Presentation of the book “Francis of Assisi. A restless life”

On the 27th February, in the Pontifical University Antonianum of Rome, Br Massimo Fusarelli presented his book “Francis of Assisi. A restless life”, together with Monsignor Felice Accrocca, Archbishop of Benevento and author of the preface of the work. The event was attended, amongst others, by the Rector Magnificus of the PUA, Br Agustin Hernandez, Franciscan friars, nuns from various congregations and students. 

Monsignor Accrocca described the book between the boundaries of the novel and biographical genre. The first chapter in fact has the characteristics of the novel: Br Massimo tries to recreate a historical-cultural environment that the Sources do not describe. However, since it was well known that at the time (end of 1100) the moment of giving birth was very dangerous for women, the Minister General reconstructs the scene of a foreign woman preparing to give birth. 

The Archbishop explained that reference is made to the Sources in the following chapters: the key to understanding is to show the humanity of Francis. “The saint is a man with his limitations, with his weaknesses – said Monsignor Accrocca – we know that he also experienced two years of sadness, which today we could define as depression; However, when he met Christ, he began his journey of conversion. So, if he, with all his fragility, did what he did, it means that we can all do it."

Br Massimo revealed that writing the book was not initially his idea, but that he was asked to do so by the Rizzoli publishing house. A real challenge to write it, due to the different commitments he has as Minister General of the Order: "I used all my free time to write it, I did some research... I reread various aspects of Francis of Assisi, it was a dialogue between me and this young man who then became an adult, and I tried to build something based on the questions I asked myself. I wrote it everywhere, even in airport waiting rooms,” he said, referring to how the book was born. 

On the title, “a restless life”, he explained that the topic is found throughout the work: “It is the theme I chose, I tried to tell it in a fictionalized way and I believe that I got this restlessness from the mother and not from Peter… For Francis, all the challenges he experienced were a source of anxiety,” he commented. 

The book was designed above all for a secular audience and for young people: “I would be happy if it were read by people between 20 and 30 years old, because Francis still speaks to young people; I hope that this restless life can also speak to the restlessness of today's children", added Br Massimo. 

The book tries to explain, in simple words, this search by Francis to follow the intuition of the Gospel: “He did not make any life plan, unlike what we friars do today; his life plan was to follow the holy Gospel,” said the Minister, who in his work describes the reality that the Poverello-Poor man experienced, a reality of change in society and of war, which we also experience. 

He then continued: “Francis speaks to the women and men of today who live in uncertainty about the future, due to the so-called «piecemeal world war». Francis lived in a time of war, in the time of the Crusades; he goes among the crusaders to tell them not to attack... There was something that was changing in the world that Francis had intuited." 

Br Massimo ended the presentation by addressing the friars present, urging them to reflect on not having been called to replicate what the saint of Assisi did, on the contrary: Francis teaches to respond to the reality in which he is living now.