St. Francis’ feast day is October 4th which makes
this time of year perfect for reading about St. Francis and other saints who
have followed in his footsteps. Robert Ellsberg makes learning about these holy
people easy in his latest offering, The Franciscan Saints (Franciscan Media).
Ellsberg points out that St. Francis is immensely popular, “honored
in every land, even by the secular-minded and people of other faiths.” He
begins with a short biography of this founder of the Franciscan Order who was
known for his authenticity and putting the Gospel into practice.
He then goes on to tell about the lives of over a hundred
Franciscans, “many, but not all, drawn from the long list of official
Franciscan saints.” Over the past 800 years, these individuals have shared an “evangelical
zeal, humility and simplicity of life, closeness to the poor, a spirit of
prayer, and a certain freedom from the cares of a world preoccupied with
greatness, power, and grandiose ambitions.” With the exception of St. Clare,
St. Francis’ close friend and one of his earliest followers, whose biography
immediately follows his, the saints are listed by chronological order by date
of death.
On these pages, one will find many well-known Franciscans
such as St. Anthony, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas More, St. Maximilian Kolbe,
and St. Padre Pio. Many lesser known saints are also included as well, such as
Blessed Jacopone of Todi who wrote the Stabat
Mater, St. Leonard of Port Maurice who popularized the Stations of the
Cross, and Servant of God Thea Bowman who strongly promoted African-American
Catholicism. Those profiled are from different walks of life but each provides
a model of holiness.
Ellsberg writes in an accessible style which is
easy-to-understand and enjoyable to read. Each short biography ends with a
quote either by or about the holy person. These quotes are well-worth some time
of reflection.
The Franciscan Saints
would be an inspirational gift for any Franciscans you might know or anyone who
is interested in saints. It is perfect for reading a saint each day.
Purchase this book through Amazon and help support this site: http://amzn.to/2yemaIl
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