San Francesco, Pacifist Environmentalist and Ex-playboy
From Agenzia Giornalistica Italia:
POPE: SAN FRANCESCO, PACIFIST ENVIRONMENTALIST AND.EX PLAYBOY(AGI) – Rome, Aug 31 – “San Francesco wasn’t just an environmentalist and a pacifist: it was above all a converted man”. Benedetto XVI wanted to remember him during the meeting with the priests of the diocese of Albano, united in the summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. Answering to a question of one of the priests, the Pope cited the initiative of the bishop of Assisi on the occasion of the Jubilee of San Francesco: “Mons. Sorrentino wanted to announce a year of conversion to find a solution for this abuse”. “San Francesco”, the Pope explained, “was first some sort of playboy, but then saw that that wasn’t enough, he understood that he had to broaden his life dedicating himself to God and to others”.
Although the story (and translation) doesn’t do the tale justice, it is enough to make me want to read a story of St. Francis’ life.