Why were friars important

A medieval friar was a special kind of monk who was considerably different from the monks of the earlier times.

A medieval friar followed a certain kind of lifestyle which was based on the concept of penance as laid down in the Gospel and travelled to spread the word of God.

Various orders of friars existed during the medieval times. A medieval friar wandered from place to place delivering sermons and begging alms. Due to this culture of begging and life of extreme poverty, friars were also called mendicant orders. A medieval friar was not allowed to beg for cash and was forbidden to accept donations during preaching.

Thus they would only accept food and clothing. Since a medieval friar travelled from place to place, he did not have any set daily routine. Usually, the Apostolic Colleges sent the friars to specific location. A medieval friar enjoyed a unique status in the hierarchy of the Church.

Each order has its own mission or apostolate , within the Catholic Church. There are other orders, each with its own apostolate, but all friars share some duties in common. All friars take vows of chastity. They also take vows of poverty, not only giving up worldly possessions when they join the order but future possessions.

If a man writes a bestselling religious book after becoming a friar, the royalties go to the order, not to him personally. Becoming a friar isn't like choosing a college major. Those who join an order do so because they feel called to serve God. Even if you feel that call, you still have to meet an Order's requirements. The U. Franciscans, for example, have several basics:. The Franciscan Order divides its operations into provinces around the world.

If you think you might have the calling, locate your province on the Order's website and then make contact. The province's vocation minister will call you back. If things go well, you eventually attend a Discernment Weekend to talk in detail with members of the order. If they like what they see, they'll invite you to begin formal religious training. Fraser Sherman has written about every aspect of working life: the importance of professional ethics, the challenges of business communication, workers' rights and how to cope with bullying bosses.

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