The Saint Who Refused Meat… Even When Ordered
St. Francis of Paola is not one of the saints we hear about often.
He was a hermit, known more for what he refused than for what he did. And yet, kings sought him out.
Francis lived in 15th-century Italy and founded a small group that would later be called the Minims—a name that means “the least.” That was intentional. He did not want prominence or recognition. He wanted to disappear into a life of prayer, penance, and radical simplicity.
Part of that simplicity was something unusual.
He and his followers took a vow not only of poverty and chastity, but of perpetual abstinence from meat and animal products, a kind of lifelong Lenten discipline. It was not a temporary sacrifice. It was a way of life.
That alone would make him stand out. But there is a story often told about him that reveals something deeper.
Later in life, Francis was summoned by the King of France, Louis XI, who was nearing death. The king hoped the holy man might miraculously restore his health. Francis went, reluctantly, and remained at the royal court—but he did not change his way of life.
At one point, the king insisted that Francis eat meat. It was not a request. It was a command.
Francis accepted the plate. And then, according to tradition, he prayed over it. The meat came back to life.
Whether we focus on the miracle or not, the meaning is clear.
Francis was not being stubborn. He was being faithful.
There is something about that kind of consistency that is difficult to understand. It is one thing to give something up for Lent. It is another to build a life around sacrifice, quietly and without recognition.
The life of St. Francis of Paola reminds us that holiness is often hidden. It is found in the small, repeated choices to remain faithful—to prayer, to sacrifice, to the disciplines we have taken on.
The Church, in her wisdom, gives us tools to help live that kind of life in our homes. Not necessarily through extraordinary acts, but through steady, daily prayer. The kind that shapes a family over time. Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers: A Companion to the Catechism.
This collection brings together the prayers of the Church for daily life—morning and evening prayer, blessings for seasons, and moments of need—helping to establish the kind of rhythm that saints like Francis lived out so faithfully. Discover your copy today at The Catholic Company!
