Francis and Clare: The Complete Works: Amazon.ca: Regis Armstrong: Books

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn From St. Francis Himself!, Jun 3 2007

By	James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

"Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" is a collection of the Rules, Letter, Prayers and any other writings believed to have been written by these two founders of the Franciscan movement, Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. I say "believed to have been written" because the authorship of some of the writings is based on the best scholarly research available, not on a reliable canon collected during the saints' lifetimes. The writings of Francis are presented first, followed by those of Clare.

Because the works consist of a collection of unassociated writings, they do not provide a guide to holiness, as do other works, such as St. Francis' DeSales "Introduction To The Devout Life" or St. Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises". This is more like a law school case book in which one reads the material in order to discern the important themes.

The important themes are not difficult to ascertain. One obvious one is the well known Franciscan emphasis on poverty. From these readings the reader gets the idea that the virtue of poverty is the detachment from things of earth so that one may concentrate on the things that truly matter. A second theme, which I had not associated with Francis, is that of reverence for and adoration of the Holy Eucharist. The prescriptions made by Francis in his day resonate well in our time with its struggle in maintaining a balance between Eucharist reverence and accessibility.

This book serves well as a tool in a study of the life of St. Francis. We look to biographies to learn from him through an organized rendering of his life. We look to "Francis and Clare: The Complete Works" to learn from the saint himself.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source, Mar 13 2004

By A Customer

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the writings of St Francis and St Clare. The Classics of Western Spirituality volumes are generally well-researched, relevant, and well-introduced selections, and this is no exception.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent in the absence of the Omnibus, Sep 4 2001

By	Brian Tullius (Auburn, California United States) - See all my reviews

It is unfortunate that the Omnibus of Sources has become increasingly difficult to get one's hands on, yet this collection of the works of Francis and Clare is a splendid alternative. Francis and Clare articulate such an incredible vision of what it means to enter into the mystery of Christ. Perhaps the most splendid account in this collection is Francis' words to Brother Leo on what constitutes true joy. These texts are excellent for anyone wishing to embrace Christ by way of the example of the Little Poor Ones of Assisi. An excellent supplement to this text is "Franciscan Christology" published by the Franciscan Institute in Bonaventure, New York. Pax et Bonum.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of primary sources
I consider this volume a "must have" for anyone interested in Franciscan history and spirituality. Read more

Published on Aug 30 2000 by Elizabeth G. Melillo

5.0 out of 5 stars rare source material
Wow! This book has to be my favorite in "The Classics of Western Spirituality" series so far. Francis and Clare of Assisi's know writings are all collected here. Read more

Published on Jun 12 2000 by NotATameLion