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
November 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
The Lord give you his peace!
We have entered the last of the Jubilee Years of the Franciscan Family, as we prepare for the celebration of the Blessed Transitus of our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi. His death on the evening of 3 October 1226 heralded the beginning of a new experience for the Brotherhood of those who had chosen the Gospel Life lived by and with the “Poverello”.
The “After Francis” movements within the Brotherhood had already begun in the time “during Francis”. The brothers, especially those who had come from other areas of Europe and those who had “specialized” talents began to consider the need for modifications to the Rule of Life they had professed with St. Francis. We know from the sources how this affected our Father. It took a reminder from God, so we are told, to let go and let God guide the Order. Discussions were already happening regarding the possibility, with Church approval, to modify/adapt certain expressions of the Rule to the changing times, circumstances, individual “needs”, and the like.
The question was not just adapting to the times and circumstances that arose, but also, in certain respects, adopting the values of the times and circumstances. The “adopting” was the question. It had to have been a severe blow to Francis’ deep conviction concerning “Madonna Poverta” and the varied ways their life was directed by this wonderful “gift” that liberated the friars from unnecessary concerns so they could live the Gospel as Christ and the Apostles did. This happiness was within the reach of them all, and Francis saw they were losing it. Poverty is a liberating “gift” when lived in the certain hope of God’s never-failing Providence.
St. Francis lay dying. The brothers who could be there were with him. The thoughts that filled his heart and mind can only be imagined. We’ll never know until, God willing, we are with God for eternity and know what is now hidden. This meditative speculation though, might help us all to understand the depth of importance for each one to be totally committed to who he/she is called to be in God. For Franciscans, it is through living, “sine glossa”, whatever that might mean today after eight centuries, the charism of St. Francis of Assisi.
The Dying and Death of St. Francis speaks of his most solemn moment in life and the ultimate encounter with God. To all of us, it speaks of the need to be convinced of whom we seek to follow and become, committed to the Gospel Life we proclaim, and consecrated every moment to the truth we have professed. Impossible? Absolutely not! “The hand does not reach for what the heart does not desire”. If we truly desire what we profess with our lips, we will know, see, and accept all God offers us to “live the dream” of St. Francis and the “dream” of all who gave their “yes” to the challenge.
Considering all the above, we realize the urgency for St. Francis to finalize his Will and Testament. It was St. Francis’ “final word” from the Father-Brother-Founder of the Penitents of Assisi. His “heart” was directed to those who aspired and professed the itinerancy of the Gospel Life. The poverty professed and lived by the brothers enriched and ennobled them to be living witnesses of God’s ever-present Providence. The “Little Poor Man of Assisi”, “il Poverello”, dying naked on the ground, reminds us all that we are what we are before God and nothing more. Anything over and above the bare necessities is extra baggage that makes the journey more burdensome.
Still there remained in his heart the fact that the brothers, during his lifetime, had already begun to re-present his “dream” in a manner different from what he received from God and what he sought to live every moment. His constant refrain and the Lord gave me was a conviction that all that comes from God, as he believed it was for himself and those who sought and accepted to follow him, must not be changed.
He was succumbing to the effects of all his ailments. St. Francis was in the “process of transitioning” from time to eternity. What concerned him more was the “transitions” some brothers had begun adopting that were contrary to his vision of the Order as he expected it to be lived. Dying in the body for someone who had abandoned himself totally to God’s Will was easier than feeling abandoned by those he believed would continue the dream begun at San Damiano and sealed at La Verna. Death would resolve the matter for him. How would his death affect the differences among the brothers concerning their faithfulness to God’s call (?), him (?), the Gospel Life lived in/as the “gift” of Lady Poverty (?), the acceptance of the minimum needed rather than the maximum allowed (?). Oh, how many thoughts passed through the mind and heart of the Poverello! We can only imagine.
In the final stanzas of his Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi sums it all up and offers a startling and serene invocation: Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape. This line, composed near the end of his life, encapsulates a radical theological and spiritual vision that reorients the human relationship with mortality. Rather than viewing death as a grim adversary or a tragic end, Francis personifies it as “Sister”. She is an intimate companion in the human/divine family of creation. The past will be the legacy the brothers will have to deal with responsibly in truth to their profession and to the mind of the founder they sought to emulate, but not necessarily imitate in all ways.
As negative as this might sound, it is seems like God’s way of keeping a healthy tension alive in the hearts of all who constantly seek to become more of what God wants. The Penitents of Assisi are always in the process of conversion. Conversion is not necessarily from bad to good; it can also be a process from good to better. The crux is to be faithful to the “charism” (word usually used to express a “gift from God”) while moving forward in the changing times.
St. Francis’s embrace of Sister Bodily Death is not merely poetic. It is theological. His worldview, shaped by a deep reverence for all aspects of creation, extends even to the final moment of life. In calling death “Sister,” Francis aligns it with the sun, moon, wind, fire, and water. These are elements he also personifies in the Canticle. This act of naming is significant. It transforms death from a feared unknown into a familiar presence, a member of the universal family that praises God. Francis’s language suggests that death, like all creation, serves a divine purpose and is worthy of reverence. This perspective challenges the dominant cultural beliefs/explanations that treat death as an enemy to be resisted or denied, rather than the anticipated companion accompanying us to the gift awaiting us. The gift is that of our encounter with the Source of all Life Whose Love in Christ offers us the “Gift” of Himself for an eternity.
The theological foundation for Francis’s view lies in his understanding of the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery. For Francis, Christ’s suffering and death are not merely historical events but cosmic realities that sanctify the human experience. By embracing poverty, illness, and ultimately death, Francis imitates Christ and participates in the redemptive arc of salvation. His Stigmata, received in 1224, symbolize this union with the crucified Christ. In this light, Sister Bodily Death is not a rupture but a passage. It is a moment of communion with the divine. Francis’s peaceful acceptance of death, even amid physical suffering, reflects his trust in God’s mercy and his hope in eternal life.
This hope is central to Franciscan spirituality. Unlike the despair or dread that often accompanies thoughts of death, Francis’s vision is permeated with joy and gratitude. He sings his Canticle not in health but in illness, not in comfort but in pain. His praise of Sister Death is an act of defiance against fear and a testament to faith. It affirms that death is not the end but the beginning of a deeper union with God. This hope is not abstract; it is embodied in Francis’s life and in the lives of those who follow his path. The Franciscan tradition continues to emphasize the dignity of dying, the importance of accompaniment, and the sacredness of the final journey.
Moreover, Francis’s view of death is ecological and communal. By placing death within the family of creation, he dissolves the boundaries between human and non-human, living and dying. This holistic vision invites a deeper respect for life in all its forms and stages. It challenges modern tendencies to isolate the dying, to “medicalize” the process, and to sanitize the reality of mortality. Instead, Francis calls for a reintegration of death into the rhythm of life, recognition that dying is as natural and sacred as birth. His Canticle becomes a liturgy of life, a song that includes every creature and every moment.
In contemporary contexts, the theme of Sister Bodily Death offers a counter-explanation to the culture of denial and distraction. In a world that often avoids the topic of death, Francis’s joyful acceptance is both radical and healing. It invites individuals to confront mortality not with fear but with faith, not with despair but with hope. His example encourages communities to care for the dying, to honor their stories, and to accompany them with love. It also speaks to movements that seek to restore harmony between humans and the earth, recognizing that death is part of the cycle of renewal.
Francis’s final moments embody his theology. As he lay dying in 1226, he asked to be placed on the bare ground, stripped of all comfort, in solidarity with the poor and with Christ. He sang his Canticle, adding verses that praised God through Sister Death. His death was not a defeat but a culmination, a final act of praise, a return to the Creator. This scene, recorded by his companions, has become a touchstone for Franciscan reflection on death. It illustrates the power of faith to transform suffering into song, fear into peace, and death into life.
The legacy of Sister Bodily Death continues in Franciscan communities, in care for the ill and dying inspired by his vision, and in theological writings that draw from his example. It challenges theologians, caregivers, and believers to reflect on the meaning of death, to embrace its mystery, and to find God within it. Francis’s Canticle remains a prophetic voice, calling the world to see death not as an end but as a “Sister”. She is our companion on the journey “Into God”.
The theme of Sister Bodily Death in the writings and life of St. Francis of Assisi is a profound invitation to re-imagine mortality. It is a call to embrace death with reverence, to live with hope, and to die with peace. Through poetic language, theological insight, and personal example, Francis transforms the darkest moment into a luminous passage. His vision continues to inspire and challenge, offering a path of faith that leads through death into life.
In this month traditionally dedicated to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, let us remember the Poor Souls and pray for their refreshment, light, and peace. May we always be sensitive to the spiritual needs of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Do not be afraid to offer all the spiritual benefits you may be granted through your prayers, penances and good works for them. The words of Jesus still hold true: the measure you measure with will be measured back to you (Matthew 7: 2). God will never be outdone in gratitude and graciousness. Trust Him.
Death is a point of convergence between time and eternity. A life condensed in a moment bursts into an eternity of presence with the Hidden Origin of all life Whose open arms invite, welcome, and embrace the soul. The month of November is not centered on death and dying. It is centered on Life and Living: Life with God and living for eternity.
Remember all those who have gone before us and await our prayers to assist them in Purgatory. Be protected in Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Be happy in our common brother/sisterhood as Franciscans. Be grateful that so gracious a God has called us to life and journeys with us in mystery until, through our individual histories, we finally live with Him eternally.
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, OFM Cap
Regional Spiritual Assistant
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