Saint Francis of Assisi 24" - 2226

Saint Francis was the son of a wealthy merchant: Peter Bernardone. Our Lord did not want Saint Francis to be distracted by worldly pleasures, and permitted him to become seriously ill. When he recovered his health, he was horse-riding in Assisi when he came across a leper. Initially shocked, he had a mind to turn away; however, remembering his resolution, he dismounted his horse and kissed the hand of the leper. As he remounted his horse, he went to salute the leper once more, but the leper was nowhere to be seen - instead, it was Christ Himself who had appeared to Saint Francis. 

Soon after, Saint Francis was at Holy Mass in Portiuncula and upon hearing the Gospel in which the Lord commissioned His apostles to carry about with them neither gold, nor silver, nor two coats, nor shoes, the Saint was rejoiced and overcome with joy, for he knew it be the will of God. He began dressing in a coarse penitential garb which was girded with a cord, without shoes, and then entered a life of complete poverty, preaching penance. He soon gained companions who joined him and, once they had reached eleven in number, they went to Rome where Pope Innocent III gave his approval to the new order. This new order grew rapidly and in 1219, there were more than 5,000 brethren gathered together at the renowned Chapter of the Mats. Saint Francis then established a Second Order with Saint Clare, and a Third Order for people of both sexes living in the world. Both Saint Francis and Saint Dominic embraced Holy poverty and through their prayer, preaching and leading by example, they were able to restore and regenerate all of Christendom in less than two decades. Saint Francis was also a great miracle worker. He was called to his Heavenly home in 1226.

Feast day: 4th October