April 2, 2024

Hello John,

I am excited to share with you the release of the inspiring and reflective journal, Universal Mother: A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary!

This Marian collection not only depicts Mary in diverse settings, but is also accompanied by personal reflections from artist and art historian Cecelia Dorger.

"The paintings in this book portray Mary in various times, cultures, ethnic characters, and styles to show her universal appeal and love for all God's children."—Universal Mother: A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary

I have found this beautiful journal inspiring, and a reflective guide as I start each day! I hope you do, too! 

With profound gratitude, 

Tara Hemelgarn
Marketing Manager

Saint of the Day for April 2: Francis of Paola

(March 27, 1416 – April 2, 1507)

Saint Francis of Paola’s Story

Francis of Paola was a man who deeply loved contemplative solitude and wished only to be the “least in the household of God.” Yet, when the Church called him to active service in the world, he became a miracle-worker and influenced the course of nations.

After accompanying his parents on a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, he began to live as a contemplative hermit in a remote cave near Paola, on Italy’s southern seacoast. Before he was 20, he received the first followers who had come to imitate his way of life. Seventeen years later, when his disciples had grown in number, Francis established a Rule for his austere community and sought Church approval. This was the founding of the Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, who were approved by the Holy See in 1474.

In 1492, Francis changed the name of his community to “Minims” because he wanted them to be known as the least (minimi) in the household of God. Humility was to be the hallmark of the brothers as it had been in Francis’s personal life. Besides the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Francis enjoined upon his followers the fourth obligation of a perpetual Lenten fast. He felt that heroic mortification was necessary as a means for spiritual growth.

It was Francis’s desire to be a contemplative hermit, yet he believed that God was calling him to the apostolic life. He began to use the gifts he had received, such as the gifts of miracles and prophecy, to minister to the people of God. A defender of the poor and oppressed, Francis incurred the wrath of King Ferdinand of Naples for the admonitions he directed toward the king and his sons.

Following the request of Pope Sixtus IV, Francis traveled to Paris to help Louis XI of France prepare for his death. While ministering to the king, Francis was able to influence the course of national politics. He helped to restore peace between France and Brittany by advising a marriage between the ruling families, and between France and Spain by persuading Louis XI to return some disputed land.

Francis died while at the French court.

Reflection

The life of Francis of Paola speaks plainly to an overactive world. He was a contemplative man called to active ministry and must have felt keenly the tension between prayer and service. Yet, in Francis’s life it was a productive tension, for he clearly utilized the fruits of contemplation in his ministry, which came to involve the workings of nations. He responded so readily and so well to the call of the Church from a solid foundation in prayer and mortification. When he went out to the world, it was not he who worked but Christ working through him—“the least in the household of God.”

Saint Francis of Paola is a Patron Saint of:

Sailors

“Mary wants to give us all 'kingdom dreams' that transcend our personal talents and limitations. When we accept her invitation, we grow wings, and our souls expand.”

—from the book, Universal Mother: A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary, by Holly Schapker and Cecelia Dorger

The prophets were a wild bunch. They had to be because they were the spokespeople of a wild God, a God who didn’t care much about temples and offerings but who cared a lot about the way people were treated and the opening of the human heart.  We tend to think the prophets were fortunetellers predicting the Christian future, but they were much more. They named the ever-present illusions and self-deceptions. They were non-clergy with a radical message from a God seeking intimacy, and for all their efforts, they largely got persecution and death, down to the last of the prophets, John the Baptist.

Nice religion is always threatened by the “glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). Suddenly, God is in charge instead of our explanations of things. I love to remind people that the word “nice” is never found in the Bible. God is not nice, it seems; God is wild.

—from the book From Wild Man to Wise Man: Reflections on Male Spirituality
by Richard Rohr

A Journal for Finding Yourself in Mary

At Franciscan Media, we believe that every word, every story, and every message carries the essence of faith. Our mission is to share God's Love in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Join the faithful community amplifying the spirit of faith that connects us all with your gift today.