Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special Franciscan Jubilee Year in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. This Jubilee is a meaningful continuation of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and offers all of us a renewed opportunity to live more fully in the spirit and example of St. Francis.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Condition for Receiving the Indulgence (for oneself or souls of the dead):

• Visit any Franciscan conventual church, or place of worship in any part of the world named after St. Francis of Assisi or connected to him for any reason.
• Sacramental Confession (8 days before or after visiting the church)
• Attend Mass and receive Holy Communion 
• Recite the Apostles' Creed to reaffirm your Christian identity, the Lord's Prayer to reaffirm your dignity as a child of God, and the Glory be...all for the intentions of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV to reaffirm belongings to the Catholic Church whose visible center of unity is the Roman Ponitff

Decree of Pope Leo:

• ON THE EIGHTH CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, A SPECIAL JUBILEE YEAR IS BEING ANNOUNCED WITH ATTACHED PLENARY INDULGENCES.

Writings of St. Francis:

• Armstrong, Regis J., and Ignatius C. Brady, eds. Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, The Classics of Western Spirituality. New York: Paulist Press, 1982.
• Armstrong, Regis J., J. A. Wayne Hellmann, and William J. Short, eds. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, 3 volumes. New York: New City Press, 1999.

Franciscan Spirituality:

• Short, William J. Poverty and Joy: The Franciscan tradition. Traditions of Christian spirituality. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1999
• YouTube video: Spirituality of Francis and Clare of Assisi 

• Click here for articles on Franciscan Spirituality, as well as a free connection to a digital collection of all of St. Francis’ writings.  To access the digital collection of writings, you need to sign up - it's all free. 

Biography of St. Francis in English:

• Vauchez, Andre. Francis of Assisi: The Life and Afterlife of a Medieval Saint. Translated by Michael F. Cusato. Yale University Press, 2012.

Prayers to St. Francis

• For Immediate Peace and Serenity (Youtube Link)
• Litany of Saint Francis of Assisi