Special Year of St. Francis

Pope Leo XIV has decreed that from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, “a special Year of Saint Francis shall be proclaimed, in which every faithful Christian, following the example of the Saint of Assisi, shall become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.”

As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has stated, we are called to be witnesses of peace by boldly proclaiming the dignity of the human person and working for the protection of all human life. In this Year of Saint Francis, may he help us to see the beauty of life in all of creation, and in particular, in the weakest and most vulnerable among us.

In honor of this special year on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Transitus (death) of Saint Francis, Archbishop Cordileone has designated several locations where the faithful may make a pilgrimage and pray devoutly to fulfill the conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence:

To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin, even venial sin, it is necessary to perform a prescribed work designated by the Church (such as praying the stations of the cross in a church or visiting one of the designated pilgrimage sites) and fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Pope.

This page brings together a collection of resources to help you reflect on the life and spirituality of St. Francis. Here you will find prayers, meditations, and articles from trusted Catholic sources, including Franciscan Media and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). These resources explore themes such as peace, care for creation, and living as instruments of God’s love in the world.