St. Francis of Assisi - a Saint for everyone

In the month of October, you might notice people taking their animals and pets to the churchyards–dogs, cats, hamsters, birds and fish–for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Pets or animals.

This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures. His feast day is celebrated on Oct. 4.

St. Francis is a popular saint throughout the world, He is known as Poverello (the poor one), a lover of all creation and the patron saint of animals and the environment. He was a man of prayer and peace who had a great love for the poor, especially for lepers. He also founded three religious orders.

Francis was born in 1182 in Assisi, Italy. He was a son of wealth; his father Pietro Bernadone owned a textile business and his mother Pica was a native of France. As a young man, Francis was said to be handsome and charming. He wasted his earlier years in revelry with other nobles of Assisi.  

Urged by his parents, he aspired to become a knight who would accomplish great heroic acts. He got his chance at prominence, when at the age of 20 he joined his fellow townsmen in battle against the neighboring town of Perugia. He was wounded in battle and taken prisoner.

While in his dungeon, Francis heard a voice ask which was more profitable, “to serve the Master or the servant?” Without hesitation, he responded, “The Master.”

“Then why do you choose to serve the servant?” came back the reply. Francis convinced himself that it was God asking the questions. After his release from prison, Francis changed his life. He embraced silence and prayer. Instead of heroic escapades he sought to help the poor and the sick.

One day, while engrossed in prayer at the church of San Damiano, the voice returned to him and directed Francis to “repair my house, which is in ruins.” He naturally assumed that he was to restore San Damiano. He used his family’s wealth to fix the church to the chagrin of his father. In 1206, Francis made a complete separation from his family, giving up all his inheritances and assumed a life of poverty.  He proclaimed, “From now onwards I can turn to God and call Him my Father in Heaven!”

From then on, Francis was fully committed to live his life in accordance with the Gospel. He took the Word of God seriously and tried to live it to the letter. He begged for his food, wore old clothes and preached peace. He tried in every way to imitate Christ.

His piety began to attract many disciples and in 1209 he founded the Franciscan order. The rule of his order was based on Gospel poverty. Three years later, in 1212, Francis founded the second order called the Poor Clares with St. Clare of Assisi. He also created the Third Order for lay people.

Franciscans were all of “one heart and mind” living together in prayer, poverty and simplicity of life. Francis even included all God’s creatures–animals, birds, the sun, the moon, wind, fire, water –into his brotherhood and sisterhood.  

Francis saw the love of wealth and affluence and the insatiable love of material goods as obstacles to living the brotherhood called for in the Gospel; it was also an impediment in achieving union with God. He did not want the possessions to possess his brothers. For him, human persons–the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed and the outcasts–were children of God to be loved.

Francis became prayer itself. He prayed and prayed, contemplated on the passion of Christ. He was found praying; whenever he was not preaching or doing something he was found praying. Churches and chapels were his favorite places for prayer. He said that prayer united him to Christ.

Francis was a man at peace–at peace with God, with himself and with his neighbor. He was also a peacemaker; intervening in the disputes between the rich and the poor in Assisi, and between the Christians and Muslims during the Crusades. He was accepted as a peacemaker, because he was filled with peace himself.

Mystical St. Francis marveled at God’s creation. He was said to have preached to birds. He loved animals; even wild animals were said to become tame at his command.

Francis considered the Church a true sign of God’s presence in the world. He knew the Church would always be subjected to temporal weakness and shortcomings in other than essential doctrinal and moral areas. The flaws in the Church of Francis’ time were considerable. Clergy lived disreputable lives and anti-clericalism was widespread.  

Francis’ devotion to Christ grew so strong that in 1224 he became the first person to exhibit the wounds of the crucifixion of Jesus; a condition called stigmata.

God had called Francis to rebuild His crumbling Church. Francis accepted the challenge without recrimination but with his usual love, compassion and veneration. He asked that all his followers honor all priests, despite their failings. Francis never sought the priesthood. In his humbleness he preferred to be a brother and not a father.

Francis died on Oct. 3, 1226 at the age of 44 at Portiuncula, Italy. Pope Gregory IX canonized him on July 16, 1228. Pope John Paul II named St. Francis Patron Saint of Ecology.