“The celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Easter of Francis of Assisi invites us to contemplate our life both personally and communally with the eyes of faith, and by doing so, perceive the divine presence and action in everything, even in the difficult and dramatic situation we have experienced or are experiencing now.”
[Conference of the Franciscan Family Centenary Guide, 2023-2026]
Join us on this journey of faith, unity, harmony, love, and life.
Wheaton Franciscan Season of Creation PRAYER
Holy One, whose Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning, we gather as part of your community of creation, thirsty for your grace. We give thanks for the gift of water, the veins of our common home, that sustains our kin — the cedar and the whale, the pasture and the city.
We are grateful for the local waters that nourish our homelands and our fellow creatures. We give thanks that in your well-watered garden, every drop is a sacred testament to your love.
Yet, we confess that we have treated this gift as a mere commodity. We have choked the seas with our waste and watched the warming tides rise in judgment. We lament the cracked earth of the drought-stricken and the salty tears of the climate refugee. Melt our frozen hearts, O God, and let the waters of repentance flow.
Giver of all Life, you promised that wherever the river flows, everything shall live. Stir in us a calling to care for the waters — to protect the watershed, defend the rights of water, and honor the dignity of the thirsty. May your Word be a spring within us, gushing forth for the healing of the nations.
May God our Creator who brought water from the rock sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Brother who is Living Water refresh us for the work of restoration. And may the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace and kinship until justice flows like an ever-flowing stream. Amen.
Season of Creation 2026 International Prayer Adapted by the Wheaton Franciscan
“Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. […] Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
Ezekial 47:9,12
2026 Season of Creation Reflections
Each week during Season of Creation, a new reflection will be added to this section.
Happy Season of Creation 2026,
September 1 marks the beginning of the annual ecumenical Season of Creation, which runs through October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of ecology, animals, peace, and families. In 2015, Pope Francis officially embraced the Season to encourage prayer, ecological conversion, and action for our common home.
This year, the Wheaton Franciscans are celebrating the Season of Creation through the lens of the 800th anniversary of the Easter of St. Francis. Through his lifelong conversion, Francis saw God’s presence everywhere and believed creation is a gift—brother and sister, kin.
Our Season of Creation 2026 is guided by three focal themes: “Transformed by Hope: BE Kin,” which reminds us that we are connected and interdependent; Pope Leo’s call to prioritize development and sustainability over violence and destruction; and “Living Water,” drawn from Ezekiel 47:9 and 12, offering a vision of hope and ecological healing.
We invite you to join us in prayer and action for our common home, and for ecological healing rooted in peace and nonviolence. We are kin—and it is only together that we can sow hope and help spread peace throughout God’s kin-dom.
Peace and All Good,
Jeanne Connolly, Covenant Companion
Director of Charism and Mission
What happens when we lift our gaze
By Sharon Niemet, Covenant Companion
My mom loved sharing the story of Father Damian and the lepers with me. The young Belgian priest arrived on Molokai (Hawaii) in 1873 to care for hundreds of abandoned lepers, understanding that he would never leave.
I was both fascinated and horrified at the sacrifice made by Damian. In my child’s mind, I turned the priest into a dashing Hollywood hero–and never tried to visualize the lepers themselves. In other words, I averted my eyes from their immense needs.
Just as St. Francis avoided lepers in his early life, many of us want to sidestep the painful, the mentally ill, the poor, the lost, the “other.” As we walk past an unhoused person, it is tempting to look away and pretend the person isn’t there. Or we distance ourselves from people in need by making generous donations rather than gazing into their faces and having conversations with them. Yes, it is easy to monetize but much harder to empathize.
When we don’t avert our eyes, what might happen? Perhaps our eyes lock for a moment or a small smile appears. Maybe a tentative conversation begins, blooming into real sharing.
As followers of Francis, we are asked to open our hearts to genuine connections with those in need.
And it may all begin with lifting our gaze and saying “hello.”
Reflection questions:
- Who are the “lepers” in your life? Why do you avoid them?
- When have you overcome your fear to reach out to “the other?” How did it feel to connect?
Living Water
By Jeanne Connolly, Covenant Companion
Early stories of St. Francis capture a Spirit-filled time rather than factual history. In the Miracle of the Spring, courage, humility, trust, and gratitude flow like living water, a Spirit desperately needed in our world today.
The simple peasant chose to speak honestly to a widely admired holy man, daring to voice his heart. Unoffended, St. Francis received the advice as a grace, modeling an open heart ready to learn from anyone.
In Christian tradition, water from a rock symbolizes Christ, grace, nourishment, and mercy. Francis trusts God and his prayer is not for recognition, but for nourishing water for his suffering companion. In that freely given gift, gratitude becomes the only faithful response.
Rather than merely imitating the crucified Christ, St. Francis chose to follow in his footsteps. We are also invited, through the ongoing conversion of mind and heart, to step into the Living Water. When we respond with humility, trust, and gratitude, we contribute to a more just and life-giving world for the entire human family and for non-human creation.
Reflection Questions
- Do you feel brave enough to speak honestly to people in power? If not, what grace are you seeking?
- How do you respond when someone gives you advice, particularly if that person is of “lower” status than you?
- What miracles have you experienced today? Did you pause to express gratitude?
- What are 2 or 3 ways you might contribute to a more just and life-giving world?
St. Francis and the Doves
by Sister Barb Nelson, CJ
We know Francis’ love for animals of all kinds, often taming those that were a threat to people, such as the wolf of Gubbio. Francis had a marvelous ability to engage with others, be they people or animals, friend or foe.
When we think of how we relate to others–is it with kindness, care and understanding, with helpfulness and assistance?
The doves certainly didn’t ask Francis for his help; they were doves…. Francis just knew they needed help. So we can ask, “How attuned are we to others’ needs, especially when they can’t speak for themselves, or when they do speak, they aren’t heard?”
The “doves” in our lives might be those who are unhoused, impoverished, lack job opportunities, or are unjustly imprisoned…the worst thing we can do is think, “Let someone else more articulate, more knowledgeable, more helpful, help out with this matter.”
But, in reality, each of us IS the “someone else” … just as Francis was.
Reflection Questions
- How do you become attuned to the needs of others…family, friends, community, and beyond?
- Who are the “doves” in need in your life even if they are not asking for help?
- What is your inclination… to respond like Francis or to let “someone else” do it?
A centuries-old lesson in peacemaking – The Sultan and the Saint
by Sharon Niemet, Covenant Companion
“Francis preferred not to argue. His humility challenged the arrogance of the papal court, and his dedication to peace confronted the violent culture of his day. At a time when the wealthy indulged in falconry, he preached to the birds.”
Paul Moses, The Saint and the Sultan
In 1219 during the Fifth Crusade, St. Francis and Brother Illuminato crossed enemy lines in Egypt to meet Sultan Malik al-Kamil. Captured (and some sources say beaten) by Muslim soldiers, the two ragged friars requested an audience with the Muslim leader.
The Sultan, known for his intellectual curiosity and desire to end the bloodshed, welcomed the men. Francis preached the Gospel message of salvation, and the two engaged in a weeks-long, respectful dialogue about peace and tolerance.
This amazing connection did not come together instantly. Francis tried several times to reach out to the Muslim world and failed. Yet he persevered until his momentous meeting with the Sultan occurred. Such tenacity humbles me because I often want to give up after a first shaky encounter instead of digging deep and trying again. Sometimes no words are needed, just a willingness to listen.
Francis greeted al-Kamil with “May the Lord give you peace.” No demands. No threats. No clever posturing. Just peace. I wonder how many modern conflicts could be avoided with this simple opening?
Though Francis did not convert the Sultan to Christianity as originally intended, the two men found common ground in their faith and desire for peace. Upon returning home, Francis proposed that his friars live peaceably among the followers of Islam. In a world dominated by hostility and impatience on social media, do we have the fortitude to stop, listen, and examine other perspectives?
Francis declined the Sultan’s lavish gifts, accepting only an ivory horn used for the Muslim call to prayer, now displayed at the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Francis used the horn to call people to prayer and to hear him preach, an intriguing way to commemorate his cross-cultural rapport with the Sultan.
More than 800 years ago, the meeting between Francis and Sultan al-Kamil is an enduring example of compassion and how we can accept and even embrace our differences. They gave each other the gift of time and thoughtful listening to begin to understand and appreciate each other. Their daring dialogue and mutual respect give me hope.
Reflection questions:
- How are you called to be an everyday peacemaker?
- How can you keep your heart open, even when others speak ugly words?
- Do you hide behind your age or circumstances to avoid peacemaking opportunities?
Transitus: Passing Over to New Life
by OLA Associate Ami de Rama
Transitus is Latin for “transition or passing over.” It represents more than physical death; it marks the step into eternal life through death’s doorway.
What has a beginning always has an end. From a beating heart to the flow of energy in a plant, the natural cadence of living and dying applies to all life. Recognizing this ebb and flow brings an awareness that every moment holds the mystery of both life and death—every moment is a transitus.
With St. Francis, we hold hope that “Sister Death” is a transition into something far greater than we can fully understand, moving from a spirit housed in a physical body to an eternal, unencumbered state at one with the Source of all.
The Transitus of St. Francis invites us to contemplate our own journey back to Source. While this ultimate transition happens at the end of physical life, we encounter many smaller transitions along the way.
Consider these shifts in your own life:
- What physical strength or function are you letting go of as you age?
- How are you relinquishing outdated beliefs and habits to allow transformation today?
- What transitions are actively occurring in your life right now?
- What still separates you from Source?
2026 Season of Creation Resources
- SeasonofCreation.org
- Event: Franciscan Friends of the Fox River – Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon
- Season of Creation 2026 Letter from Pope Leo XIV
Season of Creation Events
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
International Prayer Service for Creation Day
8 a.m. Chicago / 9 a.m. New York / 6 p.m. Los Angeles / 4 p.m. Nairobi / 9 p.m. Manila – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnho_aeql2w
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Opening Season of Creation Mass — Who Are the Lepers Today?
10:30 a.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Coffee & with special guest from the Coalition of Spiritual and Public Leadership
In Promenade following Mass
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Taizé Prayer Service
7:00 p.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Mass — Living Water, International Solidarity
10:30 a.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Mass — Kinship with all Creation
10:30 a.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
Mass — Peace and Nonviolence
10:30 a.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
Transitus Prayer Service —
The 800th Anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi Passing into New Life
6:30 p.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
Celebratory Mass — Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
10:30 a.m. CT – Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4
Francis Fest!
Continue the 800th anniversary celebration after Mass with a festive afternoon filled with delicious food, inspiring storytelling, and vibrant community spirit.
Our Lady of the Angels Promenade and Auditorium 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.