Parish Announcements
Saint Francis of Assisi
On Sunday evening, October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, we will hold a Blessing of the Animals with Holy Communion (Casual Church) in the Memorial Garden. We will honor St. Francis of Assisi, one of the church's most beloved Christians, and fittingly, we will gather around the statue of St. Francis that stands in the garden.
St. Francis is particularly known for his love of animals, which grew out of his choice to give up worldly goods as a young man. Born around 1182 to a prosperous merchant in Assisi (central Italy), Francis spent his early years in "harmless revelry and fruitless attempts to win military glory."
After a number of experiences, including being taken prisoner of war, encountering a leper he felt moved to embrace, and hearing God call him in a dream, he was moved to a "life devoted to Lady Poverty."
Praying before the ruins of Chapel of San Damiano, Francis heard Christ ask him to rebuild his church. To finance the operation, he sold cloth from his father's shop (without permission) to pay for the repairs. His father was furious and took Francis to the bishop's office. Francis then gave back his inheritance and even the clothes on his back. He "renounced all material values" to serve the poor.
Around 1210, Pope Innocent III gave verbal approval to the way of life of the Order of Friars Minor. The word minor was used to emphasize that Francis desired to be counted "least" among God's servants.
By 1221, Francis had stepped back from leading the rapidly growing order, as very few friars were able to maintain his "ideal of strict and absolute poverty." According to tradition, in his later years he was ordained a deacon and declined a call to the priesthood.
Having given up everything he owned, Francis came to see the whole world as his family. Some biographers describe him calling even the birds and animals brother and sister.
Many of the well-known stories, such as his preaching to the birds, were written down after his death. Whether or not every detail is literal history, the stories reveal a man who owned nothing but was rich with the knowledge of God's goodness and grace.
Francis died on October 3, 1226, and was canonized in 1228 by Pope Gregory IX.
The bird on our statue of Francis recalls the story of his preaching to the birds, and the peace he found only after letting go of nearly everything else. On Sunday at 5 p.m., bring your dogs, cats, and other companions to the garden as we give thanks for them and for all of God's creation. If you have a pet who has died or can't be with you, bring a photo so they can be remembered and blessed too.
Sources: Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022, p. 450, and early biographies of Francis.
