Born in 1182 in Italy, his father was furious that his wife had him baptized and named Giovanni after John the Baptist while he was away in France. The last thing he wanted was his son to be a man of God as he wanted a man of business such as himself. He was infatuated with France and so he renamed him Francesco.

Francis enjoyed a very rich, easy life of a wealthy family and everyone loved him. He was happy, charming and a born leader, but also a dreamer, so he did poorly in school. He was so well liked that no one tried to control him or teach him. As he grew, he became the leader of a group of partiers and as Francis stated himself, ‘lived in sin’ during that time.

He fulfilled his father’s dream, fell in love with France, and became good with business. Francis longed for more than wealth, but not holiness and instead, sought battle as the best place to win glory and prestige. He then entered a battle where most of the troops were butchered and only the wealthy were taken for ransom. He endured prison for a year, but the experience didn’t change him, and he went back to his old ways and seeking glory.

Ready for the 4th Crusade, he had a dream in which God told him he had it all wrong and to return, which he did. He was humiliated and called a coward. He spent more time in prayer and wept for his sins but his conversion took time as he kept returning to his father’s business.

He eventually searched for conversion and while praying, he heard Christ on the crucifix say, “Francis, repair my Church” which he assumed meant the building he was in. He used his father’s money at 1st, but when his father found out, before a town crowd, he accused him of stealing. The Bishop told him God would provide and so Francis returned the money to his father and denounced him and his wealth before everyone. He declared, ‘Our Father who art in heaven’ as the only father he recognized. Having nothing but simple clothes, he begged for stones and material and rebuilt the church with his own hands not realizing the true calling.

He then began to preach and gathered companions of all types. He did not try to abolish poverty, he tried to make it holy. He never wanted to found a religious order as it sounded too military so he expressed himself, his companions and nature as one brotherhood. They went out two by two and faced hostility but began to change those who heard their preaching.

Francis went off to convert the Moslems during the 5th crusade but was unsuccessful. When he returned, the brotherhood had grown to 5000 and he gave up his authority willingly.

In 1224, he received a vision that left him with the Stigmata of Christ, making him the 1st person to receive these holy wounds. He grew ill and never recovered. He died on October 4th, 1226, and is considered the founder of all Franciscan orders.

He is the patron saint of humane societies, animals, Catholic Action, Colorado, ecologists, families, merchants, telegraphs, zoos, Italy, Assisi, Italy, Diocese of Salina, Kansas, and the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, San Francisco, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

His feast day is October 4.

For God’s Glory.