The Person of Francis

Saint Francis of Assisi is a crucial reference for a statement on Franciscan Spirituality, Mission and Values; however, we would be inauthentic to his legacy if we were not to emphasize, as Francis himself did, that Jesus Christ is the key reference for authentic spirituality and mission.

Fundamentally, our approach in Franciscan ministry is to revere Christ's present in every person and image in the natural world around us. Francis understood this reverence and lived it faithfully in a time marked by social upheaval, schism and heresy within the Church, and tremendous violence in the world around him. Through it all he sought to unite the active and contemplative traditions of Christian spirituality by serving the needs of the poor, preaching, offering hospitality and friendship to all, working to bring unity to the Church and Society, and reverencing Christ in Creation.