The Essential Good News

• Jesus
• Who I Am
• The Gospel Way Of Life

Mary

Saint Francis - wounded healer

• St Francis
• A Song from Francis to Clare
• A Song from Francis to God
• Portrait of a poor man
• Testament
• Blessing

Saint Clare, the new woman

• St Clare
• A Letter from Clare
• A Clare Icon
• Form of Life
• Testament
• Blessing

Saint Colette, Faith in the future

• St Colette
• A letter from Colette
• Testament
• Paul Claudel's Song for Colette
• Henry VIII on Colette
• Blessing
• The Chaplet of St Colette

Life together
.... And after the Lord gave me brothers, no one showed me what I should do, but the Most High himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the Holy Gospel. And I had this written down simply and in a few words and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me. And those who came to receive life gave to the poor everything which they were capable of possessing and they were content with one tunic, patched inside and out, with a cord and short trousers. And we had no desire for anything more. We who were clerics used to say the Office as other clerics did; the lay brothers said the Our Father; and we quite willingly stayed in churches.
.... And we were simple and subject to all.
.... And I used to work with my hands, and I still desire to work; and I firmly wish that all my brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how to work learn, not from desire of receiving wages for their work but as an example and in order to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, seeking alms from door to door. The Lord revealed to me a greeting, as we used to say: "May the Lord give you peace.

Poverty and obedience
.... Let the brothers beware that they by no means receive churches or poor dwellings or anything which is built for them, unless it is in harmony with that holy poverty which we have promised in the Rule, and let them always be guests there as pilgrims and strangers. And I firmly command all of the brothers through obedience that ,wherever they are, they should not be so bold as to seek any letter from the Roman Curia either personally or through an intermediary, neither for a church or for some other place or under the guise of preaching or even for the persecution of their bodies; but wherever they have not been received , let them flee into another country to do penance with the blessing of God.
.... And I firmly wish to obey the minister general of this fraternity and another guardian whom it might please him to give me. And I wish to be so captive in his hands that I cannot go anywhere or do anything beyond obedience and his will, for he is my master.
.... And although I may be simple and infirm, I wish nonetheless always to have a cleric who will celebrate the Office for me as it is contained in the Rule. And all the brothers are bound to obey their guardians and to celebrate the Office according to the Rule.
.... And if any are found who do not celebrate the Office according to the Rule and who wish to alter it in any way or who are not Catholics, let all the brothers be obliged through obedience that wherever they come upon such a brother they must bring him to the custodian who is nearest to that place where they have found him.
.... And the custodian is strictly bound through obedience to guard him strongly as a prisoner day and night, so that he cannot be snatched from his hands until he can personally deliver him into the hands of his minister.and the minister is strictly bound through obedience to send him with the brothers who shall guard him as a prisoner day and night until they deliver him before the Lord of Ostia who is the master, protector, and corrector of the entire fraternity.

The covenant
.... And let the brothers not say: this is another rule; because this is a rememberance, an admonition, an exhortation, and my testament, which I, little Brother Francis, prepare for all of you, my blessed brothers, so that we may observe in a more catholic manner the rule which we have promised the Loes.
.... And the minister general and all other ministers and custodians are bound through obedience not to add or to subtract from these words. And let them always have this writing with them along with the Rule. And in all the chapters which they hold, when they read the Rule, let them also read these words. And I through obedience strictly command all my brothers, cleric and lay, not to place glosses on the Rule or on these words , saying: they are to be understood in this way. But as the Lord has granted me to speak and to write the Rule and these words simply and purely, so shall you understand them simply and without gloss, and observe them with their holy manner of working until the end.
.... And whoever shall have observed these things, may he be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father and on earth with the blessing of his beloved Son with the most Holy Spirit the Paraclete and with all the powers of heaven and all the saints.
.... And I, little brother Francis, your servant, in as much as I can, confirm for you this most holy blessing both within and without.