Library Resources for the Franciscan Pilgrimage

"Francis: The Journey and the Dream depicted a Francis who 'sang' to me. I felt that I had found a teacher to lead me home. I had no idea where this was going to lead, but I was ready to follow."--John Michael Talbot One of the most influential saints' books, with over 200,000 copies sold, Francis: The Journey and the Dream continues to inspire people of all ages with its lyrical prose and depth of love for the Poor Man of Assisi. This beautiful anniversary edition includes Fr. Bodo's story of writing the book and its worldwide influence, a reader's guide for book clubs and discussion groups, and a list of Fr. Bodo's favorite Franciscan resources, culled over three decades of research on Francis and his followers.

A compelling new biography of Francis for readers of any faith and none.

Portrays the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, his teachings, and the development of his religious order.

In a little town in Italy, nearly eight hundred years ago, Francis of Assisi renounced everything he owned to follow Christ with passionate and single-minded abandon. Even today, centuries later, this simple saint draws people around the world to his story of living in humility, love, and joy. Here in Following Francis, Susan Pitchford tells her own story of the Franciscan life, as a member of the Third Order, founded by Francis himself so that people from all walks of life can follow the saint's ideal, without leaving their homes or occupations. Pitchford learned that the Franciscan tradition isn't the exclusive possession of monks cloistered in a monastery, but a spiritual path for ordinary people living in the twenty-first century. Organized around the Rule of St. Francis, this book - a wonderful resource for private devotion or group study - shows readers what it means to live out the Christian life with a Franciscan accent.

To celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the Franciscan Order, Franciscan scholar and historian Dominic Monti tells us the beautiful and inspirational story of Francis of Assisi and his followers--the Order of Friars Minor, or the Lesser Brothers--from its beginnings to current times. This history emphasizes not only the medieval developments of the world's most beloved band of men but also the internal evolution and mission efforts of the friars during the modern period, from the sixteenth century to the present. Monti gives particular emphasis to the history of the order in the English-speaking world: first England and Ireland and then North America and the twentieth-century expansion of the order to other English-speaking countries. Chapter topics include: medieval Christian society; the First Lesser Brothers; expansion and transformation of the Order; the Franciscan mission; internal crisis in the Order; Observants and Conventuals; friars during the Reformation and Baroque Eras; mission to the world; the challenges of modernity; Franciscans in the United States, Canada and Australia; rebuilding the Order in Europe; and recovering a charism.

Introduces us to the world of Francis and his first followers and shows how their excitement and wonder at Jesus alive in their midst can be recaptured.

Gerry Straub was a successful Hollywood producer when he found himself alone inside a Franciscan church in Assisi. The avowed atheist had little inkling of the radical turn his life was about to take as he began a journey of conversion that would carry him from the heights of career success to the poorest places on earth. His spiritual guide would be a medieval saint with a powerful, yet sublimely simple message for a contemporary world. Straub's dramatic story is a modern-day pilgrimage into the prayerful heart of St. Francis of Assisi. The initial jolt of self-discovery-"Francis was chasing Lady Poverty while I was chasing Brother BMW"-gave way to the gradual realization that conversion is a slow, grace-filled process, filled with the ups and downs of everyday life. Winding his own spiritual and physical journey along Francis' path, Straub discovers firsthand what it might have meant for Francis to live among the homeless, to encounter lepers, and to spend hours in contemplative prayer. His story encourages each of us to look inward and to personally discover how the spirituality that inspired Pope Francis can shape our own spiritual journey An inspiring, life-changing read. Book jacket.

St. Francis's call is a call to return to the basics of Christianity. It is a call to Christians to reach back to their roots so that their spiritual lives can draw strength from the pure waters of the Gospel instead of being choked by manmade traditions and worldly concerns. In the words of G. K. Chesterton, the coming of Francis "marked the moment when men could be reconciled not only to God but to nature and, most difficult of all, to themselves. ... his whole function [was] to tell men to start afresh and, in that sense, to tell them to forget" (124).While St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved saints in history, the relevancy of St. Francis for our times in light of the election of Pope Francis has yet to be explored. This book is written with the intention of filling that gap. While it is biographical in nature, it also freely explores themes that relate to St. Francis but are not a part of his life. This book is about more than the life of St. Francis of Assisi; it is about the impact this beloved saint has had through his imitation of Christ, his love of poverty, the Franciscan movement, and his profound influence on Pope Francis.

"Some people want to know why I wished to be called Francis. For me, Francis of Assisi is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation."  -- Pope Francis, March 16, 2013. Published in cooperation with the Vatican, this original collection brings the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi to life through the pope's uplifting and challenging words.By taking the name of one of the most venerated figures in Christendom, Pope Francis set a high bar for his papacy. Saint Francis renounced wealth and honor in order to proclaim the Gospel message to a lost generation. His exuberant love for God and radical example of Christian life awakened hope in countless followers and renewed the Church.  Pope Francis's inspirational homilies, addresses, and writings on Franciscan ideals such as simplicity, humility, forgiveness, joy, compassion, peacemaking, and care for creation give you a simple way to renew your faith.

For everyone who has been touched by the / story of St. Francis, this book will deepen that understanding and provide a new perspective on his enduring legacy. Retelling his story, along with social and theological reflections for today, the authors-both Catholic and Protestant-present a new picture of the ever-popular saint. Francis' way speaks loudly to those who long to do something about inequality and poverty, about consumerism and spiritual emptiness. For this revised edition, the authors have taken special inspiration from the example and witness of Pope Francis, who has demonstrated the enduring challenge of St. Francis -especially in responding to poverty, the cause of peace, interreligious dialogue, and the urgent challenge of ecology. Book jacket.

"The Sun and Moon Over Assisi" reveals how the lives of the two medieval saints from Assisi--Francis and Clare--helped to transform the life of a thoroughly modern cynic from Los Angeles, California.

Jon M. Sweeney, author of numerous popular books on St. Francis as well as the recent bestseller "The Pope Who Quit," offers a surprising new look at the world's most popular saint, showing how this beloved, but often-mythologized character created a spiritual vision for the ages and may very well have rescued the Christian faith.

Although this is a small book on the spirituality of a medieval woman from a glorious past, it is also a book about Christian life today. Clare's decisive emphasis on the person of Jesus Christ is an emphasis on the human person as well, what we are and what we are called to be. --From the Introduction Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love explores Clare's deep desire to live the gospel life, more precisely, her desire for all of us to reflect on Christ and his crucifixion in order to see our own strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, our capacity to love. Ilia Delio illustrates how Clare, through her life, her writings, letters, prayer and example, is truly a mystic who helped generations of Catholics clearly see how Christ took on human flesh, not just to suffer and die for us, but to help us all in turn reflect back the face of Christ to the world. Clare was not simply a follower of Francis, she was a formidable, resolute, devout and loving saint whose life centered on this essence of human identity--Christ is in each of us--and who sought to teach us to just be ourselves and to let God dwell within us. In Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love, Ilia Delio shows us just how Clare's simple, but powerful beliefs transformed the way we all think about Christ--even today.

Ask anyone who has been there Assisi is a special place. The events in the lives of Francis and Clare seem to have charged the very rocks with a power that can still be felt today. Our guide, Father Roch Niemier, is intimately acquainted with the places so close to the saints of Assisi Rocca Maggiore, San Damiano, the Porziuncola, San Rufino, La Verna, Greccio, Maddalena, the Piazza Comune and the streets of Assisi. His exploration of the spirituality of place makes even the armchair pilgrim understand the meaning of these locales, and provides an unforgettable remembrance for those who have made the journey themselves.

Foreword by Murray Bodo, O.F.M Medieval scholar Marco Bartoli, as translated by Clare scholar Sister Frances Teresa Downing, reconstructs the charismatic personality of Clare of Assisi, a great medieval figure whose voice has been heard through the ages. Bartoli explores what has been said about Clare and what has not been said, between evidence and interpretation, between silence and memory, using the most important source for knowing Clare, the Legenda sanctae Clarae virginis (The Legend of Saint Clare the Virgin), written by order of the pope on the occasion of Clare's canonization.

St. Clare is a much-loved figure in Catholic sainthood, although less known than St. Francis of Assisi. These two figures were critical to the renewal of the Church in their time, and their work has implications far down the ages, to our present time. St. Clare: A Short Biography looks at the founder of the Order of the Poor Ladies (now the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to as the Poor Clares), a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition. It considers the woman who heard and chose to follow Francis rather than marrying a young and wealthy man as her parents wanted, who moved to the church of San Damiano and then drew other women to a place known for its radically austere lifestyle. Most of all, the book reflects her theology of joyous poverty in imitation of Christ, and her willingness to follow the call of Christ. This is an introductory portrait of St. Clare beyond the common perceptions, with the spirit of Franciscan practice implicit throughout the work. St. Clare: A Short Biography highlights the relevance of this pivotal saint to our lives here and now.

For all who love St. Francis and his spirit of passionate creativity and devotion to God, this prayer book is an invitation to experience the spiritual gifts of one of his closest companions. Clare was a deep, ready source of wisdom--a well to Francis's river.   Discover the spirituality of St. Clare and how it complements that of St. Francis. Enter into a week of morning and evening prayer centered on themes from Clare's life. Pray with Clare's own words in a variety of occasions. And enjoy a special appendix that dramatizes what it might have been like to be there on that first night when Clare fled to the little chapel called Portiuncula to become a brother, and much more. Visit Jon Sweeney's blog at www.jonmsweeney.wordpress.com.