Courage to Care: Wisdom from Assisi
Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026
9:00–12 PM in Health United Building, 102–103
Xavier University
820 years ago, a veteran of civil war returned to his hometown, unable to make sense of the world around him. Encounters with the dying in the leper colony outside Assisi helped young Francis to find the courage to carve out a new path outside the city walls—for himself and, gradually, for the human community. Joined by his able collaborator Clare, this new community began a revolutionary experiment in solidarity and tenderness that changed the course of Christianity. How can Francis and Clare’s vision guide how we engage our own fragmented world? Join us for a morning of reflection and conversation.
Facilitator
Gillian Ahlgren, PhD
Dr. Gillian T. W. Ahlgren is Professor Emerita of Theology at Xavier University and a Visiting Scholar at Sarum College, Salisbury. Internationally known for her work in the Christian mystical tradition, she provides a contextual, practical perspective on its wisdom for living today. Dr. Ahlgren has published 10 books on major figures in the history of Christian spirituality, including Teresa of Avila, Ignatius Loyola, Francis and Clare of Assisi, and Julian of Norwich. She has been leading groups in the footsteps of Francis and Clare in Assisi for nearly two decades.
Registration
Parking
For free parking, see the lots in peach color here: