Home | History | General | Little Union - 01 | Little Union - 07 ID 2506 Little Union - 07 Augustinian House of Studies, Kang-hwa South Korea When they were founded, many religious orders had to wait some time for their constitutions and statutes to be formulated and given papal approval.   This was not the case with the amalgamation of the Tuscan hermits at the Little Union of 1244. For a number of reasons, that first chapter meeting was able to formulate and agree on constitutions before they departed.   One of the reasons that made such rapid progress possible was the presidency of the chapter by Cardinal Richard Annibaldi. He was one of the most influential churchmen in the Roman Curia (the official governance of the Catholic Church) at that time.   Appointed by the Pope to convoke and conduct the Little Union, Annibaldi knew what the pope would require of the new Tuscan grouping, and furthermore had easy access to ensure that the Constitutions were promulgated by the pope.   Some sections of the Constitutions were approved by the papal bull, Pia desideria, of 31st March 1244, which was the same month in which the Chapter took place.   Other parts of the Constitutions covered matters that the Pope had approved before the Chapter gathered. For example, his bull Incumbit nobis of 1243 granted the Rule of Saint Augustine as the way of life of all who became part of the new Tuscan grouping of 1244, regardless of what community rule they had followed previously.   The Little Union may have ended before 23rd March 1244, because on that day the papal bull Vota devotorum approved the wish of the Chapter that Augustinians who were priests about their permission to hear sacramental confessions.   Papal concern that the new Order be protected in its infancy was demonstrated by a rapid succession of papal favours.   On 23rd March 1244 the pope gave the amalgamated Tuscan hermits the faculty to preach and administer the Sacrament of reconciliation, and other rights and privileges three and five days later.   On 26th April 1244 the bull, Religiosam vitam eligentibus, which was common to all new religious orders, gave them exempt status in church law.   (Continued on the next page.) ID2506 << Previous    Next >> Little Union - 07  History: bibliography  History summary - 01  Canons begin - 01  Canons: Augustinian - 01  Via Francigena - 01  Early hermitages  Mendicant movement - 01  Little Union - 01 Little Union - 02 Little Union - 03 Little Union - 04 Little Union - 05 Little Union - 06    Little Union - 07 Little Union - 08 Little Union - 09  Grand Union - 01  Grand Union: members - 01  First Hundred Years: Introduction  The question of poverty - 01  Discipline - 01  Carmelite Friars - 01  Augustinians of the Assumption - 01  Sack Friars - 01  Augustinian Recollects  Augustinian Constitutions - 01  Humanism - 01  Renaissance - 01  Observant movement - 01  14th Century: Introduction  15th Century: Introduction  16th Century: Introduction  Reformation: Introduction  Reformation - 01  17th-18th Centuries: Introduction  19th Century: Introduction

About | Daily Bread | News | Guestbook | Contact | Sitemap | Disclaimer Augnet - Your reference site to Saint Augustine of Hippo and the Order of Saint Augustine Copyright 2010 www.augnet.org | Website by Spirit Media Australia