“Start by doing what is necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing what is impossible.”-Francis of Assisi.…
In his book, Francis of Assisi, William R. Cook seeks to provide a better understanding of St. Francis of Assisi as an individual rather than in conjunction with the order he founded. Cook divides the book into six sections, each section concentrating on an important aspect or experience in Francis= life and spirituality. The six sections focus on his conversion; his relationship to the created world; the creation of the Christmas crib at Greccio; the role of learning; the relationship between the active and contemplative life; and his stigmatization at LaVerna in 1224.(pg. 18) In order to provide a general understanding I believe that these six sections can be narrowed down into three major themes that Cook sets forth; full surrender to God, a balance between world and self through an understanding of God=s will, and the importance of experiencing scripture over studying it. To support these themes Cook utilizes a number of reliable resources, both written and visual.…
In Jon Sweeney’s lecture and book, “ When Saint Francis Saved The Church”, he spoke about Francis leading a revolutionary life. There were two points that helped support with Francis leading a revolutionary life. Those points were friendship and poverty. Sweeney spoke about how important friendship and poverty was to Francis. These points helped with Francis learning what kind of person he would be and do with his life. The first point, Sweeney spoke about was friendship.…
Jude changed many women’s lives and made them alter their differing prospects on both the American culture and the Catholic religion. Specifically, Orsi reveals that the majority of immigrants were from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as Ireland. Since they were facing challenges of misery, war, and poverty, St. Jude offered them hope. Therefore, Orsi's ability to comprehend the staid female followers of the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes makes his book a thought-provoking interpretation of the U.S. and Catholic cultures. Most importantly, it demonstrates an appealing attempt to challenge the limits of religious studies. In fact, the voices of Jude's fanatical female follower’s flashback, through Orsi's narrative and observations, effusively inform the reader on the importance of piousness and the refinement of female personalities. In this illustrative literature material, Orsi raises questions that require answers from students and scholars, including why Saint Jude’s cult was extraordinarily personal and solely female. Therefore, these flashbacks help readers shape and comprehend their future for many generations to…
The order that Francis founded started with a simple idea of living a very poor life, preaching the teaching of Jesus and submission to the church or assistance to anyone in need. A main part of Francis’s vision involved helping those in need without receiving anything in return. But in spite of the success of the order he started, Francis decided to resign his position as the head of the order. His resignation emerges from his coming to terms with the size of his movement. In his assistance with the lepers, Francis vison is revealed and the limitations it would have considering his followers and the pope.…
Luke’s theme is about new conversion and the rapid spread of Christianity, however, with the addition of the story of Mary and Martha it becomes confusing as to how this story fits in with the overall theme of the Gospel of Luke. However, Luke continues his theme with this story because he wants everyone to know the truth about Jesus. Jesus wanted Martha to stop doing the busywork and focus on the truth of Him and who He is. Before this passage, we have the story about the Good Samaritan who was there to help even when it was frowned upon socially. After this passage, we have where Jesus teaches about prayer. The passage about Mary and Martha go with the Good Samaritan story because Martha was doing what was expected by her culture and society, while Mary was going beyond it and sitting at the feet of Jesus.…
Have you ever wanted to pray before a test, but didn’t know who to pray to? Saint Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of students and education. Throughout his life, he taught us various ways on how to believe in what we believe in. He also taught us to chase our dreams, even when it is not approved by the people around us.…
Francis of Assisi, occasionally regarded as the “hippie of the saints” and the lover of animals, lived from 1181-1226. At the beginning of his life, he lived a rather well-to-do lifestyle, with a carefree view on life. He partied, got drunk, and hung out with friends- Francis was your average medieval teenager, who had a generally happy view on life. In young adulthood, though, Francis was enlisted in a feud with a neighboring city, and was captured. There, he became ill and, once released, went home to recover. It was at this point in his life that he turned to the Church for guidance, and became a religious man. Years after he turned to God, Francis has was worshiping on a mountainside, when he had vision of a divine figure, and woke up with the markings of Christ’s stigmata on his hands, feet, and side. It is in this paper that I observe multiple views various historians have of Francis’s…
She was a poor peasant and her dad was a farmer. She was a fun loving child who was wise beyond her years. She was always deep in prayer and began to hear “voices”, which people have been led to believe are saints, at age thirteen.…
Mary Rowlandson and Anne Bradstreet are two women with different stories and one similar faith. Their similar faith in God and passion for writing allowed the two women to survive the contrast of hardships each woman had to endure. Furthermore, in this essay, I will compare and contrast the lives and faith of Rowlandson and Bradstreet.…
Francis father was outraged with him so Francis hid in a cave near St. Damian’s for a month. When he came out from hiding, he returned to the town weak and dirty. The townsman thought Francis had gone mad. Finally, he was dragged home by his father and locked in a dark…
The shimmering golden highlights from the halos behind their heads were captivating. The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine is an altarpiece that was painted by Benozzo Gozzoli and his assistants in 1490. Benozzo Gozzoli was an Italian Renaissance painter who is particularly known for his fresco painting style and his murals. This riveting piece he created only 7 years before his death, encapsulates the essence of the Renaissance time period. This paper will discuss in detail, a depiction of the painting, the historical context of the painting, and how the imagery and colors were used to give an impression of the celebratory ceremonial essence of the unification of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Christ. The vivid pigment and bold colors…
The importance of picking a saint for Confirmation starts with understanding why Catholics pick them, how to pick a saint, and narrowing down the choices of saints. Hopefully Catholics can use the tips and explanations about saints for Confirmation. Through prayer and seeking guidance, a Catholic can grow in faith through the sacrament of Confirmation. The author wants to emphasize that there is a personal relationship between a saint and a Catholic through examination of…
The figure of Christopher on display at the Middle Ages and Renaissance wing of the Rijksmuseum is an oak sculpture depicting the eponymous saint. Dated circa 1520 AD, the sculpture portrays Saint Christopher as a bearded man wading through a river with his right leg placed in front of his left. With both hands, he holds on to a staff crafted from a tree trunk. From this, Saint Christopher bends the right side of his upper body to lean slightly forward. He also looks up to the child on his back, who speaks to him with his right hand raised and his left hand holding on to a lock of Saint Christopher’s hair.…
Throughout the long standing history of the Catholic Church, dynamic and influential positions have been predominately held by men. From the Church’s Worldwide Leader, the Pope, down through the ranks of Cardinal, Archbishop, Bishop, Priest, and Deacon; men hold these responsibilities almost exclusively. However, women have, throughout the years, played a vastly significant role in shaping the Catholic Church’s history, its ministry, and its overall world impact. Saint Therese of Lisieux and Mother Theresa approached their ministries at opposite ends of the spectrum. One performing very small and self-sacrificial acts, while the other actively going out into the worst parts of the world to serve the less fortunate.…