St. Francis of Paola, founder of the Minims, born at Paola, Cosenza, Italy, 27 March, 1416; died at Plessis-les-Tours, France, 2 April, 1507. His parents, James and Vienna Forgione, were poor but pious, and had reached an advanced age without issue. They had recourse to St. Francis of Assisi, and promised that if they were granted a son, he should be named Francis and should for a year wear the habit of the friars of Assisi. Their prayers were heard; Francis was born, and the promise was faithfully kept. When he was thirteen years of age, his father, in fulfillment of a further vow, conducted him to the Franciscan friary of San Marco Argentano. Here Francis gave the first indications of that extraordinary sanctity which was to distinguish him throughout his life. He was more observant of the Rule than any of the friars, and was even then held in the highest veneration by them. After a year's residence, he made a pilgrimage to Rome with his parents, and then visited Assisi. On their return to Paola, Francis, having obtained his parents' permission, retired to a solitary cave on his father's estate, and gave himself to a life of extraordinary penance and prayer. So great was the number of persons who resorted to him, drawn by the fame of his sanctity, that in 1436, with two companions, he removed to a more solitary spot by the sea, where they built a small chapel and cells, and thus the Minim Order was begun. The number of his disciples increasing, he obtained permission to build a large monastery and church. This was in 1452. The new community was at first called Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi, but the grand simplicity and austere holiness of their founder soon drew upon them the attention of the ecclesiastical authorities, and in 1474 Pope Sixtus IV gave them a Rule, and changed their title to Hermits of the Order of Minim Friars. This Rule was approved by Julius II in 1506 and by Leo X in 1519. It is one of extreme austerity, enjoining perpetual abstinence from meat, eggs, and all lacticinia (milk products). The reason assigned by the founder for this rigour was that the friars might thus repair the losses caused by the excesses of others. The order was confirmed and extended by several pontiffs; the final approbation was given by Pope Leo X. The Minims were established in France, Spain, and Germany, and had houses in Italy.

The fame of Francis's holiness and the wonders he wrought reached Louis XI, King of France, who was then seriously ill. The king sent to Calabria to beg Francis to visit him at Plessis-les-Tours. At first Francis refused, but at the command of the pope he went. The king, prostrate before him, implored him to obtain from God the prolongation of his life. Francis told him that his prayer could not be granted, but exhorted him to submit to the Divine will, and to prepare for death. Louis XI died in the arms of Francis, who remained in France, and was held in the greatest veneration by the successor, Charles VIII, and by Louis XII. He died in his ninety-first year at Plessis-les-Tours, on Good Friday, 2 April, 1507. He was canonized by Leo X in 1519.

The miracles of St. Francis of Paola are numerous and well authenticated. From his earliest years he was favoured with the gift of prophecy. As a boy, he cured a lame man, and restored sight to a blind man. During the building of the monastery, a workman was killed by a falling tree; Francis raised him to life. He changed water into wine, multiplied bread, and cured the sick by the touch of his hand or by the sign of the cross. One day, while engaged in prayer, he saw a fire break out in the monastery; he ran to the spot, extinguished the flames by a sign of the cross, and saved the building. He often crossed the sea on his cloak, as he did when he passed from Calabria to Sicily. He was also known to have the power of bilocation. His disciples testified that he was often seen in two places at once. His life was one of almost continuous prayer and fasting. He ate only once a day, and then only a small quantity of bread and water. He never slept more than two or three hours a night, and then only on the bare ground. He wore a hair shirt and a chain of iron, and his body was covered with wounds from the discipline. He was remarkable for his humility, and for his love of the poor and the sick. He always refused to accept any gifts for himself, and lived in the utmost poverty. He was a man of profound wisdom, and his counsel was sought by kings and cardinals. He predicted the death of Louis XI, the succession of Charles VIII, and the recovery of Louis XII from a dangerous illness. He also foretold the birth of a son to the Dauphin, Francis, who was afterwards Francis I.

The order founded by St. Francis of Paola, the Minims, is characterized by its extreme austerity. The members bind themselves to perpetual abstinence from meat, eggs, and dairy products. They are also bound to fast throughout the year, except on Sundays and Christmas Day. Their habit is a coarse black tunic, with a short scapular, a hood, and a cord. They wear no shoes, but go barefoot. The order spread rapidly throughout Europe, and had houses in Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Bohemia. At its height, it numbered several thousand members. The Minims have always been highly esteemed for their strict observance of the Rule, and for their zealous labours in the ministry. Many distinguished scholars, preachers, and missionaries have belonged to the order. The Minims have also been active in education, and have founded many schools and colleges. They have also rendered great service to the Church by their devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and by their promotion of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The order has produced many saints and beatified persons. Among the most notable are St. Francis de Sales, who was a Minim tertiary, and St. Vincent de Paul, who was a friend of the Minims and often consulted them. The order continues to exist today, though its numbers have greatly diminished. It remains a testament to the enduring power of St. Francis of Paola's spiritual vision and his call to a life of radical penance and humility.