SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

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SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
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Francis was born is Assisi around 1181. His
parents were rich. His father was a merchant, and
Francis planned to be a merchant too.
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Francis spent lots of his time having fun. He
went to parties and out with his friends. He wore
expensive clothes and had many wonderful things.
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Francis joined the military around 1201. During
that time he was captured and became sick. He
started to pray to God for help. When he
recovered he believed that God wanted him to
serve the poor.
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In 1206 Francis felt that God wanted him to
rebuild his church in Assisi. He gave away all of
his things and worked on the church. This made
his father very angry. Franciss friends laughed
at him and the strange way he was acting. But
Francis kept on doing Gods work.
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After Saint Francis rebuilt the church he felt
that he was to go out and preach about God. Soon
10 other men joined him. Francis sent a letter to
the pope asking if the group could become a
religious community. The pope said yes.
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The group, called the Friars, traveled all over
Italy and beyond spreading the good news of
Jesus. Francis said to live simply and humbly and
to love God above all things.
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Francis had a special way with animals and birds.
He loved them very much. St. Francis had the
power of working miracles and even of making
birds and animals obey him!
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Once a town called Gubbio came to Francis for
help. A wolf was terrorizing them. Francis went
out and met the wolf. Together they made an
agreement that the would would leave the town
alone if the town would feed him. And that is
what the town did.
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Another story is told about Saint Francis and the
fish and rabbits. When the animals were caught in
traps Saint Francis would turn them loose but
they wouldnt leave him! He used to have his
friends take the animals away so that they would
go back to there homes.
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Christmas was 15 days away. How should they
celebrate? Francis remembered his visit to the
Holy Land. Why not build a replica of Bethlehem
in the town? And that is what he did. He sent a
note to his friend, Giovanni (John) Vellita.
Francis said, If you want to celebrate the Feast
of the Lord at Greccio, hurry and prepare what I
tell you. I wish to recall to memory the little
child who was born in Bethlehem. I want to show
how he lay in the manger,and how with an ox and
donkey stood by as he lay upon the hay.
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John began immediately. People prepared torches
and candles to light up the night. The manger was
prepared in the cave, and the ox and donkey
brought in. When Francis came to the cave, he was
delighted.
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The great evening arrived. People began to come
in procession, carrying their torches and
candles. The woods rang with their song. They
were rediscovering the birth of Jesus in a new
and special way.
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Francis helped many people during his time on
Earth. He died on October 3, 1226. Pope Honorius
III declared him a saint on July 16, 1228. His
feast day is October 4th.
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He continues to help us today by being an example
of the kind of person we want to be.
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The following prayer is known as the Prayer of
Saint Francis. No one is sure who really wrote
the prayer, but many people agree that it tells
us all the things that Saint Francis tried to do
and wanted the people of the world to do, too.
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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where
there is hatred, let me sow love, Where there is
injury, pardon Where there is doubt, faith,
Where there is despair, hope, Where there is
darkness, light, Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
seek to be consoled as to console, not so much
to be understood as to understand, not so much
to be loved, as to love for it is in giving
that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are
pardoned, it is in dying that we awake to
eternal life.