About
Capuchin Franciscan Tradition
Our Dedication to the Capuchin Franciscan Tradition
Over the course of four years, our young men are powerfully impacted by the life of Francis of Assisi - a life that is evidenced every day by the community of Capuchin friars on campus.
Francis’ story is one of transformation from a young man of ambition and means to a faith-filled, selfless man touched by his calling from the Lord to “rebuild my church.” He understood that this task of rebuilding was to address the divide between an elite class of Christians who viewed Jesus as a nobleman clothed in splendor like themselves, while others like Francis, who were simply “lesser,” embraced the Savior of the cross - stripped of dignity and arms open wide for all people.
Francis’ life of humility and poverty reflected this image of Christ on the cross and soon others, clothing themselves in a simple brown tunic like Francis, joined him in a life of humility, prayer and labor with the poor. Francis found Christ in the gift of these brothers and welcomed them honoring their unique talents and personalities. The dynamic joy and very real struggle to live as brothers gave birth to more than they collectively expected - the Franciscan Order.
As those early brothers were inspired by the life of Francis, so too are the Capuchin friars at St. Francis High School. As they joyfully live, pray, and work together, they invite lay faculty, staff, and students to create a school environment infused with the model of Francis and love of God and dedicated to prayer, service, and brotherhood. At the start of every day, the entire student body prays the Prayer of Saint Francis together, and each class begins with personal and communal prayer. Franciscan virtues are embedded in class lessons and overall school life. Each student commits to fulfilling service hours over their four years becoming servant leaders in and outside the St. Francis community. Informing the intellectual and spiritual strength of what it means to be men in community, the students in an all-boys setting grow in the development of mind, heart, and brotherhood.
While many schools and traditions espouse brotherhood and belonging, what makes St. Francis High School unique is that our understanding of brotherhood flows from Jesus Christ through Saint Francis and is at the core of what it means to be a Golden Knight. The Capuchin Franciscan tradition of education calls us to reach out to all our brothers and sisters, and to joyfully accept and serve people of all walks of life, especially those in need. We strive to create an environment where all are truly equal, and where no individual dominates another. We study, play, and pray together so that we can learn to love one another as Jesus loves us. To have graduated from St. Francis and not absorbed this gift of brotherhood is to never have experienced Saint Francis, as a person or as a high school, and not to be profoundly touched by the love of Christ.
At the end of his life, Francis simply summed up his life with the joyful words - “And the Lord gave me brothers.” The end of a Franciscan education is that our young men leave not only with a diploma that recognizes their intellectual and academic accomplishments but with Francis’ deep gratitude for the gift of brothers and an education that informs the excellence of mind and the goodness of heart.
Franciscan Virtues
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