Hello, John!

Today we celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis receiving the stigmata. To celebrate St. Francis' incredible love for Jesus, we’re thrilled to present to you the latest episode of our Off the Page podcast featuring globally recognized ecumenical teacher Richard Rohr.

In this episode, Fr. Richard reflects on the 10-year anniversary of his book Eager to Love and the spiritual genius and alternative way of St. Francis of Assisi.

Fr. Richard also transparently talks about cancer, human frailty, and the impact he hopes his work has had on the world. We hope you enjoy this special episode of the podcast. You can watch the interview on YouTube or listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

The loving, inclusive life and preaching of Francis of Assisi make him a recognizable and beloved saint across many faith traditions. Globally recognized as an ecumenical teacher, Richard Rohr started out—and remains—a Franciscan friar. Francis was, as Rohr notes, “a master of ‘making room for it’ and letting go of that which was tired or empty.” Francis found an “alternative way” to follow Jesus, one that disregarded power and privilege and held fast to the narrow path of the Gospel. Rohr helps us look beyond the birdbath image of the saint to remind us of the long tradition founded on his revolutionary, radical, and life-changing embrace of the teachings of Jesus.