The article from the *National Catholic Register* portal, authored by Father Joseph Thomas of Opus Dei, commemorates the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death in 1226, framing his life as a model of conversion and holiness for contemporary Catholics. The piece emphasizes Francis’s transformation from a worldly youth to a saint who became “another Christ” (alter Christus), highlighting his compassion for the poor and lepers, his mystical experience at San Damiano, and his role in renewing the Church. It concludes by urging readers to emulate Francis’s example in revitalizing the Church and responding to the universal call to holiness. However, while the article presents an edifying narrative of St. Francis’s sanctity, it fails to engage with the deeper theological and ecclesial crises of our time, reducing the saint’s legacy to a sentimentalized call for personal piety without confronting the systemic apostasy that has corrupted the modern Church.
The Sanctity of St. Francis: A Beacon of Grace and Conversion
St. Francis of Assisi remains one of the most luminous figures in Catholic history, a man whose life exemplifies the transformative power of divine grace. As Thomas Celano, his earliest biographer, recounts, Francis was raised in an environment of vanity and self-indulgence, yet through suffering—particularly during his imprisonment in 1202—he underwent a profound conversion. This period of illness and mental anguish became the crucible in which his soul was purified, leading him to embrace prayer, poverty, and service to the marginalized. His encounter with lepers, whom he once found repulsive but later served with tender charity, marks a pivotal moment in his spiritual journey. Celano writes that Francis became “perfectly changed in heart,” achieving mastery over himself through obedience to God’s commandment of love.
This account of Francis’s conversion is not merely historical; it is a timeless testament to the efficacy of grace. The saint’s willingness to embrace suffering and renounce worldly pleasures reflects the Gospel imperative: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Francis’s life thus serves as a model for all Christians, demonstrating that holiness is accessible to every soul, no matter how deeply entangled in sin. His stigmata, received in 1224 on Mount La Verna, further underscores his intimate union with Christ Crucified, making him a living icon of the Passion.
The Legacy of St. Francis: Renewal or Rupture?
While the article rightly celebrates Francis’s role in renewing the Church, it glosses over the tension between his authentic mission and the distortions introduced by later interpretations. Francis’s call to “repair My house” was initially understood as a literal restoration of dilapidated churches, but he soon realized that Christ referred to the spiritual renewal of the Church itself. This renewal was rooted in fidelity to the Gospel, poverty, and obedience to the hierarchy—a far cry from the revolutionary spirit often attributed to him by modernists who seek to remake the Church in their own image.
The article quotes Pope Francis, who chose his papal name in honor of the saint, stating that Jesus’s call was about “doing his part for the life of the Church” and “making the countenance of Christ shine ever more brightly in her.” While these words sound pious, they must be scrutinized in light of the current pontificate’s actions. Under Pope Francis, the Church has witnessed unprecedented attacks on doctrine, liturgy, and discipline, including the promotion of synodality, the marginalization of traditional practices, and the embrace of secular ideologies such as environmentalism and globalism. To invoke St. Francis’s legacy in support of such agendas is to distort his true spirit, which was one of radical fidelity to Christ and His Church, not accommodation to the world.
The Universal Call to Holiness in an Age of Apostasy
The article rightly emphasizes the universal call to holiness, a teaching enshrined in the Second Vatican Council’s *Lumen Gentium*. However, this call must be understood within the context of the Church’s unchanging mission to sanctify souls through the sacraments, prayer, and adherence to divine law. In an age marked by widespread apostasy, the pursuit of holiness requires not only personal conversion but also resistance to the errors propagated by those who claim to speak for the Church.
The article’s focus on Francis’s compassion for the poor and lepers, while admirable, risks reducing Christianity to mere social activism. True charity is inseparable from the proclamation of truth and the defense of orthodoxy. As St. Paul warns, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Charity without truth is sentimentality, and sentimentality without doctrine leads to spiritual ruin. The modern Church’s emphasis on “dialogue” and “inclusivity” at the expense of doctrinal clarity betrays the very essence of the Gospel, which demands repentance and faith in Christ alone.
The Danger of Sentimentalizing Sanctity
By presenting St. Francis as a model of “holiness and peace,” the article inadvertently sentimentalizes his legacy, stripping it of its prophetic edge. Francis was not a gentle pacifist but a fiery preacher who called sinners to repentance and challenged the complacency of his age. His life was marked by radical self-denial, not the comfortable religiosity promoted by many in the post-conciliar Church. To reduce his example to a vague call for “spiritual vitality” or “compassion for the poor” is to domesticate his message and render it harmless to the powers that be.
Moreover, the article’s reliance on Pope Francis’s interpretation of St. Francis’s mission raises serious concerns. The current pontificate has consistently undermined the Church’s teaching on marriage, morality, and salvation, while promoting a vision of the Church that prioritizes worldly concerns over supernatural realities. To invoke St. Francis’s name in support of such a program is to exploit his memory for ends he would have abhorred.
Conclusion: Returning to Authentic Holiness
The Jubilee Year of St. Francis offers an opportunity to rediscover the authentic spirit of the saint, but only if we approach his legacy with discernment and fidelity to Tradition. His life reminds us that holiness is not a matter of sentiment or social activism but of total surrender to Christ and His Church. In an age of confusion and apostasy, we must resist the temptation to conform to the world and instead strive for the perfection to which all Christians are called. As St. Francis himself declared, “Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” Let us heed his example by living lives of prayer, penance, and unwavering fidelity to the deposit of faith, trusting in God’s grace to transform our hearts and renew His Holy Church.
Source:
The Jubilee of St. Francis: Rediscovering the Call to Holiness and the Journey of Becoming ‘Perfectly Changed in Heart’ (ncregister.com)
Date: 23.04.2026