SAINTS FOR ALL SEASONS
SAINT FRANCES OF ROME

By Brother Patrick

Francesca Bussa de Leoni was born in 1384. As a young girl, Frances was faithful, prayerful, and generous to the poor. She wanted nothing more than to become a nun. But her parents forced her to marry Lorenzo Ponziani, the commander of papal troops in Rome and scion of one of the city’s wealthy families. Frances was just twelve years old.

Before the wedding, she tearfully approached a priest who sympathized with her grief over not being permitted to pursue her vocation. But this spiritual director reminded her, as we may need reminding, that fourteenth century fathers had absolute authority over their wives and daughters. The priest said to Frances: “Are you crying because you want to do God’s will or because you want God to do your will?”

Upon hearing these words, Frances accepted her father’s decision. Lorenzo and Frances married and eventually had six children together. By all accounts, their marriage was a happy one. But Frances never abandoned her vocation to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and serve the poor.

Her sister in law, Vannozza, shared in this mission. The two women resolved to secretly live for Christ. To be sure, they loved and cared for their families. They also frequently attended Mass. They prayed together in a private chapel created in an empty tower on the family’s grand estate. They visited the sick and the imprisoned. They fed the hungry. The clothed the naked. They gave generously to the poor. They humbled themselves through fasting and penance. Frances said: “Charity is the bridge the leads to God, and humility is the ladder by which we ascend to him.”

When her father-in-law discovered that Frances was feeding the poor from the family storehouse, all extra food supplies were sold. But when Frances prayed, the pantry was miraculously filled again and again and again. Whatever she gave away was soon replenished by God’s hand. By these and other wonders, Frances’ husband and his family became believers. From then on, they encouraged Frances and Vannozza to pray and serve as they felt called to do. They even converted part of the house into a hospice.

In the Office of Readings for her feast day, we read: “Frances was not satisfied with caring for the sick that she could bring into her home. She would seek them out in their cottages and in public hospitals, and she would refresh their thirst, smooth their beds, and bind their sores. The more disgusting and sickening the stench, the greater was the love and care with which she treated them…On her return home, she would bring pieces of worn out clothes and unclean rags which she would was lovingly and mend carefully, as if they were to be used for God himself.”

Frances soon became a Benedictine oblate. In 1425, on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, Frances founded the Oblates of Mary, a lay fraternity of women dedicated to serving the poor. In 1433, she founded a monastery so that women in her fraternity who felt called could live within a cloister under a rule of life that was inspired by Saint Benedict. In 1436, after nearly four decades of marriage, Lorenzo died from wounds sustained in battle. Not long after, Frances moved into her monastery.

At this time, Rome was in crisis. Violent conflict between the pope’s armies and competing forces created an atmosphere of pillage and anarchy. Chaos ruled the city. Hungry wolves prowled the streets. But turbulent times did not deter Frances of Rome.

During her final years of life, she was blessed with mystical gifts of healing and visions. She could read souls and cast out demons. She could see and converse with her guardian angel. She could see the realities of hell, heaven, and purgatory. And she continued her ministry to the poor and the sick. She drove a wagon into the countryside in search of herbs for medicine and wood for the fireplace. At least sixty miracles of healing are attributed to her prayers and good works. Frances said: “Let us not be content with just being called Christians, let us be Christians indeed.”

Frances of Rome passed from this life on March 9, 1440. She was canonized in 1608. She is venerated as a patron of widows. In our time, she is also venerated as a patron against illness and pandemic. During the coronavirus crisis, the faithful throughout Italy turned to Saint Frances of Rome with prayers for her protection. Wife. Mother. Disciple. Woman of courage and perseverance. Mystic. Miracle maker. Servant of God’s smallest ones. Frances of Rome was no ordinary disciple. She was a saint. Even more, she was truly a “Christian indeed.”

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Saint Frances of Rome, pray for us! Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us! Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brother Patrick Garvey is co-founder and spiritual director of the Assisi Project. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine, Saint John Seminary, and the Catholic University of America. He is a writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and university lecturer. He also serves as an Associate Minister in the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport in Massachusetts. On October 3, 2023, the Feast of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi, Brother Patrick was consecrated as a diocesan hermit by Bishop Mark O’Connell, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston. For more information about the Assisi Project and our ministries with adults of all ages and backgrounds, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com.

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ABOUT US

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers throughout the world. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization. Please support our ministry via Pay Pal (see link below) or mail a tax-deductible donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. The Assisi Project Podcast is produced by the Assisi Project, Inc. Copyright 2025. All rights reserved. May God bless you! May the Lord give you peace!

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