A hunter’s moon rises behind a statue of St. Francis of Assisi on the grounds of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Champion, Wis., Oct 8, 2022. OSV NEWS PHOTO/SAM LUCERO, CNS
St. Francis of Assisi: A model for all people
My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Giovanni de Pietro de Bernardon was born in Assisi in 1881 into an affluent family. His father was a noted cloth merchant and his mother was French, also of an affluent family. His father was away in France when Giovanni was born. Upon his return home his father took to calling him by a nickname – Francisco, which means Frenchman.
With well-off parents, Francis enjoyed the good life as a child, though there are no indications that in his life this indicated any corruption, but just indulgence.
There are so many stories of Francis’ formative life. He served in the military in a war between kingdoms within Italy. He was wounded and taken prisoner and spent a year as a prisoner of war.
This event seems to have been the beginning of a conversion of spirit. He became more reflective, more prayerful. A story is related of his encounter with a beggar in which he gave the beggar everything he had with him. This infuriated his father who actually prosecuted him before the Bishop of Assisi as the gifts to the beggar were actually Francis’ father’s possessions.
Francis was known to go and pray in the Church of San Damiano on the outskirts of Assisi. The church was all but abandoned and in terrible shape. There Francis heard a message, “Francis, repair my Church.” The young man took this as a directive to physically repair the church building, and, as a charismatic young man, he engaged friends and acquaintances to join him in the project.
But Francis came to understand that the message of repairing the Church had a deeper meaning and he began to demonstrate a life of prayer and poverty and service to those in need. This conversion further alienated him from his prosperous father.
Over time, Francis’ quiet witness attracted others, and this became the roots of the Franciscan order that serves the Church universally to this day. Francis is remembered and emulated for his love and care for all of creation. He showed a great reverence for all that God has created. Francis enjoys the esteem of Christians and non-Christians alike.
October 4 is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi and good day for all of us to consider his legacy and accept the invitation to follow Francis and “repair the Church.”
May God bless you all,
Most Reverend William F. Medley
Diocese of Owensboro
Originally printed in the October 2025 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
