The Franciscan Way of Prayer (Online Retreat)

St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved of all saints, and for good reason. He’s a patron saint of animals and ecology, and was renowned for his compassionate care for the poor. He has been an inspiration to saints and ordinary people from his own day to the present (just think of Pope Francis!) Franciscan spirituality continues to inspire people of all walks of life. But beyond the birdbaths and the famous “Canticle of the Sun” just who was Francis? Our program will begin on Friday night by exploring the story of the young man from Assisi who walked away from a comfortable life to follow God’s call; we’ll begin to explore the key themes of Franciscan spirituality, a topic which we’ll explore further on Saturday. Between the many legends of St. Francis, his beautiful prayers, and the charisms of the Franciscan order, we’ll explore ways that anyone can draw closer to God’s love through the inspiration of the great saint from Assisi.

This retreat will take place on Zoom. There will be three conferences (all times are Eastern time):

Friday Evening, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Getting to Know St. Francis of Assisi: An overview of St. Francis’s life and the key themes of his spirituality.

Saturday Morning: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Pray like a Franciscan: Insights into prayer from great Franciscan teachers, from Francis and Clare to Richard Rohr and Ilia Delio.

Saturday Afternoon: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Living a Franciscan Life: How can the Spirituality of St. Francis make a difference in our lives? Here are several ideas to get us started — and/or to take us deeper.