Today is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, one of the greatest men who ever lived and my all-time favorite saint. My family has a deep devotion to St. Francis and many years ago my wife and I decided to make him the patron of our family. We composed a prayer for this consecration and I thought I would share it today:

Jesus, our Savior, under the patronage of St. Francis of Assisi, we desire to consecrate our family to you. We pray that you will grant us the grace to live lives imbued with the charisms of poverty, humility, and charity so powerfully exemplified by your servant Francis.

Through the intercession of St. Francis, we seek the grace of detachment from material things, and gratitude for the riches of the Father’s blessings. Through the intercession of St. Francis, we seek the grace to love and serve the poor and the suffering. Through the intercession of St. Francis, we seek the grace to live out single-minded, consuming devotion to Christ, bringing the Gospel to the world in our words and actions.

Lord, unite our family in zeal for your kingdom, and bring us all to everlasting happiness with you.

St. Francis, pray for us.