NCR Today

Father Tom Foster of Duluth is a priest with a flock. Quite literally.
The full-time chaplain at St. Mary’s Duluth Clinic keeps 100 ewes and lambs on his 47-acre farm in Cloverland, near Maple. Foster said he loves the contrast of working between his two flocks — parishioners and sheep — though he also spots a number of common traits.

“In scripture, the flock is a very common image, and there are a number of similarities between our behavior and the behavior of sheep,” said Foster, who also serves as chaplain to the 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard. “They can overeat, just like we can; they need to be trained; and you need to develop their trust.”

St. Francis of Assisi was wont to pray for nights on end, “Who are you, God, and who am I?” He was unable to find satisfying answers to these questions in the culture and institutions of his times.

One Sunday he was listening to a sermon in which the preacher quoted Jesus telling his followers to take nothing for their journey, to rely upon the kindness of strangers – in short, to embrace poverty as a spiritual way. Francis was galvanized. He left Mass overjoyed and committed the passages to memory, saying: “This is what I want. This is what I long for.”

Francis had noticed that whenever and wherever he encountered poverty and simplicity in his life, then his heart would warmly glow, his insides would light up with smiles. The scripture passage validated this important inner experience. His enthusiasm enkindled and his creative energies given direction, he went on to create a band of brothers who lived simply and in solidarity with the poor.