Francis’ Month: Meet Franciscan Sisters’ Chaplain

Paul Keggington

October 26, 2012

During this month of Francis, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity share an interview with Father Placid Stroik, Franciscan Friar of the Assumption of the BVM Province, our Motherhouse Chaplain.

What about St. Francis is especially attractive to you?

Once St. Francis of Assisi led by the Spirit got to know what was being asked of him by LIFE, he went totally and unreservedly into the MISSION at hand:  fun and frivolity, knighthood and chivalry, rebuilding churches and serving  lepers, prayer, preaching, peace making  and community building. He did it with the fervor he experienced that morning at San Nicolo Church in Assisi with Bernard of Quinatavalle and Peter Catanio after hearing the Gospel texts on living a life of poverty and following the Lord. “This is what I want; this is what I’m looking for! This is what I want to do from the bottom of my heart!”

In the complexity of the human situation this kind of invitation from LIFE and response to LIFE reverberates down through the centuries. LIFE asks different things at different times. It did for Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan). Captain Miller spoke to the members of his squad as they were discerning whether to plunge ahead,  in the face of grave dangerous circumstances behind enemy lines, after the D-Day Invasion in Normandy, France, June 6, 1944. He said he had no choice, it was a call: to still try and save Private  James Ryan for the sake of his mother. He further added: “Back  in Minnesota, people will remember me as having a mission to teach. However, right now, my mission is to save Private Ryan.” Like a Francis of Assisi, that was all he wanted … from the depths of his heart, that was all he wanted: to save Private Ryan.

Click on the links below to read Father Placid’s response to these 2 questions:

 

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