Franciscan Federation

08/06/2026

People are longing for connection and community. The Piazza is a new digital gathering place for anyone drawn to the Franciscan way of life. Join us for the launch on June 16.

We will be sharing more information throughout the week so you can get a feel for what the Piazza is all about. You can also visit our landing page for details and the registration link for the public launch: https://franfed.org/welcome-to-the-piazza/

If this sounds like something a friend or someone in your community would enjoy, feel free to share this post and invite them to the launch. All are welcome!

08/06/2026

TONIGHT — June 8 at 4pm PT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET

We hope you can join us for this month's Franciscan Connection Circle. We'll begin with prayer and meditation, then reflect together on this month's theme: Grace That Moves Us Toward Each Other.

All are welcome!

👉 Register here: http://bit.ly/4xhJ3VD

03/06/2026

Pope Leo's powerful new encyclical invites each of us into a conversation about how to be most fully human in a world where AI is growing at an unchecked rate, elite and non-state actors control data, and the common good is not prioritized. Join us on Tuesday, June 9th at 7:30 pm ET for this important webinar as we consider deeper questions about our relationship with God, each other, creation, and technology. We will offer live Spanish interpretation and the recording will be shared with all who register.

Register to attend at bit.ly/MagHumWeb - you won't want to miss this one!

02/06/2026

The Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University is now welcoming registrations for the 2026 Padua Program, a year‑long formation experience for leaders in Franciscan institutions and ministries.

Padua begins with an in‑person workshop on campus July 8–11, followed by ten monthly online seminars. Participants explore the spirituality of Saints Francis and Clare and learn practical approaches to mission‑based leadership in today’s organizations. Now entering its eighth cohort, the program has supported leaders across education, health care, social services, and retreat ministry.

Cohort VIII will gather in the newly renovated Francis Hall, with housing and meals included in the registration fee.

Registration is open for the 2026 Padua Program.

Click here to learn more and register:

The Padua Program is a training program in Franciscan mission-based leadership offered by the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University.

01/06/2026

30/05/2026

We hope you can join us Monday afternoon for this gathering as we explore the spirituality of place and how a pilgrimage lens can awaken a deeper sense of connection to God, to creation, and to one another.

Walking Together in the Spirit of Francis and Clare Encountering the Sacred Through the Spirituality of Place Join us for a reflective online gathering with Mary Beth Wisniewski from Franciscan… Continue Reading Walking Together in the Spirit of Francis and Clare (Online)

28/05/2026

Honoring the Sisters of St Francis of Assisi on their Foundation Day! It's fun to think about all the ripple effects their faith, service, and Franciscan spirit have created in the last 175+ years ✨

28/05/2026

There is still time to register for tonight’s webinar with Sr. Joan Brown, OSF, who opens our new series with reflections on creation, extractivism, and the spiritual work of ecological healing.

Join us tonight at 4pm PT/7pm ET.

Click here to register: http://bit.ly/FrancisWeb1

In celebration of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, we are co-hosting a four part webinar series with the Franciscan Federation’s Intergenerational Eco-Justice and Spirituality Network, Franciscan Action Network (FAN), and the Interfaith Public Health Network. This series will explore how Franciscan eco-spirituality can meet this moment with clarity, courage, and hope.

In the opening webinar next week Thursday, May 28 at 7pm ET, Sr. Joan Brown, OSF will explore extractivism, integral ecology, and the spiritual worldview needed for this moment. Register and learn more at bit.ly/FrancisWeb1

28/05/2026

FAN, along with dozens of Franciscans and the Franciscan Federation, expressed our gratitude for the pope's leadership and moral courage in defending peace, human dignity, migrants and families, the poor, and the sanctity of every human life, after Pope Leo received criticism for his leadership. The letter was signed by 22 bishops, members of the clergy, sisters, theologians, and leaders from Hope Border Institute, Network Lobby, Catholic Volunteer Network, Catholic Climate Covenant, Ignatian Solidarity Network, Africa Faith & Justice Network, Catholic Labor Network, Pax Christi USA, Catholic Mobilizing Network, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, and more, along with hundreds of others.
You can read the letter and see all the signatories here: https://millennialjournal.com/2026/05/22/hundreds-of-catholic-leaders-express-support-for-pope-after-criticism-from-trump/

via the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

26/05/2026

Here are 50 quotes from Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical Magnifica humanitas: “Babel thus reveals the limits of any effort that, however grandiose, arises from self-affirmation, sacrifices human…