News Article

Brother William Short, a renowned author and expert on St. Francis, will give a lecture at Gonzaga University on "St. Francis of Assisi: Instrument of Peace." His talk will explore the impact of St. Francis and his followers on the violence in their historical times, offering their example as one of hope for our society today.

The lecture will be held Aug. 14, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Wolff Auditorium of the Jepson Center for the School of Business Administration. Admission is free. A book-signing by Br. Short will follow the lecture; and his books will be available for purchase.

Br. Short is a professor of Christian spirituality at the Franciscan School of Theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

He received a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University in Rome, and is a translator and author. His books include a general history of his order, titled "The Franciscans and Poverty and Joy: the Franciscan Tradition." He is the newly appointed director of St. Francis Retreat Center in San Juan Bautista, Calif., where he lives.

In a time of intense conflict, Francis of Assisi preached about peace and practiced what he preached. He fought in battle as a young man and was a prisoner of war. He emerged from an encounter with Christ that made him an ardent advocate of peace. He made peace between rival gangs in 13th-century Italian towns, promoted peace between conflicting groups of laypeople and clergy in the Church, and gave a heroic witness to peace between Christians and Muslims during a time of "holy war" in the Middle East.

This event is presented by the Secular Franciscan Order – St. Francis Fraternity of Spokane, with support from Gonzaga’s Continuing Education. To RSVP for this event, visit www.gonzaga.edu/ce. For more information, e-mail ce@gonzaga.edu or call (509) 313-3575.