Saint Frances of Rome (9 March): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St. Frances of Rome (1384–1440) stands as one of the most remarkable saints of the late Middle Ages. A Roman noblewoman, devoted wife, mother, mystic, and founder, she lived a life of extraordinary holiness while fulfilling her duties in the world. Though she longed for the cloister from childhood, obedience led her into marriage with the nobleman Lorenzo Ponziani. Instead of hindering her sanctity, this vocation became the path through which she practiced heroic virtue—showing perfect obedience, humility, charity, and devotion to God. For forty years she lived in marriage without the slightest discord, turning her household into a place of prayer, service, and sanctification. She treated her servants as brothers and sisters destined for heaven, practiced intense mortification, and devoted herself to prayer, the Passion of Christ, and works of mercy. God rewarded her holiness with extraordinary graces. St. Frances of Rome experienced visions, ecstasies, prophecy, and a constant visible companion—her Guardian Angel. After her husband’s death, she entered the religious community she had founded, the Oblates of St. Benedict, dedicating the rest of her life to prayer and penance until her holy death on March 9, 1440. Her life reminds us that holiness is possible in every vocation—even amid the duties of family life. 📖 Based on the writings of Fr. Alban Butler – Lives of the Saints 0:00 Introduction 0:24 Birth and noble family in Rome (1384) 0:40 Childhood piety and love of purity 0:49 Desire for religious life at age 11 0:58 Marriage to Lorenzo Ponziani 1:07 Life of prayer within marriage 1:23 A perfect marriage of virtue 1:32 Obedience to husband and household duties 1:47 The miraculous psalm written in golden letters 2:02 Charity toward servants and household 2:18 Extraordinary penances and mortifications 2:41 Severe fasting and ascetic practices 3:19 Influence on Roman noblewomen 3:33 Raising children for heaven 3:50 Trials during wars and the Great Schism 4:13 Family exile and suffering 4:29 Acceptance of God’s will 4:43 Husband permits her religious work 4:52 Foundation of the Oblates of St. Benedict 5:16 Growth of the religious community 5:32 Papal approval of the order 5:48 After her husband’s death she enters the monastery 6:14 Chosen superior of the community 6:30 Visions, ecstasies, and prophecy 6:39 Conversation with her Guardian Angel 6:48 Devotion to the Passion and the Eucharist 6:57 Devotion to Our Lady and St. John 7:04 Illness and final days 7:11 Death of St. Frances of Rome (1440) 7:26 Canonization and legacy 7:34 Life of the Oblates 8:13 Sanctifying every action for God 8:54 Her holy married life https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/march/st-frances-widow-foundress-of-the-collatines/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #SaintFrancesOfRome #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #GuardianAngel #CatholicHistory #ChristianMystics #CatholicFaith