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• St. Francis of Assisi was born as Francis Bernadone in 1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy.
• Francis was a young man caught up in the spirit of his age and not very concerned with the things of God.
• The wealthy son of a cloth merchant, Francis wanted for nothing and was a pampered and spoiled child.
• This saint's significant teachings or life lessons include the importance of humility, obedience, and chastity.
• This saint was a lifelong Catholic or convert.
• This saint faced temptations or struggles of pride, anger, and jealousy.
• The date and place of birth of this saint are unknown.
• This saint is best known for their virtues of humility, obedience, and chastity.
• Francis was the leader of a group of rabble-rousers who indulged in pleasures and donned flamboyant clothing.
• His earliest biographer, Thomas of Celano, writes in his First Life that, “until the twenty-fifth year of his age, Francis miserably squandered and wasted his time.”
• Francis had a conversion experience during his time as a prisoner of war, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life.
• Upon release, Francis began taking his faith seriously and took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example.
• Francis dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace.
• Francis' family disapproved of his lifestyle changes, and his father disinherited him; Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance.
• Francis visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings.
• Francis began attracting followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded the Franciscans based on a simple statement by Jesus: “Leave all and follow me.”
• In 1212 Clare of Assisi became Francis' spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares.
• Columban continued to journey through France, Germany, Switzerland and finally across the Alps into Italy, preaching the good news of Jesus and establishing another community at Bregenz in Austria.
• Columban's greatest saying summarizes his life and his work, 'Let us be of Christ not of ourselves'.
• Columban remained in Ireland for many years, but his desire grew to travel outside Ireland to spread the message of the Gospel among the peoples of Europe who had been overrun by barbarians.
• Columban and his companions preached eloquently and the example of their lives made a deep impression on people wherever they wandered.
• Columban became 'a wanderer for Christ'.
• Columban's abbot, St Comgall, reluctantly gave permission for Columban and some companions to leave and begin their journey.
• Columban's monastery in France flourished as a centre of worship, learning and service to the local people and as more young men came to join him, Columban established two more houses in the area.
• Columban's fourth monastery, founded when he was nearly 70 years old, was established at Bobbio, near Genoa, where he died on November 23rd, 615.
• Columban showed great courage which sometimes led him to fearlessly admonish people he encountered even at much cost to himself.
• The local King pressed Columban and his friends to settle in eastern France and establish a community.
• Columban always tried to balance the demands of work, both in the community and with the local people, with time for withdrawal and quiet prayer.
• Columban left a legacy of many monasteries which taught and served the local people.
• Columban was aged about 40 when he left Ireland.
• Francis visited and preached to the Saracens, composed songs and hymns to God and nature, lived with animals, worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves.
• In 1221, Francis resigned direction of the Franciscans.
• Mother Teresa’s influence grew rapidly, also thanks to the worldwide media attention.
• John Paul II started a special beatification process for Mother Teresa, only two years after her death, to confirm the holiness that accompanied her throughout her life.
• This meeting profoundly changed the course of Karol Józef Wojtyła's life, leading him to the priesthood.
• Karol Józef Wojtyła attended Kraków’s Jagiellonian University in 1938 where he studied Polish language, literature, theater and poetry.
• Francis was canonized on 16 July 1228 by Pope Gregory IX.
• Mother Teresa showed an early interest in charity and mercy and became a nun at eighteen.
• Mother Teresa chose a white sari with blue stripes, the colors of the caste of the Untouchables.
• Karol Józef Wojtyła performed in local theatrical productions, co-founding the Rhapsodic Theater of Kraków.