St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis (Franchesco, Francisco, Francois, Franz) [1181-1226], born into a family of some wealth, responded to God's invitation by renouncing his inheritance in order to live among and serve the poor. He is the founder of the Franciscans and model for all animal lovers. He is patron of merchants, ecologists and of Italy. His feast is October 4.

Our Catholic store is pleased to offer this handmade ceramic artifact, a product of St. Andrew's Abbey, along with many other handmade items, each of which would make a wonderful Catholic gift for any number of ocassions. St. Andrew's Abbey is a Benedictine monastary situated in the high desert of Southern California. St. Andrew's was founded in 1956 by nine monks exiled from China. As an expression of their monastic life, the monks began to manufacture ceramic icons and plaques, reflecting Benedictine reverence for the saints of both the Old and New Testaments and unbounded joy in nature. These artifacts are unique not only in style but in execution: made entirely by hand with natural materials, twice fired, the second firing to cone 10 (2350 degrees Fahrenheit), no two exactly alike. Each is an expression of the wonder of creation and the joy of the Divine Presence.