Jubilee Year of Saint Francis
The Year of St Francis 2026-2027“Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
―
This year, the Church is marking a Year of St Francis of Assisi. It has been announced by Pope Leo XIV as part of the Franciscan Jubilee, which remembers eight hundred years since the death of St Francis. The year invites Catholic communities to look again at how St Francis lived the Gospel through simplicity, peace, and love for others.
Pope Leo XIV writes:
“May the example and spiritual legacy of Saint Francis, strong in faith, steadfast in hope and ardent in active charity towards his neighbour, inspire in everyone the importance of trusting in the Lord, of living a life faithful to the Gospel, and of accepting and illuminating every circumstance and action of life with faith and prayer.”
As a Catholic school community, we are responding to this invitation by placing the Year of St Francis at the heart of our shared life. Throughout the year, our children will be encouraged to reflect on how their faith shapes the way they live, the choices they make, and the way they treat others.
During this Jubilee year, our school is working towards achieving the CAFOD Live Simply Award. This award supports our community to live out Gospel values in practical ways, helping us to live more simply, to care responsibly for God’s creation, and to stand in solidarity with people who experience poverty or injustice.
This work is rooted in the Church’s teaching, including Laudato Si’, which reminds us that caring for our common home is an important part of our Christian calling. Through the Live Simply Award, children are supported to understand that faith is lived not only through prayer and learning, but also through everyday actions.
As a school and wider community, we are invited to think carefully about how we live and to choose ways of life that are:
- Simple, focusing on what truly matters
- Sustainable, caring for God’s world
- In solidarity, standing alongside others with compassion and justice
By focusing on the Live Simply Award during the Year of St Francis, our school is committed to living out the values of simplicity, sustainability, and solidarity. We are encouraging our children to reflect on their choices and actions, and to consider how they can live in a way that cares for creation and stands with those in need. This is an opportunity for us all to grow in faith and to follow the example of St Francis as we build a more compassionate and just community.