Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

May Jesus and Mary be in your souls.

As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter Sunday, be assured of my gratitude for all that you are doing and will do over the next month to prepare the People of God for the solemn celebrations of Holy Week.

As some of you may know, following the conclusion of the Ordinary Jubilee Year of 2025, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV established a special Jubilee Year of St. Francis, beginning on 10 January 2026 and concluding on 10 January 2027 to commemorate the 8th centenary of his birth into eternal life (dies natalis). We pray that this will be a time of abounding blessings in which “we are all called to become saints in the contemporary world, following the example of the Seraphic Patriarch.” (see Decree)

I would like to draw your attention to a number of important initiatives offered to help us reflect and pray more deeply this special Jubilee Year of St. Francis.

1. Jubilee Decree: This document can be accessed here.
   
   
2. Resources from the Order of Friars Minor: Celebrating the Easter of Francis of Assisi 1226-2026 - Frati Francescani
   
   
3. Official / Main website for the Year of St. Francis: Centenari Francescani
   
   
4. Pilgrimage Churches – as per the Decree by the Apostolic Penitentiary, I have identified in the Archdiocese of Toronto a number of sacred places of worship which are either named after St. Francis of Assisi or are currently ministered by Franciscans. These locations are as follows:
   
   
   • Northern Region
     • St. Francis Centre, Orangeville
     • St. Francis of Assisi Mission, Washago
     • St. Peter's Parish, Woodbridge
       
       
   • Central Region
     • Immaculate Conception, Toronto
     • St. Bonaventure, Toronto
     • St. Francis of Assisi, Toronto
       
       
   • Western Region
     • Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Toronto
     • St. Francis of Assisi, Mississauga
     • St. Jane Frances, North York
     • St. Philip Neri, North York
       
       
5. While there are no official planned programming activities from the archdiocese per se, shortly, we will encourage Catholics to visit pilgrimage parishes and the St. Francis Centre where they will:

“spend at least some reasonable period of time in pious meditation and raise prayers to God so that following the example of Saint Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbours and authentic vows of harmony and peace among peoples may spring forth in their hearts, concluding with the Our Father, the Creed and invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Clare and all the Saints of the Franciscan Family.” (from the Decree)

Let us take full advantage of the opportunity presented with this special Holy Year to evangelize, pray and celebrate with the faithful of the archdiocese following the powerful example of the Poverello of Assisi.

Once again, be assured of my gratitude for all that you do to strengthen our faith community. May the joy of Lent as we anticipate Easter be with you and each member of your parish family during this most holy and beautiful time of year.

Yours sincerely in Jesus with Mary,

Frank Cardinal Leo
Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto