Famous Franciscans
Saint Anthony of Padua and Lisbon
;)
+1231, Portuguese. “Doctor of the Church.” First and only theologian personally commissioned by St. Francis. Founded theological school at Bologna. Author of first Biblical concordance.
Friar Haymo of Faversham
+1244, English. After reforming the Franciscan breviary, he was commissioned to reform the Papal breviary. With later adaptations, it remains the official prayer of the Church.
Saint Bonaventure
;)
+1274, Italian. A brilliant theologian at the University of Paris, he followed St. Francis as the leader of the Order and strove to bring unity and harmony to the community. He was created a cardinal and then named a Doctor of the Church.
Friar John Parastòs
+1275, a Greek Catholic, was sent as the Orthodox representative of the Eastern Emperor to the reunion Council of Lyon. Along with Friar Girolamo D'Ascoli (Nicholas IV, +1292, Italian), the papal (Latin) ambassador, the two confreres were seen as the providential bridge between the delegations.
Friar John Peckham
+1292, English. First Franciscan Archbishop of Canterbury. Scientist, poet, philosopher. Authored hundreds of scientific works. His treatise on optics was used as a common textbook in universities.
Friar Roger Bacon
+1292, English. Father of Modern Science. Transformed methodology of experimental study. First scientific classification of nature, the elements and music. His study of light led to the invention of eyeglasses.
Friar Andrew of Segni
+1302, Italian. Offered his nephew, Boniface VIII, the inspiration re the biblical tradition of a Holy Year of liberation and pardon. 1300 was the first Christian jubilee, now celebrated every 25 years.
Servant of God John of Montecorvino
+1328, Italian. Medical doctor in court of Holy Roman Emperor. Later, missionary to court of Khan of China. Translated New Testament into Mongolian. First Archbishop of Peking and Patriarch of Orient.
Blessed John Duns Scotus
+1308, Scottish. Theologian at Paris, Oxford, and Cologne. His Mariology was the foundation that eventually led to the solemn definition of the Immaculate Conception in 1854.
Blessed Odoric of Pordenone
+1331, Italian. Known as “The Apostle of China,” he was the greatest traveler of the Middle Ages. His detailed geographies, and those of his compatriot's, Marco Polo's, were printed together for centuries.
Blessed James of Strepar
+1409, Polish. Preached Catholic-Orthodox reunion. Titled: “Guardian and Defender of the Fatherland” by Polish parliament because of his military strategy against the Tartar invasions.
Friar Juan Perez
c.+1500, Spanish. Astronomer, friend, and advocate of Columbus to court of Queen Isabella. He sailed with Columbus on second voyage (1493). He celebrated the first Mass in the New World.
Pope Julius II
+1513, Italian. Commissioned Michelangelo to fresco the Sistine Chapel, founded the Swiss Guard, founded the Vatican Museum, and began construction on St. Peter’s Basilica.
Friar Giovanni Giocondo of Verona
+1515, Italian. Archeologist, sculptor, illuminator, philologist, hydraulic engineer. Named “Architect of the Kingdom” by Louis VIII of France. Assisted Raphael in the construction of Saint Peter's Basilica.
Friar Luca Pacioli
+1517, Italian. Father of Modern Accounting. Inventor of the double-entry system and other devices to aid merchants to organize assets and to aid the poor break their cycle of poverty.
Friar James of Denmark
+1566. Last Provincial of Denmark before Reformation. First missionary in Mexico to offer communion to converts. Petitioned Emperor Charles V to allow ordination for native vocations.
Friar Cornelio Musso
+1574, Italian. Titled: “Right Arm of the Council of Trent.” Preached opening discourse. Major author of documents: “Justification by Faith,” “Scripture and Tradition.” Promoted Greek thought in the West.
Pope Sixtus V
+1590, Italian. Reorganized the system of Church government, founded the Vatican Press, renovated the city of Rome into a baroque monument, established schools for poor girls.
Friar Costanzo Porta
+1601, Italian. Along with Palestrina, pursued the reform of liturgical music after the Council of Trent. Considered most learned composer of his day, being incomparably versed in the theory of counterpoint.
Venerable Bartholomew Bauer
+1621, German. A former Calvinist, he experienced God's presence by elevating his senses toward beauty as a contemplative, a musician, and a nurse for those with incurable illness.
Friar Ivan Marko Lukacic
+1648, Croatian. Music director of cathedral in Split. Published first song book in Croatia preserving sacred and traditional music. Popularized transition from polyphony to syncopation in liturgical music.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino
;)
+1663, Italian. This “Patron of Students taking Exams,” was a humble man of peasant stock who counseled and converted many. His gift of levitation also earned him the title: “Patron of Aviators.”
Friar Angelo Petricca
+1673, Italian. Patriarchal Vicar of Constantinople. Mediated a brief Catholic-Orthodox reunion. He wrote many works deepening the West's appreciation of Eastern theology.
Friar Lorenzo Brancati
+1693, Italian. Titled: “Librarian of the Holy Roman Church” for reorganizing Vatican Library. Reorganized the system of canonization. First to include systematic study of mission as integral part of theology.
Blessed Bonaventure of Potenza
+1711, Italian. His dedicated ministry among prisoners condemned to death, and his devotion to the Eucharist and Reconciliation earned him the titles: “Apostle of the Confessional,” and “Apostle of Obedience.”
Friar Vincenzo Coronelli
+1718, Italian. 78th Minister General. Authored hundreds of works of terrestrial and celestial cosmography. Founded first Geographical Society. Authored first encyclopedia in a modern language.
Blessed Raphael Chylinski
+1741, Polish. Born of poor nobility, he was rich in charity. A lover of solitude, yet he unreservedly gave his own clothes to the needy, cared for the handicapped, plague victims, and anyone with terminal disease.
Saint Francis Anthony Fasani
;)
+1742, Italian. This shy young man matured into the “Star of Lucera,” ministering as a professor, novice master, provincial, confessor of prisoners, and a beggar for the indigent.
Friar Bohuslav Cernohorsky
+1742, Czech. “The Bach of Bohemia.” Music director in Prague, Assisi, and Padua. Mentor of Giuseppe Tartini, a prodigy who transformed the bowing and fingering technique of the violin.
Venerable Didák Kelemen
+1744, Hungarian. Advocate of prisoners, author of catechetical and ecumenical works. Founder of churches and charitable institutions. Eminent figure of Catholic restoration after the Reformation.
Friar Giovanni Battista Martini
+1784, Italian. Founded the music archives of Universities of Bologna and Vienna. Authored the first book re the history of music. Teacher and mentor of the young Mozart.
Friar Laurent Receveur
+1788, French. Commissioned by Louis XVI as a botanist to explore the vast areas of the southern Pacific for purpose of advancing science and medicine. Celebrated the first Mass in Australia.
Friar Gregory Girard
+1850, Swiss. Prefect of Education in Fribourg. His new methodologies for teaching large numbers of children, especially the poor, were adopted throughout Switzerland, England, France, and Italy.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe
+1941, Polish. Martyr of Charity, dying in Auschwitz. Renewed Franciscan charism through exemplary communal prayer and innovative evangelization using the modern media.
Friar Justin Figas
+1959, American. Founder of the radio program “The Rosary Hour.” Representative of President Roosevelt re German occupation of Poland. Advisor to President Truman re rebuilding war torn Poland.
Friar Girolamo Moretti
+1963, Italian. Major advocate for validating handwriting analysis as a behavioral science of psychology. Founder of Handwriting Analysis School at University of Urbino, Italy.
Servant of God Casimir Cypher
+1975, Martyr of Honduras. American missionary tortured and shot by soldiers.
Servant of God Carlos de Dios
+1976, Martyr of Argentina. Shot by soldiers for advocating legal rights for the poor.
Friar Czeslaw Klimuszko
+1981, Polish. Gifted with incredible extra-sensory perception, he studied and lectured on parapsychology. An expert in organic remedies, he also wrote numerous books on herbal medicine.
Servant of God Zeno Zebrowski
+1982, Polish. Companion of St. Maximilian in Nagasaki, Japan. Founded trade schools and centers for the orphaned, the handicapped, and the elderly. Received national service awards in Japan and Poland.
Servant of God Francesco Mazzieri
+1983, Italian. Established the Church in Western Zambia. First Bishop of Ndola. Promoted schools, clinics, leper villages, centers for handicapped. Honored by President with “Order of Illustrious Service.”
Servants of God Michael Tomaszek & Zbigniew Strzalkowski
+1991, Martyrs of Peru. Polish missionaries shot by terrorists.
Friar Raphael Kiernicki
+1995, Polish. A “dangerous” prisoner of the Soviet State during and after World War II, was named auxiliary bishop of Lvov, Ukraine. Working as a tailor he clandestinely offered spiritual and medical assistance.