Br. Paul Seutter, OP, Reflects on the Connection

 Between Dominicans and Franciscans

With our Franciscan brothers and sisters, we too call St. Francis of Assisi our Holy Father. Because, like St. Dominic, St. Francis helped to bring about a reform of the Church by his preaching, his religious order, and his holy example of radically living the Gospel. In the year 1205 at San Damiano church outside of Assisi, Francis received the famous call from Christ to “rebuild His Church.” Francis eventually renounced his inheritance and left everything behind from his old life to answer that. He even took the clothes off his back to return them to his father.

Although he first thought that Jesus wanted him to repair the church of San Damiano, the movement that he started brought about a great renewal of holiness in the Church. In the year 1210, just six years before St. Dominic established the Order of Preachers, Pope Innocent III approved the Rule for the Order of Friars Minor and gave Francis and his brothers the blessing to preach their message of peace and repentance. Ten years later there were already 5000 friars throughout Europe.

Nothing could deter Francis from preaching the Gospel. He refused to return to his comfortable and secure life, preferring to trust in God for everything. And this radical trust he had in God was completely united to his desire of becoming like Christ as much as he could. This likeness of Christ was seen in his holy example and in the stigmata that he received from God. Even as Francis was dying, he asked for a loaf of bread so that he may break it and share it with his brothers.

Today on this feast day, Dominicans call to mind the story of St. Francis and St. Dominic meeting each other when they were both in Rome during the year of 1216. Immediately, these two preachers of grace formed a strong friendship. For more than 800 years, Franciscans and Dominicans have kept this friendship. It should come as no surprise that we Dominicans call Francis of Assisi our Holy Father.