Every year I enjoy the feast of St. Francis of Paola, for he did us Franciscans one better.
Francis of Assisi founded the Ordo Fratrum Minorum, the Order of Lesser Brothers. But Francis of Paola founded the Ordo Minimorum, the Order of the Least. To paraphrase Nigel Tufnel, they're "one humbler."
I only worry that, since April 2 is also the date of the birth to eternal life of the Servant of God John Paul II, Francis may one day lose his feast day in the general Roman calendar.
St. Francis of Paola is likewise one of my favorite saints.
ReplyDeleteI'm planning on celebrating this evening with some Paulaner beer. The Paulaner brewery in Munich had its origins in a cloister of the Ordo Minimorum that began brewing beer in 1634. In 1799 the cloister was closed and the brewing operation was purchased by another Francis, Franz Xaver Zacherl, who brought the friar's product to the market under the name Salvator.
The Paulaner name remains as a direct reference to St. Francis of Paola, and the friar depicted on their logo is him.
In other news, a friend of mine, Joseph Ganssle, OFM of the Holy Name Province passed away early Monday morning. Please remeber him in your prayers, he was a priest for nearly 50 years and a friar for 54.
ben:
ReplyDeletei will keep your friend, joseph, in my prayers. my sympathy and condolences to you. you're in my prayers, as well. PEACE!
tara
I recently discovered Saint Francis of Paola (two days ago recently) and have fallen in love with this saint. He has been made prominent to me in a time of discernment, so I think I will always remember his day, even in the considerable shadow of John Paul the Great, God Bless Him.
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