Saint • Born on 1181 or 1182 AD in Assisi, . The Life of • Son of a wealthy cloth merchant. • Francis lived a carefree life as a St. Francis young man. • He aspired to be a . – The • War with Perugia in 1202. • He would be imprisoned and then released. Early Years • His first stirrings of God. The Life of St. Francis – The Transformation

• Francis no longer desired money, fame, or parties. • Francis and the leper. • God was working to transform Francis. • Francis goes outside of the city. The Life of St. Francis – Rebuild my

• God speaks to St. Francis at the church of San Damiano. • “Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.” • St. Francis interpreted this literally. • He sells his father’s cloth to raise money to give to the resident priest of San Damiano. The Life of St. Francis – The Final Break

• His father takes Francis to Guido for justice. • Francis renounces his earthly father for his heavenly Father. • In a beggar’s tunic, he begins his ascetic life of prayer, poverty, and repairing churches. • He preaches and begs for food in the town streets. The beginning of an Order

• Soon, St. Francis begins to attract followers. • The first “rule” of the Minor based on the . • Within a year he had 11 followers. • They lived a life of poverty, prayer, and service. Papal Approval of the Friars Minor

• St. Francis’ group of followers kept growing. • But they needed the approval of Rome or risk being labeled heretics. • So, in Spring 1209, Francis went to Rome to see Innocent III. • Pope Innocent III denied him at first but, after a dream, gives him Papal approval. St. Francis and the Animals

• Lambs and rabbits • Preaching to the birds • The wolf of Gubbio The growth of the Order

• Ever since the first followers of St. Francis, the order continues to grow rapidly. • Within 8 years, the order grows from 12 to 5000. • Francis and the friars continue to preach, live in poverty, and minister to the poor and sick. • They are sent out throughout Europe and the Middle East.

• Born in 1194 in Assisi to a noble family. • Around 1210, she heard St. Francis preach and wanted to live like him. • On Palm Sunday, 1212, she took vows and stayed at San Damiano. • She became a spiritual sister to St. Francis. • Her order would be called the , a contemplative Order of at exists still today. St. Francis and the Sultan • In 1219, St. Francis travels to Egypt, during the 5th Crusade, to convert the Muslims. • He meets with the muslim Sultan Al-Malik Al-Kamil. • He does not convert him and returns home. The First Nativity Scene

• During his travels, on Christmas Eve, 1223, St. Francis stays at Greccio. • The local chapel was too small for midnight Mass, so they celebrated the mass in the town square. • To make it special, St. Francis rounded up animals and locals to re-enact the Nativity scene. • This was the first Nativity scene. • St. Francis would serve at this mass as a . • He was never ordained a priest. The and Death

• By 1223, St. Francis was increasingly becoming more and more sick. • In 1224, he goes to to pray and receives the stigmata. • 1225 – St. Francis loses his sight and starts to suffer from leprosy. • On Oct. 3rd, 1226, St. Francis dies. Canonizations

• On July 6th, 1228, St. Francis is canonized by Pope Gregory IX • On August 11, 1253, St. Clare dies. • She is canonized on Aug. 15th, 1255 by Pope IV • In 1979, Pope St. John Paul II declared St. Francis as Patron of the environment and ecological concerns. Misconceptions

• The Peace Prayer of St. Francis: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…” • NOT written by St. Francis. • Written in 1912 by an anonymous French writer.

• “Preach the at all times. Use words if necessary.” • St. Francis never said this! • “How can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?” Rom. 10:14 Franciscan Theology

• There really is not one singular Franciscan theology. • There are, however, commonly held distinct views: • Absolute freedom of God’s will • The primacy of Christ • The importance of Christmas over Easter • Incarnational view of the world • Personal and experiential The Canticle of the Sun

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings. To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name. Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Sun, who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, of You Most High, he bears the likeness. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and fair and stormy, all weather’s moods, by which You cherish all that You have made. Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure. Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong. Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned. Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will. No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.