What is a Friar and what do they do?

What is a Friar and what do they do?

Friars and monks are very similar yet quite different.

While in the seminary, there was a popular joke that at one time made the rounds.

Who is the best cook in a monastery?

That would be the chip monk!

Who is the best cook in a friary?

That would be the deep friar!

Let us start with a basic definition shall we.

Friar

A brother. Originally a form of address in general use among the Christian faithful, as is clear from the frequent references to "brother" and "brethren" in the New Testament writings. Later the term came to be used more exclusively by members of religious orders, and finally, since the thirteenth century, it referred to those who belonged to one of the mendicant orders, mainly the Franciscans and Dominicans, although extended to others in the monastic tradition. Strictly speaking, however, a friar differs from a monk in that his ministry engages him in work outside the monastery, whereas traditionally the prayer and labors of a monk are identified within the monastery to which he belongs. (Etym. Old French frère, freire, brother; Latin frater, brother.)

Monk

Originally a hermit or anchorite, but already in the early Church applied to men living a community life in a monastery, under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to a specific rule, such as that of St. Basil or St. Benedict. (Etym. Greek monachos, living alone, solitary.)

Although monks and friars are both professed religious and may or may not be ordained priests, there are many differences.

Monks live in monasteries and are generally cloistered, thus avoiding direct contact with the outside world. They live under an abbot and generally never leave the abbey of their profession.

Friars live in friaries, formed into religious jurisdictions called provinces. Friary may be transferred from one friary to another within their regional province. The superior of a province is known as the Father Provincial, who length of term varies also according to the provincial norms of their institution.

Religious do all the domestic needs to make sure the institution functions well: They recite the Divine Office, attend Mass, do their own cooking and other chores to maintain a clean and healthy friary. Some are employed in hobbies such as painting icons, while others are involved in preaching or working with the local community such as soup kitchens.

Franciscans

The numerous family of men and women religious who trace their spiritual ancestry to St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). The Original Rule written by St. Francis in 1209 is now lost. It was recast in 1221 and brought into final form two years later, when it was approved by Pope Honorius III. Its distinctive feature is the obligation of poverty of disposition, not only for individual members but for each community. The friars (from frères, brothers) were to own no property and were to earn their livelihood by manual labor or begging.

This ideal became the focus of two divergent opinions of poverty in the order. Successive popes gave approval to the more moderate view and, when laxity crept in, favored reform along stricter lines. Eventually three major groups of Franciscans came into being: the Friars Minor, who developed from the Observants allowing no corporate property; the Conventuals, who allowed corporate ownership; and the Capuchins, who strongly emphasized poverty and austerity.

Franciscans have emphasized popular preaching and missionary activity. They have also promoted such popular devotions as the Angelus, the Way of the Cross, and the Crib. They were always strong defenders of the Immaculate Conception, long before the dogma was formally defined by the Church.

The Second Order of Franciscans is contemplative, known as the Poor Clares. There are Third Order Franciscans among men and women engaged in apostolic work and under simple vows. Third Order Secular, popularly called Tertiaries, are lay men and women in the world who follow the Rule of St. Francis according to their states of life. In 1978 Pope Paul VI approved a new Rule for the Franciscan Third Order, and changed the name to Franciscan Secular Order.

Dominicans

The Order of Preachers founded by St. Dominic (1170-1221), whose form took definite shape at two general chapters held in Bologna in 1220 and 1221. Also known as Friars Preachers and in England as Black Friars. Specially devoted to preaching and teaching, they were the first major order to substitute intellectual work for manual labor. At. Dominic's request, the order was to practice not only individual but corporate poverty. In 1475, Pope Sixtus IV revoked the law of corporate poverty and allowed the Dominicans to hold property and have permanent sources of income.

The chief apostolate is educational. There is a careful organized system of teaching which culminates in the Studia Generalia, connected with a college or university. It was especially the Dominicans, who adapted Aristotle (384-322B.C.) to the service of Christianity, following the lead of St. Albertus Magnus (1200-80) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-74).

The popes have used the Dominicans on many missions, including preaching the Crusades and diplomatic service. The Inquisition was regularly staffed by Dominicans, who were therefore caulled "watchdogs of orthodoxy." In the Age of Discovery, they established many pioneer missions in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

There are two orders attached to the Friars Preachers. The Second Order consists of nuns who follow a rule similar to that of the friars but are cloistered and live a contemplative life. Most of the Third Order Sisters live an active life, with apostolic work outside the community. In 1852, Jean Baptiste Lacordaire (1802-61) founded a Third Order for priests with simple vows, which was destroyed by the French anticlerical laws of 1901.

Tradition holds that during St. Dominic’s second visit to Rome, in 1216, he met St. Francis of Assisi in one of the churches there. Both were negotiating with the Holy See through their mutual patron, Cardinal Ugolino, later Pope Gregory IX, to obtain papal confirmation of their respective orders–the Order of Preachers and the Order of Friars Minor. Having seen Francis in a vision the night before, Dominic recognized him and rushed to greet him. A close friendship sprang up between the two, and to this day Dominicans and Franciscans exchange visits on each other’s founder’s feast days as a sign of unity towards a common goal. The mutual influences of St. Dominic and St. Francis can be seen in the development of their orders: St. Francis may have influenced St. Dominic to expand the practice of the vow of poverty, and the Friars Minor adopted the Dominican constitutional system as a result of their turbulent history after St. Francis’ death. Tradition holds that St. Francis was a deacon and not a priest.

As a result of this blessed encounter between the two founder or Religious Orders, there. developed a tradition of inviting a Franciscan to preach on the Feast of St. Dominic (August 8) in Dominican Friaries and inviting a Dominican to preach on the Feast of St. Francis (October 4) in Franciscan Friaries.

The Feast of St. Francis ~ An Enduring Friendship ~ St. Francis and St. Dominic