Returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, St. Francis discovered his original vision had been replaced by the thriving community of friars he founded. Describing how he faced heartache and despondency, this tale brings comfort and inspiration to all who confront failure or loss.
Beautifully drawn illustrations pair with great storytelling in this glimpse into the life of Francis of Assisi In lively prose and folksy paintings, Tomie dePaola gives a glimpse into the life of Francis of Assisi. After witnessing his father disrespect a beggar, Francis comes to forsake his worldly possessions and travel from village to village helping the poor and sheltering animals. dePaola’s recognizable artistic style and episodic telling of events in the life of Francis are accessible to young readers, and the humble tales of the lives of the saints are told with tenderness and reverence. This is a fixed-format ebook, which preserves the design and layout of the original print book.
Francis of Assisi is, after Mary of Nazareth, the greatest saint in the Christian calendar, and one of the most influential men in the whole of humanHistory. By universal acclaim, this biography by G. K. Chesterton is considered the best appreciation of Francis's life--the one that gets to the heart of the matter.For Chesterton, Francis is a great paradoxical figure, a man who loved women but vowed himself to chastity; an artist who loved the pleasures of the natural world as few have loved them, but vowed himself to the most austere poverty, stripping himself naked in the public square so all could see that he had renounced his worldly goods; a clown who stood on his head in order to see the world aright. Chesterton gives us Francis in his world-the riotously colorful world of the High Middle Ages, a world with more pageantry andRomance-General-General-Generalthan we have seen before or since. Here is the Francis who tried to end the Crusades by talking to the Saracens, and who interceded with the emperor on behalf of the birds. Here is the Francis who inspired a revolution in art that began with Giotto and a revolution in poetry that began with Dante. Here is the Francis who prayed and danced with pagan abandon, who talked to animals, who invented the creche.
A biography of the saint as both mystic and man: “The single best book about Francis now available in English” (Commonweal). In this towering work, Andre Vauchez draws on the vast body of scholarship on Francis of Assisi, particularly the important research of recent decades, to create a complete and engaging portrait of the saint. He also explores how the memory of Francis was shaped by contemporaries who recollected him in their writings, and completes the book by setting “il Poverello” in the context of his time, bringing to light what was new, surprising, and even astonishing in the life and vision of this man. The first part of the book is a fascinating reconstruction of Francis’s life and work. The second and third parts deal with the texts—hagiographies, chronicles, sermons, personal testimonies, etc.—of writers who recorded aspects of Francis’s life and movement as they remembered them, and used those remembrances to construct a portrait of Francis relevant to their concerns. Finally, Vauchez explores those aspects of Francis’s life, personality, and spiritual vision that were unique to him, including his experience of God, his approach to nature, his understanding and use of Scripture, and his impact on culture as well as culture’s impact on him. “Considered one of the great spiritual leaders of humankind, Francis of Assisi was also a man of many faces and personas: ascetic, the founder of a religious order, a romantic hero, a mystic, a defender of the poor, a promoter of peace. But as Vauchez emphasizes—and this biography constantly reminds us—Francis was also a flesh-and-blood human being . . . A bracing, erudite account of a mystic’s life.” —Booklist
Christmas Day 2021 sees the release of a Netflix series, Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis, based on this book. Pope Francis views elders as reservoirs of wisdom and historical memory and believes their insights will offer future generations much-needed understanding and direction. More than 250 people were interviewed and Loyola Press sent a collection of stories to the Vatican. These encompassed universal themes of love, loss, survival, hope, peace in the face of unimaginable tragedy, and above all, faith. Pope Francis received every story, prayed over them, and responded with sensitivity and grace to 31 of the stories and the issues they raise. In his Preface, Pope Francis lays out his reasons for this collection of wisdom stories and the movement he hopes it inspires. He also contributes as a fellow elder, offering a story from his own life at the start of each chapter . And in his own wise and compassionate way, he serves as a spiritual shepherd, commenting on dozens of heartfelt stories.
Saint Francis of Assisi is perhaps the most known and loved saint within the Catholic Church. Though many flock to him because of his portrayal as one who loved animals and nature, he became one of the greatest saints in the history of the world for one simple reason: he was a true servant of the Most High God. The goal of this book, Lessons from Saint Francis of Assisi: The Wisdom of God’s Beloved Servant is to offer various stories from Saint Francis’s life in such a way that the reader can apply them to their own life. Saint Francis was unquestionably one of the greatest saints to ever live. The way he accomplished this greatness is worth studying and imitating. As you read this book, know that it is best to read in a slow and prayerful way. It is best to take one lesson, reflection, and prayer at a time. Use the lesson for meditation and the reflection and prayer for personal application. Though it is hard to imagine ourselves ever reaching the heights of sanctity achieved by Saint Francis, know that it is possible for us all. Saint Francis embraced the will of God with a radical abandonment and ongoing zeal. This resulted in him becoming one with Christ and doing great things for God and His Church in a very short period of time.
"Francis, go and build up My house, which thou seest, is falling into ruin." To fulfill this command of Our Lord, St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) began by restoring physical churches and continued by building up the spiritual Church in souls. Francis' humility, purity, and true joy inspired many to conversion and a deeper faith. Never ordained a priest, St. Francis nonetheless was a preacher and a miracle-worker of the first order - curing, prophesying, casting out devils, turning water into wine, and raising people frmo the dead. The Life of St Francis of Assisi by St Bonaventure conveys a picture of the Saint that renders an indelible impression of a man totally transformed by God.
'An inspiring book of simple spirituality' Galway Advertiser Originally published a decade ago, the number one bestseller Calm the Soul: A Book of Simple Wisdom and Prayer was written by the Poor Clares, Galway with the intention of showing us how prayer and moments of quiet contemplation can help us find solace and calm in today's busy world. Now, this specially updated edition brings the original reflections on familiar prayers such as the Our Father, Hail Mary and the Rosary, and prayers for special intentions such as depression and self-esteem, together with new material on issues such as anxiety and social media and a section on some of the sisters' favourite saints. This timeless book of spirituality presents simple ways we can introduce more prayer to our days and, in doing so, live with more peace and happiness.