9. Thus We judge that there can be very many things, which We have prescribed by either declaring, defining, or precepting, to mutually join the souls of all Franciscans. Moreover, « He who speaks peace unto His people and upon His Saints, has marked out for His disciples that certain strength and reckoning for averting contention, having urged these with His warnings and examples, so that, he who is greater among them, would be as the minor, and that they, therefore, are to contend not in pre-eminence and primacy, but to be surpassing in the humility of serving and being subject (to others). But these instructions Bl. Francis, the founder of the Seraphic Order, himself both wonderfully grasped and expressed, and he wanted them to be the foundation of the peace kept by his students ». ¹⁹ Therefore let all be hearers of their Father's lawgiving saying, being thus precepted: « Let them not argue, nor contend with words, nor judge others; but let them be meek, peaceable, modest, gentle, humble, speaking uprightly to all, as it fitting ». ²⁰ And « let them beware of all pride, vainglory, envy ». ²¹ Moreover let not those who according to the norm of their own Constitutions follow a rigid poverty in the very worship (that takes place in) the House of God and in the performance of the sacred (rites) and in human affairs, despise all others; of whom Leo X (says): « We declare, that you are to be only the custodians of these things and not the possesors, and on this account, without the stain or violation of your profession, when it may be fitting, in accord with the celebration of the solemnities, that you both honor the Divine Majesty with more solemn offices and more decent vestments, and that you generously offer Him worship, and that you can licitly and freely use and acquire those other things, which both the Order and the Friars use, commonly and/or individually » ²² Because if among the Friars Minor any discrimination of legitimate precedence ought to be acknowledged, that it must be placed not in that which otherwise concerns another family, in which matter We have said that they are to be equal; but (rather) in this, that both in judgements and in words and in deeds one guards fraternal charity towards members, especially of all the other families, better than another; and that one observes the prescriptions of the Seraphic Rule more perfectly than another, according to the Constitutions of its own family. The custom which ought to exist among the Friars Minor, can be understood from those things, which Thomas of Celano wrote of concerning the ancient sons of Francis: « Oh with how much ardor of charity did the new discples of Christ used to blaze! How much did the love of pious society used to thrive in them! For when they met each other, wherever they would gather together, and/or in the street, as was the custom, there the dart of spiritual love used to rebound, scattering over all the sower's love of true love [dilectionis]. What was that? Chaste embraces, tasteful affections, a holy kiss, sweet conversation, a modest smile, a jocund appearance, a simple eye, a supple spirit, a pleasing tounge, a soft response, likewise a purposeful, prompt obsequium and an indefatigable hand. And indeed, since they dispised all earthly things and never loved themselves with a private love, overflowing in common with the affection of complete love, they used to show proof of it to one another, by equally assisting their brother's needs ». ²³ -- But, so that the links of charity and fraternity, with which the Franciscans of the three families are mutually contained, may be also more constraining, We give and grant these things in perpetuity:

I. That the dedication of the two Basilicas at Assisi, which of the entire Order of the Minors, though from diverse reasons, are the mother and head, is to be celebrated by each and every cleric of the threefold family with the rite of a double of second class; and that both are to enjoy the same indulgences and the same privileges both now and in perpetuity. Moreover it will be remembered that the Friars assigned to these Basilicas, represent all the members, not only of their own family, but also of the others; on account of which also, let them not cease to daily worship and praise the Omnipotent God, Mary Immaculate, (and their) Seraphic Father, in the name of all.

II. That in sacred cerimonies, processions, and other solemn acts, which are conducted in the presence of the Supreme Pontifix, the three Ministers General are to procede together as one, however observing among themselves the law of precedence.

III. That indulgences, graces, exemptions, (and) all privileges which either have already been or hereafter shall be conceded to one of the families of the Minors, are to be and to be judged as conceded the same to the other families. That if the concession of any of whatever matter pertains to the mitigation of the Seraphic Rule, it shall not be in favor of those, whose constitutions endure no mitigation of this kind. But the faculties, which regard the Way of the Cross, the Scapular of Saint Joseph, the Chord of Saint Francis, (and) likewise the pious societies and sodalities, are to be henceforth granted only by that Minister General, to whom they have until now been reserved.

IV. That the ritual offices, which concern the Saints and Blesseds of the Order and/or which touch upon their own particular sacred acts or devotions, conceded to one family, also by the other families, with the approval of either the General Chapter or General Definitory, may be licitly employed, without an additional indult: the same will also become licit concering all the other privileges, in liturgical matters, granted to one family.

V. That all the Letters of the Roman Pontiffs and/or of the Apostolic See, in which the Franciscan Institutes are generally praised, embellished, defended, even if these have been given to the Minister General, to the other moderators, (or) to the members of one family, are to be understood, however, as also given to the Minister Generals, the other moderators, (or) to the members of the other families.