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St. Francis of Assisi, Founder of the Friars Minor
(by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876)


St. Francis, the great founder of the order which bears his name, a man endowed with heavenly wisdom and especial gifts, and who, on account of his fervent love to the Almighty, is called the Seraphic, was born at Assisium in Umbria, and in a stable to which, by the advice of an unknown beggar, his mother had been carried to be relieved of the pains she suffered. His father was a wealthy merchant, and he destined Francis to follow the same occupation. Although the child was bright and cheerful, he never associated with evil companions, in order to keep his innocence unspotted. To the poor he was ever extremely compassionate, having made the resolution to dismiss none without alms. One day, when he was overwhelmed with business, a beggar asked for some money to buy bread. Francis, in his hurry, refused it, but no sooner had the man gone, than he remembered his resolution, and running after the beggar, gave him a rich alms and vowed never again to refuse any one who asked him: and this vow he faithfully kept.

Hence, when one day he met a poor man in the street, he gave him his new clothes and clothed himself in the rags of the beggar. At another time, while he was taking a ride, a leper came to him begging; Francis dismounted, took a piece of money and gave it to the poor man. When the latter stretched out his hand, deformed and emaciated by the terrible disease, Francis took it into his own and kissed it most tenderly. When he had remounted, he turned to look for the leper, but could no where perceive any sign of him; from which he supposed that either an angel or Christ Himself had appeared in that shape; the thought of which filled his heart with great comfort, and, at the same time, animated him to still greater liberality. After this event, he began to wean his heart more and more from all temporal things, sought solitude and became more fervent in his prayers. He begged the Almighty most earnestly to favor him with the grace to know how he should serve Him henceforth as his Lord and Master. During this prayer, Christ appeared to him, hanging on the cross and covered with wounds. This vision filled the heart of St. Francis with such devotion to our beloved Saviour, that he could never think of His passion, or look upon a crucifix without shedding tears.

After several miraculous events, by which the Almighty gradually manifested to St. Francis His will, it happened that, one day, when he assisted at Mass, he heard in the Gospel the words of Christ: "Do not possess gold or silver, or money in your purse ; nor script for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff." (Matt, x.) At these words, the holy man felt his mind illuminated and his heart stirred with deep emotion. It seemed as if God said to him that this was the rule by which he was henceforth to regulate his life ; and immediately giving his money to the poor, he put off his shoes, clothed himself in a rough penitential garment, which he girded about him with a knotted cord, and determined to lead henceforth an apostolic life. Going among the people, he began to exhort them to penance with such force and zeal, that he not only converted many sinners, but also drew several pious men to offer themselves as disciples in his austere manner of living, and as co-operators in his holy work.

When the number of these had reached twelve, St. Francis sent them into different villages and hamlets to preach penance after his example. Instead of money, he gave them the verse of the Psalm: "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He will nourish thee." As greater numbers came daily, who desired to be his disciples, he gave them certain regulations. Pope Innocent III. confirmed these regulations in 1209, at which time St. Francis and his companions most solemnly made their profession of the three vows of religion. This was the beginning of the celebrated Seraphic Order, which, divided into several branches, has worked, and still continues to work so well for the honor of God and the salvation of souls. When the Order had thus been confirmed, the holy founder went with his disciples to Assisium, where he made his dwelling in a small lonely cottage, that stood near the little Church of Portiuncula. At this place, where the Blessed Virgin was especially honored, St. Francis passed much time in praver and fasting. He lived on alms, and sent his disciples into the surrounding country to exhort the people to penance and to teach them to lead a Christian life. The Benedictines, to whom the above mentioned church and the ground near it belonged, gave both to St. Francis, that he might build there the first house for his Order.

The greatest care of the Saint was bestowed upon his disciples and spiritual children, whose number daily increased. He endeavored to lead them in the path of virtue, and to make of them useful members, that they might work for the salvation of men; and to effect this more thoroughly, he tried to be an example to them. Penance, which he and others of his order preached, he practised most austerely on his own person. He very seldom partook of food that was cooked, and when he did so, he strewed ashes over it, or destroyed its taste with water. Besides the usual forty days' fast, he observed another fast of the same length, after the festival of the three holy Kings. The same he did from the feast of the holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, until the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. To these he added another forty days' fast in honor of the holy Archangel St. Michael and all the Angels. At night, he slept, on the bare floor; a stone or a piece of wood served him for a pillow. He scourged himself almost daily to blood, and exercised himself in all possible bodily mortifications. The cause of this rigor towards himself was not only to do penance for his former sins, but also to prevent himself from falling into others, and to keep his purity unspotted. Hence, when the evil spirit tortured him with unclean thoughts, he cast himself into the snow, and remained in it until he was almost frozen.

His humility was not less than his mortification. He would not allow any one to praise him. "Praise no one," said he, "who does not stand securely. No one should be praised, until we see how he ends." And again: "No one is more or less than he is in the eyes of the Almighty." One day, a pious brother of the Order asked the Saint, what he thought of himself. The Saint answered: " I think that there is no greater sinner upon earth than I am." When the brother asked how he could say so with truth, he replied: " If as many mercies had been bestowed upon the most wicked of all men, as have been bestowed upon me, I do not doubt that he would have been more grateful and more pious than I." His humility made him refuse the priesthood, as he deemed himself unworthy of it. He greatly honored the priests, saying: "If I should meet an angel and a priest, I would first kiss the hand of the priest and then duly honor the Angel; because I owe him the greatest veneration who holds the most holy body of Christ in his hands and administers the same to others."

What shall we say of the poverty which the Saint chose and most warmly recommended to his followers? What of his love of God and man What of his devotion to the passion of Christ, to the divine Mother and the Saints? What of his other virtues, of which the examples are so numerous, that this whole work would hardly suffice to relate them? He refused, after his conversion, to possess anything as his own, and rejoiced when he had to suffer want. During his prayers, he was frequently transported out of himself, by the intensity of his devotion, and could say nothing but, "My God and my all!" Only to name the most High, filled his heart with such burning love that his whole countenance seemed to be on fire. Charity towards men actuated him to nurse the sick most tenderly, to aid the poor to the best of his ability, to comfort the sad, and to be all to all. His wish to convert the infidels and to give his life for Christ's sake, moved him to repair to Syria and Egypt, where he preached fearlessly before the Sultan of Babylon the truths of Christianity, saying that they should kindle a great fire and he would go into it in order to prove the truth of the Christian faith.

His devotion to the Passion of Christ was so great, that God would recompense it with a miracle until then never heard of. When St. Francis, two years before his death, kept, according to his custom, the forty days' fast in honor of St. Michael, on Mount Alverno, he fell into ecstasy on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, and saw that a shining Seraph came down from heaven towards him. The Angel had six wings, and between these appeared the crucified Saviour with His five holy wounds. At the same moment, the Saint perceived in his side and on his hands and feet, bleeding wounds, like those which the Saviour bore. These wounds or Stigmata remained until the death of St. Francis, and although he endeavored to hide them, he could not prevent their being sometimes seen during his life and many times after his death. The Saint suffered great pain in these wounds, which was a source of great joy to him, as he hoped that this would make him more conformable to his Saviour. Two years later, the Saint became mortally sick, and knowing the hour of his death, he requested to be carried into the little Church of Portiuncula, where, after having received the holy Sacraments, he lay down on the ground, and gave up his soul to his Creator.

Before he expired, he exhorted his disciples to follow punctually the rules of the Order, blessed them, and among other things said: "Remain always in the fear of God. Happy are those who persevere to the end in the good which they have begun. I am now on my way to the Lord, and will commend you to His favor." He then told them to read to him the passion of Christ from the Gospel of St. John. After this, he began to recite the 141st Psalm, and when he had reached the words: " Bring my soul out of prison. The just wait for me till thou reward me," he ended his holy life. This took place in the year of our Lord 1226. Long before while bitterly weeping over his sins, he had received the divine assurance that they were forgiven. In the same manner, it had also been revealed to him that he would go to heaven. Although this gave him great consolation, he did not mitigate the severity of his penances, nor cease to repent of his sins, as he said: " If I had only once committed a small sin, I would think it sufficient cause for weeping as long as I live." Many books have been written about the life of this Saint and to relate the many and great miracles which he wrought both whilst he lived on earth and, after his death, by his intercession in heaven.





PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS.



I. "If I had only once committed a small sin, I should have sufficient reason to weep as long as I live." These were the words of St. Francis. Are you of the same mind? You have committed, during your life, many hundreds--nay, thousands of venial sins, and perhaps even intentionally and maliciously. How many tears have they cost you? How often have you repented of them? How great is your solicitude to avoid them in future? You commit them without any hesitation and are not much distressed. You say frequently and with great unconcern: "Oh ! it is only a venial sin! One will not be condemned on account of it." Neither St. Francis, nor any other Saint ever spoke thus. It is true, a venial sin is small in comparison with a mortal sin; but in itself, it is, after mortal sin, the greatest evil in the world. We shall not be condemned for venial faults; but by not regarding them we are gradually led into greater sins until we deserve hell. We do not offend God so grievously by a venial as by a mortal sin; but still we offend His Majesty; and who dares say that any offence of God is small? "To offend the Almighty in the least," says St. Jerome, "ought never to be considered a trifle." "I cannot comprehend," says St. Paulinus, "how any one can regard as a trifle that which offends the Divine Majesty." The least offence done to a king is, on account of his rank, looked upon as very great. With how much more reason should a venial sin be deemed great, as an insult offered to the great Lord of Heaven and earth? By each venial sin God is offended. This ought to be enough to make us understand that venial sin is in itself a much greater evil than we are able to fathom. Pray to the Almighty to make you recognize the greatness of a venial sin, that you may avoid it in future with greater care, and daily repent of those which, until now, you have committed. "Whoever loves God and obeys Him, not as a slave but as a son, will fear to offend Him in the very least," says St. Basil.

II. "Happy are those who persevere until their end in the good which they have begun." Therefore, St. Francis is to be esteemed happy, as he continued to the end, in his austerity, poverty, and all other virtues. Unhappy are those who begin to live piously, but soon relax in their zeal; for, according to the testimony of Christ, "he is not fit for the kingdom of God, who lays his hand to the plough, but draws it back again." (Luke, ix.) The beginning is of little avail; we must persevere in good until the end of our lives. " Concerning Christians, we regard not so much the beginning as the end," says St. Jerome: " Paul began badly, but ended well. We praise Judas at the beginning; but the end is spoiled by his treachery." "It is not a very great thing to commence to do good," writes St. Augustine, "but to persevere in it until the end is perfect and brings the crown of everlasting glory." If you desire to be happy during all eternity, make an earnest beginning to live piously, and then persevere with equal zeal, without allowing the example of bad people or evil temptation to divert you from the way you have chosen. "What does it avail," writes St. Bernard, "if we follow Christ, but do not reach Him?" Hence St. Paul says: "Run so, that you may reach the goal." There, O Christian, shall be the end of your course, where Christ has placed it. He was obedient unto death. You may run, but you will not gain the prize, if you persevere not in your course until your death.

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           Litany of the Three orders of St. Francis

 Lord, have mercy on us!
 Christ, have mercy on us!
 Lord, have mercy on us!
 Christ, hear us.
 Christ, graciously hear us.

 God, the Father of heaven,
 Have mercy on us!
 God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
 Have mercy on us!
 God, the Holy Ghost,
 Have mercy on us!
 Holy Trinity, one God,
 Have mercy on us!

 Holy Mary,
Pray for us*

 Holy Mother of God,*
 Holy Virgin of virgins, *
 Saint Michael, *
 Saint Gabriel, *
 Saint Raphael, *
 All ye holy Angels and Archangels, *
 All ye holy orders of blessed Spirits, *
 Saint John Baptist, *
 Saint Joseph, *
 All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, *
 Saint Peter, *
 Saint Paul, *
 Saint Andrew, *
 Saint James, *
 Saint John, *
 Saint Thomas, *
 Saint James, *
 Saint Philip, *
 Saint Bartholomew, *
 Saint Matthew, *
 Saint Simon, *
 Saint Thaddeus, *
 Saint Mathias, *
 Saint Barnabas, *
 Saint Luke, *
 Saint Mark, *
 All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists, *
 All ye holy Disciples of the Lord, *
 All ye holy Innocents, *
 Saint Stephen, *
 Saint Lawrence, *
 Saint Vincent, *
 Saint Fabian and Saint Sebastian, *
 Saint John and Saint Paul, *
 Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, *
 Saint Gervase and Saint Protase, *
 Saint Bernard, *
 Saint Peter, *
 Saint Accursius, *
 Saint Adjute, *
 Saint Otho, *
 Saint Daniel, *
 Saint Angelo, *
 Saint Samuel, *
 Saint Domnus, *
 Saint Leo, *
 Saint Hugoline, *
 Saint Nicholas, *
 Saint Peter Baptist and all Japanese Martyrs, *
 Saint Nicholas and all Martyrs of Gorcuм, *
 Saint Fidelis, *
 All ye holy Martyrs, *
 Saint Sylvester, *
 Saint Gregory, *
 Saint Ambrose, *
 Saint Augustine, *
 Saint Jerome, *
 Saint Bonaventure, *
 Saint Martin, *
 Saint Nicholas, *
 Saint Louis, *
 Saint Benvenute, *
 All ye holy Bishops and Confessors, *
 Saint Antony, *
 Saint Benedict, *
 Saint Bernard, *
 Saint Dominic, *
 Holy Father Francis, *
 Saint Anthony of Padua, *
 Saint Bernadine, *
 Saint John of Capistrano, *
 Saint James of Marchia, *
 Saint Peter of Alcantara, *
 Saint Francis Solano, *
 Saint Peter Regalate, *
 Saint Didacus, *
 Saint Paschal, *
 Saint Benedict, *
 Saint Pacific, *
 Saint John Joseph, *
 Saint Leonard, *
 Saint Theophile, *
 Saint Felix, *
 Saint Joseph of Leonissa, *
 Saint Seraphine, *
 Saint Joseph of Cupertino, *
 Saint Ferdinand, *
 Saint Louis, *
 Saint Ives, *
 Saint Elzear, *
 Saint Roche, *
 Saint Conrad, *
 Saint John Mary, *
 All ye holy Priest and Levites, *
 All ye holy Monks and Hermits, *
 Saint Mary Magdalen, *
 Saint Agatha, *
 Saint Lucy, *
 Saint Agnes, *
 Saint Cecilia, *
 Saint Catherine, *
 Saint Clare, *
 Saint Agnes of Assisi, *
 Saint Catherine of Bologna, *
 Saint Colette, *
 Saint Veronica, *
 Saint Rose of Viterbo, *
 Saint Hyacintha, *
 Saint Mary Frances, *
 Saint Angela, *
 Saint Anastasia, *
 Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, *
 Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, *
 Saint Margaret of Cortona, *
 Saint Brigid, *
 All ye holy Virgins and Widows, *

 All ye Saints of the three Orders of our Holy Father Francis:
 Intercede for us!

 All ye Saints of God:
 Intercede for us!

 Be merciful:
 Spare us, O Lord!

 Be merciful:
 Hear us, O Lord!

 From all evil,
Deliver us, O Lord!**

 From all sin, **
 From Thy wrath, **
 From a sudden and unprovided death, **
 From the snares of the devil, **
 From anger, hatred, and all ill will, **
 From the spirit of fornication, **
 From lightning and tempest, **
 From the scourge of earthquake, **
 From pestilence, famine and war, **
 From everlasting death, **
 Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, **
 Through Thy coming, **
 Through Thy nativity, **
 Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, **
 Through Thy Cross and Passion, **
 Through Thy death and burial, **
 Through Thy holy Resurrection, **
 Through Thine admirable Ascension, **
 Through the coming of the Holy Ghost the Paraclete, **
 In the day of judgment, **


 We sinners, beseech Thee hear us.
 That Thou wouldst spare us,
 We beseech Thee hear us.***

 That Thou wouldst pardon us, ***
 That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy holy Church, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all orders of the Church in holy religion, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all Christian people, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring back to the unity of the Church all those who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, ***
 That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, ***
 That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, ***
 That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relations and benefactors, from eternal damnation, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, ***
 That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously hear us, ***
 Son of God, ***


 Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.

 Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.

 Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.


 Christ hear us.
 Christ, graciously hear us.
 Lord, have mercy on us.
 Christ, have mercy on us.
 Lord, have mercy on us.
 Our Father (inaudibly).


 V. And lead us not into temptation.
 R. But deliver us from evil.


 Psalm LXIX

 
O God, come to my assistance: O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned backward, and blush for shame, that desire evils unto me. Let them be straightway turned backward blushing for shame, that say unto me: 'Tis well, 'tis well. Let all that seek Thee be joyful and glad in Thee; and let such as love Thy salvation say always, the Lord be magnified. But I am needy and poor; O God, help Thou me.

 Thou art my helper and my deliverer: O Lord, make no long delay.

 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
 As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


 
 V. Save Thy servants.
 R. Who hope in Thee, O my God.
 V. Be unto us, O Lord, a tower of strength.
 R. From the face of the enemy.
 V. Let not the enemy prevail against us.
 R. Nor the son of iniquity approach to hurt us.
 V. O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
 R. Neither requite us according to our iniquities.
 V. Let us pray for the true Sovereign Pontiff.
 R. The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.
 V. Let us pray for our benefactors.
 R. Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy name's sake, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good. Amen.
 V. Let us pray for the faithful departed.
 R. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them.
 V. May they rest in peace.
 R. Amen.
 V. For our absent brethren.
 R. Save Thy servants, who hope in Thee, my God.
 V. Send them help, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary.
 R. And defend them out of Sion.
 V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
 R. And let my cry come unto Thee.


 Let us pray:

 
O God, Whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, receive our humble petition; that we, and all Thy servants who are bound by the chains of sin, may, by the compassion of Thy goodness, mercifully be absolved.

Graciously hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayers of Thy suppliants, and forgive the sins of them that confess to Thee; that, in Thy bounty, Thou may grant us both pardon and peace.

Show forth upon us, O Lord, in Thy mercy, Thy unspeakable loving-kindness; that Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins, and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.

O God, Who by sin are offended, and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication to Thee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.

Almighty, everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant N., our Sovereign Pontiff, and direct him, according to Thy clemency, into the way of everlasting salvation; that by Thy grace he may both desire those things that are pleasing to Thee, and perform them with all his strength.

O God, from Whom all holy desires, all right counsels, and all just works do come, give to Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts be devoted to the keeping of Thy commandments, and the fear of enemies being taken away, we may pass our time, by Thy protection, peacefully.

Inflame, O Lord, our reins and heart with the fire of the Holy Ghost; that we may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee with a clean heart.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins; that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired.

Direct our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspirations, and further them with Thy continual help, that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from Thee, and through Thee be likewise ended.

Almighty, everlasting God, Who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and Thou art merciful to all whom Thou foreknowest will be Thine by faith and good works; we humbly beseech Thee that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still detain them in the flesh, or the world to come hath already received them stripped of their mortal bodies, may, by the grace of Thy loving-kindness, and by the intercession of all the saints, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.


 R. Amen.
 V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
 R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
 V. May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
 R. Amen.
 V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
 R. Amen.



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 Novena to St. Francis


Glorious St. Francis who didst voluntarily renounce all the comforts and riches of thy home to follow more perfectly the life of poverty and abnegation of Jesus Christ: obtain for us we pray a generous contempt of all things in this world, that we may secure the true and eternal things of heaven.



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.



O glorious St. Francis, who during the whole course of thy life didst continually weep over the Passion of the Redeemer, and labor most zealously for the salvation of souls: obtain for us, we pray, the grace of weeping continually over those sins by which we have crucified afresh Our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may attain to be of the number of those who shall eternally bless His supreme mercy.



Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.



O glorious St. Francis, who, loving above all things suffering and the cross didst merit to bear in thy body the miraculous stigmata, by which thou didst become a living image of Jesus Christ crucified: obtain for us, we pray, the grace to bear in our bodies the mortifications of Christ, that we may merit one day to receive the consolations which are infallibly promised to all those who now weep.

 "If we be dead with Christ Jesus, we shall live also with Him," says the Apostle; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Tim. ii. 2, 12).

Pray for us St. Francis, that we may obtain the graces and favors we ask for in this novena; pray for us, especially, that we may obtain the grace of perseverance; of a holy death and a happy eternity. Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, five times.

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