Francis of Assisi

by Michael de la Bédoyère

Yes, Francis wore sandals and preached to the birds, but these pages take you beyond the nature-lover of popular myth to the real St. Francis of Assisi, model of holiness and Christian courage. Here author Michael de la Bedoyere makes Francis and his times live again as he relates with heart-stopping intensity the adventures of this man who, precisely because of his great love for God, strove mightily to overcome his sinful nature. You ll learn the full story behind the famous incidents in Francis s life including his hugging the leper and his sermon to the birds. You ll hear of Francis s perilous journey into the heart of Islam, where Catholics were killed merely for professing Christ and where Francis actually offered to be set on fire to establish the truth of the Catholic Faith! Here, then, is the complete story of the man who cheerfully gave himself to God, without paying the least attention to the cares of this world . . . and did it with constant good humor and unflagging trust in God. St. Francis of Assisi is a superb model for each of us an ordinary man who by God s grace was able to do extraordinary things.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Monique Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people love Francis of Assisi, even some atheists. After all, who wouldn’t love a guy who has a nice beard, wears sandals and a simple brown habit, loves creation, and is often depicted with a cute bird on his shoulder? Granted I learned more than that reading this book. Unfortunately this is the only depiction most people see of such a popular saint. However, to my disappointment this book is clunky, and reads in a strange pattern. For it was God who created the earth, the skies, the seas, the trees, the animals, and finally, men and women in his image and likeness. Over time Francis realized that what Jesus wanted from him was to renew the Church and rebuild it by bringing people to an authentic encounter with the Lord. That is just what Francis did. This author tries to capture this but the book was far from straight forward.