Catholic Company Review: St. Francis of Assisi A Biography

St. Francis of Assisi: A Biography (Revised) by Omer Englebert  took me a long time to read.  This book was good.  It was not my usual fare (which is probably part of the reason it took me so long), and only the third (I believe) biography/autobiography of a saint that I have read (the others being The Story of A Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese, St. Monica and her son Augustine, and another relatively short biography of St. Monica).  I have read lots of stories about saints here and there, some a paragraph long, some several pages or chapters, but if you ask me to tell you something about any given Catholic saint, a few facts is the best I can do.  Maybe.  After reading this biography I truly feel like I knew St. Francis.  I may not be able to parse about him for hours on end, and there were a lot of names and dates and places that I found difficult to keep straight, but this was namely due to the fact that I didn't have uninterrupted stretches to read and study this book.  That said, I did get a lot out of it, I'm glad I read it, and I'm glad it was a review copy because I think it kept me honest and helped me to actually persevere to the end. 

As was alluded to on the first page of the introduction, many people love St. Francis...even non-Catholics.  He has a universal appeal that at times people try to "remake in their own image" (direct quote).  This book made me appreciate even more this appeal, but on a much deeper level than those who, through honest ignorance or misguided devotion, reduce Francis to an animal-loving, tree-hugging social worker. 

I am not going to give another biography as part of my review, but simply note the things that struck me most while reading his life:

• His undying love for "lady poverty".  The poverty to which Francis and his brothers espoused themselves was inspirational yet hard for me to even begin to fathom.  A truly beautiful thing.  It definitely gave me pause as I looked at my own life and all my...things. 
• It is hard for me to contemplate getting anything done without a computer, or email or telephone, not to mention electricity and all the other modern communication conveniences of this day.  I marveled over the saint's travels, whether they were to preach, care for the sick, or the process of seeking approval for his order from Rome.   The fact that, during his travels, he would often run into others from his order without texting or tweeting their locations amazed me as well, considering these were travels from Italy to France to Morocco and everywhere in between.  It was an interesting glimpse back in time.
• Along this vein, I found it fascinating reading about the process of beginning a religious order, and all that involves.  Francis not only worked to reform the Church from clericalism and other issues of the day, but he had his share of reformation to do within his order as it grew as well.   I was also slightly amused at some of the "back-and-forth" between the Franciscans and Dominicans.
• Reading of his many, oftentimes strenuous travels and the number of lives he touched while he was living was very interesting.  He was truly a man for others, and loved as a saint even before his death.
• His willingness to and preference - even love - for suffering was striking.  I wish I could suffer with a fraction of the grace with which he suffered.

This book was a very detailed account of the life of St. Francis.  I will never remember half of what I read, I'm quite certain; but I am also certain that I have a much deeper respect and love for this saint of saints after reading his life.  And reading this has definitely given me more of a desire to continue reading the lives of the saints.  My uncle, when discussing this book with him via email, mentioned that there is no better reading than the true, authentic biographies of the saints.  It takes more brain-power than a "fluff" novel, or even many other religious books, but it is definitely worth the effort.  I can say with certainty that I will be looking for another saint biography to begin sometime in the near future (and am definitely open for recommendations).

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on St. Francis of Assisi: A Biography (Revised). The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.