Assisi!

Yesterday (Tuesday, July 10), we had the wonderful privilege of taking a two-hour train ride to Assisi to visit with St. Francis and St. Clare.  It was a particularly providential trip because one of our Franciscan Sisters, Sister Veronica Catherine, CFR, celebrated her feast day yesterday!

We started the morning with a 7 a.m. Mass at a beautiful church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that is located a block away from the train station.

The Church of the Sacred Heart

We then took the train to Assisi, enjoying the view of the quaint Italian countryside on the way.

On the train

 We have arrived!!

Sister Mary Victor, IHM (left)
with our three Franciscan Sisters (left to right):
Sister Mary Katherine, OSF
Sister Veronica Catherine, CFR
Sister Faustina Joseph, CFR

Arriving in Assisi, we went first to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.  Conserved within this Basilica is the portiuncula, the little chapel where St. Francis and his brother friars first began to gather to pray and near which they first lived.  Within the walls of the Basilica is also the chapel of the transitus.  The transitus chapel was built over the spot where St. Francis of Assisi died. 

Rose Garden at St. Mary of the Angels

Statue of St Francis in the corridor before the Rose Garden.
There are doves that nest in St. Francis' hands
and do not usually fly away when approached.
Can you see the dove there?

For this one, it seems the doves have flown the coop...

The next stop on our Franciscan adventure was to visit the Basilica of St. Francis which is a bus ride up the hill to the town proper of Assisi.  St. Francis is buried in the crypt of this Basilica, as well as are many of his first followers.

Basilica of St. Francis, where he is buried

A beautiful part of our day was celebrating the Feast Day of Sister Veronica Catherine of the Pierced Heart of Jesus, CFR. She is named after St. Veronica Giuliani, who was a Franciscan in the Capuchin tradition. What a blessing to be in Assisi on this day of all days!

A sweet dessert (including a lit candle) to celebrate the Feast Day!

Visiting Assisi is a true pilgrimage because in order to go anywhere in the town, one must traverse the many steep hills of the town.  The Basilica of St. Clare is on the other side of the town and it is truly a trek to reach her.

Traversing the town streets

Basilica of St. Clare

In the Basilica of St. Clare is her tomb, as well as the famous San Damiano Cross.  This cross, now kept in this church, was originally in the small chapel of San Damiano, located slightly below the walls of the town.  It was when St. Francis was praying before this cross in San Damiano that the Lord spoke to him from the cross and said, "Francis, rebuild my church."

St. Clare's tomb

San Damiano Cross

At first, St. Francis interpreted this request of the Lord literally.  He began to restore the actual church building of San Damiano, even going through the town begging for stones to use to restore the collapsed building.  Eventually, however, St. Francis began to realize that the vocation to which God was calling him was to spiritually bring new life into the church which had grown overburdened with concerns of the temporal world and had largely lost the true evangelical spirit of the Gospel of Christ.

The Basilica of St. Clare is also a very special place because there are many relics of St. Francis and St. Clare conserved in the museum below the Church.

On the right and left are two garments worn by St. Francis
In the middle is a garment worn by St. Clare

It was an incredible day!