Franciscan Spirit Blog

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony, Help Me Find…Beauty

St. Anthony of Padua, that Hammer of Heretics, serves as a model to me that I am to preach against any dualism within myself that blocks an openness to beauty.
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Lent with the Saints

Lent with the Saints: Jonah

Most of us know the story of Jonah and the whale. But today’s readings give us the rest of the story.
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Lent with the Saints

Lent with the Saints: Isidore the Farmer

An old joke defines a farmer as someone “outstanding in his field.” St. Isidore the Farmer not only stood out for his work in tilling the soil but was also a deeply prayerful man.
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Frances of Rome

Lent with the Saints: Frances of Rome

The first days of Lent feature scriptural selections that emphasize the lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
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Lent with the Saints

Lent with the Saints: Noah

We can’t help but look at Noah through the lens of our modern sense of what’s acceptable behavior.
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Lent with the Saints

Lent with the Saints: Levi (Matthew) the Tax Collector

Isaiah 58:9b–14; Psalm 86:1–2, 3–4, 5–6; Luke 5:27–32 Luke—and Mark—tell us the story of Levi, a tax collector whom Jesus calls as a follower in today’s Gospel passage. Levi promptly throws a party for Jesus. More tax collectors and others ...
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Lent with the saints

Lent with the Saints: Sharbel Makhluf

Sharbel Makhluf was known for both his fasting and his care for those who sought him out for prayer and blessing.
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