Conrad of Offida
Encyclopedia
The Blessed
Conrad of Offida was an Italian
Friar Minor preacher and founder of the Celestines
.
, a little town in the March of Ancona
, c. 1241. When barely fourteen years old he entered the Order of Friars Minor at Ascoli
, and was making rapid progress in the study of sacred sciences, when an internal voice called him to humbler offices of the religious life. He therefore abandoned his studies with the consent of his superiors, and for many years was employed as cook and questor.
His superiors subsequently had him ordained and sent him forth to preach. Conrad modelled his life after that of his seraphic father, St. Francis
. He was especially zealous for the observance of poverty. During his long religious life he always wore the same habit
and always walked without sandals.
The early legend declares that Conrad's guardian angel was the same that had formerly fulfilled this office for St. Francis, and that Blessed Giles came back to earth to teach him the mysteries of contemplation. When Brother Leo (Leo of Assisi), the companion and confessor of St. Francis, was dying, he sent for Conrad and made him the depositary of his writings. Conrad was allied with Angelo Clareno and intimately united with John of La Penna, John of Parma
, Peter of John Olivi, Peter of Monticello and others of the "Spirituals".
In 1294 he obtained permission from pope Celestine V to separate from the main body of the order and found the Celestines
by whom the rule of St. Francis was observed in all its purity. When this congregation was suppressed by Boniface VIII, Conrad immediately returned under the authority of the superiors of the order. The letter written in 1295 by Peter of John Olivi to Conrad in which the legitimacy of Boniface VIII's election is defended, has been edited by Ignatius Jeiler (Historisches Jahrbuch, III, 649).
During a course of missions he was giving at Bastia
in Umbria
, he died on 12 December 1306 at the age of about sixty-five years and was buried in that place.
ns and buried at San Francesco, reposing beside those of Blessed Giles in the choir of the cathedral at Perugia.
Pope Pius VII in 1817 ratified the cult
of Blessed
Conrad.
His liturgical feast is kept in the Order of Friars Minor on 19 December.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Conrad of Offida was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Friar Minor preacher and founder of the Celestines
Celestines
Celestines are a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called Hermits of St Damiano, or Moronites , and did not assume the appellation of Celestines until after the election of their founder to the Papacy as...
.
Biography
Conrad was born at OffidaOffida
Offida is a comune in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about 80 km south of Ancona and about 12 km northeast of Ascoli Piceno, on a rocky spur between the valleys of the Tesino and Tronto rivers.-History:The origins of Offida are debated...
, a little town in the March of Ancona
March of Ancona
The March of Ancona or marca Anconitana was a frontier march centred on the city of Ancona and, then, Macerata in the Middle Ages...
, c. 1241. When barely fourteen years old he entered the Order of Friars Minor at Ascoli
Ascoli
-Places of Italy:*Ascoli Piceno, a city and provincial seat in Marche*Ascoli Satriano, a town in the Province of Foggia*Porto d'Ascoli, a civil parish of San Benedetto del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno*Province of Ascoli Piceno, a province of the Marche...
, and was making rapid progress in the study of sacred sciences, when an internal voice called him to humbler offices of the religious life. He therefore abandoned his studies with the consent of his superiors, and for many years was employed as cook and questor.
His superiors subsequently had him ordained and sent him forth to preach. Conrad modelled his life after that of his seraphic father, St. Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
. He was especially zealous for the observance of poverty. During his long religious life he always wore the same habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
and always walked without sandals.
The early legend declares that Conrad's guardian angel was the same that had formerly fulfilled this office for St. Francis, and that Blessed Giles came back to earth to teach him the mysteries of contemplation. When Brother Leo (Leo of Assisi), the companion and confessor of St. Francis, was dying, he sent for Conrad and made him the depositary of his writings. Conrad was allied with Angelo Clareno and intimately united with John of La Penna, John of Parma
John of Parma
Blessed John of Parma was an Italian Franciscan, and Minister General of the Friars Minor .-Biography:Giovanni was born at Parma about 1209; his family name was probably Buralli. Educated by an uncle, chaplain of the church of St. Lazarus at Parma, his progress in learning was such that he quickly...
, Peter of John Olivi, Peter of Monticello and others of the "Spirituals".
In 1294 he obtained permission from pope Celestine V to separate from the main body of the order and found the Celestines
Celestines
Celestines are a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called Hermits of St Damiano, or Moronites , and did not assume the appellation of Celestines until after the election of their founder to the Papacy as...
by whom the rule of St. Francis was observed in all its purity. When this congregation was suppressed by Boniface VIII, Conrad immediately returned under the authority of the superiors of the order. The letter written in 1295 by Peter of John Olivi to Conrad in which the legitimacy of Boniface VIII's election is defended, has been edited by Ignatius Jeiler (Historisches Jahrbuch, III, 649).
During a course of missions he was giving at Bastia
Bastia
Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the northeast of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. It is also the second-largest city in Corsica after Ajaccio and the capital of the department....
in Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, he died on 12 December 1306 at the age of about sixty-five years and was buried in that place.
Veneration
Fifty-six years later his remains were carried off by the PerugiaPerugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
ns and buried at San Francesco, reposing beside those of Blessed Giles in the choir of the cathedral at Perugia.
Pope Pius VII in 1817 ratified the cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
of Blessed
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Conrad.
His liturgical feast is kept in the Order of Friars Minor on 19 December.