St. Bonaventure is one of the greatest minds the Church ever produced, and he seamlessly combined a love for truth with love for God.

He was born in Italy in 1221 and became a Franciscan. He was educated at the University of Paris, and went on to teach Scripture and theology there for nearly a decade before taking on leadership of his own order.

Bonaventure dedicated even more time to prayer than he did to his study, and people could feel a deep, inward peace about him. He was always cheerful, and once said, “A spiritual joy is the greatest sign of the divine grace dwelling in a soul.”

He was ordained a priest, and wrote a number of mystical works about prayer, poverty, and the path to holiness. Bonaventure wrote with such devotion and love that his works “warmed the heart” said one scholar of his time. “Whoever would be both learned and devout, let him read the works of Bonaventure.”

He was a concise thinker who could strike to the heart of the matter. He frequently meditated on the joy of heaven, and his writing awoke in readers a desire for union with God. “God, all the glorious souls, and the whole family of the eternal King wait for us and desire that we should be with them,” Bonaventure wrote. “Shall not we desire above all things to be admitted into their happy company?”

He wrote of the perfection of Christian life—not by renouncing the world like a monk, but by simply doing ordinary things of our daily life very well. “The perfection of a religious person is to do common things in a perfect manner,” he wrote. “A constant fidelity in small things is a great and heroic virtue.”

Bonaventure is called the second founder of the Franciscans because he was able to guide the community through important matters of interpretation about the way of life they should lead. He wrote an authoritative biography of Francis.

The pope named Bonaventure a cardinal and when the saint received news of the appointment, he was washing dishes in a convent where he was staying. The messengers were carrying the red hat of a cardinal (shown in this image from a Basilica mural), but his hands were greasy from the dishes. He had them hang it in a tree outside until he was finished, then he went and put it on, accepting the office.

When the pope called a council to discuss the unity of the Church with Greek faithful who had split from Rome, he asked Bonaventure to lead it. Bonaventure led a successful council, but died during the celebrations.

The pope preached at his funeral and said, “No one ever met Bonaventure who did not find a great regard and affection for him. Even strangers wanted to follow his advice, just from hearing him speak. He was gentle, courteous, humble, pleasing to everyone, compassionate, prudent, chaste, and adorned with all virtues.”

Bonaventure has been declared a doctor of the Church, a title given to 37 saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. He is known as the "Seraphic Doctor" after the angels who are called the “burning ones” in Scripture—his works communicated his burning love of God.

The relics of St. Bonaventure rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and this statue of him in his Franciscan habit stands on Alumni Hall.

St. Bonaventure, you awoke in people a desire for the joy of heaven—pray for us!