Next week, on October 4th, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Francis. Francis astounded and inspired the Church eight centuries ago by living the gospel literally. Literally not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually attempting to follow all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit and without a sense of self-importance. View […]
The Stigmata of St. Francis
The Chapel of the Stigmata is perched on the edge of the same sheer precipice where St. Francis stood two years before his death and where he was swept up into the mystery of God’s overwhelming love for him and for humanity. St. Bonaventure, in his Life of St. Francis, describes Francis as being more […]
Happy feast of St. Clare
Last year, throughout the world in 2012, the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Poor Clares was celebrated. The simple life of St. Clare, who lived in a small place outside Assisi’s medieval walls, still speaks to us. Why? Her spiritual quest resonates with our yearnings to live authentically from the fire of love […]
Happy feast of the Portiuncula.
The feast day of the Portiuncula is today! In this video, Father Michael Cusato addresses two questions: what is the Portiuncula and why do we celebrate this feast day?
Our new Pope. A Franciscan Heart.
Yesterday, around 3pmEST, a man of deep humility, great prayer, and a love of the poor, appeared on the balcony as the 266th successor of St Peter. His first words were, “Good evening!”, and so it was! The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, has chosen the name Francis. He is the first Pope […]