Saint Francis and Ecology

St. Francis and Ecology

Global climate change has been an area of concern for many decades. The exploitation of the natural world to support human consumption has led to an increase in greenhouse gases and the rapid warming of the planet. How should people of faith respond to this problem? An examination of the life of Saint Francis (1181-1226), and particularly his views of the natural world, is a good place to begin rethinking our relationship with the planet.

St. Francis of Assisi was a man who came from a high economic and social status. As a young boy, he often traveled with his father, a wealthy cloth merchant, on business. On these journeys he regularly came into contact with medieval troubadours, whose songs of courtly romance and love shaped his desire for status and honor. As he grew older, the allures of “the world” grew stronger, and he embarked on the life of a soldier in the hope of gaining glory that would lead to attaining knighthood, a profession praised by the troubadours.

During one battle against the neighboring town of Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned in 1202. For the next year he sat in prison, where he became ill due to the poor conditions of his confinement. Upon his release, however, he continued to pursue the path of military valor. Two years later, in 1205, he again embarked on a military mission, but on the way experienced a vision in which he was told to “serve the master,” i.e. God. From that point onward, Francis began to distance himself from “the world” to become a “soldier of God,” a “knight” in the service of the church.

A number of key events over the next few years sharpened his spiritual focus: he took a pilgrimage to Rome, where he gave away the money he had, received a vision at the San Damiano church, and renounced his ties to his family. All of these experiences shaped his growing connection with and dedication to God. For Francis, this commitment manifested itself in a variety of ways: he began to identify with and minister to the poor, vulnerable, and outcasts, and he developed a deep reverence for and connection to the created order.

St. Francis revered the natural world and felt that its beauty was the way God revealed his majesty and showed his love. Because he saw God in all things, he believed that humanity could live a peaceful life filled with love if it began to think of the world and everything within it as a family. Perhaps inspired by the secular exploits valorized in the songs of the troubadours, Francis’ composed a Christian “love song” for God, the world, and all of its creations known as the Canticle of the Sun:

O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belongs praise, glory, honor and all blessings.

Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation and especially for our Brother Sun, who brings us the day and the light; he is strong and shines magnificently. O Lord, we think of you when we look at him.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon, and for the stars which you have set shining and lovely in the heavens.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Brothers Wind and Air and every kind of weather by which you, Lord, uphold life in all your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water, who is very useful to us, and humble and precious and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire, through whom you give us light in the darkness: He is bright and lively and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us, bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colors.

Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you; and for those who bear sickness and weakness in peace and patience, you will grant them a crown.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death, whom we must all face. I praise and bless you, Lord, and I give thanks to you, and I will serve you in all humility.

Francis’ perspective on the world inspired thousands of people to transform the way they perceived God’s creations, and his ideas continue to resonate with people of faith today. In fact, in 2013, when Jorge Mario Bergoglio became pope, he assumed the name “Francis” to honor the life of St. Francis. Throughout his tenure, Pope Francis has emulated the saint’s life by making Catholic Social Teaching more visible and becoming a leading voice on ecological sustainability.

Dig Deeper

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Revised ed. Winona, MN: Anselm Academic, 2018.

Catholic Online. “The Canticle of Creation (by Saint Francis of Assisi) -

Prayers.” Catholic Online, www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=3188.

Delio, Ilia. “Francis of Assisi, Nature’s Mystic.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 20 March 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/francis-of-assisi-naturesmystic/2013/03/20/82619910-9166-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239_story.html.