St Francis of Assisi was a major influence on the contemporary church, implementing new ideas, stopping conflict and implementing new ways of prayer and reflection. He founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. St Francis of Assisi reported hearing the word of God, who commanded him to rebuild the church and live in poverty. This lead him to abandon a life of luxury and wealth for a life devoted to God. St Francis of Assisi rebuilt the Christian Church to the way we know it today, influencing us to become closer with God.
Who was St Francis?
St Francis of Assisi was a Roman Catholic preacher, born in Italy in approximately 1181. In the year
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Francis returned to Assisi in 1203, promptly restoring his carefree life of drinking and partying. While Francis was in Assisi, he became ill and began praying in a Church that was dilapidated and ruined. It is said that God came to him during his prayers and told him to “rebuild his house which, as you can see, is falling completely to ruin.” Francis interpreted this as rebuilding the church in which he believed. Another event that caused Francis to move to the Apostolic life was his pilgrimage to Rome, where he experienced poverty and begged with the poor for money and food, donating his alms to a leper. After hearing the call from God, Francis sold cloth and silk from his father and offered the money to a priest who refused to take it. This angered Francis but even more his father, who took Francis to the bishop. Francis spoke to his father saying, “Until …show more content…
He shaped the Christian culture through his new ideas. He created the ‘living Nativity scene’ which allows us to understand the true meaning of Christmas, gathering people to celebrate the birth of Jesus. St Francis also implemented the sounding of the bells during mass. Today, many schools, departments and churches have been named after St Francis to honor the impact he had on Christianity as we see it today. The Franciscan orders are still supporting the Christian life today and spreading the stories of St Francis’ life. These orders change the way Christians see life, and many people to this day still believe in the ways of giving to those who need more than you do, and to only possess what you truly need. Francis influenced the Church and Christians to give back to the poor and to sacrifice their time to help others in need, a key value in living the Franciscan life. Our Current pope chose to name himself after St Francis, as he was the man of peace and the environment, which Pope Francis really loved. Finally, Francis taught us to love the environment we live in. He told us to take care of the animals and plants that surround us and to love what we have as God did when he created it. Therefore, St Francis of Assisi helped to change the church as we know it