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| St Francis the healer |
St Francis of Assisi
Early Life
St Francis was born in Assisi in 1181 to a successful
merchant, Pietro Bernardone and his wife Pica. Despite growing up in a
religious environment, he enjoyed the bourgeois lifestyle. As a result of one
of the many military campaigns he participated in, he was imprisoned for a year
by the Perugians. While in captivity, St Francis witnessed the suffering of the
lower classes, which would be a chief turning point in his spiritual perception.
Motivations and
reason
Through a number of graceful experiences, St Francis developed
a strong spiritual life. Amongst others, he was particularly motivated and
inspired from a gospel passaged from St Matthew:
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come
near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive
out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. “Do not get any gold or
silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or
extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.
- Matthew 10:7-10
From there on, he denounced all material possession and
promoted a life of extreme poverty to pursue a simple life of loving God and
preaching His Word.
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| St Francis patron saint of animals |
The Franciscans
After accumulating a number of followers, he got his rule
approved by Pope Innocent III and so the Franciscans were established. The Franciscans
highly valued above all else:
- - Living in extreme poverty
- - Manual labour and begging; to survive and learn humility
- - Preaching the gospel
- - Living among the laity
- - The respect and awe of creation (the natural world)
The Franciscans
success
The success of the Franciscans can be seen in:
- The establishment of the Order of the Poor Clares, which was the first rule written by a women (St Clare of Assisi).
- Their extensive travel around Europe and spread of ministry
- Their long lasting existence, survival and influence even in today’s society
Additionally, here is a link to St Francis of
Assisi’s famous poem, The Canticle of the
Sun, for your enjoyment: canticle of the sun
Alex Wormald, Caroline Fazakas and Toby Dinh
Blog questions:
"How did St Francis and the Franciscans live out their
religious lives? How committed were they to these values?"
