Perhaps it’s the novelty of bringing pets to church, but the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4th, is surprisingly popular amongst Anglicans. Indeed, it is as ubiquitous as statues of that “Little Poor Man of Assisi” in gardens. Francis, in fact, has maintained astonishing popularity across many Christian traditions and beyond for over…
Silence
Intentional silence, even for a mature Christian, can often feel either scary or superfluous. But when we make time for silence we are carving out space for transformation. My first experience of communal silence was on a visit to a French Benedictine monastery. It was a field trip from Canterbury to Le Bec Heloin the…
Saint Francis in the 21st Century
The Rule of Saint Francis for regular people belonging to a secular order, known as the Third Order, was first penned in the early 13th century. Third Order Franciscans work their jobs, raise their kids, and live into the Franciscan ideas of generosity, love, and prayer while surrounded by, and participating in, the world around…
