St. Louis of France-Patron of Secular Franciscans

Richard Shields, PhD

Richard Shields, a friend of the OFS led one of our retreats for the Regional Fraternity of Eastern Canada. Since then he has continued to share with us his thoughts and expertise on the life of St Francis. Here is his latest essay on St. Louis, Patron of the OFS. It is an excellent read. 

"He knew, like St. Francis, that the Church was a bridge between God and us. That is why Louis cared. As Pope Francis pointed out in The Joy of the Gospel, the Church has a mission, a vocation, and must be continuously ready to see its failures, so that the voice of God can be heard in its actions. A hallmark of Franciscanism from its beginnings has been to reform the Church by embracing the Church."  - by Richard Shields, PhD

                              Read the full essay