St. Francis' Love of the Christ Child

(Photo of the Creche located next to the Portiuncula Chapel on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville)

"Francis observed the birthday of the Child Jesus with inexpressible eagerness over all other feasts, saying that it was the feast of feasts, on which God, having become a tiny infant, clung to human breasts. Pictures of those infant members he kissed with thoughts filled with yearning, and his compassion for the Child flooded his heart and made in stammer words of sweetness after the manner of infants."

"Saint Francis of Assisi"
by Thomas of Celano, Second Life

The Poverello ("little poor man") - St. Francis

"It would be considered a theft on our part if we didn't give to someone in greater need than we are!"

"I should be accounted a thief by the great Almsgiver were I to withhold that which I wear from him who has greater need of it than I!"

- St. Francis of Assisi

The Poverello (little poor man) always looked dishevelled. This was because, though he had no money (refused to have it for the love of God!) he did have the clothes on his back. Nearly every day some poor person - so poor they didn't have clothes! - would come and beg from him and so he would give him his clothes or, at least, tear off part of his clothes so that the poor person might have something. He was so generous, never turned anyone away, that everyone knew they could get at least something from him! This kept St. Francis always in rags but also drew him closer to poor Jesus - He who became poor for love of us, giving us His all. Thanks be to God!

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St. Pio - A true story

True Story:

A lady came to San Giovanni Rotondo from England to have her confession heard by Padre Pio. She went to his confessional but Padre Pio closed the window saying : "I am not available to you." The woman stayed for several weeks and during this time, daily returned to his confessional and daily was turned away. Finally, Padre Pio consented to hear her confession. She asked the Padre why he made her wait so long to be heard. Padre Pio answered : "And You?" "How long have you made Our Lord wait!? You should wonder how Jesus could welcome you after you committed so many sacrileges. You have delayed your judgment for years, besides sinning against your husband and your mother you have received Holy Communion in mortal sin!' The woman was stunned and reformed. She cried when she received absolution.  She returned to England a few days later, very happy.

Thoughts for Your Meditation on the Life of Christ

There is one thing I desire from you above everything else: that your normal meditation be, if possible, around the Life, Passion and Death, and also the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can then meditate on His birth, His flight into Egypt and His life there, His return and His hidden life in the workshop of Nazareth up to the age of thirty, His humility in His desire to be baptized by His precursor St. John. You can meditate on His public life, His most painful Passion and Death, the institution of the most Holy Sacrament, the very evening men were preparing the most atrocious sufferings. You can meditate again on Jesus praying in the Garden of Olives, sweating blood knowing what sufferings men were preparing for Him and the ingratitude of men who would not make use of His merits. You can meditate also on Jesus being dragged and led to the tribunal, flagellated and crowned with thorns, the course He climbed to Calvary laden with the cross, His crucifixion and finally His death on the cross with all the suffering of seeing His most sorrowful mother.

Anima Christi Prayer

The Anima Christi is a prayer from around the 14th century. It is still widely used after receiving the body and blood of Our Lord,
Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.

"Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from Christ's side, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen."

Come, Little Lord Jesus!

My Jesus! thou hast given thyself to me: in return, I give myself to thee.

Jesus mercy, Mary help!

St. Colette of Corbie Quote and Short Bio

"Praise, praise all the time, praise without end, and love the Father, the Son and the  Holy Spirit; and the most humble Virgin who bore Jesus Christ..."

St. Colette

March 6th feast of St. Colette

Nicollete Boilet was born at Corbie, Picardy, in France and was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her loving parents, who were almost sixty years old when she was born, nicknamed her Colette from the time she was a baby.

Colette's father was a carpenter at an abbey in Picardy. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a big help to her mother with the housework. Her parents noticed how their daughter liked to pray and her sensitive, loving nature.

When Colette was seventeen, both her parents died and the young woman was placed under the care of the abbot at the monastery where her father had worked. She asked for and received a hut built next to the abbey church, where she lived.

She spent her time praying and sacrificing for Jesus' Church. More and more people found out about this holy young woman. They went to see her and asked her advice about important problems. They knew that she was wise because she lived close to God. She received everybody with gentle kindness. After each visit, she would pray that her visitors would find peace of soul.

Colette was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis called the Secular Franciscan Order. She knew that the religious order of women who followed St. Francis' lifestyle are the Poor Clares. They are named after St. Clare, who as a follower of St. Francis started the order. During Colette's time, the Poor Clares strayed from their mission and needed to go back to the original purpose of their order.

St. Francis of Assisi appeared to Colette and asked her to make the necessary changes. She was surprised and afraid of such a difficult task. When she hesitated, she was struck blind for three days and mute for three more; she saw this as a sign, and trusting in God's grace traveled to the Poor Clare convents. As an example, she walked barefoot to Nice, dressed in a habit (gown worn by nuns) that was all patched up. She helped the nuns become more poor and prayerful.


The Poor Clares were inspired by St. Colette's life. She had a great devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. She also spent time frequently fasting and meditating on the passion and death of Jesus. She loved Jesus and her religious life very much.

Her prayer was, "We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation. Amen."

She was very fond of animals and took good care of them. Colette knew exactly when and where she was going to die. She died in one of her convents in Ghent, Flanders, in 1447 at the age of sixty-seven.


Prayer of St. Colette
Blessed be the hour
in which our Lord Jesus Christ,
God and Man was born.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit
by whom he was conceived.
Blessed be the glorious Virgin Mary
of whom the Incarnate Word was born.

St. Colette ~ Ora Pro Nobis