KNIGHTS OF SAINT FRANCIS GUARDIANS OF THE
PORZIUNCOLA NUOVA
AND SERVERS OF LOVE AND PEACE
The Knights of Saint Francis of Assisi was created in June of 2008 in San Francisco, California. We were formed by Angela Alioto, SFO, to protect the Porziuncola Nuova, to serve and live up to the tenets of our Holy Seraphic Father: Saint Francis of Assisi, the Beloved of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Those tenets are: “Laudato, Si”
To Love and Care for the Sick and the Poor,
To be Instruments of Peace,
To be Trustees of Our Earth, and of course,
To Love all of God’s Creatures.
LAUDATO SI’ ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME
Full English language document in PDF form
“Live the Gospels, use words only when necessary”, preached Saint Francis; and that is what we, the Knights of Saint Francis, try to do every day of our lives.
The Knights of Saint Francis Archconfraternity has its roots in the establishment of The Confraternity of Saint Mary of the Angels (Santa Maria degli Angeli) decreed by Pope Pius IX on January 23, 1875. Pope Pius IX raised The Confraternity of Saint Mary of the Angels to the status of an Archconfraternity allowing it to aggregate to itself other Marian Confraternities.
In August of 2008, the Knights of Saint Francis Archconfraternity was united with the Archconfraternity of Santa Maria degli Angeli at the original Porziuncola in Assisi, with the aim to spread devotion to Our Lady of the Angels, the Porziuncola and to Saint Francis of Assisi.
On June 28th, 2008, six weeks before the formal document of August 2nd, 2008, Father Robert Cipriano, Rector of the National Shrine of Saint Francis in San Francisco California and Angela M. Alioto, Foundress of the Knights of Saint Francis, signed the rules and regulations of the Knights. In this August 2nd 2008 Santa Maria degli Angeli document, these rules would be ratified by Cardinal William Levada (then Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith), San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer and Bishop of Assisi, Italy Domenico Sorrentino.
The “Knights of Saints Francis” is an international and universal association consisting of single and married lay people, ordained clergy and men and women religious who share in a common spirituality and mission in equal partnership with its Interfaith Auxiliary Membership.
The Knights of Saint Francis’ first service is to Jesus Christ, Our Lord. In 2008, with this service, the Knights became guardians and protectors of the Holy Chapel: La Porziuncola Nuova at the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi in San Francisco, California.
La Porziuncola Nuova opened in San Francisco, California on September 27th, 2008. By Papal Decree of August 2nd 2008 La Porziuncola Nuova is a Holy Place; and is an exact holy place of the original Porziuncola (little portion) built by Saint Francis of Assisi in the year 1206. La Porziuncola Nuova is a jewel in the crown of our great City of Saint Francis!
The Knights of Saint Francis, guardians of La Porziuncola Nuova, literally have spoken to and continue to speak with hundreds of thousands of citizens who visit and walk through La Porziuncola Nuova. Guests, especially school children, and visitors from around the world are served and shown the sacred space of La Porziuncola Nuova and the National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Saint Francis said, “I want everyone in paradise” (Vi vogliano tutti in Paradiso); and indeed, we teach exactly that: “Everyone in Paradise”. We tell the pilgrims and visitors alike of: the life of Saint Francis and of Saint Clare, the Pardon of San Francisco’s La Porziuncola Nuova and of the need to live the love and the joy of the Gospels, to everyone!
Every Christmas, the street in front of La Porziuncola Nuova is closed; and the Knights of Saint Francis recreate the “Live Nativity”. In 1223, in the town of Greccio Italy, Saint Francis created the very fist living nativity. Children from all over California come to see the big camel and little lamb as the Knights recite the Gospel story of the birth of Christ.
As the Knights of Saint Francis grew in numbers, our second opportunity to serve our sisters and brothers is working with the people of the phenomenal Gubbio Project serving the general homeless population of over 14,000 people in San Francisco. Father Louis Vitale, OFM, Creator of the Gubbio Project and a First Knight of Saint Francis, is our model. He is a stellar example of a son of Saint Francis of Assisi who lives out peace in his actions in every day life.
Our third opportunity to serve, mostly during the winter season, is with the Interfaith Council’s Homeless Shelter Program. Here we cook and serve dinners to women and men who live on our streets.
The Knights of Saint Francis are now in the United States, Italy, Honduras and (soon) Africa. In Perugia, Italy the Knights have procured the prison cell where Saint Francis spent a year of his life. The Knights of Saint Francis will guard it and open it to the public so that they too can feel the sanctity of the place where Saint Francis realized the horrors of war and joy of love that have made him the most loved Saint in the world. We-the Knights-are so fortunate to serve in such a humbling reality!
We are servers. Where there is a need to serve the sick, the poor, the rich, the sad, the discouraged, the environment and of course, all of God’s creatures, that’s where we the Knights of Saint Francis can be found.
Come join us and spread the Joy of the Poverello of Assisi!
Contact the Knights
Knights of Saint Francis of Assisi
700 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
415.494.4350
knightsofsaintfrancis@gmail.com
