The parents of Saint Francis of Paola were childless for many years and following prayers through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi they had three children; Francis was the oldest, born on March 27, 1416 in Paola, Italy. He went on a pilgrimage in his teens to Rome and Assisi and became a hermit near Paola. Before he was even 20 years old he had followers. When he was in his 40s he had so many followers that he established a Rule for them and sought Church approval. The Hermits of Saint Francis of Assisi were approved in 1474 and they were renamed the Franciscan Order of Minim Friars. This means they count themselves the least of the family of God.
Franz Liszt wrote a piece of music inspired by the time when Francis wanted to cross the Straits of Messina to reach Sicily, but the boatman refused to take him. He laid his cloak on the water, tied one end to his staff to make a sail, and sailed across with his companions.
He was a defender of the poor. He traveled to Paris at the request of Pope Sixtus IV to help Louis XI prepare for death. He died on April 2, 1507, on Good Friday in Plessis, France.
"Take pains to refrain from sharp words. Pardon one another so that later on you will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself wrong. It adds to our anger, nurtures our sins and hates what is good. It is a rusty arrow and poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to flight."
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