and for the Church. St. Bonaventure Concerning Membership & Obligations canonically established confraternity or be relates several miracles which were wrought (from the Third Order of St. Francis Handbook, sent to the Father Superior of the Sacro through he cord of St. Francis. In the pp. 431-4.) Convento, Assisi. course of time Cordbearers banded 336. Membership. All good Catholics together and formed confraternities. By the of both sexes may receive the cord of St. Spiritual benefits of the Cordbearers (as constitution En Supernae Dispositionis of Francis. It is especially desirable that given by the Traditional Capuchin Friars of Morgon, France, June A.D. 2010): November 19, 1585, Sixtus V erected the school children do so. A well-conducted Archconfraternity of the Cord of St. Francis confraternity of Cordbearers is an excellent Although the previous indulgences in the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Francis at preparatory school for the Third Order. have been removed, new plenary Assisi, endowed it with indulgences and indulgences were accorded in 1972 to No obligations binding under sin are authorized the Minister General of the Friars Cordbearers. These may be gained under assumed. The wearing of the cord is a Minor Conventual to erect confraternities the usual conditions with the requirement necessary condition for gaining the and aggregate them to the that on each occasion one renews his indulgences and sharing the spiritual Archconfraternity. On August 29, 1587, he commitment to the Archconfraternity of the benefits [emphasis added]. The granted the Minister General of the Minors Cord, being inscribed in the register and Cordbearers are advised to recite daily five Observant the faculty to erect confraternities observing its statutes, in particular, the daily Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glorys to the in churches of his Order. On June 27, wearing of the Cord. 1622, Gregory XV conceded this faculty to five wounds of Our Lord and in honor of St. the Minister General of the Third Order Francis and one Our Father, Hail Mary and Archconfraternity members can gain a Regular and Pius X, through a rescript of Glory for the intention of the Pope. They plenary indulgence on the following days: the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences of are expected to attend the customary December 14, 1904 to the Minors monthly processions where these are held. 1. The day on which one is enrolled in the ∗ Cord. Capuchin. All should zealously practice the virtues symbolized by the cord. th St. Benedict-Joseph Labre is honored 2. February 18 — St. Bernadette as the patron of the Cordbearers. He was What has been said of the material 3. April 16th — St. Benedict Joseph Labre born at Amettes, France on March 26, 1748; thickness of the Tertiary cord applies also to † 4. June 13th — St. Anthony of Padua he received the cord at Assisi on the cord of Francis. Fervent Cordbearers November 20, 1770, died in Rome on wear it day and night [emphasis added]. 5. August 25th — St. Louis, King of France April 16, 1783, and was canonized by Leo At the reception the cord must be blessed 6. September 4th — St. Rose of Viterbo XIII on December 8, 1881. He distinguished by a priest who has the necessary faculty. himself by detachment from the world, … The names of those who receive the 7. October 4th — St. Francis of Assisi heroic self-denial and an extraordinary love cord must be inscribed in the register of a th 8. December 8 — The Immaculate for God and his fellow men. † “The cord is an essential part of the Tertiary garb…. Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary It is made of wool, cotton, flax or hemp. Costly material although not invalid, would not be in The Cordbearer benfits as well from the keeping with the Franciscan spirit. There are no prayers, Masses and merits offered by the prescriptions concerning its thickness, but it must be members of the three Franciscan Orders, as ∗ Transcriber’s Note: The First Order of the great a cord not a mere string. It is customary to make well as by the special intercession of those Franciscan Family is divided into three major groups: three or five knots near the ends in memory of the who are in Heaven, as the enrollment the Friars Minor Conventual, the Minors Observant, Blessed Trinity or of the Five Wounds of Jesus” ceremony assures them: “In virtue of the and the Minors Capuchin. (Third Order of St. Francis Handbook, No. 79). authority which has been conceded to me, I receive and remit to you all the spiritual preserve our bodies and souls chaste and goods enjoyed by the whole Order of our undefiled, free from the least impurity either Seraphic Father, St. Francis, by the grace by thought, word or deed. The cord is further of God.” a symbol or perpetual memorial of Christ’s Passion, and of those rough cords with which Further Signification of the Cord He was cruelly bound by the Jews, tied to a According to Father Pacificus Baker, pillar, and dragged to His Crucifixion. O.F.M. in his Essay on the Cord of the All who enroll may choose a Cordbearer Seraphical Father St. Francis (A.D. 1792): Name. Usually (though not necessarily) this As the design of this Confraternity is to new heavenly patron will be chosen from one refresh the minds of devout Christians with a of the Franciscan Orders. daily remembrance of the Passion of their THE ARCHCONFRATERNITY OF THE dear Redeemer, that they may more CORD OF ST. FRANCIS effectually do this, the members of it wear a cord, wherein are made five knots in honour 1) Wear the Cord always. The Cord of St. Francis is a sacramental and remembrance of the five wounds of Our 2) Pray daily the 5 (+1) Paters, Aves similar to the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Blessed Saviour. This cord must first be and Glorias. Mt. Carmel. Just as one wears the scapular blessed by a Superior of the Order of St. as a sign of devotion to Our Lady, so one Francis, or some other priest to whom power 3) Study to imitate the life and the virtues of St. Francis. becomes a Cordbearer out of devotion to St. is given to admit persons into the Francis of Assisi and in honor of the Sacred Confraternity, who, putting it about the waist Passion of Christ. All Catholics — adults of the person admitted, gives it to him as a symbol of penance, and chastity, and a and children (having reached the age of perpetual memorial of Christ’s Passion; that reason) — may be enrolled in the Cord. with St. Paul we may learn to glory in the Priests, Religious and members of the various Cross of Christ. It is a symbol of penance, to Third Orders are not excluded. Some priests put us in mind that as sinners we ought daily TO BECOME A CORDBEARER of the Society of St. Pius X are Cordbearers. to do penance for our sins, and to offer up to God, especially in the Holy Mass, the infinite History of the Cord of St. Francis (from the Contact Rev. Father Jacques Emily Third Order of St. Francis Handbook, pp. 431-4.) merits of Christ’s sufferings in satisfaction for Saint Aloysius Retreat House our sins. The life of a Christian ought to be a P.O. Box 1379 334. Historical Notes. (…) The life of penance, as the holy Council of Trent Los Gatos, CA 95031-1379 Cordbearers are not a part of the Third observes. Penance is absolutely necessary Order. They were not instituted by St. Email: [email protected]. for us, sinners as we are. Truth itself has Francis, but their origin dates back to his said, “Unless you do penance, you shall all time. One day his friend St. Dominic asked If you have interest in perish” (Lk. xiii). The cord is also a symbol of the Third Order of him for his cord. Dominic wore it for the rest chastity, to inform us that as Christians we St. Francis you may also inquire with of his life. Many of the devout faithful are consecrated temples of the Holy Ghost Father Emily as listed above. Information followed his example. They wore the cord by baptism, children of God, and heirs of on the Third Order may also be found at: as a symbol of penance and humility, and to heaven, into which no unclean thing shall sspx.org/third_orders/tosf/tosf.htm. honor St. Francis and obtain graces through enter. Our great care then must be to his intercession for themselves, for others .