for according to the Holy Gospel, he who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God. And let those who have already promised obedience have one tunic with a hood and another without a hood, if they wish. And let those who are compelled by necessity wear shoes. And let all the brothers be clothed in humble garments and may patch them with sacks and other pieces, with God's blessing. And I warn and exhort them not to despise or judge men whom they see clothed in fine and colorful garments, eating and drinking delicacies, but rather that each one judge and despise himself.

3. On the divine office and fasting, and how the brothers should go about the world.

Let the clerics perform the divine office according to the ordo of the Holy Roman Church, except for the psalter, for which they may have breviaries. Let the laity say twenty-four Pater nosters for matins, five for lauds; for prime, terce, sext, and none, seven for each of these hours; for vespers, twelve; for compline, seven; and let them pray for the dead. And let them fast from the feast of All Saints until the Nativity of the Lord. As for Holy Lent, which begins on Epiphany and lasts forty consecutive days, and which the Lord consecrated by his holy fast, may those who fast voluntarily be blessed by the Lord, and may those who do not wish to fast not be compelled to do so. But let them fast during the other Lent, until the Resurrection of the Lord. At other times, let them not be required to fast, except on Fridays. In times of obvious necessity, let the brothers not be required to fast physically.
I advise, warn, and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ: when they go out into the world, let them not argue, let them not quarrel with words, and let them not judge others; but let them be gentle, peaceful, and modest, kind and humble, speaking honestly to all, as is fitting. And they must not ride on horseback, unless they are compelled to do so by obvious necessity or by illness. Whatever house they enter, let them first say, "Peace be to this house." And according to the holy gospel, let them be allowed to eat whatever food is set before them.

4. The brothers shall not receive money.

I strictly forbid all brothers to receive, in any way, money or silver, either by themselves or through an intermediary. However, for the needs of the sick and to clothe the other brothers, only the ministers and custodians, through spiritual friends, should take great care according to the place, time, and cold regions, as they deem necessary for the need; this always except, as has been said, that they do not receive money or silver.

5. On the manner of working.
Let the brothers to whom the Lord has given the grace to work work faithfully and devoutly, so that, having put aside idleness, the enemy of the soul, they do not extinguish the spirit of holy prayer and devotion, which other temporal things must serve. In return for their work, let them receive for themselves and for their brothers the things necessary for the body, except for money and silver, and this humbly, as befits servants of God and followers of most holy poverty.

6. Let the brothers not appropriate anything from alms to be asked for or from sick brothers.

Let the brothers not appropriate anything, neither house, nor place, nor anything else. And as pilgrims and strangers in this world, serving the Lord in poverty and humility, let them go to alms with confidence, and they must not be ashamed of it, for the Lord made himself poor for us in this world. Such is the height of the highest poverty that has established you, my dear brothers, as heirs and kings of the kingdom of
heaven, that has made you poor in goods, that has raised you up in virtues. Let it be your share, she who leads to the land of the living. Totally attached to it, beloved brothers, for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, please never possess anything else under heaven. And wherever the brothers are and wherever they meet, let them show themselves to be of the same family to one another. And let each one confidently show his need to the other, for if a mother nourishes and cherishes her fleshly son, with how much more affection should each one cherish and nourish his spiritual brother? And if one of them falls ill, the other brothers should serve him as they would wish to be served themselves.

7. On the penance to be imposed on brothers who sin.
If brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, commit mortal sins, for those sins for which the brothers have ordered that recourse be had only to the provincial ministers, let the said brothers be obliged to have recourse to them as quickly as possible, without delay. If these ministers are priests, they shall mercifully impose a penance on them; if they are not priests, they shall have it imposed by other priests of the Order, as they deem most expedient according to God. And they must be careful not to become angry
or troubled because of anyone's sin, for anger and trouble prevent charity in themselves and in others.

8. On the election of the Minister General and the Pentecost Chapter.

All the brothers are obliged to have one of the brothers of this religion as Minister General and servant of the whole brotherhood, and they are firmly obliged to obey him. Upon his death, the election of his successor shall be made by the provincial ministers and custodians at the Pentecost chapter, at which the provincial ministers are always obliged to meet, in whatever place the minister general may have fixed; and this once every three years or at some other interval, longer or shorter, as may be ordered by the said minister. And if at any time it appears to all the provincial ministers and custodians that the said minister is not fit for the service and common good of the brothers, let the said brothers to whom the election has been entrusted be bound in the name of the Lord to elect another as custodian. After the chapter of Pentecost, the ministers and custodians may, if they wish and if it seems expedient to them, each in his own custody, convene their brothers in chapter once in the same year.

9. Preachers.
Let the brothers not preach in the bishopric of a bishop when he has refused them permission to do so. And let no brother ever dare to preach to the people unless he has been examined and approved by the minister general of this fraternity and unless the latter has granted him the office of preaching. I also warn and exhort these same brothers: in their preaching, let their words be measured and chaste for the benefit and edification of the people, announcing to them vices and virtues, punishment and glory with brevity of speech, for the Lord has made speech brief on earth.

10. On the admonition and correction of the brothers.
Let the brothers who are ministers and servants of the other brothers visit and admonish their brothers and correct them humbly and charitably, prescribing nothing to them that is contrary to their soul and to our rule. As for the brothers who are subjects, let them remember that, for God's sake, they have renounced their own will. Therefore, I firmly prescribe that they obey their ministers in everything they have promised the Lord to observe and which is not contrary to their souls and our rule. And wherever the brothers may be, if they know and recognize that they cannot spiritually observe the rule, they must and may have recourse to their ministers. May the ministers receive them charitably and kindly, and may they be so familiar with them that they can speak to them and act with them as lords with their servants; for it must be so: that the ministers be the servants of all the brothers. I warn and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ: let the brothers guard themselves against all pride, vain glory, envy, covetousness, cares and concerns of this world, criticism and murmuring, and let those who do not know letters not be concerned to learn letters; but consider that above all they should desire to have the Spirit of the Lord and His holy operation, always praying to Him with a pure heart and having humility, patience in persecution and sickness, and loving those who persecute, rebuke, and accuse us, for the Lord says: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute and slander you. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He who endures to the end will be saved.

11. Let the brothers not enter the monasteries of nuns.
I strictly forbid all brothers to have suspicious relations or consultations with women; and let them not enter the monasteries of nuns, except those to whom special permission has been granted by the Apostolic See; and let them not become godparents to either men or women, lest scandal arise among the brothers or concerning the brothers.

12. Of those who go to the Saracens and other infidels.
If any brothers, by divine inspiration, wish to go to the Saracens and other infidels, let them ask permission from their provincial ministers. But the ministers should not grant permission to go there to anyone except those whom they deem fit to be sent. In view of all this, by obedience, I enjoin the ministers to ask the Lord Pope for one of the cardinals of the Holy Roman Church to be governor, protector, and corrector of this brotherhood, so that, always submissive and prostrate at the feet of this same Holy Church, steadfast in the Catholic faith, we may observe poverty and humility and the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, which we have firmly promised.

Let no man therefore be permitted to violate this page of our confirmation or to contravene it with reckless audacity. If anyone should presume to attempt this, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and His blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Given at the Lateran, on the third day before the calends of December, in the eighth year of our pontificate.