July 2010

ARE Buenaventura "Seraphic Doctor"

Cardinal, general of the Franciscan Order, Doctor of the Church.

born circa 1218 in Bagnoregio, in the Tuscan region, studied philosophy and theology in Paris and, having obtained a master's degree, taught with great benefit these same subjects to their peers of the Franciscan Order. He was elected minister general of his order, a position he held with prudence and wisdom. Wrote the life of San Francisco.

was created cardinal bishop of the diocese of Albano, and Lyon died in the year 1274. He wrote many philosophical and theological works. Known as the "Seraphic Doctor" for his writings turned to faith and love for Jesus Christ.

Buenaventura, whom history should be known by the name of "the seraphic doctor, taught theology and Scripture at the University Paris, from 1248 to 1257. A penetrating genius joined a very balanced view, which allowed him to get to the bottom of the issues and put aside everything superfluous to discern all the essentials and expose the fallacies of erroneous opinions. Small wonder, then, surprising that the saint has excelled in scholastic philosophy and theology. Buenaventura studies provided all the glory of God and his own sanctification, without confusing the end with the means and not letting their work degenerate dissipation and idle curiosity.

2. THE PRAYER, SPIRITUAL LIFE KEY

Not content with transforming the study into an extension of prayer, devoted much of his time in prayer itself, convinced that was the key to spiritual life. Because, as St. Paul teaches, only the Spirit of God can cause us to penetrate their secret designs and record their words in our hearts.

So great was the purity and innocence of the saint as his master, Alexander of Hales, stated that "there seemed no sin in Adam." Buenaventura's face reflected the joy, the fruit of peace in your soul alive. As the saint himself wrote, "the spiritual joy is the best sign of that grace dwells in a soul."

The saint did not see itself rather than faults and imperfections and humility, sometimes refrained from receiving Communion, even though his soul longed to join the love object and approach the source of grace. But a miracle of God allowed San Buenaventura overcome such scruples. The canonization proceedings narrated thus: "For several days no one dared to approach the heavenly banquet.

3. DID YOU TAKE AN ANGEL OF PRIEST'S HANDS PART of the consecrated host

But some time they attended the Mass and meditate on the Passion of Christ, our Savior, to reward his humility and his love, he had an angel took from the hands of a priest of the host dedicated and deposited in his mouth. "

Thereafter, Buenaventura communed with no scruples and found in Holy Communion a source of joy and thanksgiving. The saint was prepared to receive the priesthood with severe fasts and long hours prayer, for his great humility made him come with fear and trembling to that lofty dignity. The Church encourages the faithful to prayer composed for the saint after mass and begins: transfig, dulcissime Domine Jesu ...

4. ZEAL FOR SOULS

Buenaventura was delivered with enthusiasm to the task of cooperating in the salvation of their neighbors, as required the grace of the priesthood. The energy with which he preached the word of God lit the hearts of his listeners, each word was dictated by an ardent love. Over the years, spent in Paris, wrote one of his best known works, the "Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, which is a real sum of scholastic theology. Pope Sixtus IV, referring to the work, said that "the manner as stated on the theology, says that the Holy Spirit spoke through his mouth."

5. THE VIOLENT ATTACKS OF SOME OF THE TEACHERS

The violent attacks by some of the professors of the University of Paris against the Franciscans disturbed the peace of the years spent in that city Buenaventura. Such attacks were due, in large part to the 1st envy that caused the pastoral and academic success of children of San Francisco as the holy life of the monks was a constant reproach to the mundane existence of other teachers. The leader of those opposed to the Franciscans was William of St. Amour, who slammed San Buenaventura in a book entitled "The dangers of recent times."

'This had to suspend classes for a while and replied to the attacks with a treatise on evangelical poverty, with the title "On the poverty of Christ." Pope Alexander IV appointed a commission of cardinals to examine the matter in Anagni, with the result that was publicly burned the book of William of St. Amour, were returned to their classes to the children of San Francisco and was ordained silence their enemies. A year later, in 1257, St. Bonaventure and St. Thomas Aquinas received the title of doctors together.

6. HIS WRITINGS AND DESIRE OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION

San Buenaventura wrote a treatise "On the life of perfection", for the Blessed Elizabeth, sister of St. Louis of France and the Poor Clares convent at Longchamps. Other major works mystical are the "Soliloquy" and the treatise "On the triple way." It is moving, breathing love every one of the words of San Buenaventura.

Gerson, the learned and pious Chancellor of the University of Paris, writes about his work: "In my view, among all Catholic doctors, Eustace (so that we can translate the name of Buenaventura) is the further illustrates the intelligence and on at the same time the heart. In particular, the Breviloquium Itinerarium mentis in Deum are made so beautifully, strength and concisely than any other writing can overtake them. " And in another he says: "I think that the works of Bonaventure are the most suitable for instruction of the faithful, for their soundness, orthodoxy and spirit of devotion. Buenaventura is saved as the vain ornaments can and is not logical or physical issues outside the area. There is no doctrine more sublime, more divine and more religious than his. "These words apply especially to spiritual treatises that reproduce their frequent musings about the joys of heaven and their efforts to arouse in Christians the same desire for glory that he encouraged him.

7. GOD, ALL GLORIOUS SPIRITS

As he says in a letter, "God, all glory and all the spirits of the Heavenly King family expect and want us we will meet them. It is impossible not to yearn to be admitted as sweet company! But who in this valley of tears has not tried to live in the hope of heaven, rising steadily over the visible things, have brought shame to the presence of the heavenly court. "According to the holy Christian perfection, rather than the heroism of the religious life is to make it more ordinary shares.

Here are his own words: "Christian Perfection consists in doing perfectly ordinary things. Faithfulness in little things is a heroic virtue. "Such a loyalty is a constant crucifixion self-esteem, a total sacrifice of freedom, time and emotions and, therefore, it establishes the kingdom of grace in the soul. The best example I can be of the esteem in which San Buenaventura was being faithful in small things, is the anecdote told of him and the Blessed Giles of Assisi (April 23).

8. He was elected Superior General of the Franciscans

In 1257, Bonaventure was elected superior general of the Friars Minor. Was not even thirty-six and the order was torn apart by the division between those who preached an uncompromising severity and requesting that the original rule is mitigated, of course, between those both ends, were placed all other interpretations. The more rigorously, to be known by the name of "spiritual", had fallen into error and disobedience, which had given ammunition to the enemies of the order at the University of Paris. The young superior general wrote a letter to all provinces to demand the perfect observance of the rule and the reform of the relaxed, while avoiding the excesses of the spiritual.

The first five chapters of the general who presided over St. Bonaventure, met in Narbonne in 1260. He presented a series of statements from the rules that were adopted and exercised great influence on the life of the order, but failed to placate the sticklers. At the request of members of the chapter, St. Bonaventure began to write the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

The way we carried out this task, shows that he was steeped in the virtues of the saint on which he wrote. St. Thomas Aquinas, who was visiting one day when it is occupied Buenaventura write the biography of the "Poor Man of Assisi," was found in his cell in contemplation. Instead of interrupting, Thomas withdrew, saying: "Let us leave a saint to work for another saint." Life written by St. Bonaventure, entitled "The Legend Mayor" is a work of great importance about life in San Francisco, although the author states in her tendency to make some historical truth to use it as evidence against those who sought mitigation of the rule. 9.

him Cardinal San Buenaventura ruled the order of San Francisco for seventeen years and is called, with reason, the second founder. In 1265, the death of Godfrey of Ludham, Pope Clement IV tried to appoint San Buenaventura Archbishop of York, but holy to dissuade him from it. However, the following year, Blessed Gregory X appointed him cardinal bishop of Albano, ordered him to accept the position of obedience and called him immediately Rome. The papal legates were waiting for him with the hat and the other insignia of his dignity, by all accounts, went to meet up close to Florence and found him in the Franciscan convent in Mugello, washing dishes. As Buenaventura had dirty hands, begged the legacies's hat hanging on the branch of a tree that paseasen a bit in the garden until he completed his task. San Buenaventura Only then took the hat and was to present the honors legacies.

Gregorio San Buenaventura X commissioned the preparation of the issues that were addressed in the Ecumenical Council of Lyon, about union with the Greek Orthodox, as the emperor Michael Palaeologus had proposed marriage to Clement IV. The most distinguished theologians of the Church attended the Council. As is known, St. Thomas Aquinas died on his way to him. San Buenaventura was, without doubt, the most notable of the assembly. Lyon reached the Pope, several months before the opening of the Council. Between the second and the third session met the general chapter of his order and resigned as superior general. When delegates arrived Greeks, the saint began discussions with them and the union with Rome was carried out. In thanksgiving, the Pope sang the Mass on the feast day of San Pedro and San Pablo. The Epistle, the Gospel and creed, sung in Latin and Greek and St. Bonaventure preached at the ceremony.

10. DOCTOR DIES SERAPHIC
The Seraphic Doctor died during the celebrations, the night of 14 to 15 July. This spared the pain of seeing Constantinople reject the union in which both worked. Peter of Tarentaise, the Dominican who later hugged the papal tiara under the name of Innocent V, preached the panegyric of St. Bonaventure and told him: "How I met Buenaventura respected and loved him. It was enough just to hear him preach to feel moved to take him for counsel, because he was an affable, courteous, humble, loving, compassionate, wise, chaste, and adorned with all virtues. "
11. SERVICE AUTHORITY
is told that, as superior general, was a day to visit the convent Foligno. Certainly I really wanted Puffin talk to him, but he was too humble and shy to dare. But as he left San Buenaventura, the puffin realized the opportunity that was lost and started running after him and begged him to listen a moment. The Saint agreed immediately and had a long conversation with him, beside the road.
When the puffin went back to the convent, filled with encouragement, San Buenaventura noted some signs of impatience among the members of his entourage and said smiling: "My brothers, forgive me, but I had to do my duty because I am both upper and servant and the puffin is, at once, my brother and my master. The rule says: 'The above should receive the brethren with love and kindness and to behave with them as if they were their servants, for the above are indeed the servants of all the brothers'. So Therefore, as superior and servant, I was forced to put at the disposal of the puffin, my love, and try to help as best as possible in their needs. "
Such was the spirit that ruled the holy your order. When he had entrusted the office of superior general, spoke these words: "I know perfectly well my disability, but also know how hard it is to kick against the pricks. Thus, despite my lack of intelligence, my lack of experience in business and disgust I feel for the position, I do not want to go opposite of my religious family and the order of the Supreme Pontiff, for fear thus oppose the will of God. Therefore, I take on my poor shoulders heavy burden too heavy for me. I hope the sky will help me and I have the help you all can lend. " These two quotes reveal the simplicity, humility and charity that characterized San Buenaventura. And, although it had belonged to the seraphic order, have earned the title of "Seraphic Doctor" by the angelic virtues that enhanced their knowledge. He was canonized in 1482 and declared Doctor of the Church in 1588.