The Word Among Us

Advent 2018 Issue

A New Kind Of Mission

St. Francis of Assisi helped me rediscover my purpose after the Iraq war.

By: Fr. Conrad Targonski, OFM

A New Kind Of Mission: St. Francis of Assisi helped me rediscover my purpose after the Iraq war. by Fr. Conrad Targonski, OFM

You might picture St. Francis of Assisi as a preacher to the birds or as the poor man who forsook his birthright. But he has another identity that is especially meaningful to me, and that is “combat veteran.” Like St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Martin of Tours, he returned from battle a changed man. As an Iraq War veteran, I can identify with this.

But ultimately God intervened to help Francis rebuild his life, and it was the same with me. Only in my case, Francis himself played a...

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