Original scientific paper
RESTORATION OF THE FRANCISCAN THIRD ORDER IN CROATIA IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Daniel PATAFTA
Abstract
In the Croatian ecclesiastical historiography there are just few studies about the Third Order of St. Francis. Basically there is no serious historiographical work about this organization that has more than century long tradition in Croatia. This is the only Catholic
organization that survived the ending of the World War Two and managed to stay operational even today. Restoration of the Third Order in Croatia is connected to endeavors of the popes – especially Leon XIII – to resist the advancing ideas of liberalism and socialism.
By the end of the nineteenth century, under the auspices of Franciscan parishes and monasteries, one can notice a systematic organizing of the Third Order communities. In the territories of continental Croatia such organizations infiltrated also diocesan parishes. The peak of this process was in the first half of the twentieth century, and by this time Third Order became the most numerous Catholic organization in Croatia. On the basis of
the extant sources author of this article discusses the time of this restoration and flourishing of the Third Order organization in Croatia.
Keywords
Penitential movement; Third Order; Leon XIII; St. Francis Herald; Third Order communities; Franciscan provinces; Association of the Franciscan Third Order; the first meeting of headmasters of the Third Order
Hrčak ID:
135384
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2014.
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