Editor: Bishop Garcia, this year the church is celebrating the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis of Assisi. Will you begin by telling us a little more about the saint?

Bishop Garcia: St. Francis of Assisi was a man of deep faith and was inspired by God to offer great love and charity to those in need. He grew up in a very wealthy family and enjoyed a life of privilege, but as a young man he had an encounter with a leper that changed his life. There are many wonderful stories that depict the life of St. Francis, specifically how he was willing to give up everything, even the clothes on his back for those in need. It is said that he traveled through fields and towns inviting the people to love Jesus Christ more.

He was also a man of great peace. As Pope Leo XIV wrote earlier this year, “The Franciscan vision of peace is not limited to the relations between human beings, but also embraces the whole of creation. Francis, who calls the sun ‘brother’ and the moon ‘sister,’ who recognizes in every creature a reflection of divine beauty, reminds us that peace must be extended to the entire family of Creation.”

Editor: How is the church honoring this anniversary?

Bishop Garcia: The Holy Father has asked bishops to acknowledge the 800th anniversary of St. Francis so that “every faithful Christian, following the example of the Saint of Assisi, shall become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.” In the Diocese of Austin, now through Jan. 10, 2027, three parishes serve as places of pilgrimage where people can pray and invoke the intercession of St. Francis and his counterpart St. Clare and earn a plenary indulgence (see box for details). I am hopeful that on the feast of St. Francis, which is Oct. 4, our three parishes with St. Francis connections will have special celebrations honoring him. More information will be forthcoming.

Editor: What is a plenary indulgence?

Bishop Garcia: Foundationally, as Catholic Christians, we believe in and we trust in the mercy of God. A plenary indulgence frees us from the temporal punishment caused by our sins. So with sincere hearts, we have this opportunity to travel to one of these parishes, detach ourselves from sin, spend time in prayer, receive the sacraments of reconciliation and Eucharist, and then receive a plenary indulgence. Thus, should we die that day or soon thereafter, our soul would not enter purgatory but hopefully immediately enter heaven clothed in holiness. We can also offer a plenary indulgence for a loved one who has died.

Editor: St. Francis prayed God would make him a channel of his peace. Given the brokenness of our world, how can we be people of peace?

Bishop Garcia: Pope Leo XIV has been calling us to peace since the moment he stepped onto the loggia last year. In his recent message for the World Day of Peace, he encourages us to open ourselves to peace. “Let us welcome it and recognize it, rather than believing it to be impossible and beyond our reach.… Just as on the evening of Easter Jesus entered the place where his disciples were gathered in fear and discouragement, so too the peace of the risen Christ continues to pass through doors and barriers in the voices and faces of his witnesses. This gift enables us to remember goodness, to recognize it as victorious, to choose it again, and to do so together.”

There are times when we disagree with our loved ones or with our neighbors, but we can agree to disagree and still live in peace. As St. Francis would say, where there is hatred, let us sow love. We are called to be peacemakers just as our Lord and Savior brought peace to all he encountered.

Editor: What is your prayer for us as we celebrate this year of St. Francis?

Bishop Garcia: I give thanks to God for this opportunity to honor this wonderful saint who has transformed the church in many ways. I pray that St. Francis will continue to inspire us to be a people of peace. May he also inspire us to care for all creation and to reach out to those in need with love and compassion. St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us. Amen.

Plenary indulgences for the Year of St. Francis

To receive a plenary indulgence, with a sincere heart one must:

1. Detach from all sin, even venial sin.
2. Travel to one of the pilgrimage sites
   • St. Francis on the Brazos Parish in Waco (stfrancistorwaco.org)
   • Cristo Rey Parish in Austin (http://austincristorey.org)
   • St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Franklin (stfrancisofassisiparish.org)
3. Receive the sacrament of confession (within a few days of the pilgrimage)
4. Receive holy Communion (within a few days of the pilgrimage)
5. Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and the intercession of St. Francis

The homebound are invited to join spiritually in the celebrations of the Year of St. Francis by offering their prayers and sufferings to God. They can also receive a plenary indulgence provided they are detached from any sin and intend to fulfill the conditions of sacramental confession, holy Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father and to St. Francis as soon as possible.