St. Katherine Drexel Regional Fraternity
Regional Spiritual Assistant
St. Francis of Assisi Friary
1901 Prior Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
tel: (302) 798-1454 fax: (302) 798-3360 website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com
October 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
The Lord grant us all the precious gift of his peace!
The life we know of St. Francis of Assisi tells us of his aspirations, divine inspirations and immediacy with which he sought to respond to the Father’s Will. Though blind and dying, the last two years of his life were not lived in vain. Overcoming himself and the many challenges concerning the Order that his brothers placed before him kept St. Francis humble and open to divine inspiration. The words of God’s presence, and at times intervention, rang in his ears and heart.
– Francis, Go rebuild my Church, for as you can see it is falling into ruin. (Crucified of San Damiano)
– Relinquish all your wealth. Take up your Cross. Follow me. (Three openings of the Gospels for guidance)
– Francis, whose Order is this, yours or Mine? (Discouragement with brothers and God’s response)
– The Rule to be followed without gloss, without gloss, without gloss. (Words heard regarding Rule), and more.
Once the Order began to grow, Francis saw that the initial thrust was being modified. He had relinquished his office as General Minister. However, he still would always be, “The Brother”. Even those who may have considered him “too stuck in his ways” or “not updated with the times” or “needing to update the brotherhood to be like other orders”, Francis would stand firm in his resolve. He was able to let go in humility, but the desire for the original charism as he received it from “the Lord” was always alive in his soul. Divine inspiration consoled and even encouraged him to “let go and let God” resolve the “Franciscan Question”. History has proven the wisdom in this final acceptance of Francis…to a point!
The Approved Rule of the Franciscan Family is the same for all in the First Order who profess it. Nevertheless, the Church has seen fit to approve three subtle distinctions of life expressions that modify but do not destroy the mind and heart of our Seraphic Father. There is no need now to get into the history more deeply. Each group has its history, reasons and justifications.
The Friars Minor, called the Observants, the Friars Minor Conventual, and the Friars Minor Capuchin are the three approved independent branches of the First Order of Friars Minor founded by St. Francis of Assisi. (We must never forget the Third Order Regular who can trace its origins to St. Francis also. They are not considered here because the Rule they follow is distinct from the First Order Rule. Nevertheless, the mind of the Founder is always expected to be followed, whatever the Rule professed.) The first three mentioned have the same Rule to follow, and the same Testament they revere as the last words of the Poverello to his brothers.
This year of the Transitus of St. Francis, celebrates the Paschal Mystery of the one marked with the sign of the Crucified. We celebrate the Passion of his life filled with joys, challenges, successes, seeming failures, and total fulfillment in the Lord. To paraphrase the title of a small book on St. Francis: Francis found that the “Journey Is The Dream!” And the “dream” is Faith in the call to “Rebuild My Church”, Hope acting on that belief by moving forward on the journey regardless of “hurdles”, and encountering and joyfully recognizing the Love of God at every turn even when we are led through the dark night of the soul.
Central to the Paschal Mystery of St. Francis is the legacy of his final Testament. St. Francis’ Testament is a deeply personal document. Before his death in October 1226, St. Francis dictated his final word to the brothers, not as a new Rule, but as a reminder to all the brothers of the fundamental beliefs and challenges that had governed his life by affecting the choices and decisions he made. While the Rule establishes the framework of Franciscan life, the Testament offers us an insight to its soul. It is a reminder of the spirit that guided St. Francis through his radical embrace of the Gospel. The Testament is the last expression of St. Francis’ deep conviction that the Gospel Life he proposed for others was truly divinely inspired and thus requiring no alterations.
The Rule and Testament speak of St. Francis’ commitment to the inspiration begun at San Damiano that blossomed into a religious Order of evangelical men and women professed to live the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in obedience, without anything of one’s own, and in chastity. Before his death in October 1226, Francis dictated the text of his will and Testament, or as he called it My Testament. He was speaking to all the friars through this document so that we may observe in a more Catholic manner the Rule we have promised to the Lord.
Francis expressly told his friars not to look at this document and say, This is another Rule, because this is only a remembrance, an admonition. The Testament reiterates emphasizing his expectation that his spiritual brothers live the Rule without “interpreting” his words. They are to listen to the words and follow what is written “without gloss”. (This could be said of any document we solemnly profess to live. Let us never forget a very simple truth: You are only as good as your word! At our Profession we “gave our word” to be faithful to all we professed.)
The Testament, directed to all the friars of the original Franciscan Brotherhood, now officially separated into three distinct branches of the First Order, can help us understand Francis’ will that we not deviate from the Rule. Francis is the image of one conformed to Jesus. The Testament tells us in Francis’ words how that came about for him. Thus, the Testament becomes a last desire of Francis to help his brothers understand and live the authentic expression of the Rule. I have done what was mine to do. You must discover what is yours.
As Secular Franciscans you may ask “What does this have to do with us”. Directly, nothing! But understanding the mind and heart of St. Francis, through his last will and testament, much!
Celebrating the Year of the Paschal Mystery of St. Francis is the way we reflect on the Gospel Life all Franciscans live. As Franciscans living in a secular society, you are called to be a light and a leaven. You are called to shine with your lives that others may see the face of Christ and thus encourage others to love and live the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Testament is our Seraphic Father’s last desire for us to accept the “gift” of Gospel Life as brothers and sisters united in the name of Christ and St. Francis. Thus doing, we learn to disarm our hearts to embrace all people.
The Italian bishops a number of years ago gave St. Francis the title “the Saint with a disarmed heart”. Conformity to Christ must follow the spiritual warfare of disarmament of hearts. If we follow our Father’s example ultimately, we will follow Christ’s and thus be conformed to Him. We can be God’s way of changing the world. That will never happen though, until we change ourselves first. What we seek to find in others, we must be willing to show and practice in ourselves.
The Testament of St. Francis is a final exhortation, admonition, and remembrance for the brothers, and ultimately the sisters, who would read these words, to do likewise. Francis himself tells the friars that his Testament is not a new Rule for them. Nonetheless, the personal reflection he expresses is as valid for us today as it has been for all professed friars through the past eight centuries. The Testament recalls the initial simple vision of his life. He wrote it to counter the compromises he saw creeping into his rapidly growing order.
The document passionately reasserts his original radical commitment to the Gospel Life lived in poverty, manual labor, and devotion to the Church. The desire for St. Francis to counter any compromises not proposed by the Church should be an incentive for us all to be faithful. Compromises, dispensations, alterations, additions and subtractions are usually ways not to live the life more fully and intensely. Thus we rather let go of the challenges, diminish the intensity of life, and become at best mediocre. We allow ourselves this mediocrity and soon lose all enthusiasm and desire.
Remember the Church in Laodicea in the Book of Revelation: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (Revelation 3: 15-17). Tough words! God knows us. God knows our capabilities and our abilities. He endowed us with all that we need to be saved and give God the glory. Refusing to use and enjoy what was for us and for each one of us alone, is an insult to the Eternal Donor. The great “gift” of following Jesus more intimately as a “Gospel People”, is an awesome “gift”. Refuse the gift; refuse the Donor! Then what?!
The Jubilee Year of the Paschal Mystery of St. Francis, and what that means for all Franciscans, is a true journey of the heart. St. Francis was preparing for his moment of encounter with God. He desired to revive in the hearts of his brothers and sisters all that his life had been for him, from the response to the call of the Crucified of San Damiano to the Seal of Approval by Jesus on Mount Alverna. He expected and hoped his brothers and sisters would accept the charism of the Gospel Life they professed. The joyfulness of the life expressed by the brothers attracted others, and the uniqueness of its expectations challenged total commitment to the gift God offered them through St. Francis.
The Canticle of Praise and the Testament, both written so close to the arrival of Sister Death for Francis, reveal a soul imbued with divine inspiration. In the Canticle his soul sees everyone and all things in God. Nevertheless, it is the Testament that is the final urging of a heart and soul totally God’s in Jesus through the Spirit. His words urge and expect the brothers to accept the challenge of the Gospel Life they professed “without gloss”. Nothing was to mar or change, in any way, what was given to him as a divine gift – And the Lord gave me…
As Secular Franciscans, you live in a society conditioned more commonly and necessarily by the demands of the secular world. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12: 2). These are easy words to quote, but not always easy to put into practice. The politics of a nation or given place, the circumstances of life, and so on, often condition the only response we believe we are able to give. Often the response expected, and at times the one given, may seem “un-Franciscan”, “un-Christian”, “un-holy”, or downright sinful. What are you to do? We are to embrace our vulnerability and trust in the Lord at all times in every way.
In the Testament our Seraphic Father begins with a memory. Not of triumph or glory, but of revulsion, his initial disgust toward lepers. He admits that he found them unbearable. But then, something happened. He says, The Lord gave me, Brother Francis, thus to begin doing penance in this way: for when I was in sin, it seemed too bitter for me to see lepers. And the Lord Himself led me among them and I showed mercy to them. That moment, that encounter, changed everything. What had seemed bitter became sweet. It’s not just a story of personal growth. It’s a spiritual turning point. Francis found Christ in the lepers. He found joy in what the world rejected. And that, in many ways, is the heart of his entire life.
From there, Francis speaks of his reverence for churches and the Eucharist. He adored Christ in all the churches throughout the world and blessed Him for His redeeming sacrifice. This wasn’t just liturgical piety, it was a visceral, living devotion. He saw the presence of Christ not only in the poor and the suffering, but also in the Sacrament and in the sacred spaces where the faithful gathered. And what’s remarkable is his attitude toward priests. Even those who persecuted him, he honored, not because of their personal holiness, but because of their role in administering the Eucharist. He says, I want to respect, love and honor them and all others as my lords. That’s a powerful statement. It’s not blind obedience it’s theological humility. Francis saw Christ in the priesthood, and so he bowed not to the man, but to the mystery.
He speaks of the Word of God with deep reverence. He wanted any scraps of Scripture found in unworthy places to be gathered and treated with honor. That’s not superstition it’s love. He understood that the Word is alive, that it speaks and thus deserves respect and obedience. And he extended that respect to theologians and ministers of the Word, recognizing that they nourish the soul. Again, it’s not about hierarchy, it’s about gratitude.
Then Francis turns to the founding of his brotherhood. He says, After the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what to do; but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the Holy Gospel. That line is crucial. He didn’t set out to create an Order. He didn’t have a plan. He simply wanted to live the Gospel, literally, radically, joyfully. And the brothers who joined him desired the same. They gave away everything, wore patched tunics, and lived in abandoned churches. They prayed, worked, and rejoiced. They were poor, but they were free.
Francis’s emphasis on poverty wasn’t romantic. It was deliberate. He saw poverty as a way to strip away ego, ambition, and distraction. It was a way to depend entirely on God. He worked with his own hands and encouraged his brothers to do the same. He didn’t want them to become idle or proud. He wanted them to remain grounded, humble, and in solidarity with the poor.
Throughout the Testament, there’s a recurring phrase: The Lord gave me. Whether it’s his conversion, his brothers, his understanding of the Gospel, it’s all grace. Francis doesn’t take credit. He sees himself as a vessel, a recipient of mercy. That humility isn’t a pious performance, it’s real. It’s the fruit of a life steeped in prayer, suffering, and love.
And yet, there’s urgency in his words. He knows he’s dying. He wants to leave behind not rules, but spirit. He warns his friars not to treat the Testament as another Rule, but as a remembrance and admonition. That’s important. The Rule governs the structure of the Order. The Testament reveals its soul. It’s a call to fidelity, simplicity, reverence, and joy.
One of the most striking aspects of the Testament is Francis’s love for the Church. He doesn’t rebel against it. He doesn’t criticize it. He honors it. Even in its brokenness, he sees it as the Body of Christ. That’s not naive, it’s prophetic. He challenges us to love the Church not because it’s perfect, but because it’s holy.
So what does this Testament mean for us today? It’s not a historical artifact. It’s a living challenge. Francis’s embrace of the lepers calls us to solidarity with the marginalized. His reverence for the Eucharist invites us to deeper devotion. His love for Scripture urges us to honor the Word. His simplicity confronts our consumerism. His humility rebukes our pride. His joy in suffering reveals the paradox of Christian hope.
The Testament is a mirror. It shows us what it looks like when a soul is utterly surrendered to God. It’s raw, honest, and luminous. It doesn’t offer easy answers. It offers a life, a life poured out in love, shaped by the Gospel, and sealed by grace.
In the end, it’s a love letter: to God, to the Church, to his brothers, and to the world. It reminds us that holiness is not about perfection, but about surrender. It calls us to live not by rules alone, but by the Spirit who breathes through the Gospel. And it leaves us with a question, not what would Francis do, but what is the Lord asking of us now?
Let us listen, as Francis did, with open hearts and empty hands. Let us follow, not with fear, but with joy. And let us remember that the Gospel is not a burden, but a gift, a gift that transforms bitterness into sweetness, and death into life.
Celebrating the Year of the Paschal Mystery of St. Francis of Assisi is the way we will reflect on the Gospel Life all Franciscans have professed to live. And the unique expression of our Seraphic Father’s last desire is for us to accept the “gift” of Gospel Life in Fraternity. (Regardless of which Franciscan “Rule” we profess, to Live Jesus really has no substitute. We either live Jesus or not. And, it was given to Francis what values were essential in living it.) When we listen to his words and conform ourselves to the spirit of St. Francis we can be assured of a path leading to our conformity to Christ.
Let us remember the last words of St. Francis in his Testament: And whoever observes these things, let him be blessed in heaven with the blessing of the Most High Father, and on earth with the blessing of His Beloved Son with the Most Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, and all the powers of heaven and with all the saints. And, as far as I am able, I, little brother Francis, your servant, confirm for you both within and without, this most holy blessing. Amen.
Peace and Blessings
Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
