Let’s hear it for Fr. David Couturier, professor of Franciscan studies and theology at St. Bonaventure University, who published three titles this year through Franciscan Institute Publications. 

Most recently, he co-edited The Earlier Rule of 1221: History, Theology, and Vision, on the Earlier Rule of St. Francis of Assisi, which he says expresses the original passion and spirituality of the founder of the Franciscan movement.

The book is the product of a conference held at St. Bonaventure in July 2022. It brought together friars from the Capuchin, Conventual, and Franciscan provinces of Australia, Canada, Italy, and the United States. Ten Franciscan scholars weighed in on the significance of this foundational document, not only for the life and spirit of the early friars around St. Francis but also for friars serving in more than 100 countries today.

“[The] Rule of 1221 draws us into the drama of the earliest Franciscan friars with all their primitive aspirations, lofty ideals, agonizing challenges, petty (and sometimes quite volatile) squabbles, and torturous questions,” Father David writes in the opening chapter.

He also co-edited Lesser Ethics: Morality as Goodness-in-Relationship. This book addresses how we can make the Franciscan intellectual and spiritual tradition of a relational moral goodness relevant and fruitful for present-day ethical practice. Finally, he published Integrating Missions: Organizational Identities and Founding Stories in Health Care Systems Today. A product of his engagement with hospital systems across the U.S., Father David presents ways that mission officers can integrate insights from Franciscan, Catholic, and secular traditions of corporate purpose and mission.

“No doubt, it’s work. However, the Franciscan tradition is so meaningful and relevant for today’s corporate and organizational challenges that it is also exciting and inspiring,” Father David said.

You can purchase these and other books edited or written by Father David at Franciscan Institute Publications' website.