Select Page

A reluctant leader

One aspect of Francis’ changing life that has attracted recent attention is the movement of Francis from solitary figure, living a quasi-hermetical life for four to five years, now beginning to live in a growing community of brothers – all of whom are looking to...

“And the Lord gave me brothers”

It is later in the autumn of 1206 that with his decision to “leave the world” Francis began to be aware of the powerful Divine Presence in his life through, his work among the lepers near Assisi, and his habit of taking refuge in churches for prayer and rebuilding the...

Finding Peace

There are three events that seem to highlight the “period of crisis” in Francis life during the period from late 1205 until the summer of 1206: Francis’ experiences at the abandoned San Damiano chapel – especially his prayers before the cross Francis’ “leaving the...

No Turning Back

“When I was in sin…. I delay a little and left the world.” (Testament of St Francis 1-2) In the previous article about this period of Francis’ life we highlighted his experiences at the abandoned San Damiano chapel – especially his prayers before the cross – and how...

The Struggling Veteran

In the previous article we had left Francis in the spring of 1205, in his early 20’s, just released from a year as a prisoner of war, suffering severe physical effects and psychological burdens, that to the modern mind fit the description of PTSD. He returned with...

Honor, Chivalry and War

Much of Francis’ youth had been spent as an apprentice in his father’s cloth business by day and as playboy by night – a time that the older Francis refers to as “When I was in sin.” At the same time, the intrigue and rivalry of imperial and papal politics swirled...