Francis and the Pope
It was not long before Francis' way of life began to attract attention. There was the problem that some people might have mistaken his group for one of the several radical groups that were highly critical of the institutional Church, as we read in this week's section of Spoto. Francis, though, loved the Church. In spite of all the flaws of its leaders, it was still the CHURCH, founded by Christ, whose priests brought the sacraments to the people. At his bishop's urging, he and his companions journeyed to Rome, to seek the approval of the Pope for their way of life. To the end of his life, Francis would be an obedient and faithful son of the Church, serving it faithfully.
So we see his commitment to the COMMUNITY of the Church. There was also his distinctive vision for COMMUNITY among his group of brothers, which we will examine more closely later. And, of course, there was the way his love for Christ overflowed into his love for all his brothers and sisters in the HUMAN COMMUNITY.