St. Bonaventure - Second founder of the Franciscan Order

St. Francis de Sales in the third Chapter of his Introduction to Devout life, teaches that devotion is for everyone, in any state whatsoever. Even though the approach may differ. For a married shouldn't endeavor to be poor like a Capuchin, or a business man be in the Church all day like a Monk and vice-versa. But each one should endeavor to find the devotion suitable for his state. This was very practical in the life of St. Bonaventure. As a young man, a young friar, a professor in the University, the General Minister of the Order of Friars Minor, and a Cardinal Archbishop, he found a way to practice virtue and devotion in all these different states.

He was born in Bagnoregio in Umbria, Italy in the year 1221 to Giovanni di Fidanza and Maria di Ritella. Little is known of his childhood. It was told that he was healed of an ailment by St Francis when he was a child. He joined the Franciscan Order in 1243. He studied in the University of Paris and received the degree of Master, a medieval equivalent of Doctor and he occupied the Franciscan Chair in the University. He was able to successfully defend the Franciscan Order in the argument from the anti-mendicant party. On the 24th of November 1265, he was elected General Minister of the Franciscan Order. He performed this duty so well, that he is acclaimed the second founder of the Franciscan Order. He was able to reconcile the dispute between the two opposing groups in the Order, that is the spirituals and the laxes. He ordered that all life of St Francis written should be burnt since both parties wrote lives of St Francis to suit their taste, then he wrote a classic life of St Francis for use in the Order. During his time as a General minister, he gave the Order a definite structure that led the Order to its exalted position. He was both moderate and intellectual, and he introduced this to the Order. He was known to be a man of prayer. A story was told that St.Thomas Aquinas asked him how he got the knowledge to write the books he wrote, he pointed to the Cross. He was appointed Cardinal Archbishop of Albano and was present at the Second Council of Lyon. He died during the council on 15 July, 1274.

He wrote greatly on Theology and philosophy. His writings, even till today, has great impact in the life of the Church. Amongst his most classical writings are Legenda Major, Legenda Minor, Itinerium mentis in Deum, Commentary on the Sentences of Lombard and many more. St.Thomas Aquinas is his contemporary and friend. He was canonized on the 14th of April, 1484 by Pope Sixtus IV, and declared Doctor of the Church in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V.

In his Itinerium mentis in Deum he wrote, "Let us die, then, and enter into the darkness, silencing our anxieties, our passions and all the fantasies of our imagination. Let us pass over with the crucified Christ from this world to the Father, so that, when the Father has shown himself to us, we can say with Philip: It is enough. We may hear with Paul: My grace is sufficient for you; and we can rejoice with David, saying: My flesh and my heart fail me, but God is the strength of my heart and my heritage for ever. Blessed be the Lord for ever, and let all the people say: Amen. Amen!"

St. Bonaventure            pray for us.