St. Francis of Assisi

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St. Francis of Assisi

• and Pope Francis

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Why Francis?

• Following his election as Pope, Francis I
  explained why he had chosen the name
• Immediately I thought of St Francis of Assisi.
  Francis was a man of peace, a man of poverty, a
  man who loved and protected creation.
• He added How I would like a church that is poor
  and that is for the poor

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St. Francis of Assisi A Saint for Today
Pope Francis has awakened the World to the
beautiful message of St. Francis. It is a
message that arrives at a time when the human
race is at a crossroads. A crossroad not unlike
the one the saint from Assisi confronted during
the Middle Ages - corruption had engulfed and
was destroying the Church and the European
continent of his time. We need to love and care
for each other more. Mankind here in the 21st
Century must put aside its differences and come
together to save our planet. To save Gods
creation and everything/everyone in it.
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St. Francis of Assisi

• St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order,
  was born at Assisi in Italy, in 1181 and died
  there, 3rd October, 1226.

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Francis who came from a rich family became for a
time a wandering hermit. He spent time living
amongst the lepers and caring for them . He also
spent time repairing some of the ruined chapels
in the vicinity and he spent many days in the
isolation of caves, which were prolific around
that region. Here he prayed for guidance and
spiritual sustenance. Though most thought him a
madman (a "religious nut" we might say) there
were those who secretly admired him and wanted to
know more about what "made him tick"? The first
to join him was a wealthy young Assisian called
Bernard of Quintavalle. Ten years later, there
would be well over 3,000! Three years later in
1212, the first woman came to join Francis,
Clare. Daughter of the aristocratic family by the
name of Offraduccio, she was to become the
Founder of the new movement known today as The
Poor Clares. In 1209, Francis and eleven brother
"friars" walked to Rome to meet with the Pope
Innocent III. Francis presented to the Pope a
simple Rule of Life for himself and his brothers
composed of quotes from the Gospel.
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Francis cultivated a mystical and deeply personal
relationship with the person of Jesus Christ.
This relationship was so profound, that for the
last three years of his life, he bore the marks
of the Crucified Jesus in his own body, known as
stigmata. When he related to his fellow human
beings, it was through the eyes and heart of
Jesus. When he embraced that leper on the road
near Assisi, it was not only a hideous leper whom
he kissed but also the very person of Jesus,
incarnate in the leper. For Francis, Jesus was
present in every human person, but particularly
in the poor and outcasts.
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• St. Francis of Assisi implored his followers to
• live simply and love much, to respect and cry out
  to every part of nature in praise of the Almighty
• offer service unceasingly to the needy lift up
  and honour all that is good and holy in our
  surroundings
• Pope Francis has encouraged us to do the same
• We have been given a beacon to guide us through
  the darkness, a light for all to see. Lets
  follow the light.

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Laudato Si

• Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si', is a
  profound invitation to everyone on the planet to
  care for our common home.
• The Encyclical takes its name from the invocation
  of St Francis of Assisi
• 'Laudato Si, meaning 'Praise be to you, my
  Lord',
• which in the Canticle of the Creatures
  written by St. Francis calls to mind that the
  earth, our common home, 'is like a sister with
  whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who
  opens her arms to embrace us.'
• .

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Prayer for Our Earth

• Creator God, open our eyes to see your love
  throughout creation. Inspire us to treat creation
  and each other as you would, with respect and
  compassion. We ask this through Jesus Christ,
  your Son, our Lord, Amen.

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Prayer for Our World

• God of life, help us to see your gifts are
  meant to be shared by all, not just exploited by
  a few. Lead us to take action to make a change
  not just for ourselves, but for all creation. We
  ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
  Amen.

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Prayer for Our World

• God of wonder, open our eyes to see you in all
  that you have created. Through the contemplation
  of your goodness, move us to stand in solidarity
  with our brothers and sisters and with the earth
  that we share. Amen.

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Prayer for Our World

• God of all, you so loved the world that you
  sent your only Son to redeem all creation. Grant
  that we may follow Christs example of compassion
  and never forget the impact of all that we do for
  the earth and one another. We ask this through
  Christ our Lord, Redeemer of all, Amen.

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Prayer of St. Francis

• Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.Where
  there is hatred, let me sow lovewhere there is
  injury, pardonwhere there is doubt,
  faithwhere there is despair, hopewhere there
  is darkness, lightand where there is sadness,
  joy.O Divine Master, grant that I may not
• so much seek to be consoled
• as to consoleto be understood as to
  understandto be loved as to love.For it is in
  giving that we receiveit is in pardoning that
  we are pardonedand it is in dying that we are
  born to eternal life.
• Amen.