Francis of Assisi came into the world in 1182; he was born the son of a highly successful merchant and took first to sildiering, before becoming what he himself called "a fool for God". As the latter he first set his hand to rebuilding small churchesand embracing poverty with as great a devotion as most men embrace wealth, becoming by the end of his life on eof Christianity's greatest church reformers. Francis' life, vision and example have been so powerful that they still speak strongly, and disconcertingly, to us in the 21st century.