Pope Leo XIV has declared 2026, the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi, a jubilee year to help Christians around the world follow in the saint’s footsteps.
Plenary indulgences are being granted through the usual provisions – sacramental reconciliation, receiving the Eucharist, and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father – for those who participate in a pilgrimage to a Franciscan church or to any church named after St Francis.
Franciscan communities in Sydney have plans for activities throughout the year.
Fr Lam Vu OFMCap, chaplain at University of Notre Dame Australia, shared with The Catholic Weekly the plans for the jubilee celebration at St Fiacre’s parish in Leichhardt.
“The first thing we’re doing for the year of jubilee is 24 hours of adoration,” he said. This will take place on 13 March to 14 March.
“Later on, we are going to have 40 hours of adoration. This tradition was started by the Capuchins during the early stages of our way of life in the 16th century.”
“There will also be a tour of a relic of St Francis where we’ll have Mass, evening prayer, then the veneration of the relic.”
“The day before his death we have a liturgy called the Transitus of St Francis to remember his death.” This will occur on 3 October.
Fr. Joseph Lu OFM, Parish Priest of St Dominic’s Flemington, said that his parish is holding an opening Mass for the jubilee on 7 March.
St Dominic’s will also hold monthly pizza night talks where participants hear an inspiring talk together with a pizza dinner “to build up our community.”
Additionally, to help people receive the jubilee plenary indulgence, St Dominic’s “is making a church key available for those who wish to come and pray before the Blessed Sacrament.”
Fr Lam was very happy at the prospect of people becoming more aware of St Francis.
“A lot of people know him just for loving animals, but Franciscan spirituality is about the Incarnation. St Francis saw the humility of Jesus who leaves his throne to be present in the Eucharist through the Incarnation, copying [this humility] and teaching this. I’m excited because the more people are aware of his spirituality, the more it will benefit them.”
Fr Lu echoed this, highlighting the true love found in Christ; a love that fulfills amidst the emptiness of the world.
“In a world often distracted by fleeting things, St Francis invites us to return to the simplicity of the Gospel and discover the profound peace that comes from a deep, personal encounter with Christ,” he said.
