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Francis, the son of a prosperous merchant of Assisi, was born in 1182. His early youth was spent in harmless revelry and fruitless attempts to win military glory.

Various encounters with beggars and lepers pricked the young man’s conscience, and he decided to embrace a life devoted to Lady Poverty. Despite his father’s intense opposition, Francis totally renounced all material values, and devoted himself to serve the poor. In1210 Pope Innocent the Third confirmed the simple Rule for the Order of Friars Minor, a name Francis chose to emphasize his desire to numbered among the “least” of God’s servants.

Recently I saw a Facebook post from Bishop Doug Sparks, my Bishop from the Diocese of Northern Indiana where I remain canonically resident. He’s concerned about a proposal to build an immigrant detention center in his diocesan territory. It would be located about an hour away from my former parish, so it feels a bit personal. The center is being called “Speedway Slammer” after the Indianapolis Speedway.

Hildegard of Bingen, born in 1098 in the lush Rhineland Valley, was a mystic, poet, composer, dramatist, scientist. Her parents’ tenth child, she was tithed to the Church and raised by the anchoress Jutta in a cottage near the Benedictine mon-astery of Disibodenberg.

I got called out at 1:00 a.m. recently for a CPR in progress at the Tacoma Women’s Shelter. I was surprised. Usually shelters have their own staff and don’t require a chaplain from the fire department. The medical examiner will come to take the person since they are usually there alone without family and with no means for engaging a funeral home.

Laurence the Deacon, one of the most popular saints of the Roman Church, was martyred during the persecution initiated in 257 by the Emperor Valerian. That persecution was aimed primarily at the clergy and the laity of the upper classes. All properties used by the Church
were confiscated, and assemblies for Christian worship were forbidden…

This is a fascinating exchange, begun by a lawyer who questions Jesus. There is a lot going on behind the scenes here, as Jesus has been teaching his disciples and others. A lawyer, in this case, is someone expert in both religious and civil law, so he will know the biblical texts. Luke says that the lawyer stood up to address Jesus, which would ordinarily indicate that he intended to recite an answer for the teacher.

Recently I had a 1:00 a.m. call-out from the fire department. They sent me to the Women’s Shelter for a death of one of the residents. I don’t usually get called to the shelter since they always have staff on-scene. This time the engine crew wanted me to talk with a young African woman who was deeply upset by the death she’d witnessed.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our once-per month Food Bank Sunday, the second of each month and July 13th this month. We have been contributing three to six bags of groceries each month, which is very welcome at St. Leo’s Food Connection in downtown Tacoma.

William White was born in Philadelphia, Marh 24, 1747, and was educated at the college of that city, graduating in 1765. In 1770 he went to England, was ordained deacon on December 23, and priest on April 25, 1772. On his return home, he became assistant minister of Christ and St. Peter’s, 1772 1779, and rector from that year until his death, July 17, 1836.

On June 3, 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. In the following months many other Christians throughout the country died by fire and spear for their faith.