Retreat with the Little Poor Man of Assisi



"We happy few" - our small mini-retreat group!

 On Saturday, October 2, we held a "Mini-Retreat with St. Francis of Assisi" at the Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge in Westville, NJ. Here is an outline of the life of St. Francis. He is, without question, one of the greatest followers of Christ ever to walk the earth. We have much to learn from him. 

Reading about St. Francis in the Wheelabrator Picnic Shelter

The view from Tie-Off Point due north to Center City

Outline of Francis’ Life

• 1182a.d. Birth of Francis in Assisi. The son of Pietro di Bernardone, a wealthy middle-class linen merchant, and Pica, a French woman.
• He studied at St. George’s Church School in Assisi as a youth. He was deeply influenced by the ideals of medieval chivalry and dreamed of being a brave knight.
• 1200 He joined the war between Assisi and neighboring Perugia, was captured and spent 1 year as a POW. During an illness, he received a vision urging him to serve the Lord rather than men.
• 1202 He returned to Assisi and began to help poor priests and the needy by selling his father’s goods. He also began to pray intently. He received a vision of Christ saying, “Francis, go and repair my church which, as you see, is falling into ruins.”
• 1206 Confrontation between Francis and his father over wealth given away. Francis stripped away and left everything behind him now.
• 1209 He received his “gospel way of life” and begins to gather followers (called Friars Minor, meaning “little or insignificant brothers”).
• 1210 Now as a group of 12, they wrote a short Rule of Life and received verbal and direct approval from Pope Innocent III for the Order (the Order of Friars Minor).
• 1212 Desiring to preach the Gospel to everyone, Francis traveled and tried, but failed, to reach the Muslims in North Africa, Spain, and Syria.
• 1219 Francis traveled with Crusaders to Egypt where he preached to the Sultan and attempted to forge a cease-fire agreement.
• 1220 Suffering from malaria and glaucoma, he retired as leader of his growing movement and entered a time of deep struggle and disappointment.
• 1223 Finally regaining peace, Francis created the first Nativity crèche to make the celebration of Christmas more real to the people.
• 1224 He received the Stigmata on his body while in prayer on Mount Alverna on September 14 (Holy Cross Day).
• 1226 After two more years of painful illness, Francis died peacefully in nakedness on the bare ground. He was 44 years old.
• 1228 Francis was canonized as a Saint by the church and his following continued to grow.
• 2010 Today, more than 1.5 million people around the world are vowed Franciscans. Many more are influenced by his example.

The primary source for fruitful meditation upon the life of St. Francis is the Little Flowers. Buy it, and read it often!