A Message for the Franciscan Jubilee Year 2026

Pope Francis unexpectedly chose his papal name after St. Francis of Assisi, making the Poverello the inspiration and torchbearer of his remarkable pontificate. His encyclical Laudato Si’ (2015) and Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum (2023) both drew their central theme from the life of St. Francis, the patron saint of ecology. Declaring 2026 a Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ passing, the universal Church honours a legacy whose impact on the Church and the world remains profoundly alive even after eight centuries.
For us, the Third Order Regular Franciscans, this year-long Jubilee is a sacred gift—a time to cherish our tradition, render thanks to the Lord for abundant graces, revisit our spirituality, and reaffirm our commitment to serve the Church in her pastoral and missionary calling.
The penitential movement was the greatest gift St. Francis bestowed upon the ordinary faithful of his time. While inspiring countless men and women to follow Christ in radical poverty through religious vows, Francis called the entire Church toward radical conversion—a path of the Gospel rejecting the lures of the world. The Third Order Regular traces its origins directly to this penitential movement, holding the spirituality of Gospel conversion (metanoia) at the core of our identity. This Jubilee invites every friar to be renewed in our original charism so that, being inspired ourselves, we may become beacons of inspiration to all.
The Province of St. Francis at Ranchi is a beautiful gift of God to our Order and the broader Church, rooted at the heart of a vibrant, growing community rich in religious vocations. Our presence here in Chotanagpur and other regions among the tribal faithful is nothing short of a miracle of Divine Providence. Our call remains clear: to serve through pastoral, educational, and social ministries in the true Franciscan spirit, bringing renewed zeal and fervour to every place where we are sent.
This Jubilee is also an urgent invitation to be stewards of hope for our fragile earth. Recognizing the grave environmental crisis threatening our common home, we must utilize every means at our disposal to advocate for creation. This demands adapting our own lifestyles toward greater simplicity and inspiring others to do the same. In the face of ecological destruction, no effort is too small, and every friar is called to be a responsible, enlightened guardian of nature.
Finally, this Jubilee is a sacred moment for each friar to renew his personal commitment to the Lord. It is an occasion to revisit our first love and be re-energized by the evangelical fervor that St. Francis embodied. Without a deep Gospel foundation and genuine spiritual commitment, we risk becoming mere administrative functionaries rather than true instruments in God’s hands producing lasting fruit.
May God bless us abundantly during this Jubilee Year, especially as we celebrate the Feast of our Seraphic Father, St. Francis, on October 4.