Another Franciscan Lay-Brother.
Posted by Terry Nelson on May 18th, 2007
Painting: St. Felix meeting St. Philip Neri on the streets of Rome.
St. Felix of Cantalice. One of Benedict Groeschl’s favorite saints. Felix was a Capuchin Franciscan lay brother in Rome where he served as porter and beggar for the community. He was friends with St. Philip Neri, who held the simple friar in great esteem. It is said they would spend much time together, both in silence, obviously in ecstasy. St. Felix died in 1587 and was canonized in 1709, his feast is today, the birthday of John Paul II.
The CFR’s (Franciscan Friars of the Renewal) have sort of revived the lay-brother vocation in the United States, read their definition of the vocation entitled, “Why A Lay-Brother”.
