Ever since St. Francis established his fraternity in Italy at the beginning of the 13th century many men have abandoned their lives of opportunity and success to follow the saint of Poverty and Joy. The followers of Francis through the centuries number many thousands right up to the present day. Most of course have not made the dead lines. They have faithfully followed the ideal of St. Francis to live the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" unmarked by the world at large. Their fidelity to the inspiration given by St. Francis known often only by their brethren who lived with them. However there are some of the brethren of the past whose memory continues to give inspiration to the brothers of today's community in these islands. We mention a few of them to help you understand better one of the inspirations behind the life and work of the modern Franciscans

The start of the Franciscan order took place in the first half of the 13th century. It was a time of great intellectual activity in the life of the Church. There was a growth in the centres of study of theology in the Western Europe. The initial attraction of St. Francis was to follow Christ in simplicity and poverty. The attempt to live the Gospel led to a desire to know more about the gospel and the teachings of the church. Thus from the earliest days of the order and especially in these islands the study of theology as a requisite for good preaching the friars embarked upon sound training of the men joining the Order.

Alexander of Hales (1185-1245) Born at Halesowen Worcestershire in west midlands. Alexander has been an important ecclesiastic, studied arts and theology in Paris and obtained a doctorate in 1221. In 1232 he was made the archdeacon of Coventry And 1236 he joined the Franciscan Order. He was an innovator in the organised study of theology and his presence in Paris gave the Friars a doctoral chair to which they could go for studies. To him is assigned the start of a very important tradition of theological and related studies that endures to this day. He is regarded as the founder of the Franciscan school of theology.

Blessed John Duns Scotus(1266-1308)
A Friar of vast importance not only to the Friars but also to the whole church is Blessed John Duns Scotus(1266-1308). He is known as "Doctor Subtilis" He was Scot, probably born in 1280 in the Borders. He became a friar when young. He was ordained priest on 17 May in 1291. He studied at the Order's Centres at Paris and Oxford. On becoming qualified he lectured at Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and Cologne. He was gifted with a great intellect so that he was able to anticipate some of the problems raised in existing systems of theology. His influence endures in the theological studies of the Church. He is known as the theologian who resolutely proposed the teaching of the Church on the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Roger Bacon (1214-1292)
He is known as Doctor Mirabilis. An English man born at Ilminister in Somerset in the West Country. As was usual in those days, he studied at Oxford and Paris. Entered the Franciscan Order in 1257. He had wide interest in studying. These extended to a study of languages and experimental sciences. He has been described as the father of such studies laying the foundations for the future developments in science that are the foundation of our modern culture. A long tradition claims that he was buried in the Franciscan friary at Oxford.

Haymo of Faversham (1175-1244)
He is the only English Minister general of the Order. Widely know as the Franciscan liturgist. Born in 1175 probably at Faversham, Kent in England. And died in Italy in 1244. He was already a priest and theologian of established reputation when he joined the Franciscan order in Paris in 1226. From the first he was an influential figure; held offices of Custos of Paris, and as lecturer at Bologna, Padua and Tours. He was the provincial minister of England in 1239 and was elected Minister General in 1240.
He was deeply committed to a programme of reform in the Order and made a significant revision of the Roman liturgy. After reforming the Franciscan Breviary he was commissioned to reform the papal Breviary. The ordinals he produced were so Conventual and comprehensible that they were adopted throughout the world. With later adaptations his work remained the official prayer of the Church until Vatican II.

William of Ockham (1285-1347)
A famous philosopher, theologian and writer in his time. He is also called "Doctor Invincibilis" Was ordained as a subdeacon of Southwast, in the diocese of Winchester in 1306. Studied theology at Oxford where he obtained Masters Degree in theology. During various struggles of the Church he remained a faithful Catholic and was subject to the legitimate authorities of the Church and the Order.

John Peckham (1223-1392)
He is one of the most renowned ecclesiastics of the thirteenth century. Born in Patcham, Sussex, he became known as the 'English Franciscan Theologian' and Doctor Ingenious. He received his early education at Lewes, and then studied at Paris in the faculty of arts. He completed his studies at Oxford where he later became a lecturer.

John Peckham entered the Franciscan Order in around 1250. He was elected as the Minister Provincial of England in 1275 and became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1279. He wrote extensively on science and philosophy. In theology he taught the absolute primacy of Christ. His Perspective Communis was used as a textbook in Optics in many universities.

These British friars were of great importance to the intellectual apostolate of the entire Order. They laid the foundation for a culture of dedication to study that has endured through the centuries to the present day. The evidence of such a dedication is to be found in the foundation and support given to the Franciscan International Study Centre at the University of Kent at Canterbury in England.

It should not be thought that the Friars of the past spent all their time at studies and intellectual pursuits. We have details of these great scholars because they were men who wrote and so preserved for the future the details of their activities. Many more friars in the 13th century imitated St. Francis to the apostolate of preaching to the people generally on "vices and virtues, punishment and glory, with brevity, because Our Lord when on earth kept His word brief" (Regula Bullata, 9).

This apostolate of preaching was not confined to these islands or just to Europe. From the earliest years of the foundation of the Order groups friars set out to North Africa and the Holy Land and eventually to China. These missions often resulted in the martyrdom of individual friars and sometimes failed because of distance from Europe and opposition on the part of the local rulers and pagan priests. Yet the inspiration of St. Francis never dimmed so that the present day the preaching of the Gospel by the friars continues in all parts of the globe.
The modern Franciscan families are conscious of the inheritance given them by the friars who have gone before them right to the time of St. Francis and the first band of brothers. But, the modern friar also looks to the future way of following the Gospel of Jesus Christ in rapidly changing world. No matter how great that challenge the friars are confident that the spirit of St. Francis must live on in them for the service of the whole world.