Research Saint Report: St. Francis of Assisi

1181-1226

Feast Day: October 4

” If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.”

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_of_assisi_103418

Giovanni di Pietro or Saint Francis was born in Italy around 1181 or 1182. Francis was the only child. He had no sibling.  He was the only son of Pietro di Bernardone, a cloth merchant, and the lady pica who may have come from France. During Francis birth, his father was away on a business trip to France and later on His mother had him baptized in Giovanni. On his return, Pietro di Bernardone changed Francis’s name to Francisco because of his interest in France or lady pica’s background. Francis soon, later on, learned to read and write Latin giving him some literature. Francis liked to speak French even though he never did so perfectly. Francis was a spoiled person who didn’t do anything well. When Francis was at the age of 14, he had left school and disobeyed rules and the bad consequences that were given to him. Francis had many talents and skills that he learned like horsemanship something he was quite talented at. He was supposed to follow his Dad into the family business. Rather, he thought of being a knight.

As a young man, Francis enjoyed many feelings of life but when he was sick, he felt that God was calling him as Jesus did. Francis wanted more than money. Francis decided he wanted to be a knight. Battle was the best place to win he longed for. Francis finally got his first chance and he insisted war on the town of Perugia. Most of the troops from Assisi were badly hurt, injured and some cases even worse in the fight. Nevertheless, those rich enough with money were spared and the poor were taken prisoner at last. Francis was the bravest and like he always wanted to be but locked up in a dirty prison dungeon.  A year in the dungeon, he was spared but it didn’t change him. Meanwhile a year of captivity in the dungeon, he stayed happy with joy. soon when he has released Francis answers to God and started visiting the sick, injured, and hurt in hospitals and to do a helpful thing for the poor. He also wore clothes like the poor and he started to preach to people about peace. H he suffered and experienced a long sickness that bore him with patience.  later Francis recovered from his illness and joined the troops of the knight of Assisi. One day after his return from Rome as he prayed outside of Church in St. Damian’s, Francis felt the eyes of Jesus Christ looking at him and Heard a Voice multiple times saying Francis, go fix my house, which you see falling down. The building he was gazing upon was very old and ready to demolish and disintegrate into rubble. Now that he had found the right path, Francis went home and, from the kindness of his heart he took a very large, a huge load of clothes out of his father’s storehouse where he kept manufactured goods and sold it and with the horse that carried it. He then bought the money to the poor, priest of St. Damian’s church and asked if he might remain in St. Damian’s. The priest accepted Francis fellowship but turned down the offer with the money which Francis left laying on a window sill.

Bernadone, furious at his son’s foolishness, came to saint Damian’s to bring him home but Francis hid and couldn’t be found. He spent mostly some days in prayer and then went fearlessly to see his father. The intensely irritated and frustrated Bernadone beat Francis and restrained his feet and locked him up. A little later his mom set him free and Francis went back to the church of Saint Damian’s. His father followed him in order to catch him there angrily declare that he must return home or formally declare the position, his share in his inheritance and pay the price of the horse, the products he brought and he had taken as well. Francis made no reason for disagreeing to being a change in his will but a statement that the other money now belonged to God and the poor. Bernandone had him a trial before Guido and told Francis to give back the currency and properties. The bishop said to have his church profit by goods. Francis gave back the money but went even further by giving up his clothing. So he took off his items of clothing and said our father who art in heaven. Bernadone left the court in a deep disappointment and rage with anger, while the bishop covered Francis with his own cloak clothing was brought. Francis was cut off from his mom and dad and started a new life. In the woods, some robbers stopped him and asked who he was He said, he was the herald of the great king. The robber mocked him and laughed at him and threw him into a hole. He got back up and continued on his way. At the monastery, Francis was given a job. as he was walking slowly with heavy footsteps due to exhaustion on to the town of Gubbio when he was noticed by a close friend who took him to his house and gave him clothing like a tunic, belt, and shoes. While at the town of Gubbio he learned of a hungry wolf that was terrorizing the people after some pets and animals were killed by the wolf. Some villagers thought of killing the wolf only to be its next victim. Many of the residents became scared to leave their houses then Saint Francis went out to find the wolf. while he was in the forest the wolf charged at him with sharp teeth but Francis stood his ground and spoke to the wolf making peace between the wolf and the town of Gubbio. Francis soon learned the wolf had been abandoned and started searching for food realizing the wolf meant no harm. After making peace, Saint Francis took the wolf to Gubbio and told the townspeople to feed them and they happily agreed to. When Francis went back to St. Damian’s the priests welcomed him, and Francis now began to repair the church. Later on, as time went by at the age of 44, Francis of Assisi passed away in Assisi, Italy on October 3rd, 1226. He was canonized by Pope Gregory the ninth on July 16th, 1228. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron of an ecologist. For his love for animals, nature, and every being.

 Why I chose Saint Francis is because he helped people just like I do. Although I didn’t hear the voice of God, I can connect to Saint Francis of Assisi because during the summer every Thursday and mostly Tuesday I volunteered at the Saint Camillus food pantry to help out the homeless and people in need. In the food pantry organized foods that would later go out to the people in need like the homeless and the hungry as Francis did. I also help out people just like Francis because when my grandfather was sick, I took care of him and helped him with a lot of his needs in order for him to heal and recover. Although the process was not an all easy job or exciting. Even though I could have been doing something else like playing games or being lazy. It was a good way to bond together and get to know each other more than just family or Grandfather and Grandson. When I grow up, I am going to become a doctor or be in the medical field to help others in need just like my grandfather who is healthy, alive and well today. Sooner or later and for the rest of my life, I will devote myself to Christianity and help people in desperate need of my help. I will always look upon god like Saint Francis of Assisi did and cherish his love for people just like mine.

Sources:

1. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Francis-of-Assisi
2.  https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50
3. https://www.ducksters.com/history/middle_ages/saint_francis_of_assisi.php
4.  Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_RxstfZ80s