2. 1200
“When I was in sin, it was very bitter for me to see lepers. And the
Lord led me among them, and I did mercy with them. And
afterward, what was bitter was turned into sweetness of soul and
body.” (Francis, Testament)
7. 1200
“let them pray for the living and the dead”
(Francis, Earlier Rule, 1221)
St. Francis Missal
Assisi, Church of
San Niccolo (11721228) (Walters Art
Museum, Baltimore
MD)
8. 2000
“let them pray for the living and the dead”
(Francis, Earlier Rule, 1221)
iBreviary daily Catholic prayer in electronic form, created
by Fr. Paolo Padrini of Tortona, Italy
15. The St. Francis Pledge:
“We Pledge to:”
• PRAY and reflect on the duty to care for God’s
Creation and protect the poor and vulnerable.
• LEARN about and educate others on the causes and
moral dimensions of climate change.
• ASSESS how we-as individuals and in our
families, parishes and other affiliations-contribute to
climate change by our own energy
use, consumption, waste, etc.
• ACT to change our choices and behaviors to reduce
the ways we contribute to climate change.
• ADVOCATE for Catholic principles and priorities in
climate change discussions and decisions, especially
as they impact those who are poor and vulnerable.
16. “They are still arguing about whether they will crucify him
for being from my Order or for taking your name, Frank
17. “ ... as pilgrims and strangers in this world let them go confidently ...” (Francis, Rule, 1223)
Padre Alfonso OFM Cap with new immigrants from Italy, Sydney, 1951 ca.
21. Change for Common Good
• St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of
the Franciscan Order, would qualify
as a social entrepreneur -- having
built multiple organizations that
advanced pattern changes in his
"field."
• David Bornstein, How to Change the World :
Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas
, p. 3
28. A Generous View of God
• God is the “Good,” God is love
– humans connect with God through free act of love
• God is interpersonal communion of Persons
– the Trinity puts community at center of all
• Jesus: the center/heart of Trinity made a creature
– Incarnation, “the Word made flesh” a free act of love
• All creation exists because of him and for him
– “Christocentrism:” all is related to him
• God’s will: all will be saved, all things made new
– the “universal salvific will of God”
29. A Contrasting View of God
• God is primarily the “Truth”
– humans connect with God through intellect
• God is “the One,” “the supreme Being”
– the unconnected individual is image of God
• World is testing ground for salvation: to be
destroyed at the end
– material reality basically irrelevant to God
• God wills some to be saved
– others be damned
30. Optimistic View of Human Person
• Made as image of God, patterned on
Christ
• Injured by evil, sin: bent over, looking
down
• Healing work of Christ brings upright
posture
• Humans share bond with all creatures:
Christ
• God’s plan is sharing divine life with all
31. A Contrasting View of Person
• Sin has destroyed image of God in
humans
– sin is organic, rotting from within, poison
• Christ came because of sin, to die as
payment
– without human sin no need for a Savior
• Humans have creation to “use” and
dominate
– all other creatures exist for the sake of
humans
32. A Positive View of the World
• Made to reveal its good Creator
– world leads us toward God, not away from God
• Created for Christ, remains in him, to be fulfilled in
him
– world is of great importance to God who calls it “very
good”
• Careful attention to the world opens us to God’s
presence in Christ
– the world is charged with “God’s grandeur”
• Every created being is linked to us because we
have a common source and destiny
– in God, through Christ
33. A Contrasting View of World
• The world exists to be stage for human
drama
– the testing place for final salvation
• Material reality is of little importance
– what really matters is “spiritual”
• World is put here for us to consume
– its meaning is fulfilled when humans use it
• Destiny of created world is destruction
– after the “saved” are taken away
