Elias of Cortona: St. Francis’ CEO

LANCE RICHEY writes that had it not been for St. Francis’ astute CEO — Elias of Cortona — the Franciscan order would likely have floundered in the saint’s own lifetime. Elias gave form and structure to Francis’ endeavors and ensured its stability and longevity. Elias weathered a sizable setback, but his legacy continues . . . .

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For over 800 years, St. Francis of Assisi’s embrace of radical poverty and all-consuming love for Christ has inspired people of every faith and no faith. Even during his lifetime, Francis’ reputation for holiness attracted thousands of followers who looked to him for guidance.

One quality which he utterly lacked, however, was administrative ability. Recognizing this even before his death, Francis surrendered the administration of his fast-growing order to one of his first followers, Elias of Cortona (1180-1253). Stepping into Francis’ shoes while he still lived, and performing those duties which Francis himself could or would not, Brother Elias almost single-handedly turned an unruly (and potentially heretical) spiritual movement into a disciplined religious order whose work continues to this day. If Francis eventually merited the title of “saint” (and no one ever deserved it more), Brother Elias equally deserves the title of St. Francis’ CEO.

As any manager knows, the difficult task of making the various branches of a complex organization work harmoniously on a daily basis is rarely the stuff from which legends are made. But no legend ever takes place without it. For instance, Francis’ visit to the sultan during the Crusades, and his attempt to substitute dialogue for armed conflict, has become a symbol of hope for peace between religions. Less well known but no less important is the fact that Elias had already been in the Holy Land leading the work of the order for two years before Francis’ arrival — like any good branch manager would!

Later, as Francis’ health declined and he withdrew from leadership, the order desperately needed a structure and rule of life to hold it together. At this critical moment in its history, it was Elias who oversaw the order’s organization and in 1223 obtained papal approval of the rule which would carry it beyond Francis’ lifetime. Without approval, the Franciscan movement might well have died before its founder, but Elias’ organizational genius kept it alive.

After Francis’ death in 1226, the order once again looked to Elias to design, raise funds for, and supervise construction of a basilica in Assisi for the newly canonized saint. This remarkable church was completed barely a dozen years after Francis’ death, while Elias also served as minister general of the Franciscan order! The Basilica of St. Francis’ existence is due almost entirely to Elias, whose name and image appear nowhere in the beautiful carvings and frescoes of Francis which decorate it.

What was Elias’ reward for his immense labors on behalf of Francis and his order? As is common for strong leaders in any large organization, it was more often opposition than gratitude. The explosive growth of the order and its new duties on behalf of the Church required both property and education, which Francis had always rejected. Elias’ acceptance of them, and the wealth and prestige which they brought, seemed a betrayal of Francis’ vision to his earliest followers. Elias’ refusal to defer to the more educated and ambitious priests who flocked to the order after Francis’ death drew the ire of this powerful group.

A victim of his own success in expanding the Franciscan movement’s size and work, an increasingly isolated Elias was not only forced from leadership but from the order itself. Finding himself on the wrong side of the political struggles between pope and emperor, Elias was excommunicated, reconciling with the Church only on his deathbed in 1253. With this sad history as a pretext, his opponents quickly buried his accomplishments along with him, hidden in the shadow of the saint whom he loved and served throughout his life.

Sadly, Brother Elias remains largely forgotten today. Few outside of the Franciscan order have ever heard of him, and within the Franciscan family his death is not even observed on the liturgical calendar. This is the cruelest irony of all, since without him, there would likely be no Franciscan calendar — or an order to celebrate it.

If others have forgotten Brother Elias, though, I would suggest that business leaders in the 21st century should not. In him, they can find a valuable reminder that the ultimate value and meaning of our work must be measured, not by quarterly reports and annual reviews, but by the families we sustain and countless lives we touch through our work.

Likewise, we can recognize that the judgments of history and of God are often more merciful than those of our more short-sighted contemporaries. For those seeking spiritual meaning and comfort in a workplace that offers little of either, recalling the struggles and the accomplishments of Brother Elias is an appropriate place to start.

DR. LANCE RICHEY is an associate professor of theology and director of the John Duns Scotus Honors Program at the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind.