St. Francis of Assisi and Our Stewardship of the Natural World

Dear ASWUU Family and Friends,​

St. Francis of Assisi was an Italian mystic and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. He is perhaps best known for the prayer attributed to him, “Lord, Make us an Instrument of Your Peace.” While not an "environmentalist" in the modern sense, he is widely considered the patron saint of ecology due to his profound love for all of God's creation. His spiritual vision emphasized kinship with nature, respect for creation, and peace with all life. This perspective continues to inspire contemporary environmentalism and ecological action today. His feast day falls on October 4th and is often celebrated on the nearest Sunday in churches throughout the world.

The Rev. Bob Caswell is a retired Episcopal priest who has served churches in New England, Ohio and the Carolinas, including the Church of the Resurrection in Surfside Beach and Trinity Church in Myrtle Beach. He holds a B.A. in Religion from Duke University, earned his Master of Divinity degree in Church History from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Master of Sacred Theology degree from Yale Divinity School. He has also worked in housing relief ministry and served on boards with several non-profit and social service agencies. He enjoys outdoor sports, cycling, reading and travel. We are happy to have him back in the pulpit at ASWUU this Sunday.