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Saint Francis Of Assisi

Saint Francis Of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), popularly called the "Holy Bird" century of Romanticism, is renowned for his extraordinary love for   animals: birds, fish, ants, bees, rabbits, lambs, wolves.

Why did he love them? First, because they are God's creatures. He liked to call them "brothers" and "sisters" because they originate from the same Creator.

It has been told that he had a predilection for suffering animals and for those, like lambs, reminded him of the Saviour.

The Francis' love for animals is to be in the context of his life: the Poverello of Assisi had learned to marvel at all, after his discovery of the Lord. His famous poem, "Canticle of the Creatures," sings the Creator of all beings. This is because of this general attention to our "Sister Mother Earth", he was proclaimed "heavenly patron of ecologists", November 29, 1979.

St. Bonaventure writes:

"By dint of going back to the origin of all things, he had designed for them all, a friendship brimming ...At the Portiuncula, was offered the man a lamb of God, which followed the brothers to the chapel, and  without being drawn,  was a genuflection, thrusting some bleating before the altar of the Virgin prostrated rise to ...In Greccio, a hare preferred to come snuggle on the chest of Francis, who affectionately stroked it ...

Near Venice, the birds made such a racket during the prayer of brothers that Francis silenced them until the end of Lauds. They obeyed him ... In Siena, a pheasant went to eat and flap its wings along with François. At Alverno, the birds were so numerous around his cell that he interpreted as a  farandole this medley to reside there. A hawk woke Francis for prayer ...

In Greccio, when the city was struggling with the fierce wolf packs and hail which devastated the vineyards, Francis called everyone to conversion, it was the price to be delivered from these scourges.The inhabitants of the city witnessed the march of the saint in the forest, to reach out to the big bad wolf, the wolf placed his paw in the hand of Francis, by covenant after pledging not to hurt anyone. "
Many other stories speak of the attention of Brother Francis for earthworms, ants, bees, spiders, crickets, all kinds of birds (nightingales, swallows, doves, robins, larks, crows) , rabbits, horses, donkeys, deer and foxes ...
 
Did you know?
 
Do you know? Since the nineteenth century, the Popes have encouraged all animal welfare:
"The animal world, as all creation is a manifestation of God's power, wisdom and goodness, and as such deserves the respect of man. Any reckless desire to kill animals, any inhumanity, despicable cruelty towards them must be condemned ...The Catholic Church is trying to exert influence on individuals and the public to ensure acceptance of these principles ".
(Pius XII, representatives of international humane societies, November 1950)
In 1979, Pope John Paul II officially proclaimed St. Francis of Assisi Patron Celestial environmentalists.
"I am pleased to be with you, deserving environmentalists, and I will gladly offer my encouragement for the work you do for heritage preservation of nature and animal welfare ...May the Lord assist you and grant you abundant rewards in your noble and meritorious commitment. "
(John Paul II, representatives of humane societies in Italy, in November 1981).
 
Text by Roland Bonenfant, ofm.

If you want to know more about this man, visit this site and many others in memory of Saint Francis of Assisi.

 

I'm not a believer, but I recognize in this man, his benefits, which should be recalled more often on the media ...

Leo