'The Abbey' in Galway was founded in 1296. In 1483 a school of advanced theology was instituted there; in 1513 Maurice O Fihely, archbishop of Tuam was buried in the church; 1657 friary destroyed, church made into a court house. The present court house stands on the same site. In 1660 a church was erected on the present site. In 1766 there were 13 friars here, but 10 were old men. In 1774 the only novitiate of which we have definite information was opened here. In 1781 church rebuilt and around 1836 the present chuch was opened; present friary built or rebuilt in 1820, and renovated recently.
CLERGY:
Fr Padraig Breheny OFM PP
Fr Hilary Steblecki OFM CC
Francis was born in Assisi about 1182.
He seemed to many in his day a new kind of Christian, one who did not fit easily within the categories of his day. Instead of accepting one of the well-established forms of Christian life available in the early 1200s, he chose the more difficult way, creating a new "form of life", as he called it, different from the prevailing monastic and canonical forms then in favour. And what drove that desire to create something new was his deep conviction that it was "the Lord Jesus Christ" himself who was guiding him.
Followers soon arrived: "The Lord gave me brothers," he said. They formed a fraternity, and followed a form of life based on the gospel. In part contemplatives, in part popular preachers, they lived by the work of their hands, frequently with the sick, and begged when they needed to.
That early fraternity soon assumed the form of a Religious Order (the "Friars Minor") with a rule, officially approved a few years before Francis's death. Many of its members were learned, many were priests.
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