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https://www.classtools.net/FB/1887-yizJec

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"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows".

- Francis of Assisi

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Catholic Online. 2018. St. Francis of Assisi - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50. [Accessed 21 February 2018]

Biography. 2018. St. Francis of Assisi - Saint - Biography. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.biography.com/people/st-francis-of-assisi-21152679. [Accessed 21 February 2018]

St Francis of Assisi Biography - Facts, Childhood, Life & Achievements. 2018. St Francis of Assisi Biography - Facts, Childhood, Life & Achievements. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/st-francis-of-assisi-90.php. [Accessed 22 February 2018]

BrainyQuote. 2018. Francis of Assisi Quotes - BrainyQuote. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/francis_of_assisi. [Accessed 23 February 2018]

Biography Online. 2018. St Francis of Assisi Biography |  Biography Online . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/st-francis-assisi.html. [Accessed 23 February 2018]

National Catholic Register. 2018. Who was St. Francis of Assisi? 12 things to know and share. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/who-was-st.-francis-of-assisi-12-things-to-know-and-share. [Accessed 25 February 2018]

Biography Online. 2018. Maximilian Kolbe Biography |  Biography Online . [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.biographyonline.net/spiritual/maximilian-kolbe.html. [Accessed 25 February 2018]

EpicPew. 2018. 8 Inspiring Quotes from Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Martyr of Charity – EpicPew. [ONLINE] Available at: https://epicpew.com/saintmaximiliankolbequotes/. [Accessed 26 February 2018]

Catholic Online. 2018. St. Maximilian Kolbe - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=370. [Accessed 26 February 2018]

St. Maximilian Kolbe. 2018. Biography - St. Maximilian Kolbe. [ONLINE] Available at: https://saintmaximiliankolbe.com/biography/. [Accessed 27 February 2018]

University of Saint Francis. 2018. Mission and Values :: University of Saint Francis :: University of Saint Francis, Fort Wayne, Indiana. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.sf.edu/about-usf/mission/. [Accessed 28 February 2018]

Catholicism.org. 2018. Saint Maximilian Kolbe - Catholicism.org. [ONLINE] Available at: http://catholicism.org/maximilian-kolbe.html. [Accessed 2 March 2018]

capuchins.org. 2018. No page title. [ONLINE] Available at: https://capuchins.org/2016/10/27/7-life-lessons-from-st-francis/. [Accessed 2 March 2018]

Mumbo Gumbo. 2018. The Four Core Values of St. Francis According To Yours Truly | Mumbo Gumbo. [ONLINE] Available at: https://intellexualher.wordpress.com/2013/05/25/the-four-core-values-of-st-francis-according-to-yours-truly/. [Accessed 4 March 2018]

Silver Lake College. 2018. Franciscan Values. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.sl.edu/about-silver-lake/general-information/franciscan-values-2. [Accessed 4 March 2018]

lessons from a monastery. 2018. Five Reasons to Visit a Monastery | lessons from a monastery. [ONLINE] Available at: https://lessonsfromamonastery.wordpress.com/visiting-monasteries-2/. [Accessed 7 March 2018]

Encyclopedia Britannica. 2018. Franciscan | religious order | Britannica.com. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Franciscans. [Accessed 7March 2018]

Catholic Online. 2018. Franciscan Order - Encyclopedia Volume - Catholic Encyclopedia - Catholic Online. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=4838. [Accessed 9 March 2018]

Poor Clares – Cloistered Life. 2018. Poor Clares – Cloistered Life. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.cloisteredlife.com/poor-clares/. [Accessed 1 March 2018].

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St Maximilian Kolbe is the patron saint of drug addicts, prisoners, families, and the pro-life movement. His birth name was  Raymund Kolbe and he was born on 8 January 1984. Kolbe was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar and has inspired thousands of people all across the globe. Kolbe is martyr who died during World War ||, in Auschwitz Concentration Camp. He sacrificed his life for a man who had a family. St Maximilian Kolbe was placed into a bunker to die from starvation. He was the last man alive and was killed by a lethal injection. St Maximilian stayed faithful, and continually prayed despite all the hardships that were thrown at him.

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St Maximilian Kolbe was born on  8 January 1894, in Zduńska Wola, Poland.

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14 August

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St Maximilian Kolbe was born to a Polish mother, Maria Dąbrowska, and German father, Juliusz Kolbe. He had an four brothers; Józef Kolbe, Franciszek Kolbe, Andrzej Kolbe, Walenty Kolbe. The family were not wealthy and were relatively poor. His father passed away in 1914, after he was abducted by the Russians, due to him taking part in fighting for an Independent Poland. His cause of death was by hanging.

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Kolbe’s family were poor, and during the time poverty was common in  Poland. His parents did not have the money to send their children to school, so they home-schooled them instead. They taught them how to read and write based on their own knowledge. The eldest child, Francis, was able to indulge himself to the educational privileges that were available. He was admitted to a seminary. St Maximilian Kolbe had captured the attention of a local pharmacist, who had offered to tutor him. When Kolbe was thirteen, he became interested in the Franciscan ideals preached by two Conventual Franciscans who conducted a parish mission at his church situated in Pabianice in 1907. He ended up being able to attend a secondary school along with his brother. The two brothers were later admitted to a Franciscan minor seminary located in Lwow. Their younger brother, Joseph, later followed in their footsteps, and this lead to St Maximilian Kolbe’s family all devoting themselves to God. They became more dedicated to their religion.

St Maximilian Kolbe excelled in mathematics and psychics, whilst attending the seminary. His faith grew and strengthen throughout his time there. Kolbe’s life is highly influenced by a vision he reportedly had of Virgin Mary in 1906. He described this experience as: “That night I asked the Mother of God what was to become of me. Then she came to me holding two crowns, one white, the other red. She asked me if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both”.

In 1910, Kolbe was given the religious name ‘Maxmilian’, due to him entering the novitiate of the Conventual Franciscans. He was also give the name ‘Friar Maximilian Mary’. He was admitted as an initiate and his final vows as a monk were taken in 1914. Later on, he traveled to Rome, Italy and studied there, where he gained a doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1915. Kolbe also gained a doctorate of theology from the University of St. Bonaventure in 1919.

Kolbe was ordained as a priest and returned to Poland in 1919. He had contracted tuberculosis, whilst studying abroad, but never complained about his illness. He saw it as an opportunity to suffer for Mary.

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“I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children.”

-St Maximilian Kolbe

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On 17 February 1941, St Maximilian Kolbe was arrested and sent to Pawiak prison because he was found guilty of hiding Jewish people from the Nazis. Kolbe was later transferred  to Auschwitz Consvcertration Camp.  During his time being imprisoned, Kolbe did not abandon his priesthood and continued to maintain his faith. At the camp, he had to complete tiring tasks, like carrying heavy blocks of stone. He was a victim of harassment and was frequently abused verbally and physically. Occasionally, he gave most of his rations to others, to help them out.

Near the end of Kolbe’s second month at the concentration camp, 10 men were selected to be starved in an unground bunker. This was to warn the other prisoners the consequences of disobeying and attempting escape. Kolbe was not chosen, but volunteered to take a man’s place, as he had a family. The victims were taken to the bunker and they would all pray. Kolbe lead them in prayer and singing hymns. Most of the prisoners had died after 2 weeks, except for Kolbe. The guards injected him with carbolic acid and he passed away. St Maximilian Kolbe died on the 14 August and was cremated the day after. St Maximilian Kolbe’s actions were considered heroic, inspirational and saint-like.

Despite all the negativity surrounding him, St Maximilian Kolbe retained his optimism. He held onto faith and provided fellow prisoners with a sense of hope. He aided whoever he could. Kolbe was identified as a Servant of God and was beatified as a ‘Confessor of Faith’ on 10 October 1971, by Pope Paul VI. St Maximilian Kolbe was canonised on 10 October 1982 by Pope John Paul II. He is recognised as a martyr.

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St Maximilian Kolbe had organised the Militia Immaculata (Army of the Immaculate One). He wanted to ‘fight for Mary’ against the enemies of the Church and convert sinners. He had gained a radio license to enable him to broadcast his thoughts on religion to the public. Kolbe composed Polish songs about Virgin Mary and the Immaculata Payer. He constantly promoted Mary throughout Poland. Kolbe had travelled to Japan in 1930, to serve as a missionary for several years. He helped choose a location for a new monastery that was soon to be built, and became friends with some Buddhist priests he met. In 1936, St Maximilian Kolbe returned home, due to him falling increasily ill. During World War ||, he had helped hide Jewish people from the Nazis, but was arrested for doing so.

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“For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more.”

- St Maximilian Kolbe

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St Maximilian Kolbe joined the Franciscan Order.

St Maximilian Kobe joined the Franciscan Order because he interested by the Franciscan ideals , which were preached by two Conventual Franciscans. His fascination began when he was thirteen years old, when the  Conventual Franciscans conducted a parish mission at his church located in Pabianice, in 107.

St Maximilian Kolbe was a good candidate for being part of the Franciscan Order because he had similar values and beliefs to what they taught and preached. The Franciscan ideals appealed to him, so he gradually gained more knowledge of the Franciscan Order and decided to devote his life to it. St Maximilian demonstrated the values of a good Franciscan.

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LIVING OUT THE VALUES OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER

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LIVING OUT THE VALUES OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER

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St Maximilian Kolbe lived out the values of the Franciscan Order through his daily actions and words. The Franciscan Order encourages an individual to serve one another, society and the Church. St Maximilian Kolbe showed respect and kindness to those around him, even if they didn’t in return. We can incorporate the values into our own life by simply being kinder and helpful people in society. We should treat everyone, how we would want to be treated. We should do what we know is right and should not get influenced by the negativity around us.

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Compassion // St Maximilian Kolbe was concerned and cared for the less fortunate

Determination // He was determined to not give up on his faith, despite all the hardships he was experiencing.

Faith // Kolbe’s faith never wavered as he always had hope and belief.

Kindness // Kolbe treated others with respect and kindness. No matter how others treated him, he did not disrespect them.

Bravery // He sacrificed his life for another man who had a family.

Optimism //

Courage // He hid the Jewish people from the Nazis, despite knowing the consequences he would face if he were to be caught.

Love // He displayed to all those around him.

Religion // St Maximilian Kolbe always stayed faithful and was extremely dedicated to his religion.

Service // Lived his life serving others and showing kindness to everyone.

Spirituality // Connected a lot with his spiritual side.

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Pope Francis visits St. Maximilian Kolbe's cell

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St Francis’ birth names was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, and he is one of the most recognised/influential Saint in the Catholic Church. St Francis is the patron of animals , merchants and ecology. St Francis lived a happy, wealthy childhood, but abandoned his life of luxury to embrace a life of poverty, as he was told to by God in a vision. Francis had admitted to starting out his life in sin, so he decided to dedicate his life to Jesus Christ and his religion. St Francis established the Franciscan Order and has inspired many people all across the world.

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St Francis was born on 30th December 1181, in Assisi, Italy.

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Feast day: October 4

Death: 1226

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St Francis' father was a wealthy cloth merchant who owned farmland around Assisi, and his mother was a beautiful Frenchwoman. His father had hoped that Francis would join him in the

Father: Pietro Di Bernardone

Mother: Pica De Bourlemont

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"We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake."

- St Francis of Assisi

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St Francis was born into a wealthy, prosperous family and began his life as a sinner. During Francis’ youth, he was pampered and highly indulged himself in wealth. He had a luxurious up-bringing and was able to consume fine foods/drinks. St Francis attended elementary school, where he learnt mathematics, poetry, music and how to read and write in latin. He did quite poorly in school, but no one minded. Francis was also taught French by his father.

Francis was an avid partier, who enjoyed drinking alcohol and spending times with  his friends. By the age of 14, Francis had dropped out of school and was regarded as a teenage rebel. He constantly broke his town’s curfew and was considered charming. He was a very likeable, popular person. His privileged life allowed him to learn the skills of archery, horsemanship and wrestling. It was expected of him to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a cloth merchant. Francis did extremely well handling business.

Although he was great in the business industry, it didn’t capture Francis’ interest, as he aspired to become knight. He wanted to be a war hero and involve himself in action. Francis’ wanted glory and to be victorious. He was also very intrigued by France just as his father had hoped. He loved the songs, the romance and the adventure of the nation.

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"In other respects an exquisite youth, he attracted to himself a whole retinue of young people addicted to evil and accustomed to vice." Francis himself said, "I lived in sin"
- St Francis of Assisi

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St Francis changed his life by dedicating his life to his religion and leaving his life of wealth behind. Francis’ religious journey began during his time in imprisonment after he had been captured by the enemy, whilst on a military expedition against Peruda. The enemy kept Francis alive, as they believed he would worthy of a decent ransom and he was released after one year.The traumatic experience took a slight toll on him and he began incorporating religion into his life more. Later, Francis was on his way to fight in the Fourth Crusade, but reportedly had a vision of God during  his travels. He was told to return home, so he obeyed. Francis started praying more and had visions of God.

It is believed that Francis encountered a leper. He reacted to the leper differently, to how he would have reacted earlier in his life. He saw the leper as a symbol of moral conscience, so he embraced and kissed the leper. Francis apparently felt freedom and his old lifestyle no longer seemed appealing to him.

St Francis had went to an ancient church, in San Damiano, to pray. Whilst praying, he reportedly heard Christ’s voice telling him to repair the church and live his life in poverty. This even lead to Francis fully devoting his life to christianity, and he did all he could to fix the church. Francis sold some of his father’s products, which resulted in his father being enraged. The relationship between Francis and his father was soon broken due to the lack of understanding he had for Francis’ beliefs.  Francis started preaching and became ordained as a deacon.

St Francis realised his sins, and did all he could to make up for them.

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"If God can work through me, he can work through anyone."

- St Francis of Assisi

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Uploaded by Jenelle Pinon on 2011-12-06.

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"We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake"

- St Francis of Assisi

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On the 3 October 1226, St Francis died due to an illness he contracted. He underwent treatment, but never fully recovered. St Francis was canonised as a saint two years after his death by Pope Gregory |X on 16 July 1228.  Many people had predicted that he would become a saint before he had died. Before his death, Francis reported that he had a vision that resulted in him being left with the stigmata of Christ, which are marks that car similar to the wounds Jesus suffered when he was crucified.

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St Francis of Assisi established the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscan Order) on on 24 February, 1209.

After St Francis had began preaching, companions started coming to Francis as they were interested in his lifestyle and wanted to follow him. He never expected a mass following. His companions came from all different lifestyles Some were rich, poor, from the city, from the country, etc. St Francis treated everyone with equal respect and kindness.

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St Francis is a significant individual in the Catholic Church. He has many values that stand out and his own set of teachings, which are still being taught ‘till this day.

VALUES

Dedication - St Francis was extremely dedicated to follow God. He abandoned his life of luxury, to devote himself to God. He faced difficulties and challenges along the way, but saw them all as a blessing from God. He looked for the positive side of a negative situation. St Francis stayed dedicated to his faith and spiritual well being of his followers ‘till the very end.

Respect - St Francis respected everyone, as humankind is a creation of God. He wanted to spread happiness, faith and positivity.

Compassion - St Francis opened his heart to everyone and looked out for everyone’s wellbeing . He seemed to form healthy, happy relationships with others, and encouraged everyone to be forgiving. He promoted peace and empathy. He put others in front of himself and served them.

Peace making - St Francis promoted peace by encouraging people to have a good relationship with everyone around them. Peace can only be sustained through a deep spirituality.

TEACHINGS

Prayer is essential - St Francis had realised God’s love for him, despite living a former life of sin. He wanted to communicate with God, and he knew he would be able to through prayer. He would find time to isolate himself from others, so he could pray in peace and quiet.

God speaks through our suffering- St Francis had suffered many hardships in his life. He was captured by enemies, contracted illnesses, and was beaten and locked up by his father for not wanting to be in the family business. He showed that we will encounter suffering whilst on our journey with Christ. He teaches that we should not view suffering as God being absent, but see it as God teaching us to love, trust, and bear our burdens with humility.

We all have a past - In his youth, St Francis did not associate himself with God. He indulged himself in wealth and luxury. He enjoy drinking alcohol and partying. He lived life in sin, at the time. Francis came to realise God’s everlasting love for him and weeped for his unfaithful. St Francis did not allow his sinful past to drag him down and make him feel guilty. Instead, he moved forward and allowed God to love him.

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HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO LIVE OUT A MONASTIC LIFE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY?

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HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO LIVE OUT A MONASTIC LIFE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY?

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In my opinion it would be quite difficult to live out a monastic life in today’s society, due to the influence social media has on us. A monastery is a place of residence, where monks, nuns or monastics reside. It may consist of a building or multiple buildings. At the location, there is usually a chapel, dormitory, library, etc. People usually go to a monastery to strengthen their spiritual side and focus on their religion. During their stay, they gain knowledge about themselves and feel a closer connection to God. A number of religions have monasteries, such as Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Christianity, etc. Different religions have different names for monasteries. For an example, Buddhist monasteries may be called a ‘vihara’.

There are certain rules residents in a monastery must abide by. It differs depending on the religion and monastery. Many members of the monastery spend their day isolating themselves from others, whilst some may spend their time interacting with the community. The main reason for people staying at a monastery is to discover and explore their spiritual side, so they pray and reflect upon themselves a lot throughout their stay. Some monasteries manufacture and sell agricultural products, to support the monastery. Money is also donated by the public to help support the monastery. Christian monasteries are known for providing hospital and charitable services.

Buddhist monasteries (vihara) started in around the 4th century BC. It was originally a retreat for Buddhist monks and nuns during the rainy season. This was to prevent wandering monks from damaging new plants. Both men and women reside in viharas.

Christian monasteries can be referred to as an ‘abbey’ or a ‘priory’. It can be populated by men (monks) or women (nuns).

Nowadays, society is highly influenced by social media. People tend to follow the crowd and get influenced by others. We have discovered technology and many other things that weren’t available back then. Many people used to have more faith and have a stronger dedication to religion, since they weren’t exposed to the internet, which affects our opinions and beliefs. They were taught about religion in a different way to how we are  taught now. Although there are still many people who go to monasteries, the numbers are not as high as they used to be and this is mainly due to the new ideas and inventions the modern world has created. The newer generation aren’t as keen to leave their lives where they freely have access to modern technology and other luxuries, to go and live in a monastery.

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Not many people take off to go and live in monasteries nowadays, but the institution of monasticism has much to teach the modern world, which perhaps places rather too much emphasis on the idea of living in couples.

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The lives of both saints make me reflect upon my own life and attitude. I wonder about whether I live my daily life showing kindness, care and respect to all those around me. St Francis and St Maximilian Kolbe both displayed traits of kindness, dedication, selflessness, courage and respect. St Francis stayed dedicated to his religion, despite all the hardships he was facing in life and continued to have faith. St Maximilian Kolbe displayed selflessness when he sacrificed his life for another man. Their values are important, for not only myself, but for everyone to incorporate into their daily lives. It is not very difficult to be kind and respectful to others, but people struggle to maintain their positive attitude. St Francis and St Maximilian Kolbe ensured that they stayed on the right path in life and didn’t go astray. This is extremely important to our lives and will help us live as a good individuals on earth. They inspire and motivate me to reject and resist bad temptations. We can be like the saints by thinking about our words and actions before we do/say anything. Everyone can read about the lives of the saints to gain an understanding of the kind of life they lived. They teach us the importance of being dedicated and respectful. Without dedication, we wouldn’t be able to achieve any of our goals/dreams and being respectful will cause us to gain respect in return. Learning about the lives of St Francis and Maximilian Kolbe makes me want to improve my current self and try even harder to become a better person in society. I want to be more like them and include some of their traits into my life more regularly.

Throughout this task, I have gained more knowledge on St Maximilian Kolbe and St Francis. I have learnt about the Franciscan Order, monasteries, as well as the values the saints lived by.

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The Order of Friars Minor (Franciscan Order) is a Catholic order founded by St Francis of Assisi in the 1209. He founded three orders ;The Friars Minor, the Poor Ladies or Clares, and the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. They are usually referred to as the First, Second, and Third Orders of St. Francis.

First Order

The First Order was established in 1209 and is separated into three independent branches;  Friars Minor (O.F.M.), the Friars Minor Conventual (O.F.M. Conv.), and the Friars Minor Capuchin (O.F.M. Cap.).

It consists of priests and lay brothers. They have promised to live and lead a life of prayer, preaching, and penance. St Francis felt the need to live a life of preaching, penance and poverty. He slowly gained followers, which were only given a simple rule to abide by. St Francis had travelled to Rome alongside his 11 followers, and his rule was approved by Pope Innocent |||, in 1209. The rule meant that Franciscan Friars were not allowed to own any possessions of any kind. Friars would have to wander around, preach, and provide aid to the less fortunate and sick. They could only provide support for themselves by working or begging for food, as they were not allowed to accept money. They began working in Umbria and migrated across Italy. They soon travelled overseas. They made a large impact, which resulted in them gaining 5,000 followers within 10 years. It continually expanded.

Second Order

It is believed that the foundation of the Second Order (Poor Ladies) was set out in 1212. It was founded by St Clare, who was a follower of St Francis. St Clare, her followers, and other Franciscan nuns were lodged in the Church of  San Damiano by St Francis. They were told to live life in poverty, and were soon given the name ‘ Poor Clares’ or the ‘Order of St. Clare’.

DAY IN A LIFE OF A POOR CLARE NUN

A Poor Clare nun’s day commences at 12:30 a.m. A Sister is designated as a ‘Caller’, so she goes around to every door to awaken the sisters, so they can all go to pray. They also mediate and return to their cells at 1:45 a.m. to have a further three hours of sleep. They rise once again at 5:00 a.m., bathe and do assigned chores (sweeping, opening windows, etc). At 5:30 a.m., the Sisters gather together and pray. The Rosary is recited at 7:00 a.m. At 8:30 a.m., the Sisters have a simple breakfast and after that, they continue doing work. They complete tasks such as, answering the phone or the door bells, cooking, sweeping, sewing, gardening, painting, etc. At 11:40 a.m., the Sisters gather together for another group prayer and have dinner at noon. After dinner, half an hour is dedicated to general work. Some Sister help prepare vegetables for dinner the next day, whilst others clean dishes. At 1:30 p.m., it is quiet time, and this gives the Sisters a chance to meditate or do a hobby of theirs. They continue completing assigned duties throughout the day, but gather at 5:30 p.m. in Choir. The Sisters receive supper, which consists of two slices of bread, cheese, a fruit and a cup of barley tea, but sometimes may also receive an egg or cereal. At 6:30 p.m. the nuns are summoned to an hour of recreation. The Sisters communicate with one another and enjoy their relaxation time. They have another prayer at 7:30 p.m. and retire to their cells at 9:00 p.m. They rise the next day and the routine repeats.

Third Order

The Brothers and Sisters of Penance originated in 1221, and members of this order are known as ‘tertiaries’. St Francis created the order, so it would be a state in the middle between the cloister and the world for people who want to follow in St Francis’ footsteps, but were debarred by marriage or couldn’t be part of the first or second order for other reasons. Some believe that the third order, was what really started the Franciscan Order.

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THE HARDEST PART OF BECOMING A FRANCISCAN FRIAR

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THE HARDEST PART OF BECOMING A FRANCISCAN FRIAR

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In my opinion, the hardest part of becoming a Franciscan friar is having to give up so much. Being a Franciscan friar means that all the luxuries in your life will be stripped away from you. It would be extremely difficult to live without shelter and have to beg for food. Sometimes you may not receive food, and have to starve. There could be days where the weather is too cold or too hot, but there’s nothing you can do about it. If you contract a disease or fall ill, it could be life-threatening as you do not have access to the medicine needed to cure you. In the modern world, being deprived of basic necessities and modern technology, would cause issues as we are so reliant on it. Maintaining a healthy hygiene would be very hard, so it affects our health as well. Living as a Franciscan friar would not be easy at all and cause many difficulties in life, especially in the modern world.

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Story of Saint Francis of Assisi  | English | Story of Saints For Kids

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"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible"

-St Francis of Assisi

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

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The Poor Clare Sisters: A peek inside the cloister