Life of St. Francis
 St. Francis was born to a wealthy cloth merchant, Pietro Bernadone, and his wife, Lady Pica, in the Italian hillside town of Assisi in 1181. Francis was a popular young man among his peers although he was not especially religious. He was known and admired among the Assisi youths for his carefree spirit and his sense of worldliness. His greatest aspiration growing up was to be a knight. In pursuit of this goal, Francis rode off to battle but was captured and fell ill. On his last journey to be a knight, Francis received a vision from God in which the Lord called Francis to be His knight. This vision began Francis’ conversion.
Francis sought ways to serve God in the poor and needy in Assisi and the surrounding area. Meanwhile, this man of God prayed to know the Lord’s will in his life. Once, while praying in the Benedictine chapel of San Damiano, Francis heard the Crucifix speak to him saying, “Francis, rebuild my Church which, as you can see, is falling into ruin.” Assuming that God was asking him to rebuild the chapel of San Damiano specifically, he began to repair the abandoned church. Soon, however, Francis would realize that God’s call was not to repair the physical church around him but the mystical Body of Christ, the universal Church. It was in this time that Francis began to desire to be poor as Jesus was poor. Although his father was not happy with Francis’ new life, he continued to pursue God. Francis even went so far as to renounce his ties to his family and give up all his wealth. From this point on, Francis was completely poor and reliant on the mercy of God. Francis’ life was so outstanding in holiness and service that it attracted other men who came to follow his way of life. Francis and these brothers who joined him lived a life according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Poverty and penance marked the life of these first Franciscans. Even their habit, sown in the form of the Tau cross, reminded them of the penance they lived. By the end of his life, Francis received the stigmata (the wounds of Jesus) on his hands, feet, and side.
Francis referred to all of creation as his brothers and sisters. Stories of his ability to communicate and work with animals were well known to people throughout Assisi . One such story involves a wolf and the people of a town named Gubbio. The people in this town had been terrorized by the attacks of a wolf who lived outside the walls of the city. Although the city tried to rid itself of this animal, they were not able to do so. Hearing of this, Francis came to help the townspeople. Francis journeyed out to speak with the wolf of Gubbio and brought peace between it and the people. From that point onward, the townspeople cared for the wolf and it never again terrorized them.
St. Francis is a model of holiness by his love of creation, the Gospel, and the Eucharist. In honor of St. Francis and his courageous acts at Gubbio, the wolf has been selected as the mascot of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School.
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