A Scandalous, Tumultuous Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday was the day chosen by Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) when Francis’ beloved Clare of Assisi (1192 – 1258) would sneak out at night, run the fields below the town, leaving her family...
View ArticleTrue North
I have come to believe that the greatest battle of our age is not, as one would suppose, the “war on terror,” meaning terrorists. I believe it is an invisible war with its own element of terror, which...
View ArticleThe Blessed Earth: A Symphony
Today is “Earth Day,” a celebration spawned in 1970 by astute civic protestors and politicians who felt citizens of the world ought to be doing more to honor and protect the environment. It is a grand...
View ArticleThe Hidden Life of Clare of Assisi
The hidden life of Clare of Assisi (119-[something] to 1253) is forever bound to that of Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), though Clare was a force unto herself who cast her own light and left a...
View ArticleWhat You Do, Do — With a Swift Pace and Nimble Step
Clare of Assisi died 760 years ago tomorrow (August 11, 1253). Yet she remains as much a beacon for women and men of faith today as she did in her own day. For centuries the story of Clare has been...
View ArticleRemembering St. Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi died 787 years ago today, and yet he seems more alive than ever despite the passage of time. In the Catholic tradition, this anniversary marks the “Feast Day of St. Francis.”...
View ArticleNew Year’s Resolution: Change the World
By Wendy Murray When I wrote my book about Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) a few years back, I couldn’t get over what a simple humble man he was and how — as such — he managed to change his world. His...
View ArticleWhat’s In a Name? Pope Francis Explains
One year ago an Argentinian named Jorge Mario Bergoglio assumed the name of Francis — or, in Italian, Francesco. For Italians, the name needs no explanation. For Americans, not so much. In the video...
View ArticleWho Is the *Real* Francis of Assisi? A New Book Hasn’t Found Him
A Review of When Francis Saved the Church, by Jon Sweeney (This review is part of the Patheos Book Club.) by Wendy Murray When I was living in Assisi, Italy to work on my book about the life of...
View ArticleA “Crusade” That Defies the Stereotype
The Little Friar who Brought a Great Peace Francis of Assisi’s bold action in the context of religious war Only one time during the period of global religious conflict known (now) as the Crusades did...
View ArticleThe Friar Who Inspired the Pope: The Original Francis
Today the Installation Mass of the new Pope Francis officially inaugurated his papacy. He chose the name Francis, he said, because upon his election, his friend, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes,...
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