The Franciscan Heritage and Influence of Integrity for Nonviolence^®

The Franciscan heritage has strongly influenced the development of the ideas and practices of nonviolence. St. Francis was characterized and recognized as a peacemaker when he brought his message of peace to areas of deep conflict, hatred, injury, doubt, and despair because he responded with love, forgiveness, faith, and hope. Francis readily countered difficult situations from the deep well of his reflective spirit and from his integrity that was rooted in God.

Francis understood the power of words to help create the peace desired. As he later testified, he learned a greeting of this sort by the Lord’s revelation: “May the Lord give you peace!” Therefore, in all his preaching he greeted the people at the beginning of his sermon with a proclamation of peace.

There are numerous similarities between St. Francis’ day and our day. People grasp for power by engaging in war to protect their rights and property. It is known that poverty creates a chasm between the rich and the poor. Yet there is an awareness of people who are marginalized and stigmatized in society and that they are the ones Francis would reach out to today.

St. Francis knew the importance of personal contacts. While he honored places for prayer and reflection, he also related authentically with St. Clare and the brothers. The Franciscan friars were sent out to be in the midst of conflict to bring about social change by creating a more just society through peaceful means. St. Clare lived her life within a cloister and thus came to understand in deeper ways what it meant to establish a community within a particular context. For her, community was built through a shared vision and through specific actions day-to-day.

St. Francis recognized the struggle in realizing peace in his own heart and responded to God’s grace in the process of his change and transformation. One day he was riding his horse near Assisi, when he met a leper. And, even though he usually shuddered at lepers, he made himself dismount, and gave him a coin, kissing his hand as he did so. After he accepted a kiss of peace from him, Francis remounted and continued on his way. He then began to consider himself less and less, until, by God’s grace, he came to complete victory over himself.

St. Francis and St. Clare were exceptionally creative and visionary in their ways of looking at everyday life. Walking in their footsteps, we approach the great challenges of our age. We bring their creative vision to our reality and to Earth, to the chaos around us, to our reverence for life, and our struggle for justice and peace. Peacemaking is at the heart of facilitation in advocacy meetings. The practice of nonviolence strengthens the ability to actively address social justice concerns, support peace initiatives, and reverence all creation. All should consider themselves as citizens of the world, participants in a global society, and sharing in a universal responsibility for the common good of all.