In the first half of the 13th century, three mendicant orders were founded. The Franciscans in 1209. The Dominicans in 1216. The Augustinians in 1244. The Dominicans and the Augustinians used the Rule of Saint Augustine. The Franciscans used the rule of Saint Francis.
The Dominicans promote devotion to the rosary and to Our Lady of the Rosary. The Augustinians promote devotion to Our Lady of Consolation. In future posts, the Good Lord willing, I want to write about how the Augustinians brought Our Lady of Consolation to the Philippines in the 1600s. This is the same time that Our Lady of Consolation was becoming well known in the Spanish Netherlands. It would be reasonable to assume that if the Augustinians were teaching devotion to Our Lady of Consolation in the Philippines at that time, then they were probably also teaching it in Belgium. We have that history from the Philippines. Sadly, much of the history of Belgium was destroyed by reformers, iconoclasts, or revolutionaries.
St. Philip Neri was educated early on by Dominicans. Later, in Rome, he studied with Augustinians for three years. Recall that St. Neri founded the Oratorians and that the Oratorians ministered at both Scherpenheuvel and Kevelaer at the request of the local bishop.
One of the patron saints of the Franciscans is Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Remember, St. Elizabeth of Hungary gave the statue of Our Lady of Consolation to her daughter Sophia who gave it to the beguines in Vilvoorde, Belgium in the middle of the 13th century. St. Elizabeth is also known as St. Elizabeth of Thuringia. Thuringia is in Germany. Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia became associated with the Franciscans and may have been a member of the Third Order of Franciscans. She supported the Franciscans in Thuringia and was known for taking care of the poor.
Franciscans are in charge of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. That may be a coincidence, but it is still interesting to note.
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