The Sun & Moon over Assisi: A Personal Encounter with Francis & Clare by Gerard Thomas Straub-Paperback

In this deeply personal and contemplative work, former television producer Gerard Thomas Straub recounts his unexpected spiritual journey into the lives of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. Once involved with popular television programs such as General Hospital and The Doctors, Straub was raised Catholic but later embraced atheism after a disillusioning experience working for a prominent Christian evangelist.

Yet his searching spirit and creative imagination continued to draw him toward questions of faith, meaning, and spiritual truth. His quest eventually led him to the Umbrian hills of Italy, where he became profoundly captivated by Francis and Clare—two extraordinary figures whose lives embodied simplicity, devotion, compassion, and radical love.

Blending memoir, biography, meditation, and pilgrimage, Straub intertwines the stories of these beloved saints with his own struggle to rediscover faith. This is not a conventional or fast-paced narrative. Instead, it unfolds gradually, inviting readers to slow down, reflect, and approach each chapter as spiritual meditation. With every page, the book reveals deeper insights into Francis and Clare while exploring the timeless human search for purpose and the courage required to confront our most vulnerable spiritual questions and fears.

Although presented as an introduction to Franciscan thought and history, The Sun & Moon Over Assisi offers something more personal and ambitious: a moving guide to Christian pilgrimage and spiritual renewal.

Product details

• Publisher: ‎ St. Anthony Messenger Press
• Publication date: ‎ April 30, 2008
• Language: ‎ English
• Format: Paperback
• Print length: ‎ 614 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 0867168560
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0867168563
• Item Weight: ‎ 1.85 pounds
• Dimensions: ‎ 6 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches
• Condition: Used—Very Good