Mendicant Orders

1
Mendicant Orders
2
Religious Communities Compared

• Both Monastic and Mendicant orders share
• took tradition vows
• dedicated their lives to serving God
• lives were centered around community life
• wore identifiable clothing called habits

3
Differences

• Monastic Monks
• Withdrawal from society
• Were self-sufficient
• Gave service through prayer
• Agricultural knowledge, education
• And preservation of knowledge
• Stayed in monasteries

4
Differences

• Mendicants
• Lived with the people in cities
• lived by begging (mendicant) (dependent on
  people)
• Gave direct service to the poor, sick, widows,
  orphans
• moved from town to town

5
Founder of the Order of Preachers
1170-1226 Dominic de Guzman Noble Spanish
family Became a priest He was shocked by
ignorance Albigensian heresy Founded the Order
of Preachers (Dominicans) They become great
teachers and Inquisitors
6
Founder of the Order of Friars Minor

• St. Francis of Assisi
• Wealthy, well respected and popular with peers
• John nicknamed Frenchman for the way he
  dressed
• Went to war against a rival town, fell ill
• Underwent a conversion and gave up all worldly
  possessions
• Devoted his life to healing sick and serving the
  poor with joy and hope
• He created the Christmas Creche scene to
  educated
• His vision rebuild my church
• he connects with the middle class and urban poor