St Bonaventure

Bonaventure, the son of a medical doctor, was born in 1221 at Bagnoreggio, near Orvieto (Italy). He became a Franciscan in 1243. His intellectual gifts were soon recognized and he was sent to Paris to study under Alexander of Hales. In 1248 he received his licence to teach and in 1253 he became Master of the Franciscan school at Paris. His work _The Journey of the Mind to God_ has become an enduring classic.

In 1257, at the early age of 36, he was elected Minister General (i.e., Superior General) of the Franciscan Order. He has been called the second founder of the Franciscan Order. The Franciscans were coming under criticism at the time as a result of a huge increase in numbers, poor organisation attributed to Francis of Assisi with the resulting divisions into factions, with each one claiming to be faithful to the Founder.

While strongly defending the ideals of Francis, Bonaventure insisted, against Francis, on the need for study, on having libraries and proper buildings. He approved of the Friars studying and teaching in universities. He saw the Franciscan role as complementing the work of the diocesan clergy through preaching and spiritual direction. The clergy of the day were often poorly educated and lacking in spirituality.

Within the Franciscans he urged a middle way. He opposed the so-called ‘Spirituals’ who promoted material poverty above all as being the true teaching of Francis. At the same time, his own ideals of a simple life of frugal poverty, hard work and detachment from the rich as well as from riches were a reality in his own life. He wrote a Life of Francis, which was approved by the Chapter of 1266 as the only officially authorised version.

As Minister General he visited Italy, France, Germany, and England. In 1265 he was nominated Archbishop of York by Pope Clement IV but declined the honour. However, in 1273 he was made Cardinal-Bishop of Albano by Pope Gregory X, with a command not to refuse. When the papal messengers called on him, he was washing dishes in the Mugello friary (near Florence). He asked them to wait until he had finished. 

He played a prominent role in the Council of Lyons which was called to bring about a reunion with the Eastern churches. Thomas Aquinas died on his way to the same council. A temporary reunion of the churches was achieved and Bonaventure preached at the Mass of reconciliation. However, he did not live to see Constantinople reject the reunion.

He died on 15 July 1274 at the age of fifty-two.

His achievements in theology and administration should not allow one to forget dominant traits noted by his contemporaries: a gentle courtesy, compassion, and availability. 

Bonaventure was canonised by Pope Sixtus IV in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588. He is often called the Seraphic Doctor.

For Bonaventure, everything is a footprint and a fingerprint revealing the nature of God. And God is the One whose centre is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere. (Try to take a long, loving, and lingering look at something—at anything!) God exists in an unrestricted way in everything. We need to learn to find God in everything and everyone. Perhaps that’s one way to be convinced of God and His love which is without conditions and without expectations. God loves things by “becoming” them: by becoming fully present in them! He can be found in the darkest of our moments, and in the lowest of our feelings. As Jesus teaches us, the only measure and criterion for spiritual things is God’s infinite compassion and never our ability to understand it or perfectly respond to it.