Eggcorn Forum

Several groups have vied for the leadership of the Franciscan order during the society’s 800 year life in the Roman Catholic Church. The more moderate Franciscans, denominated “conventuals” because they tended to own property and live in fixed houses (“convents”), resisted efforts by medieval popes to unify the factions of the order. Today Franciscan monks remain divided into three orders, Conventuals, Observants, and Capuchins, each of which look back to the early Franciscan movement and Francis’ own rule as the foundation of their movement.

Of the three orders, Conventuals, with their special dispensations from the rule of St. Francis, seem to lie closer to what Catholics might call “typical” monks, so calling a “Conventual Franciscan” a “Conventional Franciscan,” although incorrect, is not all that far off the mark.

Here are four of the almost 100 discrete web pages that mention “Conventional Franciscan/s:”

Article in Syracuse, NY, newspaper: “The nonprofit was established by the Conventional Franciscan Friars, a Catholic order of priests and brothers” [Oddly enough, “Conventional Franciscan” is hotlinked to the page of the Conventual Franciscans. Perhaps this is a cupertino.]

Parish history of a New Jersey church: “The church, which was completed in time for the summer season of the summer of 1914 was serviced by the Conventional Franciscan Fathers as a Mission of St. Peter’s until the end of the Summer of 1915. ”

Buffalo, NY, obituary: “Andrew was an employee at Target Dept Store of Williamsville, previously in the Conventional Franciscan Friars and also served as Chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Cheektowaga, NY.”

Event announcement of a Catholic legal society: “Fr. Cook will talk about his journey from lawyer to Conventional Franciscan.”

Another in our continuing series of religious eggcorns.