When Fr. Dan Gurnick thinks about St. Francis of Assisi, he doesn’t think of birds, flowers or sentimental images of the beloved saint. 

He begins with Christ. 

“Francis was very Christ-centred,” said Gurnick, a Franciscan friar and pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Richmond, B.C. After St. Francis’ conversion, he saw “the crucified Christ in lepers,” and even in creation. “It’s more than just seeing trees, it’s seeing Christ in the trees.” 

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That vision is now shaping local observances of the Jubilee Year dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. 

The jubilee year runs from Jan. 10, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027, and offers the faithful the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence by making a pilgrimage to churches dedicated to St. Francis or served by Franciscan communities. 

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In the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Archbishop Richard Smith has highlighted three parishes for coordinated observances: St. Francis of Assisi in East Vancouver, which bears the saint’s name, and two parishes served by Franciscan friars — St. Joseph the Worker in Richmond and Immaculate Conception in Vancouver. 

In a pastoral letter, Smith called the jubilee “a time of grace” and reminded the Church that renewal begins with conversion to Christ. 

“Every renewal begins with a renewed encounter with Jesus Christ,” he wrote. “A pilgrimage is a meaningful act of faith. It is a step away from routine and an intentional journey toward the Lord.”

Smith said the jubilee is especially timely as the archdiocese enters “our own time of renewal,” including in parishes and schools, infrastructure stewardship, clergy support and the celebration of the liturgy.

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Pope Leo XIV has framed the year as a response to a divided world. In a letter to Franciscan leaders, he said St. Francis continues to speak “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear,” because his life points to “the authentic source of peace.” 

The Pope added that Francis reminds the Church that “peace with God, peace among people and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”