On July 3rd 1528, Pope Clement VII, through the bull “Religionis zelus”, approved the Capuchin Order, one of the reform sprout within the Family of the Friars Minor, on initiative of some brothers that desired to live more radically according to the origins of the Franciscan Fraternity, strengthening the life of contemplation, recuperating more austerity in the life of poverty and reaffirming the evangelizing mission through popular preaching and being present in frontier places. The origin of the Capuchin Order, as well as that of other orders and congregations, is undoubtedly related to the reform movement occurred in the Catholic Church in response to the provocation created by Christian communities that, under different but at the same time quite similar motivations, were separating from the Church of Rome and breaking their communion with the Pope.
Over the course of time, the Capuchins have become a numerous and significant Order in the Church and, since their origins in the 16th century, they have offered to the Church, significant models of holiness in the common and unpretentious life. Their presence in the midst of people through the ministry of preaching, confession and previously also as “beggars brothers”, chaplains in places of pain – hospitals, cemeteries, prisons – and their commitment in the accompaniment and spiritual formation of groups of lay people of the Third Franciscan Order (today Secular Franciscan Order), has contributed to the growth of the faith in many people and also to the foundation of some religious families inspired in the Franciscan-Capuchin spirituality, and, among them, the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family.
Father Luis Amigó was an authentic Capuchin brother that kept his bond to his Order even as a Founder and Bishop and he liked that the two religious families he founded never lose the Franciscan-Capuchin spirit (cf. OCLA 1920) and be aggregated to the Capuchin Order (cf. Iriarte L., Historia de la Congregación, pag. 53).
The Congregation of Capuchin Tertiary Sisters of the Holy Family was aggregated to the Order in 1905 by Father Luis Amigó’s expressed will and through this act, he liked to make it participate in the spiritual patrimony of his original religious Family and, at the same time, to enrich the Order with its specific charisma. We have to acknowledge that the Capuchin Brothers have played and do play an important role in the history of the Capuchin Tertiary Sisters, accompanying them in the Franciscan formation and opening and partaking with them the mission; at the same time, wherever this sharing is most cultivated, the beauty of the Capuchin charisma lived with its feminine and masculine features, is better perceived.
On July 3rd, the anniversary day of the canonical approval of the Capuchin Order, the entire Capuchin Family is called to celebrate with gratitude its presence in the Church, reaffirming its commitment of fidelity to the initial charisma enriched by the peculiarity of each congregation sprouted from an authentically capuchin heart.
In other years, on this date, took place meetings of members of Capuchin families that really strengthened the bonds of fraternity. This year, because of the pandemic, it will not be possible but nothing and no one can prevent us from living this Day with a special memory in our prayer, feeling that we are members of a larger family with whom we share spiritual gifts and fraternal affection.