Monks, friars and nuns are not seen so much on the streets these days, and you may be among those who have seen me wandering Prescot, Whiston, Speke and now, in my new post, central Liverpool and Toxteth.
Elegant as my habit is, it is not first and foremost a fashion choice. It is a sign that I have taken vows to follow Jesus in the way of St Francis of Assisi. The son of a wealthy merchant in 13th-century Italy, Francis rejected the lure of money and property and gave his life to imitating Christ, the divine One who made himself poor for our sakes. He was moved by the humility of the Creator in being made flesh, a child in a lowly manger; in embracing the outcasts and the lepers; and in his suffering and dying for love of all creatures.
I wear a grey habit because I am a member of the Anglican Greyfriars, a small, dispersed community of Franciscans. We are a band of brothers united by our love for Christ, our common calling to learn from Francis, and our dedication to serving God and others in our local parishes. We live apart but support one another daily in whatever way we can – with our prayers, our encouraging words, and just a little bit of banter and good humour. We meet in person at least twice a year, on or around Francistide and Pentecost.
Why grey? The first friars arrived in England 800 years ago, in 1225, shortly after the death of Francis, and they wore grey. So our clothing is a nod to those early Franciscan pioneers – but also a handy way to avoid confusion with other Anglican Franciscans, such as the First Order of the Society of St Francis, who wear brown.