In the year 1209, Francesco Bernadone, known now as Saint Francis of Assisi, left with a small group of men to present his simple "Rule of Life" to Pope Innocent III. This historic meeting ultimately led the the official formation of the Franciscan Order, and before Francis died, tens of thousands of men and women throughout Europe offered their lives for the ideal that Francis envisioned. Eight hundred years later it has become one of the most beloved and enduring religious orders in the world, currently with an estimated 500,000 members. The Franciscan community is comprised of First, Second and Third Orders, whose members are often found serving the poor, working in churches and schools, and working for peace around the world.

Until recently the first prerequisite for becoming a Franciscan was being baptized a Roman Catholic. That trend began to change when the Episcopal or Anglican Church developed several Franciscan communities, and in recent years the Ecumenical Franciscans opened their doors to men and women from other Christian traditions. And yet, there was still no place for people from other religions who resonate with the spirituality of both Saint Francis and Saint Clare.

Why is this important:

Saint Francis is often recognized as the first inter-religious peace worker in the Christian church. In 1219 he decided to travel into the Muslim territory during the Crusades to meet with the Sultan of Syria, and to this day Franciscans are revered throughout the Islamic world. Also, in 1986 Pope John Paul II chose Assisi as the site of the first meeting between the leaders of the twelve major religions. He chose Assisi because of the rich Franciscan tradition of bridging the gap between the various faiths, and it was here that the peace prayers were first prayed.

For these reasons many people felt there needed to be a home for anyone called to live the Franciscan ideal, regardless of their faith or background. This may require a dynamic balance, but it is one that we embrace with great passion and energy, doing what we can to combine the ancient traditions of the order with the needs of the modern world.

James Twyman began traveling the world as the Peace Troubadour in 1995, following the example of Saint Francis as a penniless mendicant musician. James first joined the Conventual Franciscans in 1980, and in 1994 took the peace prayers from the Assisi gathering and arranged all 12 to music in one hour. He was soon invited to share The Peace Concert around the world, especially in countries at war like Iraq, Bosnia, Serbia, Northern Ireland and South Africa. He also began writing books detailing his adventures, in particular "Emissary of Light." In 1999 he founded the Beloved Community, a spiritual organization promoting peace around the world, and initiated the Seminary of Spiritual Peacemaking, which has over 500 ordained graduates. James decided to combine his lifelong love of the Franciscan lifestyle with his unique form of peacemaking by founding the World Community of Saint Francis in 2009.