Assisi

Our tradition of setting up nativity scenes began with Saint Francis of Assisi and the first creche. In the year 1223 AD, Saint Francis, a deacon, was in the Italian town of Greccio to celebrate Christmas with the Franciscans. However, the Franciscan chapel was deemed too small by Francis and so he would find an area in a rock to construct his own altar and hold the Midnight Mass. There, Saint Francis worked to construct a nativity scene, after receiving clearance from the Pope, such that his…

His rule included new ideologies and virtues regarding the Rule for monks and the Role of the Abbot. In 1209 a new religious order was approved by the Pope Innocent III. This order was founded and ruled by Francis of Assisi, 1182-1226, which was one of the three orders of Saint Francis. The First Order, regarded as Order of Friars Minor or simply “Franciscans” are mendicant men, people who practice and live in poverty. The Second Order, the Poor Clares, are the religious sisters of order or nuns…

When the subject of how the world has been shaped to the way it is today, subjects like the Enlightenment, the Roman Era, or Medieval are attributed for these advancements but no one really takes time to give credit to the “wind beneath the wings”-Christianity. This is not saying that without Christianity the world would still be stuck in the Before Christ era but, is simply stating Christianity has been of the key most reasons humanity is where it is today. As stated previously, there are clear…

exciting it was to be a knight and that had an influence Francis to become a knight. Francis tried to be a knight. So he saddled up in fine armor purchased by his dad and headed out to war in a local skirmish between Assisi and a neighboring town; that is what young men from Assisi did if they wanted to earn the respect of their elders (Sweeney, 2014, pg. 34). Being a knight was something that most men wanted to do because it was a chance to be able to protect their village. They exalted…

CENTERED ON JESUS CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL. Every Franciscan rule of each branch of the family begins the same way: "The rule and life... is to observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is clearly expressed in the Secular Franciscan Rule. ECCLESIAL. Formation is meant to create a vision of the church which is dynamic and inspiring as indicated in the II Vatican Council Documents, especially "The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church," "the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the…

The order that Francis founded started with a simple idea of living a very poor life, preaching the teaching of Jesus and submission to the church or assistance to anyone in need. A main part of Francis’s vision involved helping those in need without receiving anything in return. But in spite of the success of the order he started, Francis decided to resign his position as the head of the order. His resignation emerges from his understanding that his movement has changed too much. Lepers play a…

He was elected on just the 5th ballot. He became the first person from North or South America to become pope. He chose the name Pope Francis. He took the title after St. Francis from Assisi,…

The great monk, Saint Francis of Assisi, once said, "Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there doubt, faith." This way of explaining faith resonates with my personal beliefs. Faith is usually used to fill one's doubts or confusion. Faith also has various definitions, some of which were used in The Iliad in religious and trusting fashions. Many people have different definitions of faith. The dictionary would define faith as, "the strong belief or trust in…

Several issues were important in the life of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century that continue to impact today’s Church. Two of them were the Second Vatican Council as a whole and the scandal of sexual abuse by priests. However, I consider that the most significant event in this period of time was the whole new approach to Christian unity and interreligious dialogue by the Church in Vatican II. This new approach impacted the practice of the Catholic faith, continues to influence the…

accomplish this goal, she focuses on the history of the Franciscan Rule of St. Clare which was finally approved in 1253, only two days before she died. The encompassing theme of the book is the insistence on the “Privilege of Poverty” by Clare of Assisi and the women of St. Francis that was finally granted to them one day before with Clare's death…