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Post by Franciscan Media Saint Berard and Companions Saint of the Day for January 16 (d. January 16, 1220) Audio Player Saint Berard and Companions’ Story Preaching the gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving one’s homeland and adjusting to new cultures, governments and languages is difficult enough; but martyrdom caps all the other sacrifices. In 1219, with the blessing of Saint Francis, Berard left Italy with Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis to preach in Morocco. En route in Spain, Vitalis became sick and commanded the other friars to continue their mission without him. They tried preaching in Seville, then...

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referenced the Epiphany, St. Francis of Assisi, and also uttered a prayer as the House of Representatives reconvened the night of Jan. 6 to confirm the Electoral College win of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the November presidential election. The count had been interrupted by hundreds of marauders who breached the Capitol that afternoon, bringing the count to a halt. "Today, Jan. 6, is the feast of the Epiphany," when the Christ Child was first revealed as a human beyond Mary and St. Joseph, Pelosi, D-California, said. "On this day of revelation, let...

“Death of Saint Francis of Assisi”, Flemish school of the late 16th century, via Wikimedia Commons How to Celebrate the Transitus of St. Francis October 3 is the vigil of St. Francis of Assisi's death and bears a special name — the Transitus. Angelo Stagnaro “Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.” —St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures. Death dates are...

St. Francis and the Sultan: What really happened in 1219 in Catholic Muslim dialogue? Posted on 6 February 2019 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf The Islamic/Catholic Fraternity document has caused a stir.  I wrote about a neuralgic point in it, yesterday, and some people had a spittle-flecked nutty.There is more to say about that document.  I’ll get to it again, soon. I suspect more spittle-flecked nutties will result.Meanwhile, Francis held a Wednesday General Audience today.   Text HERE. During that audience he offered a couple points that deserve attention.Francis said that, during his time in the UAE, he often thought about the...

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - To commemorate the historic event of the encounter between St. Francis with the Sultan of Egypt, AL-Kamil in the year 1219, modernize it in today's Pakistan, launching a universal message of tolerance, friendship, dialogue, common commitment for peace: in this spirit the National Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism, within the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Pakistan, organized a meeting to inaugurate the activities that, in 2019, will commemorate the event in Pakistan 800 years ago, in the name of Islamic-Christian dialogue. As Agenzia Fides learns, Franciscan Sebastian Shaw, Archbishop of Lahore and President of the...

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.), who was elected Speaker of the House this afternoon, said in her speech accepting the position that she intends to serve “in the spirit of St. Francis.” “Let me especially thank my constituents in San Francisco, who have entrusted me to represent them in Congress in the spirit of Saint Francis, our patron saint—whose song of Saint Francis is our anthem: ‘Lord, make me a channel of thy peace’—as we beautifully sang in church this morning,” Pelosi said. “We enter this new Congress with a sense of great hope and confidence for the future, and deep...

October 4, 2017 Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi Reading 1 Neh 2:1-8In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,when the wine was in my charge,I took some and offered it to the king.As I had never before been sad in his presence,the king asked me, "Why do you look sad?If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart."Though I was seized with great fear, I answered the king:"May the king live forever!How could I not look sadwhen the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins,and its gates have been eaten out...

Lessons from the Life of St. Francis Msgr. Charles Pope • October 2, 2017 • Many fine histories exist on the life of St. Francis of Assisi so there is no need to replicate that information in this post. (Here is a recently published one that is particularly good.) As we prepare for the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Oct. 4), let’s reflect on a few lessons from his life.1. On the possibility of radical conversion and the role of affliction and humiliation – The son of a successful cloth merchant, St. Francis enjoyed a very affluent, easy...

St. Francis’ Feast Day and the Things We Can Learn from Cats and Dogs Msgr. Charles Pope • October 3, 2016 • Here at Holy Comforter-St Cyprian Parish in Washington, D.C., we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi with the blessing of the animals. Although most folks bring dogs to be blessed, there are usually some who bring cats and a few other animals like ferrets. Once, someone even brought a snake!Over the years, I have shared with the dog owners a list of “Things we can learn from dogs.” When I was growing up, we always...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVqkUNJYS_E This is the history of persecution during Japan's medieval period during and following the Sengokujedai(Age of the country at war)period and during the Tokagowa shogunate. Also features segments on the Shinabara Christian rebellion, St Francis Xavier and The shoguns of Japan. In additon, an epic recreation of the Shimabara rebellion using Shogun 2 Total war, the battle of the last stand of persecuted Christian Samurai. WARNING! CONTAINS VIOLENT BATTLE SCENES AND SCENES OF CHRISTIANS BEING ASSASSINATED AND TORTURED TO DEATH! VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED! SIGN IN ON YT TO VIEW VIDEO!

The Portiuncula (small portion) refers to the land in Assisi, Italy, that belonged to the Benedictines. On this land  was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God but abandoned. The great St. Francis had great devotion to the queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly and repair it.  He heard that the angels often visited it, so that it was called St. Mary of the Angels. The Benedictines wanted to give Francis the church but in order to remain faithful to Lady Poverty, Francis rented it from them...

Considering the Crusades in the Context of the Current Conflict with Radical Islamists By: Msgr. Charles PopeRecent and persistent attacks by radical Muslims, especially the most recent beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians, have many asking what can or should be done to end such atrocities. Military actions by numerous countries, including our own, are already underway. Most feel quite justified in these actions and many are calling for more concerted efforts to eliminate ISIS and related zealots who seem to know no pity, no reason, and no limits. I do not write here to opine on the need for...

Pope Francis has “dared to do what none of his predecessors had ever done,” Le Figero’s Jean-Marie Guénois rejoiced, “to pray openly, side-by-side with a Muslim dignitary”. The event took place at the Blue Mosque on November 29, the second day of Francis’ visit to Istanbul. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI – the ever-zealous advocate of Conciliar ecumenism – visited the Mosque but supposedly remained in contemplation. This gave rise to speculation as to whether or not the Pontiff actually prayed in the Mosque, and also gave rise to scandal. Francis, according to Guénois, removed any hint of ambiguity. The...

Transitus Today is the vigil of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  Franciscans from all around the world have a Transitus celebration this evening.  The Transitus is a Franciscan devotion to ritually remember the passing of Saint Francis from this life into God. It is similar to what you might do on the anniversary of the death of a  family member or very dear friend.    You sit around and remember their lives, recall the day they died and what occurred.  You share your memories and talk about how much they meant to you.  Tonight at 7 PM we...

The Origin of Nativity Scenes “... Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged.” According to St Luke the Evangelist (2,7) Jesus was born in a stable or at least in a place where animals were kept. In fact the word presepio (Nativity Scene) comes from the Latin verb praesepire (to enclose, to hedge, to fence) and today it means manger or crib. The term is thought to have been used for the first time with...

Away in a Manger January 5th, 2009 by Fr. William Saunders As we learn each week from the saints, one must wonder, “How did the saints celebrate Christmas?” One of the best examples whose celebration lives on in our own is St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). Thomas of Celano, one of the first biographers of St. Francis, wrote, “More than any other feast, he celebrated Christmas with an indescribable joy. He said that this was the feast of feasts, for on this day God became a little child and sucked milk like all human children. Francis embraced with great tenderness...

PETALUMA, Calif. — Do all animals go to heaven? The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi wants them well-positioned for the possibility by creating San Francisco's first pet columbarium, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. Church leaders are currently raising funds for the 850-square-foot pet memorial space, the city's first "final resting place for the furry and feathered," as the Chronicle cutely put it. The new columbarium, which organizers hope will be up and running by spring, will be able to hold the ashes of up to 1,000 animals, according to the Associated Press. Cremation costs have not yet...

You’ve probably heard the quotation at least a few times, most likely in a sermon encouraging people to live their faith in the world. “‘Preach the gospel at all times,’ Francis of Assisi said. ‘If necessary, use words.’” It’s a heartwarming sentiment with two flaws. First off, St. Francis never said it; second, even if St. Francis spoke these words, they aren’t true. Mark Galli puts the historical myth to rest in an article that reads, in part, First, no biography written within the first 200 years of his death contains the saying. It’s not likely that a pithy quote...

Chesterton and Saint Francis | By Joseph Pearce This essay appears in Joseph Pearce's new book Literary Giants, Literary Catholics. Chesterton enjoyed a lifelong friendship with Saint Francis of Assisi. As a small boy, long before he had an inkling of the nature of Catholicism, Chesterton was read a story by his parents about a man who gave up all his possessions, even the clothes he was wearing on his back, to follow Christ in holy poverty. From the moment the wide-eyed Gilbert first heard the story of Saint Francis, he knew he had found a friend. As such,...