I begin with an admission that may surprise some readers. When I was discerning my vocation, Franciscanism never appealed to me. I never quite got it. To my young clerical imagination, Saint Francis of Assisi was a kind of “hippie saint,” al … [Read more...]
Rebuilding the Church, Within the Church
An Editorial on Pope Leo XIV’s Declaration of the Year of Saint Francis (2026)
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order: A Short Meditation on the Call to Penance
October 13, 2016 by Benjamin J. Vail, OFS
Today there is a new international discussion about Secular Franciscan identity, and the future direction of the Order. The General Chapter of 2014 asked for a “period of serious reflection, involving all members of the Order,” on the fut … [Read more...]
Sticks, Stones, and Broken Bones: The History of Anti-Catholic Violence in the U.S.
August 11, 2014 by Fr. David J. Endres
We do not recall these instances of anti-Catholicism to foster more animosity or violence, but recall them as part of our history, a history that, like so many others, included the targeting of ethnic and religious groups for … [Read more...]
Shakespeare and the Franciscan Order
July 10, 2014 by Ken Colston
Shakespeare’s most famous Franciscan character is Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet. ... Friar Laurence indirectly relates tragic paradox to divine power; grace so fills the world that evil can be brought out of good, yet, good can also d … [Read more...]
Communion, Community, and Communication
January 14, 2014 by Fr. John Navone, SJ
The Gospel summons us to authentic human development in communion, community, and communication under the sovereignty of God’s love. Our Christian conversion is both an event and a lifelong process of ongoing response to the grace and call o … [Read more...]
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