Friar Bishops, Cardinals
and the Teaching Office
of the Church
From its earliest history, the Order of Friars Minor has offered its men in special service to the Church as teachers and Bishops, one of whose primary responsibilities is the care of the body of teachings of the faith. We have early examples of a outstanding friars who served the people of God as a teachers and bishops. St. Anthony (1195-1231), born in Lisbon, Portugal, became a Franciscan and was known for his profound knowledge of theology and for his power of convincing and persuasion. Though not a bishop (but called so by Saint Francis in the letter below), Anthony's teachings carried him from the north of Africa to Italy and France. He is known as the "Evangelical Doctor" because he based all that he said on the texts of the Gospels. He died in Padua, Italy.
St Bonaventure (1218-1274) was born in Italy and, as a Franciscan, he lectured at the University of Paris, where he met Saint Thomas Aquinas, the "Angelic Doctor". Bonaventure later became General of the Order, a Bishop and Cardinal of the Church. Known as the "Seraphic Doctor", he is considered the greatest exponent of mystical theology in the Middle Ages.
Blessed John Duns Scotus (1266-1308), defender of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, was known as the "Subtle Doctor" because of the profundity of his thought. As a philosopher, and especially as a metaphysician, he taught at the Universities of Oxford, Paris, Cambridge and Cologne. At Paris he was Franciscan Regent Master of Theology which he combined with pastoral responsibilities as priest. His life is well-decribed by the inscription on his tomb in Cologne: "Scotland begot me, England reared me, France taught me and Cologne holds me".
'Perhaps as early as 1219 the Friars Minor opened a house of studies in the university city of Bologna. Not long after that date, it would seem, that the friars asked Saint Anthony to undertake the task of teaching the young brothers their theology. But according to the account in the Chronica XXIV Generalium, Saint Anthony being a holy man "did not presume to teach, no matter how urgent was the request of the friars, without first getting permission from Blessed Francis.'
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replied with this letter to St. Anthony of Padova: |
| It is agreeable to me that you should teach the friars sacred theology, so long as they do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotedness over this study, as is contained in the Rule. Farewell." |
In our day, the Order of Friars Minor still serves the Church in this special way.
| A list of present friar Cardinal Bishops and Bishops |
Bishops
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