This year, 2025, is the 800-year anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi’s composition of the Canticle of the Creatures, his iconic celebration of God’s creation. Much has been written about Saint Francis’ life and his love for creation, so I won’t presume to try to regurgitate all of those wonderful narratives and reflections. What I find fascinating, however, is that Saint Francis was nearly blind when he composed his famous canticle. He was in the last years of his earthly life (he died in 1226) and suffered from an eye infection which caused him considerable pain. Nevertheless, according to an article by Daniel Horan in the National Catholic Reporter, he was able to find the grace and strength “to recognize and celebrate the inherent goodness of creation, his interdependence with it and its intrinsic relationship with the Creator with such joy amid suffering”. Horan goes on further to say that “The ‘Canticle’ is a celebration of the chorus of praise expressed by the whole cosmos. Each aspect of creation gives praise to God by being and doing what it was created to be and do. The sun gives praise to God by giving us light and the day. The wind gives praise to God by providing ‘every kind of weather.’ And earth gives praise to God by sustaining us, governing us and producing ‘various fruit with colored flowers and herbs‘.”
My own affinity for Saint Francis stems from my lifelong love for wildlife and wildlands. As a professional wildlife biologist, I have learned all about wildlife, their scientific names, their sounds, their behaviors, and their habitats. I learned about population dynamics, predator-prey relationships, genetics, adaptation, biodiversity, and how ecosystems function or sometimes fail to function. I had a wonderful education in the science of wildlife conservation, and was able to put that knowledge to good use in a 40-year career. I loved my career, which was more a vocation than a career, something I still advocate for today!
On Nov. 29, 1979, Saint Pope John Paul II declared St. Francis of Assisi the patron of ecology and of those who promote ecology. In his papal bull, he wrote, “Among the holy and admirable men who have revered nature as a wonderful gift of God to the human race, St Francis of Assisi deserves special consideration.” As a wildlife conservationist and committed ecologist, it is wonderful to have a patron saint to lift up our intentions for the Care for Creation. Along with Saint Kateri Tekawitha, it is of great comfort to know that we have heavenly advocates for those intentions.
Saint Francis has helped me to elevate my love for all things wild into a closer relationship with God, a deeper appreciation for nature, and a better understanding of humanity’s relationship with God’s creatures and creation. In essence, Saint Francis’ love for God’s creation helped me to see nature as a beautiful gift from God. He instilled a sense of wonder and awe for all of God’s gifts of creation, and expressed his praise for God’s handiwork through his Canticle of the Creatures.
In 1972, singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey recorded a song entitled Boy from the Country, on the album Geronimo’s Cadillac, and was later performed by John Denver (YouTube link). This song, for me, captures the essence of St. Francis of Assisi’s great love for nature. It is a song that I had loved for many years before I learned that it was actually about St. Francis. What a revelation that was, and made Boy from the Country even more endearing to me. It turns out that Michael Martin Murphey had majored in medieval history while studying at UCLA in California. Murphey grew up in Texas, and loved visiting his uncle and grandfather on their ranches, where he developed a love for cowboys and the land. That love, and his knowledge of medieval history help to connect the dots on how he came to write a song about St. Francis of Assisi.
IN 2024 I was blessed to visit St. Francis’ hometown of Assisi, Italy. The Basilica that was built there is beautiful and inspiring, and a wonderful pilgrimage destination. Likewise, San Damiano, which is just a short distance down the hill from Assisi, is where St. Francis received his vision to repair God’s church. At San Damiano, the Friars Minor of San Damiano have a Gallery of the Canticle, which includes artworks “to transmit the enthusiasm of St. Francis for ‘The Most High, Omnipotent and Good Lord’ through the language of art, in particular drawings, picture and sculpture.” Below is an image of the Canticle of the Creatures, with corresponding art by Piero Casentini.
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