MAILLARD, OLIVIER. - FRANCISCA, born at Juigné, in Brittany, c. 1430, died at Toulouse on 22 July 1502. He took the habit in the Observant vicariate of Aquitaine, where he served five times as provincial superior. He was also three times vicar general of the Transalpine Observance (1487, 1493, 1499).
During the last three years of his governance, the first Franciscan missionaries departed for the recently discovered Americas. He was a powerful orator and carried out his activity especially in southern France and also in Germany; a speaker of blunt frankness, he left many writings, particularly sermons and ascetical works, which went through many editions. Among his oratorical writings to be noted are: *Sermones de adventu, quadragesimales et dominicales* (3 vols., Paris 1497–1498), the *Sermones dominicales* (2 vols., Paris 1515–16), and the *Quadragesimale* preached at Bruges. Among his ascetical writings are various pamphlets on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and a method for Confession (Paris 1481). He also wrote in French; these works were collected by A. de la Barderie (Nantes 1877).