Italy: The Duties of Franciscan Monks | European Journal

For a Franciscan monk the subject of obedience is of great importance. He and his brothers swear vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.The founder of the order, Francis of Assisi, pledged to live like Jesus Christ and viewed himself as a penitent. To this day, Franciscan monks live according to this ascetic ideal. For them, obedience to God manifests itself in respect for all living beings. Some view this as a model for a modern version of global humanism.