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A Multifaceted Centenary

in Which Several Centenaries

Will Be Celebrated

CONFERENCE OF THE FRANCISCAN FAMILY

General Observations

1. Themes

The five centenaries are part of a single thematic Centenary, which

will develop gradually and harmoniously according to the chronology

of the events celebrated.

The key themes proposed for the celebration of the centenaries are

considered from multiple perspectives, present in each celebration.

These will specifically refer to the theological dimension (our being in

Christ); the anthropological dimension (our being brothers and sisters);

the ecclesiological dimension (our being in communion); and the so-

ciological dimension (our being in the world ).

The documents of the Magisterium of the Church, understood from

the Franciscan charismatic perspective, are used to provide a theolog-

ical baseline. The celebration of each centenary is a promising oppor-

tunity for the Franciscan Family to support the ecclesial reform that

the Pope is carrying out in his pontificate.

The basic purpose for celebrating the centenaries is to direct our gaze

to the future and to strengthen our Franciscan identity and charism.

2. Recipients

First, the proposed themes are to be worked on and developed by our

brothers and sisters all over the world. Therefore, the integration of

all cultures must be standard practice.

The celebration of the centenaries is undoubtedly a good occasion to

make the Franciscan Family visible in its entirety. Therefore, it would

be very fitting for all activities and initiatives, at the national and/or

regional level, to be coordinated by a commission representing the

entire Franciscan Family.

Ad intra and Ad extra: The centenaries are not intended to have a pos-

itive impact only within the Franciscan Family. Imagination and cre-

ativity must be brought to bear so that the centenaries impact out-

wardly upon non-ecclesial social and cultural environments.

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3. Methodology

We have already indicated the importance of the theological, anthro-

pological, ecclesiological and sociological dimensions, which, as cross

cutting components, should guarantee unity and thematic continuity

during this multi-year celebratory event. All of these dimensions play

an important role in the ad intra programs, but perhaps the anthro-

pological and sociological dimensions could be further enriched in

the ad extra programs.

There is a risk that these proposals could remain too focused on the

theoretical and intellectual aspects. Therefore it would be appropriate

to define, for each of the proposed themes, what objective is being

pursued and to recommend an activity, so that the experiential and

practical dimensions can be made more dynamic.

The activities are suggested in a very general way, since they should

be made more concrete based on various real-life contexts.

The themes herein can be further explored and developed through

lectures, meetings, Chapters of Mats, exhibitions, pilgrimages, mission

experiences, etc.

General Observations

Celebrating the Centenary

as a Franciscan Family

Tres ordines hic ordinat: primumque fratrum nominat mino-

rum pauperumque fit dominarum medius sed poenitentum

tertius sexum capit utrumque.

Three were the Orders he arrayed: The Friars Minor he called

the first; and the Poor Ladies were next, becoming the middle

Order. Then thirdly came the Penitents, comprising men and

women.

This is how we would have prayed the antiphon for Morning Prayer

in the ancient Rhythmic Office by Julian of Speyer. He wrote it in

1235, for the canonization of St. Francis of Assisi. The antiphon men-

tions the direct filial relationship between the Saint and the three

Orders. The first he called the Friars Minor, the second he called the

Poor Ladies, and the third was for men and women who wanted to

follow Jesus on the path of penance according to Francis. In the an-

tiphon, verb ordinat is chosen to highlight the style of organization

that belongs to the Franciscan Family. It is not reducible to a juridical

structure, but rather indicates the reciprocity inherent in the bond of

community, which is typical of the Franciscan charism.

The gift that St. Francis received from the Divine Giver is most fully

realized in its complementarity and lively reciprocal communion. This

is a motivating force in the lives of “all those who love the Lord with

their whole heart” (First Version of the Letter to the Faithful 1, FF

178/1). Therefore, as a Franciscan Family, we invite everyone who is

attracted to the evangelical beauty of the Poverello (cf. Laudato si’ 10)

to join us in celebrating these centenaries. The centenaries offer us a

valuable opportunity to invigorate the richness of our charism with a

prophetic vision toward the future.

Moreover we want to celebrate them in keeping with the mindset that

comes with this gift we have received. Indeed, the hagiographic

sources tell us that Francis of Assisi died naked, with nothing of his

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own: “He asked to be taken to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula so that

he might yield up the spirit of life...he threw himself in fervor of spirit

totally naked on the naked ground” (Major Legend 14:4, FF 1240).

His whole life was a journey of living sine proprio, that is, a life of giv-

ing back, from the beginning of his conversion, because only the man

who keeps nothing for himself, but gives all of himself, is able to walk

in fraternity, guided by his desire for the Supreme Good: “Let us refer

all good to the Lord, God Almighty and Most High, acknowledge

that every good is His, and thank Him, “from Whom all good comes,

for everything.” (Earlier Rule 17:17, FF 49).

The Poverello recognized that everything in his life was a free gift of

God’s love, as he himself affirms in his Testament: “The Lord gave

me thus to begin doing penance…the Lord gave me some brothers…

the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to

the pattern of the Holy Gospel.” (Te s t a m e n t 1-14, FF 110-116). He

not only received divine gifts but also chose to give them back, so

today, eight hundred years later, we can celebrate these five centenaries

as a Franciscan Family. The centenaries invite us to live according to

the concept of receiving love and transforming it into self-giving and

giving back to others.

Let us begin, sisters and brothers, because now it is up to us to give

back to others the gifts that Brother Francis gave to us.

Celebrating the Centenary as a Franciscan Family

Celebrating the Rule

1223-2023

Texts

Later Rule 1:1, FF 75; Rule of St. Clare 1:1, FF 2750; Rule of the

Brothers and Sisters of the Third Order Regular 1:1; Rule of the Brothers

and Sisters of the Secular Franciscan Order 2:4, FF 3424; Testament

14-15, FF 116; Anonymous of Perugia 11, FF 1497.

All members of the Franciscan Family profess a Rule that becomes a

pattern of life and consists in observing the Gospel. As we celebrate

the Later Rule, we are reminded that for Francis of Assisi, the nucleus

of his Rule was the Gospel, as he stated in his Te s t a m e n t : “The Most

High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pat-

tern of the Holy Gospel. And I had this written down simply and in

a few words and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me” (Te s t a m e n t 14-

15, FF 116). Having listened prayerfully to the words of Jesus Christ,

Francis and his first brothers exclaimed: “‘This is what we want; this

is what we were seeking.’ And blessed Francis said: ‘This will be our

rule’” (The Anonymous of Perugia 11, FF 1497).

No member of the Franciscan Family professes his own Rule privately,

because he is called to live the Gospel in fraternity. It is important to

remember that Francis composed the Later Rule at a time in his life

when he was dealing with a lot of tension and crises at the fraternal

level, but he never renounced the prophetic vision of living as a

brother to all and he invites us to do the same. Today the Church, in

promoting its synodal and communal dimensions, points to Francis

of Assisi as a model of fraternity, calling him the “saint of fraternal

love” (Fratelli tutti 2). His words and deeds can again, after eight hun-

dred years, illuminate the path of an ecclesial community that seeks

to become an outgoing, synodal Church, listening to all, in solidarity

with the least, bearing the good news that has the power to fill the

lives of those who accept it with joy and meaning (cf. Evangelii

gaudium 21).

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Celebrating the Later Rule as a Franciscan Family gives us an oppor-

tunity to get to know each other better. It promotes communion and

fosters mutual trust among ourselves. It lets us rediscover the impor-

tance of dreaming together, it opens new evangelical paths that help

us become a more open and outgoing fraternity, a fraternity that can

generate a new culture of encounter and social friendship, a fraternity

that strives to reach out to all members of society, “each of us bringing

the richness of his or her beliefs and convictions, each of us with his

or her own voice, brothers and sisters all” (Fratelli tutti 8).

The Rule consists in “observing the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus

Christ” (Later Rule 1:1, FF 75).

Objective

To love and better understand the Rule we have professed.

Activities

• Assess the impact of the Gospel and the Rule we have professed in

our daily lives.

• Use passages from the Rule to enrich our prayer life.

•Constantly evaluate ourselves in the light of the Rule, in such a way

that it can illuminate personal and fraternal discernment.

“For if a mother loves and cares for her son according to the flesh,

how much more diligently must someone love and care for his brother

according to the Spirit!” (Later Rule 6: 8, FF 91).

Objective

To r ed i sc ov e r t he f u nd a me n ta l i m po r ta n ce o f t h e Ru l e f or p r ot e ct in g

and nurturing fraternal life.

Activities

•Organize study days and reflections about our Rule in order to seek

together, in fraternity, the most suitable ways to embody it in our

daily activities.

•Encourage time for meetings that allow us to improve the quality

of relationships within our families, our fraternities, our work areas,

etc.

• Promote initiatives, in collaboration with other members of the

Franciscan Family, which foster mutual knowledge and increase fra-

ternal communion.

Celebrating the Rule (1223-2023)

Our being in Christ

Our being

brothers and sisters

“Steadfast in the Catholic Faith, we may observe poverty, humility,

and the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as we have firmly pro-

mised.” (Later Rule 12: 4, FF 109).

Objective

To re s t ore m ea n in g a n d s ig n if i ca nc e to ou r wa y o f l i vi n g t he Ru le i n

the Church, promoting fraternity and synodality as ecclesial styles.

Activities

•Confirm whether the way we live our Rule, which we have profes-

sed in the Church, prompts us to carry out our pastoral work and

our apostolic activities in communion with the local and universal

Church.

• Participate in the synodal journey undertaken in our local

Churches, valuing the variety of gifts and charisms that the Holy

Spirit arouses to benefit the entire human family.

• Where possible, publicly renew the profession of our Rule.

[They are] “not to quarrel or argue or judge others when they go about

in the world” (Later Rule 3: 10, FF 85).

Objective

Starting from our witness of fraternity and minority in living our

Rule, collaborate in building bonds of unity within society and the

institutions that comprise it.

Activities

• Promote proposals aimed at reinvigorating relationships among

members of Christian communities, as well as between those com-

munities and other social and religious groups, nurturing a culture

of encounter and social friendship.

•Enhance the evangelizing power of the cultural and artistic heritage

that belongs to the Franciscan Family, in such a way that it becomes

an instrument of encounter and dialogue with contemporary so-

ciety.

Celebrating the Rule (1223-2023)

Our being

in communion

Our being

in the world

Celebrating

Christmas at Greccio

1223-2023

Texts

1 Celano 84-87, FF 466-471; Admonitions I, 16-21, FF 144; Letter

to the Entire Order 26: 29, FF 221; Office of the Passion XV, FF 303.

When Thomas of Celano presents the story of the celebration of

Christmas at Greccio, he talks about the reasons Francis of Assisi had

for to setting up the manger and celebrating the Mass in a cave. The

Poverello stopped at Greccio because he wanted to contemplate the

realness of the Incarnation, namely, the simplicity, poverty and hu-

mility of the Son of God “who gave Himself for us with supreme and

indescribable love” (1 Celano 30: 87, FF 471). We find the same dy-

namic in his contemplation of the Eucharist. In fact, Francis invites

us not only to see with our physical eyes but with our spiritual eyes as

well, so that we might contemplate the humility and the real mani-

festation of divine love present in the Eucharist: “Behold, each day

He humbles Himself as when He came from the royal throne into the

Virgin’s womb; each day He Himself comes to us, appearing humbly;

each day He comes down from the bosom of the Father upon the altar

in the hands of a priest” (Admonitions I, 16-18, FF 144).

As the Franciscan Family celebrating the centenary of the Christmas

at Greccio, we are invited to pause before the mystery of the

Incarnation in order to contemplate the depth of God’s love for hu-

manity. The Son of God becomes the Son of man; he becomes one

of us, our brother (cf. Second Version of the Letter to the Faithful 56,

FF 201). Our faith in the Incarnation prompts us to discover the seeds

of the Word present in all cultures and in contemporary society, so that

we might bring to bloom the seeds of humanity we find there. More-

over, it urges us not only to defend life but also to become instruments

of life and humanity in our families and fraternities, reaching out to

those who are seen as social rejects, who are no longer considered

human. The concrete way that Francis of Assisi celebrated the mystery

of the Incarnation at Greccio, invites us to more fully realize “that we

have been entrusted with a treasure which makes us more human and

helps us to lead a new life. There is nothing more precious which we

can give to others” (Evangelii gaudium 264).

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On Christmas day, the Poverello, together with his brothers, prayed:

“This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.

For the Most Holy Child has been given to us and has been born for

us on the way and placed in a manger because he did not have a place

in the inn” (Office of the Passion XV, 5-7, FF 303). As we celebrate

the centenary of the manger at Greccio, we are invited to think about

the place that Jesus occupies in our hearts, and even more, whether

we have a place in our hearts for those with whom Jesus wanted to be

identified: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least

brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). By his Incarnation,

Christ Jesus eliminated any distance that separated him from human-

ity. He calls us to do the same, that is, to be close to our brothers and

sisters to welcome them, to touch them with mercy, as the

Magisterium of the Church reminds us: “With the simplicity of that

sign, Saint Francis carried out a great work of evangelization... In a

particular way, from the time of its Franciscan origins, the nativity

scene has invited us to ‘feel’ and ‘touch’ the poverty that God’s Son

took upon himself in the Incarnation. Implicitly, it summons us to

follow him along the path of humility, poverty and self-denial that

leads from the manger of Bethlehem to the cross. It asks us to meet

him and serve him by showing mercy to those of our brothers and

sisters in greatest need” (Admirabile signum 3).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16).

Objective

To r en e w o u r li f e of fa i th s o t h at it c a n b e co m e mo re i n c ar na t io n al

and concrete.

Activities

•Raise our awareness of daily life, with all its joys and difficulties, as

a privileged place of encounter with the Lord.

• Ensure that adequate importance is placed on the liturgical and

sacramental life, in order to progress in the life of faith.

•Reexamine how we celebrate Christmas and other liturgical feasts,

ensuring they reflect the simplicity, poverty and humility that

Francis of Assisi desired.

“Consider, O human being, in what great excellence the Lord God

has placed you, for He created and formed you to the image of His

beloved Son according to the body and to His likeness according to

the Spirit” (Admonitions V, 1, FF 153).

Celebrating Christmas at Greccio (1223-2023)

Our being in Christ

Our being

brothers and sisters

Objective

To d e v e l o p a m o r e c o m p r e h e n s i v e v i e w o f h u m a n k i n d a n d i t s i n h e r e n t

male-female reciprocity, a view that is free of divisions and dichotomies.

Activities

•Ensure that the formation programs in our fraternities implement

a formation process that is more comprehensive from a human,

spiritual and interpersonal point of view.

•Encourage concrete initiatives that work toward overcoming discord

between men and women or between the laity and priests or con-

secrated persons.

“Hail, O Lady, Holy Queen, Mary, holy Mother of God, Who are the

Virgin made Church” (Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 1, FF 259).

Objective

To live in minority as members of the Church.

Activities

•Confirm whether our pastoral service in ecclesial communities re-

flects the maternal dimension of the Church and is characterized

by humility and poverty, which are revealed in the Incarnation and

in the Eucharist.

•Reexamine our way of celebrating the Eucharist, so that it may be

authentically experienced as the source and summit of Christian

life and a source of communion and fraternity.

•Bring the motherly compassion of the Church to our brothers and

sisters who find themselves on the existential outskirts of our eccle-

sial communities.

“God said: ‘Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness’”

(Gn 1, 26).

Objective

To l ov e a n d se r v e ev e r y h u m an b e in g , p r o mo ti n g hi s o r h e r di g ni ty

as a person created by God and made in his likeness and image.

Activities

•Set aside time for reflection and discussion on promoting the dig-

nity of every human life and make a commitment to defend life

from conception until natural death.

• Promote activities to defend the rights of women.

•Offer help to parents who are finding it difficult to raise and educate

their children.

•Provide assistance to shelters for orphaned children, street children,

young people suffering from any kind of addiction, etc.

Celebrating Christmas at Greccio (1223-2023)

Our being

in communion

Our being

in the world

Celebrating

the Gift of the Stigmata

1224-2024

Texts

1 Celano 94-95, FF 484-486; Major Legend 13: 1-10, FF 1222-1236;

1-2, FF 261; Blessing for Brother Leo, FF 262; 2 Celano 49, FF 635.

The hagiographic sources tell us that Francis of Assisi, after an in-

tense period of apostolic activity, withdrew to Mount La Verna to

carry out a Lenten period of fasting and prayer, as was his custom.

It was precisely in this context of silence and prayer that the Poverello

received the visit from the winged Seraphim, because only in silence

can one hear and be open to the words of the other. On Mount La

Verna, the profound desire that motivated the Poverello to follow

Christ and to conform himself totally to Him was realized in his en-

counter with the Crucified One, who imprinted the signs of His love

on Francis’ heart and body. St. Bonaventure summarizes Francis’ ex-

perience in this way: “[The] true love of Christ transformed the lover

into His image” (Major Legend 13: 5, FF 1228). The encounter with

the Beloved became a song of praise; therefore, after his encounter

with the Crucified One, Francis composed the Praises of God, a

prayer which sprang from a heart in love, totally focused on the di-

vine “You”: “You are the holy Lord God Who does wonderful things.

You are strong. You are great. You are the most high” (Praises of God

1-2, FF 261).

In celebrating the Centenary of the Gift of the Stigmata as a Franciscan

Family, we are invited to restore the dimension of prayerful and con-

templative silence in our daily lives, the silence that places us before

the essential, that lets us recognize our desire for the infinite that re-

sides in our hearts, that allows us to listen to ourselves, to others and

to God. In fact, even today, the Poverello is presented as a person who

made listening a way of life: “Saint Francis heard the voice of God,

he heard the voice of the poor, he heard the voice of the infirm and

he heard the voice of nature. He made of them a way of life. My desire

is that the seed that Saint Francis planted may grow in the hearts of

many” (Fratelli tutti 48).

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After receiving the sacred stigmata, “Francis came down from the moun-

tain, bearing with him the likeness of the Crucified, depicted not on

tablets of stone or on panels of wood carved by hand, but engraved on

parts of his flesh by the finger of the living God” (Major Legend 13: 5,

FF 1228). Moreover, just as the finger of God touched Francis, so,

Francis went forth to touch the poor, the sick and the needy, to transmit

that divine love to them. Francis’ meeting with the Crucified One

prompted him to meet those who had been crucified throughout history,

those whose pain he wished to alleviate. We see this in St. Bonaventure’s

account of the man who was suffering from cold: “Burning with the fire

of divine love, he stretched out his hand and touched him. A marvelous

thing happened! At the touch of his sacred hand, which bore the burning

coal of the Seraph, the cold fled altogether and the man felt great heat

within and without, as if he had been hit by a fiery blast from the vent

of a furnace” (Major Legend 13: 7, FF 1231). Remembering and cele-

brating Francis being touched by the Crucified One inspires us to come

out of ourselves and go forth “touching Christ’s suffering flesh in others”

(Gaudete et exsultate 37) at the same time, we allow ourselves to be

touched and challenged by the dramatic instances of pain and suffering

we see afflicting so many of our brothers and sisters around the world.

“I bear the marks of Jesus on my body” (Gal 6:17).

Objective

To renew the way we live our common Christian vocation, in order

to achieve authentic conformation to the poor and crucified Christ,

so as to bear the stigmata of his presence in ourselves.

Activities

•Revitalize the time we reserve for encountering the Lord, those mo-

ments already present in our personal lives.

•Realize the value of silence as a fundamental condition for listening

to God, ourselves and others.

•Use the ascetic paths that the Church and our Franciscan tradition

offer us, so that our desires, purified of any form of selfishness, may

be centered solely on God.

“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”

(Mt 10:8).

Objective

To d e ep e n th e c u lt u re of ge n er os i ty an d g iv i ng fr ee ly, so t h at it ch ar -

acterizes our life together in a meaningful way.

Celebrating the Gift of the Stigmata (1224-2024)

Our being in Christ

Our being

brothers and sisters

Activities

•Foster an attitude of true dialogue in our families and fraternities,

which allows listening, understanding, knowledge and mutual ac-

ceptance.

•Encourage concrete gestures of selfless service, which express and

realize the gift of ourselves.

• Be prudent with our words and judgments, so that they always

“touch” others with mercy and compassion.

“By his wounds we were healed” (Is 53:5).

Objective

To d e d ic at e o u r l iv e s, a s me m be rs of th e C h ur ch , w i t ne ss i ng to th e

merciful love that flows from the Crucified One.

Activities

•Foster making time to listen to and welcome young people, those

whom life has tossed aside, those who are excluded and minorities

•Collaborate with the local Church to make it an “outgoing Church”

one that reaches out to all those who have strayed from the faith,

the needy and the least among us.

• Support ecumenical and interreligious initiatives, trying to con-

tribute to the “healing” of the wounds that hinder communion.

“The Lord Himself led me among [the lepers] and I showed mercy

to them” (Te s t a m e n t 2; FF 110).

Objective

To allow ourselves to be touched and challenged by the many in-

stances of pain and suffering we see in the places where we live and

work.

Activities

•Practice the art of contemplating Christ in the sufferings and diffi-

culties of the people we meet every day.

•Gently and devotedly tend to the wounded bodies and spirits of all

those in our fraternities and neighborhoods who are afflicted and

hopeless.

•Promote encounters with those who do not believe in God or who

profess no religion, encouraging common initiatives aimed at help-

ing the poor and the needy.

Celebrating the Gift of the Stigmata (1224-2024)

Our being

in communion

Our being

in the world

Celebrating

the Canticle of the Creatures

1225-2025

Texts

Canticle of the Creatures FF 263; Assisi Compilation 83, FF 1614; Mir-

ror of Perfection 100-101 and 120, FF 1799-1800 and 1820; 2 Celano

165, FF 750; Major Legend 9: 1, FF 1162.

Francis of Assisi was almost completely blind by the time he composed

the Canticle of the Creatures. Nevertheless, with the eyes of faith, and

filled with gratitude, he contemplated the wonders of creation and per-

ceived the presence of the Creator who gave them meaning. To him,

all creatures, mirrors of the divine perfection, were brothers and sisters

because they were the work and gift of the same Author. Together they

constituted the chorus of creation, which contemplates, praises and

thanks God the Creator, “the Great Almsgiver” who gives generously

and with goodness (2 Celano 77, FF 665). The Canticle is the final ex-

pression and confession of the Poverello’s life. It summarizes his entire

journey of conformation to Christ, the beloved Son. His faith in the

fatherhood of God becomes a song of praise that proclaims the broth-

erhood and the beauty of all creatures. In fact, “In beautiful things he

contuited Beauty itself and through the footprints impressed in things

he followed his Beloved everywhere, out of them all making for himself

a ladder through which he could climb up to lay hold of Him who is

utterly desirable” (Major Legend 9: 1, FF 1162).

Celebrating the Centenary of the Canticle of the Creatures as a Franciscan

Family leads us to a radical change in our relationship with creation:

we shift from possessing creation to caring for our common home. In

fact, each one of us must respond sincerely to these questions: How do

I want to live out my relationship with other creatures? As a ruler who

claims the right to do what he wants with them? As a consumer of re-

sources who sees them as an opportunity to be taken advantage of? Or

as a brother who pauses before creation, who admires its beauty and

safeguards its existence? We are faced with an anthropological and eco-

logical challenge that will determine our future, because it is linked to

the future of our Mother and Sister Earth. We are called to face con-

temporary society and reintroduce “the language of fraternity and

beauty in our relationship with the world” (Laudato si’ 11).

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The current ecological crisis shows us that “the human environment

and the natural environment deteriorate together” (Laudato si’ 48). This

realization also allows us to understand that the human environment

and the natural environment can, in the same way, protect and enhance

each other. However, taking care of our common home without taking

care of our interior home – our heart – will not work. We need conver-

sion that is both ecological and integral at the same time, because “the

ecological crisis is also a summons to profound interior conversion”

(Laudato si’ 217). In fact, the last verse of the Canticle reminds us that

only those with open hearts, capable of disarming the mindset of hatred

and revenge through forgiveness, can become instruments of reconcil-

iation and harmony and offer a prophetic vision of fraternity, like Fran-

cis himself, who lived “in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with

God, with others, with nature and with himself ” (Laudato si’ 10).

“Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir

Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a like-

ness of You, Most High One.” (Canticle of the Creatures 3-4, FF 263).

Objective

To d e ve l op a c o nt e mp l at iv e o u tl o ok t h a t i s a b le t o r e co g ni ze t h e p re s -

ence and beauty of the Creator, who reveals himself in all creatures.

Activities

•Frequently schedule adequate time to contemplate creation, to grasp

its beauty and thank God for it.

• Use the Canticle of the Creatures as an inspiration for prayer and

meditation, so that we may better understand the bonds that unite

us to all creatures.

•Carefully examine, and responsibly implement, the practical propos-

als found in the encyclical Laudato si’, making use of the numerous

aids that the various offices of the Franciscan Family have published.

“You are three and one... You are beauty” (Praises of God 3-4, FF 261)

Objective

To rediscover the importance of our calling to be in community,

which stems from our being created in the image and likeness of the

Triune God.

Activities

•Create opportunities to meet with other members of the Franciscan

families and fraternities so that we can discover the beautiful and

positive elements they contain and thank God for them.

Celebrating the Canticle of the Creatures (1225-2025)

Our being in Christ

Our being

brothers and sisters

•Identify the activities that deteriorate our bonds with creation, and

aggravate the current ecological crisis, so that we might counter

them responsibly.

•Undertake a decisive journey of integral ecological conversion, en-

abling us to care for our common home, promote and strengthen

the practices of waste reduction, the reuse of materials, recycling,

and the responsible use of water and other resources in our families

and fraternities.

“Creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share

in the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Rm 8:21).

Objective

To b e co m e m o re a w ar e o f o u r e c cl e si al r es po n si b il i ty t o f o s te r h e al i ng

in the relationship between the Creator and His creatures and to re-

store its original harmony.

Activities

•Deepen our awareness that we all share the same home and, there-

fore, we must all care for it.

•Promote initiatives aimed at achieving an inclusive economy, in line

with the Church’s social teaching, as a concrete and alternative re-

sponse to social structures that “discard” people who are not eco-

nomically productive.

•Give more time and visibility to ecclesial groups promoting Justice,

Peace and the Integrity of Creation.

“God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good”

(Gn 1:31).

Objective

To grow in the awareness that the human environment and the nat-

ural environment can protect and enhance each other.

Activities

•Collaborate with all people of goodwill to make our common home

more habitable.

•Promote networking with the various social and religious organi-

zations that share our concern to hear and respond to the cry of the

earth and the poor.

•Foster a culture of dialogue and fraternity to overcome the culture

of profit and waste, through initiatives that involve everyone, with-

out distinction as to language, culture, ethnicity or religion.

Celebrating the Canticle of the Creatures (1225-2025)

Our being

in communion

Our being

in the world

Celebrating the Easter

of Francis of Assisi

1226-2026

Texts

Testament: FF 110-131; Testament of Siena: FF 132-135 (cf. Assisi

Compilation 59, FF 1587); 1 Celano 109, FF 508-514; Major Legend

15, FF 1237-1245; Canticle of the Creatures (final verse) FF 263.

In contemporary society, we rarely think about death, not only be-

cause it reminds us that we are limited creatures, but also because it

exposes the false security we get from believing that we are masters

over time and life. Francis of Assisi, on the other hand, welcomed

Sister Death with song, because he understood that death is not the

termination of everything but the end that allows us to enter into full

communion with God. Indeed, life is a gift that must be given back:

“Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, that He Who gives

Himself totally to you may receive you totally!” (Letter to the Entire

Order 29, FF 221).

At the end of his days, Francis contemplated his life and discovered

the presence and action of the Lord everywhere. Thus, in his Te s t a m e n t

he repeats, like a refrain: “The Lord gave me, Brother Francis... The

Lord gave me such faith in churches... The Lord gave me, and gives

me still, such faith... And after the Lord gave me some brothers, no

one showed me what I had to do, but the Most High Himself revealed

to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel”

(Testament 1-14, FF 110-116). This is the same attitude shown by

Clare of Assisi when she wrote her Testament, in the last days of her

life. In fact, she, too, recognized God as the Divine Giver, to whom

thanks must be given for all the gifts he bestows, especially the gift of

her vocation (cf. Testament of St. Clare 1-2, FF 2823).

The celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Easter of Francis of

Assisi invites us to contemplate our life, both personally and as a

Franciscan Family, with the eyes of faith, and by doing so, perceive

the divine presence and action in everything, even in the difficult and

dramatic situations we have experienced or are experiencing now.

2023

2026

It is an opportunity to thank God for all the gifts he has bestowed on

us, particularly for the gift of Francis of Assisi and his evangelical life,

which has become our charism, articulated in different nuances of

discipleship and apostolate, and which today still has the strength to

call out to women and men of all cultures, both inside and outside

the Catholic Church.

As his passing drew near, Francis said to his brothers: “‘Let us begin,

brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up until now we have done little

or nothing.’ He did not consider that he had already attained his goal,

but tireless in pursuit of holy newness, he constantly hoped to begin

again. He wanted to return to serving lepers” (1 Celano 103, FF 500).

The Easter of Francis of Assisi reminds us that every day is an oppor-

tunity to start fresh, to renew our response to the call of the Lord. He

sends us forth as brothers and sisters to the whole world, to bear wit-

ness to Him in word and deed, so as to draw everyone to the love of

God (cf. Prayer Inspired by the Our Father 5, FF 270).

Finally, celebrating the passing of the Poverello is an occasion to re-

member that we are all called to holiness, and that like Francis, we

are invited to reflect the beauty of the Gospel and of our Franciscan

vocation, because “holiness is the most attractive face of the Church”

(Gaudete et exsultate 9).

“Let us refer all good to the Lord, God Almighty and Most High, ac-

knowledge that every good is His, and thank Him, “from Whom all

good comes, for everything” (Earlier Rule 17: 17, FF 49).

Objective

To recognize God as the Divine Giver, whose many gifts we are to re-

turn with praise and gratitude.

Activities

• Maintain the awareness that our life is a gift to be given back.

•Enlightened by the Te s t a m e n t o f F ra n c i s o f A s s i s i , contemplate our

personal history recognizing God’s action in our lives and thanking

and glorifying Him for it.

•Renew our spirit of gratitude for the gift of our Christian vocation

and for being members of the Franciscan Family.

Celebrating the Easter of Francis of Assisi (1226-2026)

Our being in Christ

“The Lord gave me some brothers”

(Te s t a m e n t 14, FF 116).

Objective

To celebrate the gift of Brother Francis and the gift of fraternity.

Activities

• Organize study days and reflections about Francis of Assisi and

Franciscan spirituality in order to seek, as a fraternity, the most suit-

able ways to embody fraternity today.

•Encourage time for meetings and discussions within the various fra-

ternities, where each person can share the way he or she lives the

Franciscan charism, his or her dreams, difficulties, etc.

• Plan, with the other members of the Franciscan Family, liturgical

events in which we can celebrate the gift of Brother Francis and the

gift of fraternity.

“The Lord gave me such faith in churches”

(Te s t a m e n t 4, FF 111).

Objective

To celebrate the gift of the charism of St. Francis in the Church.

Activities

•Promote awareness of our charism, not only in our communities,

parishes, educational centers, etc., but also in places where the

Franciscan Family is not present.

•Organize, collaborating with other members of our ecclesial com-

munities, meetings, liturgies, etc., to celebrate the gift that St. Francis

represents for the Church.

•Propose Francis of Assisi as a model of holiness and, therefore, of

true humanity, as an aid to help us nurture and bring to bloom the

seeds of humanity that we find in all cultures and in contemporary

society.

“For this reason He has sent you into the whole world: that you may

bear witness to His voice in word and deed”

(Letter to the Entire Order 9, FF 216).

Objective

To support evangelization as an opportunity to generously return the

gifts we have received.

Celebrating the Easter of Francis of Assisi (1226-2026)

Our being

brothers and sisters

Our being

in communion

Our being

in the world

Activities

•Encourage the fraternities to be witnesses of hope and joy through

concrete initiatives of preaching and evangelization.

•Educate ourselves to read the signs of the times wisely, in order to

quickly recognize what creative and novel work the Spirit is doing

among the men and women of our day.

•Make the commitment to be present and to visit, frequently and

willingly, those brothers and sisters who live in the most peripheral

and marginalized places, in order to bring them the joy and salva-

tion of the Gospel.

•Introduce Francis of Assisi and the history of our family to society

by making use of the cultural and artistic heritage present in our

fraternities, churches, museums, etc.

Celebrating the Easter of Francis of Assisi (1226-2026)

CONFERENCE

OF THE FRANCISCAN FAMILY