The first two days in August are very special days in Multyfarnham as the community of Franciscan Friars celebrate the traditional Feast of the Portiuncula with its associated plenary indulgence. This odd sounding name is, in fact, a kind of religious nickname for the little church in Assisi where St Francis founded his community of brothers and sisters dedicated to a lifestyle promoting radical Gospel values. The official title of the church is “Our Lady of the Angels,” which also confirms the tender devotion Francis had to the Mother of Jesus, who gave birth to the Saviour in the poverty of Bethlehem’s crib.
The meaning of the term “Portiuncula” is “little portion” or “small plot of land,” being linked to the notion of inheritance in a rather ironic way! The irony rests in the contrast between what would have been the worldly inheritance Francis could have expected when his earthly father died, viz. the family clothing business, which represented the youthful Francis, man about town, deeply concerned about fashion and impressing his peers.
But the gradual conversion of Francis, which led to his dramatic confrontation with his father and family in a crowded square in the presence of the bishop, handing back his clothes to his dad and committing himself to serving his heavenly Father instead, implied that a new inheritance awaited him, the calling to “rebuild the church” which all could see was falling into ruin, i.e. in drastic need of reform.
The Portiuncula was the third ruined church Francis was committed to rebuilding, and it was the place where he one day heard a priest read the Gospel passage in which Our Lord sent out his apostles two by two, without any resources, to preach the good news of the Kingdom and relying on the generosity of their hearers for basic support.
The irony lies in the fact that this little chapel, which still exists today and is protected by an overarching basilica in Assisi, belonged to the Benedictines from whom the saint “rented” the property for a yearly basket of fish! This little portion has remained a symbol of the Franciscan inheritance, the calling or vocation of Francis which he passed on to so many followers over the centuries.
To the horror of many of the townspeople of Assisi, this “madman”, who started off begging stones to rebuild ruined churches, attracted so many of their sons and daughters to join this movement, which would soon become a world-wide order of Friars Minor, Poor Clares and lay people in the Third Order. In a matter of years, his followers would die as martyrs while attempting to preach to the Muslims in Morocco, causing a young priest in Portugal by the name of Fernando to leave his comfortable monastery and throw in his lot with Francis in Italy. He would be given a new name, Anthony, and would, in time, become perhaps even more famous than the man who inspired him to become a great preacher and miracle worker. This man was, of course, St Anthony of Padua!
Within forty years or so, the little brothers of St Francis, would find their way to this remote island of ours on the westernmost edge of Europe, settling in places like Multyfarnham. And, no doubt, those intrepid missionaries, would have celebrated their inheritance from their founder by establishing the Portiuncula Indulgence in the rolling hills of this part of Westmeath.
And generation after generation of friars stayed and stayed in this sacred place, especially through centuries of persecution, dedicated to serving the people of this area and region. No wonder, it has been said of Multyfarnham Abbey that it has functioned as the “Portiuncula of the Irish Province” a location that speaks so eloquently of the inheritance which is the calling of Francis and Clare handed down through the years.
At this stage in my reflection, it must be clear that there is more than one meaning of the term “inheritance.” Often, in common use, the word refers to some “thing” – typically property, money, or personal items such as jewellery left by a deceased relation or friend. However, I am pointing to other uses which are harder to pin down because they are not about material realities; rather they are about what we could call values passed on from generation to generation.
The obvious example for me is that of a religious tradition, a faith passed down from parents and (more and more) grandparents to the young. This consists of spiritual values such as a family praying in unison as in the case of the rosary, or other family prayer recited together, going to Mass on Sunday and many other examples depending on the religious culture and personal preference.
Also, of primary importance are moral values based on God’s word in scripture and the wise traditions of the Church over the centuries, including of course the lives of the saints. How sad it is when many in the younger generation reject this precious inheritance! Few, indeed, will say no to the family home or the parental bank account, but more and more “noses will be turned up” to the greater value of a living faith operating through practical love and justice.
Another example of value inheritance is our unique culture, which includes the Christian tradition, but also extends to music, literature, sport, and our native language. Often, these practices can be taken for granted and while some seem to be going strong, e.g., sport and music, the speaking of our native tongue is sadly on the wane, with some notable exceptions. Let’s not forget that heritage is also a form of inheritance.
Then what about the wider creation as our inheritance passed on by our ancestors? We hear so much these days about climate change and the ways in which humanity is acting irresponsibly in its relationship with the earth, our common home. Alongside the other examples given, this reminds us that an inheritance is not just a gift to be enjoyed but a responsibility to be maintained, a strict obligation to pass on the gift to our descendants. We don’t want the people of the future cursing us for squandering their inheritance like the Prodigal Son.
The failure to care responsibly for creation is a further example of how we humans can pass on a negative inheritance to the coming generations. Not all adults are virtuous and good living. Some families embrace a life of crime, and this bad example extends also to other groups and whole societies, including the Christian Church with its combination of saints and sinners, the mixed harvest of wheat and weeds as mentioned in the Gospel parable (Mt.13:24-30).
Such an inheritance may require the recipients to atone for the sins of their ancestors as sons and daughters may be liable for the debts incurred by their erring parents!
Returning to the story of St Francis and the inheritance he has passed on since his death in 1226 (eight centuries ago next year) symbolised by the Portiuncula, his little portion, we must never ignore the fact that the most precious inheritance will always be personal, for example the love of our parents, family members and friends living on in our often bitter-sweet memories.
However, for the little poor man of Assisi, the ultimate inheritance was the love of God passed on to him through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God and the brother of Francis and his followers.
I imagine the heart of St Francis lifting in ecstatic prayer to heaven, when he came to reflect on Psalm 15:
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup.
It is you yourself who are my Prize.
The lot marked out for me is my light:
Welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me.
You will show me the path of life,
The fullness of joy in your presence,
At your right-hand happiness for ever.
As the adopted children of God, brothers, and sisters of Jesus, we are coheirs with Christ, sharing in his sufferings so as to share in his glory (Romans 8:17 & Galatians 4:6-7)
Yes, there is so much more to the idea of inheritance than the passing on of property and savings, when eternal life is awaiting us and when we will one glorious day hopefully share in the limitless love of our heavenly Father.
Kieran ofm