FRANCIS OF ASSISI:
LET HIM OUT OF YOUR BIRDBATH!!
October is St Francis of Assisi’s month. He died (Transitus) the evening of October 3, 1226 — exactly 800 years ago! Pope Leo, recognizing the significance of this anniversary, Pope Leo declared 2026 a special “Jubilee Year.” The pope desires not simply to honor the memory of this great saint but to urge every Christian to follow “the example of the Saint of Assisi, and in so doing, become a model of holiness of life and a witness of peace” for our own times. Our reflections in October, then, will focus on Francis, drawing from him the inspiration to follow Christ more closely.