Creation landscape

🌾 The Franciscan Way

Prayer, Peace, and Contemplation in the Spirit of St. Francis

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🕊 Introduction

“Praised be You, my Lord, through all Your creatures.” — St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures

The Franciscan Way invites us to pray, live, and lead with simplicity of heart — to find God not only in silence and sacrament, but in the beauty of the world, the kindness of others, and the cry of creation itself. For St. Francis, contemplation was not escape but engagement: a loving gaze on the world as God’s house, radiant with divine presence.

A Lineage of Influence: St. Francis & St. Ignatius

Ignatius of Loyola was captivated by the radical faith of Francis and Dominic. Their joy, poverty, and love of Christ set fire to his heart. Ignatius’s call to find God in all things and his reverence for creation bear Franciscan traces.

  • 🌍 Both saw the world as God’s house, radiant with divine presence.
  • 🕊 Both embraced simplicity and poverty as freedom to love deeply.
  • 🤝 Both carried peace to a wounded world with compassion and mission.

Their ways meet in one invitation: live with open eyes, open hands, and an open heart before God.

🌿 Themes of the Franciscan Way

1. Contemplation of Creation

Creation is a living sacrament of divine love; prayer becomes a gaze of wonder.

2. Simplicity of Heart

Simplicity frees us from anxiety and comparison, making space for joy and presence.

3. Peace & Fraternity

Every person is brother or sister; we become reconcilers and bridge-builders.

4. Joyful Praise

Francis’s Canticle proclaims that joy and gratitude are true contemplation.

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📖 Featured Resources

🕊 Peace Prayer of St. Francis

A timeless call to become instruments of peace.

Pray Now

🌸 Canticle of the Creatures

A hymn of creation’s praise — perfect for reflection or group prayer.

Read & Reflect

🔥 Praises of God (Laudes Dei Altissimi)

St. Francis’s personal prayer of adoration.

Pray with Francis

🍃 Franciscan Examen

A 5-step reflection on simplicity, gratitude, and peace.

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More Prayers

  • • Prayer of St. Clare — “May you go forward securely, joyfully, and swiftly.”
  • • Prayer before the Crucifix (San Damiano) — “Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart…”
  • • Prayer for Simplicity — short original prayers in a Franciscan tone.
  • • Franciscan Rosary — the seven joys of the Virgin Mary.

Try a Practice

Begin with a simple gratitude walk. Notice light, wind, trees, faces, sounds. Let praise arise naturally: “Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Sun…”

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✦ Reflection

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” — St. Francis of Assisi

The Franciscan Way is not an alternative to the Ignatian Way — it is its elder sibling in the same family of grace. Where Ignatius helps us discern God’s will, Francis teaches us to see and love God everywhere.

Together they call us to a contemplative, courageous, and joyful faith — one that finds God in all things and all creatures.

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