Today’s Readings – Saint Francis of Assisi

Francis was born, one of seven children, on 26 September, 1181, the son of Pietro di Bernardone, a wealthy cloth merchant, and his wife Pica Bourlemont in Assisi, a city within Tuscany, Italy. He was baptised John, in honour of John the Baptist, but was called Francesco (Italian for ‘French’), because at the time of his birth his father was doing very good business in France. As a young man, he helped his father in running the family business, but was also prominent in the social life of the pleasure-seeking well-off. During a war between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was imprisoned for a year and became seriously ill. Soon afterwards, still in his military gear, he deserted—abandoning the war and running the risk of being deemed a coward.

Already at this stage his concern for the … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Saint Francis Borgia, Priest

Francis Borgia was born in Gandia, Spain, in 1510. He was the eldest son of the Duke of Gandia, great grandson of the notorious Pope Alexander VI (known as the ‘Borgia Pope’) and of King Ferdinand V of Aragon. He received a private education and was presented to the Emperor’s court a … Continue