How to Celebrate the Year of Saint Francis with Your Family

AnneMarie Miller shares simple ways to celebrate the Jubilee Year of Saint Francis as a family.

I opened the front door to see two salesmen standing on my front porch. I opened my mouth to politely (but firmly) tell them I wasn’t interested in what they were selling, when all of a sudden, one of them blurted out:

“I love your Saint Francis Tau cross!”

I froze and my eyes widened. One does not simply hear a door-to-door salesman — in the Bible Belt — talk about a Franciscan Tau cross!

After asking him just how he could possibly know anything about the T-shaped cross that hung around my neck, I mentioned that I’ve been wearing it more often, since it was now the Year of Saint Francis. Then, the two of us — along with his non-Catholic supervisor who stood nearby — had a lengthy conversation about the saints and the Catholic faith.

This experience was a great way to begin the Year of Saint Francis.

null

What’s the Year of Saint Francis?

At the beginning of this year, Pope Leo XIV announced that from January 10 2026 until January 10 2027, we would celebrate the Year of St. Francis. According to the official declaration, during this special time,

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.

The official decree states that we may receive an indulgence (making sure we fulfill the usual conditions) by making a pilgrimage to a Franciscan conventual church or “any place of worship anywhere in the world dedicated to Saint Francis.”

This year is a time of tremendous grace and mercy, and it’s a fantastic time to more fully unite ourselves with Jesus as we consider Saint Francis of Assisi, who closely imitated Christ.

Make a Pilgrimage

As a longtime devotee of Saint Francis of Assisi — I still happily think about the time I got to hold a first-class relic of this great saint when I received the Sacrament of Confirmation and took him as a patron — I was thrilled when Pope Leo established this special Franciscan year.

The main way we can celebrate this Year of Saint Francis is by embarking on a pilgrimage. While some people will travel to Italy to visit Assisi, international travel isn’t feasible for many people at this time. Thankfully, we can visit any church or chapel dedicated to Saint Francis. The Secular Franciscans have a database of churches operated by Franciscans on their website, which is a great place to start looking for a pilgrimage site. A quick internet search can also reveal churches dedicated to Saint Francis within each diocese. Making a prayerful pilgrimage as a family can take work and energy, but I’ve found this experience to be fruitful.

null

How Else Can We Celebrate with our Kids?

Regardless of whether or not we can make a Franciscan pilgrimage, we can spend the next several months immersing ourselves in the life and legacy of Saint Francis. This great saint can teach us how to follow Christ and experience His joy. There are many ways we can celebrate Saint Francis with our kids.

Here are a few ideas to help you brainstorm:

Share Stories from Saint Francis’ Life

Pick up a copy of The Little Flowers of Saint Francis or a similar book and retell the stories to your kids in age-appropriate ways. In my diocese, there is a church with stained glass windows that depict the life of Saint Francis of Assisi; my young kids and I have done “Saint Francis walks” as we move from window to window and ponder the event that is depicted.

Pray with Saint Francis’ Words

Many people are familiar with the popular “Prayer of Saint Francis” that asks God to make us channels of His peace. Although this prayer is beautiful, Saint Francis did not write it. During this Year of Saint Francis, we can take the opportunity to explore prayers that Saint Francis of Assisi actually composed, such as “The Canticle of the Sun” or the “Prayer before the Crucifix.” We can also ponder what he wrote about the liturgy and the Eucharist, which I discussed in Loving the Liturgy with St. Francis.

Celebrate Franciscan Feast Days

Not only can we celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis on October 4, but there are other prominent Franciscan days that we can celebrate with our kids. For example, we can celebrate the Feast of the Stigmata of Saint Francis on September 17 and share with our kids about how Jesus granted the special gift of His wounds to this saint. We can also celebrate the Transitus on October 3, which is a prayer service that recounts the death of Saint Francis. Last year, my kids and I prayed a Transitus service at home and then ate almond cookies in honor of Saint Francis’ request for his favorite cookies toward the end of his life.

null

No matter how we celebrate this great saint, let’s always remember to ask his intercession as we grow closer to God. Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

What other ways can we celebrate the Year of St. Francis?

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

How to Celebrate the Year of Saint Francis with Your Family

What’s the Year of Saint Francis?

Make a Pilgrimage