Minimi
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Minimi (or M
INIMS
) are the members of the
religious
order founded by
St. Francis of Paula
. The name is an allusion to
Friar Minor
, or to
Matthew 25:40
: "Quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis minimis, mihi fecistis", and suggests, as
Leo X
in the
Bull
of
canonization
of the holy founder says, the great
humility
which should characterize the religious of this order, and by reason of which, they ought to consider themselves as the least of all religious. With the first Order of the Minims are connected a second and a third order. In this article we are concerned principally with the first.
Origin and rule
St. Francis of Paula
, having in his youth lived one year in a
Franciscan
convent
at S. Marco (Calabria), dedicated himself to solitary life in a hermitage near Paula. In 1435 some disciples joined him, and after a few years he founded
convents
at Paterno, 1444, and at Milazzo in
Sicily
, 1469. The new
society
was "Hermits of
St. Francis of Assisi
". The
Archbishop
of
Cosenza
granted them of his own accord, in 1471, exemption from his
jurisdiction
(Lanovius, "Bullarium", 9), which privilege was confirmed by
Sixtus IV
, 1473 (Lanovius, "Bull.", 11). The same pontiff gave them the privileges of
mendicant friars
. For 57 years (1435-93) the new foundation had no written rule, but in 1493 the first rule, containing 13 chapters, which was almost a faithful copy of that of
St. Francis of Assisi
, was confirmed by
Alexander VI
. (See text Lanovius, ad ann. 1493, and
Bull
. Rom., V, 352.) A second version of the rule in 10 chapters, which showed more independence of the Rule of St. Francis, was approved by
Alexander VI
in 1501. Here the fourth solemn
vow
of
vita quadragesimalis
appears, which forms the distinctive character of the Minims. In the same
Bull
of confirmation is inserted the rule of the third order in 7 chapters, for seculars of both sexes. (Text Lanovius ad ann. 1501;
Bull
. Rom., V, 385.) Hardly different from this second version is the rule confirmed in 1502. (Lanovius, ad ann. 1502.) Finally a third definite text of the rule of the first order, which is still observed by the Minims, was confirmed by
Julius II
, "Dudum ad sacrum ordinem", 28 July, 1506. (
Bull
. Rom., V, 421.) The rule of the second order, which is for sisters and which originated in
Spain
, appears for the first time in the same
Bull
. It is almost a literal adoption of the rule of the first order, while the rule of the third order here inserted is the same as that confirmed in 1501. The spirit which permeates these rules, especially those of the first and second orders, is that of great penance and abnegation. The fourth
vow
imposes perpetual abstinence from all flesh and white meats, and only in case of grave sickness by order of the physician may it be dispensed with. The Order of Minims is founded on the same principle of organization as that of all
mendicants
. The superiors are called correctors. At the head is the corrector general, who formerly was elected every three years, but since 1605 every six years. The corrector provincial is elected for three years, while the local superior is elected by each
convent
for only one year. The habit of the Minims is made of coarse black wool, has broad sleeves, and is girded by a thin black cord. The
mozzetta
of the
capuce
reaches below the cord, almost in the form of a
scapular
. To ensure the stricter observance of the rules of the first and second orders,
Francis of Paula
drew up a "Correctorium", consisting of ten chapters corresponding to the number of chapters in the rule, which determines the penance to be inflicted on those who transgress its
precepts
. This "Correctorium" was approved by
Julius II
in 1506 and by
Leo X
in 1517 (Digestum, see below, I, 55).
Propagation and activities
The Order of the Minims, propagated at first in
Italy
was introduced by special royal favour into
France
, whither the holy founder was called in 1482. There the earliest
convents
were at Plessis-les-Tours, Amboise, and Nigeon, near
Paris
. On account of their great simplicity the Minims in
France
received the appellation of
bons hommes
. In 1495 Charles VIII of
France
founded in
Rome
the
convent
of Trinità dei Monti, which, by
Bull
of
Innocent X
(1645), was exclusively reserved to the French fathers. From
France
the Minims spread to
Spain
, where they were called "Fathers of the Victory", owing to the victory of King Ferdinand over the
Moors
of
Malaga
. In 1497 the Emperor Maximilian introduced the new order into
Germany
(Bohemia). At the death of
St. Francis of Paula
, 1507, there existed five provinces spread over
Italy
,
France
,
Spain
, and
Germany
.
A little later the order counted 450
convents
. In 1623 Dony d'Attichi gives the number of members as 6430,
convents
359, and provinces 30, distributed in the principal
Catholic
countries of
Europe
. Lanovius in 1635 adds to the number of provinces three commissariates, of which one was in the West Indies. In 1646 the
Propaganda
approved the foundation of a mission in
Canada
, but it is not known if this plan was ever carried out (Roberti, II, 688). In
England
the Minims seem not to have had any
convents
, still some illustrious English members are recorded, as Thomas Felton,
martyred
in 1588, Henry More, nephew of the chancellor,
Blessed Thomas More
, d. at
Reims
, 1587; Andrew Folere, d. at
Soissons
, 1594. The second order was never very widely propagated. In 1623 there existed 11
convents
with 360 sisters. The third order, on the contrary, found many adherents among the faithful in the countries where
convents
of the first order existed.
To give some indication of its activity we mention some of its most distinguished members. The first to be named is Bernard Boil (see
BERNARDO BUIL
), the first
vicar Apostolic
in America, appointed 1493, who, as the documents published by Fita certainly indicate, belonged at that time to the Minims, although the
papal Bull
of appointment (see reproduction in this ENCYCLOPEDIA, I, 414) used the words
ordinis Minorum
. See Roberti, op. cit. below, I, 89-102. Distinguished
theologians
were: Lalemandet, d. 1647; Salier, d. 1707; Boucat, d. 1718; Palanco, d. 1720; Perrimezzi, d. 1740; historians (see bibliography), Giry, d. 1688; Marin, d. 1767; mathematicians,
Maignan
, d. 1676;
Mersenne
, d. 1648;
philosophers
, Saguens, d. about 1718, and some of the previously mentioned
theological
authors. For the
bishops
chosen from this order see Roberti, op. cit. below, I, 377, II, 681). The cause for
beatification
of two Minims has been introduced.
Present state
Since the
French Revolution
the Minims are greatly reduced in number. At present there are 19
convents
with about 330
friars
. There are 15
convents
in
Italy
, 2 in
Sicily
, 1 in
Sardinia
, and 1 in
Spain
. The corrector general resides at St. Andrea delle Fratte,
Rome
. There are two other
convents
at
Rome
, S. Francesco di Paola and S. Maria della Luce. The second order is spread especially in
Spain
, where it has 10
convents
. There are single
convents
at Marseille,
Rome
, and
Todi
. The third order is spread in Latin countries and also in South America, where
secular priests
are delegated and authorized to receive members.
Sources
ROBERTI (O. Minim.), Disegno storio dell' Ordine de' Minimi dalla morte del santo Institutore fino ai nostri tempi, I, 1507-1600 (Rome, 1902), II, 1600-1700 (Rome, 1909); FRANCISCUS LANOVIUS (O. Minim.), Chronicon generale Ordinis Minimorum . . . accedit Registrum Pontificium seu Bullarium a Sixto IV ad Urbanum VIII (Paris, 1635); DONY D'ATTICHI (O. Minim.), Histoire Generale de l'Ordre des Minimes (2 vols., Paris, 1624); JACOBUS LADORE-FRANC. A LONGOBARDIS (O. Minim.), Digestum Sapientioe Minimitanoe tripartitum, complectens regulas S. Francisci de Paula, Statua Capitulorum Generalium . . . 3 pts. (Rome, 1664); TOSCANO (O. Minim.), Della vita di S. Francesco di Paola (Venice, 1691). The rules of the three orders also in HOLSTENIUS, Codex Regularium, ed. BROCKIE, III (Augsburg, 1759), 84-100, and in Bullarium Romanum, V (Turin, 1860), passim. On the relation of the first redaction of the rule (1493) with the Rule of St. Francis, see MAZARRA, Legendario Francescano, IV (Venice, 1721), 441-60; MONTOIA (O. Minim.), Cronica general de la Orden de los Minimos de S. Francisco de Paula (Madrid, 1619); ANNIBALI DA LATERA (O. Minim.), Compendio della Storia degli Ordini regolari esistenti, pt. II, vol. II (Rome, 1791), 351; HEIMBUCHER, Die Orden und Kongregationen der katolischen Kirche, 2nd ed., II (Paderborn, 1907), 527. For full bibliography see ROBERTI, I, 17-22, HEIMBUCHER, loc. cit. The information concerning the present state of the order was furnished by the present corrector general.
About this page
APA citation.
Oliger, L.
(1911).
Minimi.
In
The Catholic Encyclopedia.
New York: Robert Appleton Company.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10325a.htm
MLA citation.
Oliger, Livarius.
"Minimi."
The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Vol. 10.
New York: Robert Appleton Company,
1911.
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10325a.htm>.
Transcription.
This article was transcribed for New Advent by Mark S. Calvert, OCDS (Albert of Jesus and Mary).
Dedicated to Dario Antonucci and all the people of San Marco, Calabria.
Ecclesiastical approbation.
Nihil Obstat.
October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor.
Imprimatur.
+John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
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