October 4, 2026 Essay: Freedom of Heart
Pope Leo declared this year, from January 10, 2026, until January 10, 2027, to be the Special Year of St. Francis of Assisi. This extraordinary jubilee commemorates the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi on October 3, 1226.
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (1181-3 October 1226), known as St. Francis of Assisi, was born into a wealthy Italian family and was inspired towards a life of simplicity, poverty, love of humanity and animals. St. Francis is the patron saint of Italy and Ecology. He followed the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel and placed God and neighbor above material possessions. St. Francis teaches us that freedom of heart is cultivated from detachment of material goods.
How might we detach ourselves from consumerism this year to commemorate St. Francis extraordinary life and begin to cultivate freedom of heart? How might we encounter Christ in ordinary ways through humility and mercy towards our neighbors, our Earth, and all God’s creatures?
In this passage from Philippians 4:6-9, the teachings of Jesus remind us to be true, pure, just, and honorable.
“…whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.”
St. Francis of Assisi’s life exemplified these words from Jesus. St. Francis was born into a wealthy family in Assisi and gave it all up to live a life of simplicity. He lived a true, honorable, just, and pure life pure as he founded the Franciscan Order. He encourages us to live a life a humility, mercy, and devotion in ordinary ways to encounter Jesus.
As the patron saint of Ecology and of animals, today, we can still learn the ways of being good stewards of God’s creation from St. Francis. The Earth’s ecosystem is facing rapid transformation driven by rising global temperatures, human land use, and shifting weather patterns. Presently the earth is demonstrating warming and melting poles. Rapid loss of glaciers and sea ice is due to the Arctic warming twice as fast as the global average. The devastating flood in Nepal is a prime example of the shift. Heightened heatwaves across the United States and Europe this summer, prolonged droughts in the West and Midwest United States resulting in depleted rivers, and heavy rainfalls and snowfalls fuel an increase in frequent and destructive wildfires globally. This past summer Spain and France experienced wildfires that wreaked havoc. Deforestation, soil erosion, and stored carbon released as methane amplify critical shifts in our climate.
The time is here for us to follow in St. Francis’ footsteps to be good stewards of the ecology, animals, and all humanity. Individual actions are important, such as recycling, composting, using mass transportation, reducing the use of plastics and electricity. However, we must also act together. Collectively we are responsible to care for creation and be good stewards of God’s creation. Neighborhood, park and river clean ups are ways we can come together in solidarity to care for our common home.
We are facing the crossroads of a critical period in history. Not only are we individually charged with being good stewards of our common home. Corporations and the people we vote into political office are obliged to be collaborators with us in moving towards ecological justice. As we encounter upcoming elections, we must discern the candidates who align with these teachings of Jesus: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure.”
Let us also remember the way St. Francis taught us to live and become detached from material goods so we may cultivate freedom of heart and live in God’s peace.
– Jean Santopatre, Pastoral Associate