What did Saint Francis of Assisi do for his people?

Answer 1

Francis of Assisi did a great thing....everyone loved Francis. sorry this is long but it is his story

Francis was born in 1182, the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. His early years were frivolous, but an experience of sickness and another of military service were instrumental in leading him to reflect on the purpose of life. He spent a year as a captive in prison: that experience always changes people: most of God's best servants spent a disproportionate amount of their lives in deserts or prisons! Most know how he exchanged his fine clothes with a beggar's. He lived off 'alms' requested 'for love of God'. One day, in the church of San Damiano, he seemed to hear Christ saying to him, Francis, repair my falling house.' He took the words literally, and sold a bale of silk from his father's warehouse to pay for repairs to the church of San Damiano. His father was outraged, and there was a public confrontation at which his father disinherited and disowned him, and he in turn renounced his father's wealth (one account says that he not only handed his father his purse, but also took off his expensive clothes, laid them at his father's feet, and walked away naked). He declared himself "wedded to Lady Poverty", renounced all material possessions, and devoted himself to serving the poor. A few companions joined him, and after three years, in 1210, the Pope authorized the forming of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans. The order grew rapidly, but, over the opposition of Francis, it soon abandoned his original plan of complete poverty, both for the individual friars and for the order as a whole. Francis' public ministry was relatively short - from his conversion in 1207 until his death on 4 October 1226. Within two years he was then canonized by Pope Gregory IX.
St. Francis was born in 1181. His father was a wealthy businessman. Francis spent a lot of time partying when he was young. He was handsome. He did not do well in school and he didn't want to be part of his father's business.

He once saw a beggar and initially turned him away. Then he ran back and gave him some money. Another time, he saw a leper who was dirty and smelled bad. It occurred to him that Jesus would not be repulsed by the leper, so Francis kissed the leper's hand. He felt then, that Jesus was kissing him back.

From then on, Francis wanted to help the poor. He left his life of wealth, dressed in rags and became a beggar.

He loved animals and nature. Tradition says that he invented the nativity scene as a way to pay tribute to the Christ child as well as the beasts in the stable.

Francis went on to found the Franciscan Order of priests.

Later in life, Francis was deep in prayer when he saw an image of Jesus on the cross. Francis then received the stigmata which are the wounds Jesus suffered during the Crucifixion.

He died in 1226.