A month to pause,walk gently, rediscover what truly matters
A month to pause,walk gently, rediscover what truly matters
A month to pause,walk gently, rediscover what truly matters
Welcome to Franciscan Month
Every October, we renew our commitment to introduce and share the Franciscan Way to a world in need of this Way of life
Five Weeks of Living the Gospel
Each week of October is anchored by a theme drawn from the Franciscan tradition — an invitation to reflect, act, and grow .
week i • oct. 1-7
Meeting St. Francis and St. Clare
We begin at the beginning — with the people themselves. Who were Francis and Clare? What drove them to walk away from comfort and toward something radical? This week we encounter them not as statues or icons, but as real human beings who chose a different way.
week ii • oct. 8-14
Opening Our Hearts to God's Love
Francis' entire life was a response to being loved. This week we slow down and open ourselves — to prayer, to silence, to the experience of being known and held. The Franciscan way begins not with doing, but with receiving.
week iii • oct. 15-21
Caring for the Earth, Our Sacred Home
Francis called the sun his brother and the moon his sister. His Canticle of the Creatures is one of the earliest and most beautiful expressions of care for creation. This week we explore what it means to live in right relationship with the earth — and with each other.
week iv • oct. 22-28
Living the Gospel Through Compassion
Francis kissed the leper. Clare stood at the window with a monstrance and turned away an army. Compassion in the Franciscan tradition is not sentimental — it is demanding, courageous, and transformative. This week we ask how we are called to go toward what is difficult.
week v • oct. 29-31
Living Simply with God: Purpose and Service
We close the month where Francis would have us: in simplicity, in service, and in joy. Not the simplicity of deprivation, but the freedom that comes from wanting less and loving more. What does it mean to live with purpose — and to carry that into every ordinary day of the year?
Building a World of Kinship
The thread running through all five weeks is the vision of a world of kinship — recognizing our connectedness within our common home. One family in solidarity and community, fraternitas, and harmony in the spirit of Francis and Clare. This is not merely a theme for October. It is an invitation to a way of life.