Giovanni is the name his mother gave him at his baptism while his father was away. His father didn't want a son named for John the Baptizer; he wanted a son who would follow in his footsteps as a merchant. His father renamed him Francisco.
We know him as Francis. His hometown was Assisi, Italy. He was the child of a wealthy merchant family; he lived most of his years in a plain brown habit. His father's dream was for him to extend the family's wealth; instead, he took a vow of poverty and kept it. He spent lots of time with poor people and animals, a lot of it outdoors.
He died at around age 44 in the year 1226. Two years later he was canonized as a saint. His feast day is October 4. As is our custom, on the Sunday closest to the feast of St Francis of Assisi, October 5, we will bless any and all animals that folks bring with them to St Paul's. Please let your friends and neighbors know they and their critters are welcome at the 7:30 AM and the 10 AM Eucharists that day.
Sunday, October 5 will be our last Sunday celebrating Eucharists in the church building for at least a year. Come and celebrate with all God's creatures.
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