When Francis of Assisi, the son of a prosperous merchant, renounced his wealth in the 13th century in order to follow Jesus, he found joy in a simpler life-style.
He chose poverty, relying on God's providence rather than on worldly goods. By living on alms, Francis believed he was imitating the life of Jesus, Mary and the apostles. He and his brothers worked or begged for what they needed to live, and any surplus was given to the poor.
Francis loves animals, calling them his brothers and sisters. Even wild animals were said to be unafraid of him. According to one legend, a wolf had been terrorizing the Italian town of Gubbio, killing many residents. The people decided to kill the wolf, but Francis talked to the wolf about never taking a human life again. The town was saved, and the now-friendly wolf became the village pet.
In 1979, Pope John Paul II named St. Francis of Assisi as patron saint of ecology, calling him "an example of genuine and deep respect for the integrity of creation."
When Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio became pope in 2013, he took his papal name form St. Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis referred to the saint's "Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon" in his 2015 environmental encyclical, "Laudato Si."
- Little White Book, Diocese of Saginaw