Audacious Nuns: Institutionalizing the Franciscan Order of Saint Clare

Church History, March, 2000 by Lezlie Knox

   Through the effort of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the strenuous effort and
   considerable pains of venerable father [Cardinal Orsini], we have fully
   achieved that autonomy. The lord cardinal, the father of our order, for the
   sake of achieving peace has taken upon himself the governance of the said
   Order of Saint Clare and thus has earnestly entreated me and the brothers
   delegated with me by the General Chapter to get the friars to assist him in
   this burden, which he cannot carry alone. He recalled how faithfully he
   labored to cast off the stain of servitude and how, through his mediation,
   we now are free from the perpetual bonds of obligation--all of this he has
   done because he has tenderly cherished our order from his childhood. I,
   with all my brothers, cannot and should not put out of mind such favors; it
   is therefore entirely right that we should trouble ourselves to assist our
   venerable father in providing spiritual services for the monasteries of the
   said order as a special favor, at least until the next General Chapter.(43)

Bonaventure gave credence to established custom when he told the brethren that it was "fitting and reasonable" that they continue their association with the sisters.(44) He evaded Urban's claim in Spiritus Domini, however, that the friars and nuns shared a common spiritual origin. Bonaventure furthermore insisted that the women must state publically that the friars offered their services voluntarily and without establishing either legal precedent or obligation.(45) Cardinal Orsini supported Bonaventure's terms. In letters sent both to the sisters(46) and to their visitator, he confirmed that this association would be voluntary and establish no precedent.(47)

Bonaventure's proclamation that the brethren had gained their freedom from the women was more significant rhetorically than in practice. The friars were not legally bound to provide pastoral care to the women, but his directives followed the order's established practice.(48) Provincial ministers were asked to assign two ministers to each convent for which the order was responsible.(49) These ministers were responsible for hearing confessions on a monthly basis and offering communion to the sisters. They should provide spiritual care to bedridden nuns, including final unction and burial rites as necessary. Finally, these ministers also should hear the confessions of chaplains assigned permanently to these convents.(50) Bonaventure also asked the provincial minister to appoint a visitator and to send preachers to the women twelve times a year.(51) He reminded the friars that only those who were assigned to that duty should enter the women's communities. These brothers should remain always with their companion, take no gifts from the women, and avoid remaining overnight within the cloister.(52) None of these requirements would have appeared new to the Friars Minor. They could receive some satisfaction that they had avoided legal obligation to the nuns' communities, but in practice, their duties remained the same.(53)