Our Holy Father Francis of Assisi, Deacon
Feast
Today’s feast expresses in the liturgy of our Order the singular bond of fraternity between the Friars Minor and the Preachers, because of the affinity of the founders of both Orders in their historical mission for the building up of the Church. As St. Catherine of Siena beautifully recalls, they “were truly two pillars in Holy Church: Francis with poverty, which was especially proper to him, and Dominic with learning” (Dialogue, 158). Following the same path, we are taught to become “disciples of such humble masters” (Celano, Second Life, 149).
Francis, a contemporary of our Holy Father Dominic (1182–1226), followed Christ poor with admirable simplicity and Christ crucified with singular charity, striving to be conformed to him. Living according to the form of the Gospel, he drew many brothers and sisters to himself, whom he joyfully encouraged to love poverty, praise the Creator and obey the Church.
Marked with the living stigmata of the Lord’s Passion in 1224, he joyfully went to “sister death” on Oct. 3, 1226. Gregory IX enrolled him among the saints in 1228.
Proprium Officiorum Ordinis Praedicatorum ad Normam Decretorum Sacrosancti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II Instauratum Vincentii Couesnongle iussu editum, Editio typica, Sanctae Sabinae, Romae 1982.
