In a letter to Saint Anthony, Francis wrote: Brother Francis sends greetings to Brother Anthony, my Bishop. I am pleased that you teach sacred theology to the brothers providing that, as is contained in the Rule, you “do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion” during study of this kind. “There is a great lesson […]
The point of the Third Order
The point of the Third Order is to accept with humility the task of one’s secular profession and its requirements, wherever one happens to be, while directing one’s whole life to that deep interior communion with Christ that Francis showed us. –Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, p. 79
The humility of Christ
This spirit of humility acts as the foundation for all subsequent characteristics that compose a Franciscan approach to ministry. Francis was less concerned about what someone did in the world than about how someone did it. Here we see the saint’s admiration for the humility of Christ emerge as part of the centerpiece of his […]
Preparing for Christmas
The following letter, between two saints , illuminates the importance of preparing well for Christmas. Let us prepare with prayer, charity, awareness of our brothers and sisters, and thankfulness of God’s creation. +++++++++++++++++++ Winter, 1224 My Dear Sister Clare, How kind of you to ask how you can help the brothers in Assisi prepare for Christmas while I […]
Happy Thanksgiving!
Here is a Thanksgiving reflection from the Franciscan Monestary of the Holy Land. Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. – Colossians 3:17