The world of Philip II --
Philip II following the prescriptions of the Council of Trent and already begun with the work of reform initiated by his father Charles V he set forth to reform the Catholic Church throughout his dominion among the secular clergy but even more systematically among the religious institutes. The person responsible to see this reform throughout Spain with full faculties to visit convents and monasteries, appoint superiors, visitators, commissaries Apostolics was Bishop Felipe Sega the Nuncio Apostolic of Madrid. Philip II wanted to reduce conventuals or the so called «clausúrales» in observants. There was two criteria or two ways to understand religious life claustrales and observantes, calced and discalced and this had produced a grapple that slowly favoured the observance way of religious life especially those Order which had sprouted or began with a Primitive Rule.
Philip II following the prescriptions of the Council of Trent and already begun with the work of reform initiated by his father Charles V he set forth to reform the Catholic Church throughout his dominion among the secular clergy but even more systematically among the religious institutes. The person responsible to see this reform throughout Spain with full faculties to visit convents and monasteries, appoint superiors, visitators, commissaries Apostolics was Bishop Felipe Sega the Nuncio Apostolic of Madrid. Philip II wanted to reduce conventuals or the so called «clausúrales» in observants. There was two criteria or two ways to understand religious life claustrales and observantes, calced and discalced and this had produced a grapple that slowly favoured the observance way of religious life especially those Order which had sprouted or began with a Primitive Rule.
After several attempts to find a resolution to and implement the reform, Philip II in 1567 began to take the first steps with the help of the papal breve Superioribus mensibus which codified the Spanish reform as Pope Pius V had personally taken interest in the Church of Philip II. The Norms produced worked in abolishing conventualism and the obligation to induce all religious of cloister into the observance giving specific instructions of this to the Franciscans, Premonstratensians (Norbertines), Hieronymites, Carmelites, Mercedarians and Trinitarians. The approach for reform between Madrid and Rome was to not make any juridical innovations but to gradually change according to the suggestions of the Pope.
The ideal of the Observance was in the air in most convents and monasteries in Spain. Its objective was to instil a way of life in the community of discipline and rigor which had been designed by their respective founders. However, the reality was that this movement carried with it great spontaneity, which was not always compatible with the official discipline in force in religious communities. The Sega, the nuncio in Madrid, had received his instructions from the Secretary of State in the Holy See in Rome which it read: «The Orders (Mercedarian, Trinitarians, Carmelites), due to the negligence of their superiors were very relaxed. And Our Holy Father is pleased with plan for reform of ecclesiastical persons especially the Regulars (religious belonging to the traditional Orders) who had vowed to a life of austerity. He wishes that the reform or corrections for abuses proceed with prudence and discreetness lest the medicine designed to heal the wound prove to be poison instead.» His instructions indicated that he should allow the General Superiors to elect their own commissaries and visitors since they will be more effective administratively, but if the superiors neglect in any way Sega had authority to intervene directly. And so Philip II concurred with Saga in allowing the religious to begin reforming themselves without outside intervention.
The Carmelite Reform -
Long before the arrival of Sega, was the famous nuncio Nicolas Ornamento who appointed Jerónimo Gracián as Visitator to the Carmelites in Castile and Andalucía in 1573-1574. However, at the request of Philip II, Pope Gregory XIII had appointed as Visitor Apostolic for the process of the Carmelite reform in Spain the Dominicans Pedro Fernandéz, in charge of the Carmelite Province of Castile and Francisco de Vargas, overseeing the Province of Andalucía. The General of the Carmelite Order in Rome (Traspontina) P. Rubeo was able to persuade Gregory XIII to retract the appointments of the two Dominicans arguing that a Carmelite assigned as Visitator would be better match for the job and to prevent that a reform of the discalced friars would cause a separation in the Order. The General Chapter of 1575 was celebrated in Piacenza (just south of Milan) and Jerónimo Tostado was elected as Visitator of the Spanish Carmelites. With Tostado´s appointment, Rubeo hoped to fulfil a second objective: to put a stop to the type of reform which the discalced friars had begun, since they had founded more monasteries than permitted by him and through this a division in the Order could arise. With two Visitators Gracián and Tostado, head to head, there was bound to be strong confrontations, arguments and problems for the Order.
Long before the arrival of Sega, was the famous nuncio Nicolas Ornamento who appointed Jerónimo Gracián as Visitator to the Carmelites in Castile and Andalucía in 1573-1574. However, at the request of Philip II, Pope Gregory XIII had appointed as Visitor Apostolic for the process of the Carmelite reform in Spain the Dominicans Pedro Fernandéz, in charge of the Carmelite Province of Castile and Francisco de Vargas, overseeing the Province of Andalucía. The General of the Carmelite Order in Rome (Traspontina) P. Rubeo was able to persuade Gregory XIII to retract the appointments of the two Dominicans arguing that a Carmelite assigned as Visitator would be better match for the job and to prevent that a reform of the discalced friars would cause a separation in the Order. The General Chapter of 1575 was celebrated in Piacenza (just south of Milan) and Jerónimo Tostado was elected as Visitator of the Spanish Carmelites. With Tostado´s appointment, Rubeo hoped to fulfil a second objective: to put a stop to the type of reform which the discalced friars had begun, since they had founded more monasteries than permitted by him and through this a division in the Order could arise. With two Visitators Gracián and Tostado, head to head, there was bound to be strong confrontations, arguments and problems for the Order.
Since his arrival to the Nunciature in Madrid in the summer of 1577 Bishop Sega was briefed regarding the situation with the Carmelites by the Archbishop of Toledo who warned him not to take any action without the King of Spain knowing about it since the problem with the Carmelites was grave. Sega seeks to find peace among the quarrelling Carmelites by writing to the Carmelite Protector in Rome Cardinal Buoncompagni that very same year of his arrival in 1577. He also seeks support from the Carmelite in Rome so as to defend the right of the Order in General before the discalced informing of the negative impacted caused by Gracián which «had infringed so much harm to many friars of the province to the point of causing some to leave the Order» he continues, «So as Protector of the Order I beg you to find a solution for these scandals caused by Gracián» (ASV, Nunz. Madrid). Using his ecclesiastical faculties, Sega on July 23, 1578 abolishes the powers granted Gracián admonishing him to render all official documents and reports of Visitator. To the Secretary of State, Sega reports «I have fought to have Jerónimo Tostado as Visitor for Spain appointed by the General of the Carmelites...since we had encountered so much resistance placed there by these discalced friars from the same Order. Turning to these discalced I was able to successful in depriving fra. Jerónimo Gracián from any further work. He was appointed Visitator by the Bishop of Padua (Ornamento), who was at the origin of so many inconveniences. I have taken away from him, delegation and licenses,…and deprived of all authority I have arrested and placed him in the prison of the monastery of Pastrana where he has pledge obedience.» [ASV, Nunz. Madrid]
Chapter of Almodóvar 1578 –
Sega had only agitated the situation even more. Fr. Antonio de Jesús first definitor of the discalced friars [decided on the Chapter of Almodóvar of 1576] out of his own initiative convoked a second Chapter in Almodóvar on October 9, 1578 with the objective to elect a Provincial to replace the imprisoned Gracián. The Chapter of the discalced friars was attended only by a few, Antonio de Jesús, Gregorio Nacianceno, Ambrosio de San Pedro, Pedro de los Angeles, and John of the Cross. Antonio de Jesús in Almodóvar was elected as Provincial. Upon news of the Chapter in Almodóvar (which has become historically known in the Order as the «Capitula») seem to be a dare or provocation in reaction to the Nucio´s treatment of Gracián. Sega published a decree on the 16 of October 1578 subjecting all the discalced friars to the jurisdiction of the provincials of Castile, Juan Gutierrez de la Magdalena and Andalucía Diego de Cárdenas and had nullified the entire Chapter including the election of the provincial until the Holy See could decide what to do.
Sega had only agitated the situation even more. Fr. Antonio de Jesús first definitor of the discalced friars [decided on the Chapter of Almodóvar of 1576] out of his own initiative convoked a second Chapter in Almodóvar on October 9, 1578 with the objective to elect a Provincial to replace the imprisoned Gracián. The Chapter of the discalced friars was attended only by a few, Antonio de Jesús, Gregorio Nacianceno, Ambrosio de San Pedro, Pedro de los Angeles, and John of the Cross. Antonio de Jesús in Almodóvar was elected as Provincial. Upon news of the Chapter in Almodóvar (which has become historically known in the Order as the «Capitula») seem to be a dare or provocation in reaction to the Nucio´s treatment of Gracián. Sega published a decree on the 16 of October 1578 subjecting all the discalced friars to the jurisdiction of the provincials of Castile, Juan Gutierrez de la Magdalena and Andalucía Diego de Cárdenas and had nullified the entire Chapter including the election of the provincial until the Holy See could decide what to do.
Advisory Comission 20 Dic. 1578 -
To resolved the problem an Advisory Commission was formed again this time without interference from the Carmelites. The Commission included the most valuable member who had turned the events in favour of the discalced, the Dominican Fr. Pedro Fernández. The commission had begun to study the case systematically with all the documentation confiscated. Among the most important findings was a document addressed to the Calced Carmelite Fr. Angel de Salazar which had made him legitimately in charge of the two Provincials of the discalced friars in Castile and Andalucía once their faculties expired on October 16, 1578, Angel de Salazar remained and assumed the role of Vicar General, independent of any Calced Provincial and with authority over the discalced and the houses in Castile and Andalucia, to govern, visit or discipline. The instruction attached to that important document (Fontes 2, IHT, pp. 86ff) spoke about the discalced vicariate indicating that it was important that the discalced needed to return to observe the primitive Rule in case they were to fall under Superiors of the mitigated Rule due to a change in leadership. It was prohibited that the Calced crossed over the Discalced or Discalced return to the Calced. Regarding the nuns it was insisted upon that no one should exit except if her office called for it and that their confessors should not be Calced friars.
To resolved the problem an Advisory Commission was formed again this time without interference from the Carmelites. The Commission included the most valuable member who had turned the events in favour of the discalced, the Dominican Fr. Pedro Fernández. The commission had begun to study the case systematically with all the documentation confiscated. Among the most important findings was a document addressed to the Calced Carmelite Fr. Angel de Salazar which had made him legitimately in charge of the two Provincials of the discalced friars in Castile and Andalucía once their faculties expired on October 16, 1578, Angel de Salazar remained and assumed the role of Vicar General, independent of any Calced Provincial and with authority over the discalced and the houses in Castile and Andalucia, to govern, visit or discipline. The instruction attached to that important document (Fontes 2, IHT, pp. 86ff) spoke about the discalced vicariate indicating that it was important that the discalced needed to return to observe the primitive Rule in case they were to fall under Superiors of the mitigated Rule due to a change in leadership. It was prohibited that the Calced crossed over the Discalced or Discalced return to the Calced. Regarding the nuns it was insisted upon that no one should exit except if her office called for it and that their confessors should not be Calced friars.
The news of this document was received with great joy by the discalced. With this finding on hand the Nuncio saw a way out of the polemics between the calced and discalced and with the support of Philip II, Sega could foresee the official establishment of an autonomous province for the discalced. The documentation on 15 July 1579 was presented to Philip II and was approved (Fontes II, pp. 99 ff). A representative from the Spanish Royal Court stationed in Rome informed the King of the decision by the Holy Father in conceding the formation of an autonomous province without any input from the Carmelite Generalate in Rome, the message read: «The Holy Father having reviewed the reports and documents submitted by the General Chapter, despite the opposition from the Calced, the consistory today consisting of the Cardinals was heard by the Holy Father and after a few inquiries to the discalced friars he granted to them their own Province and Provincial, just like your Majesty had wished».
Breve of separation -
On June 22, 1580 Pope Gregory XIII gave the breve «Pia consideratione» In the Breve of separation the Order was reminded of its origins renewing its rigour in the spirit of the discalced. By the time the breve Pia consideratione was published the discalced had 22 houses established 300 friars and 200 nuns. This new group differed from the calced in all matters, the spirit of penance in taking the discipline, barefooted, sack cloth, beds made of wooden boards, worked with their bare hands, practiced hours mental prayer the celebrated the Liturgy of the Hours without signing or a accompaniment. The decree was expedited by the Pope on August 30, 1580 granting Pedro Fernandez authority and appointing as protector of the new Order Cardinal San Sixto [ASV, Segre. Brevi. Libri 66] With the approval of Philip II preparations were made for the first Provincial Chapter for the election of the new Provincial schedule for Alcala at the convent of San Cirilo on March 3, 1581.
On June 22, 1580 Pope Gregory XIII gave the breve «Pia consideratione» In the Breve of separation the Order was reminded of its origins renewing its rigour in the spirit of the discalced. By the time the breve Pia consideratione was published the discalced had 22 houses established 300 friars and 200 nuns. This new group differed from the calced in all matters, the spirit of penance in taking the discipline, barefooted, sack cloth, beds made of wooden boards, worked with their bare hands, practiced hours mental prayer the celebrated the Liturgy of the Hours without signing or a accompaniment. The decree was expedited by the Pope on August 30, 1580 granting Pedro Fernandez authority and appointing as protector of the new Order Cardinal San Sixto [ASV, Segre. Brevi. Libri 66] With the approval of Philip II preparations were made for the first Provincial Chapter for the election of the new Provincial schedule for Alcala at the convent of San Cirilo on March 3, 1581.
Alcala 1581 -
The Chapter opened with 20 priors with their socius in that month of March 3. They proceeded with election of Jerónimo Gracián as the new Provincial, Nicolás Doria as first councilor Antonio de Jesús as second councillor, John of the Cross as third and Gabriel de la Asunción fourth. The constitutions which were in part work of Gracián were approved 16 of March. Philip II, content with the worked accomplished writes to Sega: « I take pleasure in the celebration of the Provincial Chapter of the discalced Carmelites and on the election of their new provincial through your mediation and good leadership, we are grateful to you».
The Chapter opened with 20 priors with their socius in that month of March 3. They proceeded with election of Jerónimo Gracián as the new Provincial, Nicolás Doria as first councilor Antonio de Jesús as second councillor, John of the Cross as third and Gabriel de la Asunción fourth. The constitutions which were in part work of Gracián were approved 16 of March. Philip II, content with the worked accomplished writes to Sega: « I take pleasure in the celebration of the Provincial Chapter of the discalced Carmelites and on the election of their new provincial through your mediation and good leadership, we are grateful to you».
Pontifical approval -
Subsequent popes have reconfirmed the discalced friars. Pope Sixtus V, through a papal bull on September 20, 1586 approving of the province of discalced in Spain. By 1587 Sixtus V approved the discalced as one proper Congregation with its own statutes and privileges. The regulation and statutes were finalized with the breve Salvatoris nostris in 1592. And on December 20 1593 Clement VIII elevated the Congregation of discalced friars to the rank of Order within the Carmelite family.
Subsequent popes have reconfirmed the discalced friars. Pope Sixtus V, through a papal bull on September 20, 1586 approving of the province of discalced in Spain. By 1587 Sixtus V approved the discalced as one proper Congregation with its own statutes and privileges. The regulation and statutes were finalized with the breve Salvatoris nostris in 1592. And on December 20 1593 Clement VIII elevated the Congregation of discalced friars to the rank of Order within the Carmelite family.
