April 2 – St. Francis of Paola

Today is the feast day of Saint Francis of Paola. Born in Naples in 1416, his parents had wanted a child for many years. Finally, after praying for the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, they conceived, and when the baby was born, they named him Francis. At 13, Francis had a vision of a Franciscan friar calling him to join the order and was prompted to enter the friary for a year, then his parents made a pilgrimage to Rome and then Assisi. Afterward, Francis began to live as a contemplative hermit, first in a cave on his father’s property, then on the coast of Italy.

By the time he was 20, Francis was beginning to attract followers. Over the next 2 decades, they became known as the hermits of Saint Francis and received official approval from the Holy See in 1474. Later, Francis changed their name to the minims so they would be known as the least in the kingdom of heaven.

Francis had many gifts, including prophecy, and several miracles were attributed to him. He also spoke out against oppression, angering the king of Naples and his son. At the request of Pope Sixtus the 4th, he went to France to minister to King Louis the 11th as he approached death. While there, he helped restore peace between France and Brittany and France and Spain.

He died on this day while still in France at the age of 91. Saint Francis of Paola, please pray for us.