Today is in an important day for the history of our diocese as it is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is one of our patrons.

St. Francis was a 13th-century Italian deacon who chose to follow the words of Jesus as literally as possible, and through his commitment, he brought renewal to our Catholic Church. He was born on an uncertain date in the 1180s to a family of wealth, which guaranteed him a life of luxury in the upper class.

Three major life incidents confirmed his path. In Assisi, he kissed the hand of a leper, which overcame his fear of diseases. Soon afterward, Francis left money at Saint Peter's tomb and exchanged clothes with a beggar. It was after this that he heard Christ tell him in a vision: "Go Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin."

It was at this point that St. Francis began to use his father's wealth to restore churches. During the year 1208, Francis at Mass one morning heard the Gospel reading, which Christ instructed the apostles to go forth without money, shoes, or extra clothing. This was the inspiration that would give rise to the Franciscan movement.

Based on his imitation of Christ, Francis also shared the Lord's suffering and received the Stigmata (Christ's wounds) in his own flesh during September of 1224. St Francis later died on Oc. 3, 1226, and his friend Pope Gregory IX canonized him in 1228.

The Franciscan influence in our diocese dates back to 1581 when the first Franciscan missionaries traveled the Camino Real through the Las Cruces Diocese, on their way to northern New Mexico.