Greg Cellini — A Franciscan Path to Purpose

St. Francis of Assisi famously prayed, “Who are you, my God, and who am I?” Greg Cellini found himself praying a similar prayer after almost three decades of working and climbing within the pharmaceutical industry. That's when everything changed. He began the process of entering religious life.

His journey is one that invites each of us to contemplate the source of our dreams and desires and consider who we are at the core of our identity. The timing of this conversation, just after the Feast Day of St. Francis and at the start of Franciscan Month, invites each of us to consider our own callings and dare to pray the prayer St. Francis prayed.

Brother Greg Cellini, OSF, is a Franciscan Brother of Brooklyn. His primary ministry is at St. Francis College where he has served as an adjunct professor as well as director of the Office of Mission, Ministry, and Interfaith dialogue. He is the host of "Thank God For Monday," a weekly radio talk show about the workplace. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University’s advanced certificate in Franciscan Studies. He also earned degrees at Rutgers Graduate School of Management and Seton Hall University Stillman School of Business. He is the author of Transform Yourself - Transform the World: A Franciscan View of Career.

Click here to view the show notes for this episode.

(00:00:01) Introduction

(00:01:59) Climbing in the Corporate World

(00:03:59) Spiritual Background

(00:05:43) When God Calls You Elsewhere

(00:10:18) Dreams and Desires: What is the Source?

(00:13:38) Holy Surrender

(00:17:26) Reflection No. 1: Dreams and Desires

(00:20:02) A Mysterious Encounter and the Call to Religious Life

(00:25:18) Why the Franciscans?

(00:27:36) Ordered Love, Dis-ordered Love, and Performance

(00:31:49) Reflection No. 2: Remembering Your Identity

(00:35:13) Entering Religious Life and Going Inward

(00:38:57) The Blessings of Failure and Endings

(00:44:13) What is Downward Mobility?

(00:48:10) Reflection No. 3: Downward Mobility

(00:49:56) Education and the Franciscan Charism

(00:55:06) The Challenges Young People Face

(01:00:26) What is Franciscan Month?

(01:08:20) Closing Reflections and Prayer

(01:09:54) Conclusion