Spiritual Corner - Special Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi

To commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Leo XIV officially proclaimed 2026 as the “Special Year of St. Francis”. This special period of grace started on January 10, 2026 and will end on January 10, 2027.

In this AI era where falsity and truth can hardly be identified and society is divided and full of violence, the Church invites every faithful to imitate St. Francis’ spiritual poverty, let Christ be our living standard so that we can be constant witnesses of peace. The essence of the spiritual poverty of St. Francis is emptying oneself incessantly, to make room for Christ to dominate over us and guide us in our lives. The “Prayer for Peace of St. Francis” manifests that only when we unite with Christ that we can live out genuine love.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace)

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in this special jubilee year, we only need to meet the specific conditions set down by the Church-----to receive the sacrament of confession, to receive the Holy Eucharist, and pray for the intentions of the Pope-----also go to visit any Franciscan monasteries and churches in the world or make pilgrimages to places dedicated to the veneration of the saint, then we will be granted plenary indulgence.

Your Pastor,
Fr. Francis Chong