RESOURCES

• Letter from Cardinal Gugerotti
• A summary of the works of the Custody of the Holy Land
• Watch video "Good Friday collection for the Holy Land is a concrete sign of communion and hope"

 We are all vulnerable, and every person, especially at a time of particular vulnerability, deserves to be met with a look of love that says, “It’s good you exist.” 
 
As the Bishops of Alberta have written in their Pastoral Letter on Bill 18:
Every human life has inherent dignity and worth. Thus, the defense of life is called for where vulnerability—arising from illness, disability, isolation, or poverty—may negatively impact the person’s decision-making.
 
Despite the federal government designating MAID an exception to homicide, euthanasia remains a form of intentional killing to which no person or demographic should be subjected. 
 
The Alberta framework will: 

• Prohibit euthanasia in cases where the person is unlikely to die naturally within the year
• Prohibit doctors and nurses from referring their patients for euthanasia out of province
• Proactively prohibit euthanasia for: 
  • those under age 18
  • those whose sole medical condition is a mental illness
  • those without the capacity to make their own health-care decisions
  • those unable to give contemporaneous consent 
• Restrict medical professionals from bringing up euthanasia unsolicited
• Prevent the advertising of euthanasia in health care facilities  
• Strengthen conscience protections for those unwilling to be involved in euthanasia 
• Protect the ability for institutions to provide MAID-free spaces to patients 

 
This legislation was devised in response to real cases that demonstrated the need for better oversight and stronger protections of life. For example, in January 2024, a 27-year-old woman from Calgary was approved for euthanasia on the basis of autism and ADHD, despite her parents insisting that she had undiagnosed mental health challenges. In October 2024, a psychiatric patient who was not approved for euthanasia in Alberta sought euthanasia in British Columbia. And, in July 2024, the story of a 56-year-old Albertan living with cerebral palsy made international headlines when she reported having been told by a nurse that she was “selfish” for living and advised to “consider MAID.”
 
The Alberta framework would cover the above cases. While incremental, it deserves to be celebrated because it is a step toward a just law which would be a total prohibition on assisting suicide. 
 
At the same time, legal restrictions are not enough. We are responsible for ensuring that we actually have something better to propose than death to those who are struggling.
 
As disability scholar Dr. Heidi Janz put it: “It is hypocritical to claim to be pro-life and yet have no qualms about making people’s lives unliveable.”
 
In their letter, the Bishops say: We encourage all the faithful to remain informed, engaged, and prayerful, and to continue fostering a culture of life in which every person is cherished, accompanied, and supported. If you are moved to act, please consider reaching out to your local MLA and encouraging them to support this bill, as well as the additional supports for the vulnerable.
 
The Church is at the forefront of the defense of human dignity and human life. Thank you for your engagement on this issue, not only politically, but also in your everyday reality as you seek to bear the light of Christ, comforting the afflicted and bringing hope to those in despair. ​

Written by Amanda Achtman for Faithfully. Amanda Achtman is the founder of the Dying to Meet You Project and serves as the Ethics Director of Canadian Physicians for Life. Photos courtesy of Amanda Achtman.

I have known St. Mary’s University (StMU) in many ways.

I was once a student. One of my daughters is now a student. My brother-in-law began his academic career at St. Mary’s. My father-in-law was one of the founding visionaries who helped bring StMU to life.

My most important role, however, is this: I am a friend and a prayer warrior for the vision of St. Mary’s University: to become the preeminent Catholic university in Canada. 

If you have spent any time with me, I have probably asked you to pray for St. Mary’s. If I have not asked you personally, I am asking you now.  I mean it. Every vision that is meant to last must first be sustained spiritually.

About three years ago, at the desire of my dear friend Dr. Sinda Vanderpool, with a little prompting by the Holy Spirit, and with the help of beloved friends, the St. Mary’s Prayer Guild was founded. We were just four people. Four friends who believed that if this university was going to grow, not just physically, but spiritually, it would need prayer behind it. We understood that if God was building something, we wanted to be on our knees while He did it. So we picked up the little stones of the rosary and prayed.

Today, we are over 150 members strong. That is how God’s math works. We start small. He multiplies. What began as four friends praying allowed us to step forward and serve as the Ruby Sponsor for the 2026 St. Mary’s University President’s Gala. Prayer became action. Faith became movement.

That is not our work; it is His. This is the pattern we see again and again in the life of the Church. It is the pattern we see in St. Francis of Assisi. This year, Pope Leo proclaimed a Jubilee Year of St. Francis. St. Francis was a normal man going about his business, fighting in wars, enjoying parties, and seeking wealth. Rumour has it that he was a flirt, a very dynamic character, then something stopped him, the Lord’s call:

 “Francis, rebuild my Church.”

Of course, he thought God meant a physical church building. So he picked up a stone, carried it to the top of the hill, placed it by the little decrepit chapel where he was praying, and then another. Before long, others began picking up stones, too.

What Francis did not yet understand was that God was rebuilding something far greater than a crumbling stone chapel. God was rebuilding hearts. He was restoring faith. He was renewing His Church for generations to come. Millions have drawn closer to Christ because one ordinary man bent down and picked up a stone. 

Forty years ago, a group of laypeople had a vision for a Catholic university. They too heard a call, perhaps not in the ruins of a little chapel, but in the needs of our own community of Calgary. They began taking action. They picked up stones: raising funds, forming plans, sacrificing time, and believing that Catholic education matters.

Here we are today. We can be a part of that same action: where classrooms become places where faith seeks understanding, where student housing becomes a place where vocations are discerned, where a gymnasium becomes a place where virtue and character are formed, where gathering spaces are places where lifelong conversions begin.
In God's economy, physical growth can equal spiritual growth. 

When we invest in St. Mary’s University's growth, we are not simply expanding spaces. We are investing in the formation of the whole person. We are shaping leaders. We are strengthening families and our community. We are forming saints.
St. Francis did not know, when he picked up his first stone, that eight centuries later the world would still speak his name. He simply responded in faith.  Stone by stone.  Yes by yes.

Our efforts to support St. Mary’s may feel practical, even ordinary. But in God’s hands, they can be profoundly transformative for this community and for generations of students: our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

May our work help build not only a stronger university but also a stronger Catholic community—one stone at a time. 
Yet here is the truth: stones do not move unless someone bends down to lift them.

The Diocese of Calgary has one Catholic university. One place where our students can pursue excellence without leaving their faith at the door. That is not something to take for granted.

Right now, before us, are stones that will shape the future of this university. This work is the foundation of the next forty years.

The next forty years of St. Mary’s will not be built by good intentions. It will be built by courage. By generosity. By prayer. By people who decide that Catholic education in Calgary matters enough to sacrifice for it.

I invite you, no, I challenge you, to pick up a stone. 

​St. Mary's Prayer Guild is an individual commitment to pray for the intentions of St. Mary's University each week. If you would like to join us, please email Kimberly at [email protected] to receive a prayer booklet and the current prayer needs of StMU.

Written by Kimberly Cichon for Faithfully. 

“I did not think of God today until I saw you.”
​
A man crossing my path to the recycling blue bins here in Calgary said this to me. It really touched my heart, and I was grateful to God for my vocation to the Religious life that drew someone to think of God.

I suspect that other Religious Sisters, Brothers, and Priests have comparable stories to tell of brief encounters with someone who is touched by the sight of a Religious. I know that the Friars Minor in their brown habits have been repeatedly asked if they are Jedi Knights who, if you know the stories of Star Wars, are the selfless defenders of what is right and good in the galaxy. I think that the Friars fit that description quite well.

Often my students in high school told me that I was the only Religious Sister that they had ever met. Happily, some students told me that they had had a Sister teach them in elementary school. I was glad to hear that I was not the only example they had because there are many different communities of Religious, each with its own charism and mission in the Church.

Charisms are the gift of the Holy Spirit to the founder of the community and to all those who subsequently follow Jesus in the same spirituality. This gives the community its particular way of living the Gospel, such as Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit, Marian, Carmelite, Benedictine, Precious Blood, etc..

Once someone senses the call of the Lord to give oneself totally for Him in the Religious life, a further discernment is needed to identify which of the spiritualities in the Church attracts that person. Identifying one’s own charism enables one to discern to which community the Lord is calling. There is a sense of deep resonance between the individual and the community, something that can be hard to put into words, but yet is very real. This is because the community and the individual share the same charism from the Holy Spirit.

Frequently I have conversations with people in the grocery store, people that I am meeting for the first time or ones that I see often when I go to shop. They speak to me of their concerns with their lives and ask me for prayers. Some share openly of their faith in Christ simply because they know that they are talking to someone who also believes. Think about how beneficial it would be to have ten times more Religious around us!

People seem to know instinctively that there is something special in their midst when they encounter a Religious man or woman. In Vita Consecrata, Pope St. John Paul II wrote:

Written by Sr. Dianne Turner, OSE - Associate Director for Office of Vocations - Consecrated Life. Call 403-218-5500 or email Sr. Dianne at [email protected]

On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Bishop William McGrattan reflected on the living presence of the saints and the quiet, faithful role of St. Joseph in God’s plan of salvation.

“The communion of saints… are not historical, but they are present spiritually and active,” he said, reminding the faithful that the saints continue to accompany the Church today. He added that churches named after saints are “not only to be an inspiration, but to be a source of intercession,” especially as the Diocese continues its path of Pastoral Renewal.

Reflecting on St. Joseph, Bishop McGrattan pointed to the breadth of his patronage: the Universal Church, Canada, the poor, workers, refugees, fathers, and those who are dying. “We always pray to St. Joseph for a peaceful and holy death,” he said, noting the continued relevance of this devotion today. 

Turning to the readings, Bishop McGrattan reflected on God’s promise to David as a prefiguration of Joseph’s role.
“We all come from a certain lineage,” he said, pointing to the human dimension of faith rooted in relationships. “That familial relationship is so important… that human dimension that allows God’s grace to work in our lives and in our parishes.”

He noted that in a world marked by division and discord, the Church has a responsibility to witness to unity: “The Church has the important role of being the protector of salvation… allowing the gift of God’s unity to reign in our communities and in our parishes.” This is reflected in St. Joseph, who “built the family and the house of Nazareth, a house in which Christ dwelt for 30 years.”

Though little is recorded in Scripture, Joseph’s role is unmistakable: “It’s not recorded in words, but it is recorded in his actions.”

Faithful, dutiful, and docile

In the Gospel, Joseph faces uncertainty and difficulty, yet responds with openness to God’s will. He “was open and docile to the will of God, even though he didn’t understand what that would entail in terms of the future.”

This trust, Bishop McGrattan noted, is rooted in grace: “Salvation comes through the grace of God.”

Speaking to those involved in Parish Renewal, he acknowledged the challenges many have experienced.
“You… may have possibly been like Saint Joseph at times, faced with adversity, obstacles and even conflicts and misunderstanding.” Yet he encouraged the faithful to continue with trust: “We may not see the completion of the renewal… but that we can have that confidence of trust and docility.”

Like St. Joseph, the faithful are entrusted with a mission: “He was called to this role… of being a protector and a guardian of salvation.” And so too: “You have to be… the protector and guardian and the promoter of the renewal in our diocese.”

The homily concluded with a simple but clear invitation: to imitate St. Joseph’s quiet fidelity. Not dramatic, not visible, but steady and rooted in trust. “Saint Joseph teaches us to be faithful, dutiful, and docile to the will of God.”

As the Church continues its path of Renewal, Bishop McGrattan invited all to turn to St. Joseph, to ask for his intercession and to learn from his example of humble, courageous faith.

Photography: Bandi Szakony for the Diocese of Calgary

In every family and community, there are quiet struggles we may not always see. Mental illness touches many lives, often closer than we realize. In any given year, one in five Canadians will experience it: a friend, a colleague, a loved one.
​
We invite the Catholic community to respectfully contact their local Member of Parliament (MP) to request their support for Bill C-218, the Right to Recover Act, currently before the Parliament of Canada.

Bill C-218 proposes an amendment to the Criminal Code to make it illegal to provide Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to individuals whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. It recognizes the importance of recovery and ensures that help can be offered, not harm. 

Why this matters

• Every life is precious. As Catholics, we believe in the sanctity of every human life, from the moment of conception to natural death.
• A desire to die can be a symptom of illness. Suicidal thoughts are frequently part of mental illness itself, raising serious concerns about whether consent can ever be truly free and informed.
• Mental illness is often treatable. Many conditions improve over time with proper care, therapy, medication, and support. Recovery remains possible, even after long periods of suffering.
• Gaps in mental health care remain unresolved. Long wait times, limited access to psychiatrists, and uneven services mean some may seek to end their lives due to system failure, not medical necessity.
• There is an increased risk to vulnerable Canadians. Individuals navigating mental health challenges are more likely to experience poverty, trauma, isolation, disability, or lack of access to care — factors that may pressure individuals toward assisted suicide.

Background on Bill C-218
Bill C-218 is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in Parliament by an individual Member of Parliament. It has been introduced by Tamara Jansen, MP for Cloverdale–Langley City, British Columbia.

To pass, the legislation will require support from more than one political party. Many Members of Parliament have expressed concern about the rapid expansion of MAiD in Canada, particularly for those whose primary underlying condition is mental illness. MPs are being asked to vote according to their conscience, regardless of party affiliation.
The difference in passing this bill could be just a few votes in the House of Commons. If the legislation does not pass, new laws are set to take effect on March 17, 2027, allowing MAiD for those whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.

Take action
You are invited to visit HelpNotHarmCanada.ca, where you can send an email directly to your local Member of Parliament in under 3 minutes.

As Catholics and Canadians, we are called to offer care, hope, and protection to those who are suffering.

​Source: HelpNotHarmCanada.ca (Archdiocese of Toronto)

St. Joseph is a quiet saint, to whom no words are attributed in the gospels, but whose actions resonate with tectonic effect. Since March is considered St. Joseph’s month, a worthy tribute to this universal saint would be to pray the Litany of St. Joseph. To help you do so, consider using a recently released book, Prince, Patron and Patriarch - The Litany of St. Joseph and the Dogma that Makes it Strong by Ian Mahood (2026 Sceptre Publishing).

This small devotional is extensively researched and rigorously based in Scripture, papal documents and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Despite the weight sometimes associated with the word “dogma,” this book is neither complicated nor boring. Dogma simply refers to truths that the Church holds and proclaims, and it is a relief to know that every word is attested to by Church scholars, some of whom offer glowing testimonials on the book’s back cover.
 
Ian Mahood was formerly a seminarian for the Diocese of Calgary. He now lives with his family in Edmonton. Born in Red Deer, he was raised Evangelical. Ian credits his parents with providing him a solid grounding in the Bible and “for teaching me to love God”. He commended their openness to other Christian traditions as well.

In his late teens, Ian desired a more sacramental life and felt attracted to liturgy. He was baptized an Anglican in 2010 and converted to Catholicism in 2014. While articling as a law student in Calgary, he felt a call to explore the priesthood. So he applied to the Diocese of Calgary, was accepted into the seminarian formation years, and was sent to St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. It was there his thoughts first took shape as he prayed the Litany of St. Joseph each week. “I didn’t set out to publish a book,” Ian said, “I just wanted to write a devotional that would satisfy me.” His life would be changed by his time at the seminary, an experience he describes as “excellent, very good formation.” In time, however, he discerned that his vocation was to family life, and he is now married to Heidi, and they are expecting twins.
 
Ian works full-time as a corporate-commercial litigator but still found time to write this book in three months, working for an hour early each morning. “I would think about the Litany throughout the day and focus on one of St. Joseph’s titles at a time,” he said, “It’s meant to be a devotional, a slower read.” Slow perhaps, but deep.

The book is rich in spiritual insights, e.g., “Obedience is the best sacrifice because obedience is a sacrifice of the will.” Each mini-meditation is based on one line of the Litany and unpacks its meaning in plain language. I particularly enjoyed the way Ian brings Bible passages to life when retold in a novel-like or story-like manner. The meditations close with ways one can practice that quality in everyday life.
 
Ian's years in seminary are evident in his liberal use of Latin - albeit followed by English translations - and the technical overtones. However, his sense of humour defuses any stuffiness, e.g., “We love chastity the way a fat man loves his weight-loss program.” Ian readily admits his book is “a bit dense,” but says it’s not intended as a scholarly work and will appeal to anyone seeking a more reasoned and doctrinally sound handbook.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Renowned offspring of David, pray for us.
Light of Patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Diligent protector of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most strong, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of artisans, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the wretched, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus.
He made him the lord of his household
And prince over all his possessions.

O God, in your ineffable providence, you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever.

St Joseph, pray for us.

Written by Alice Matisz for Faithfully.

As Christians, it is our lifelong responsibility to strive to conform ourselves to Christ. The Church gives us the period of Lent as a time to concentrate more seriously on the practices that lead us to grow in discipleship and advance in the spiritual life. Below are ten forms of penance from the Christian tradition and what these might look like for you today. 

1. Give up sin
This is straightforward; if it’s wrong, don’t do it! Discipline in the small things makes us strong for when we face bigger challenges. This is a time to clear up the seemingly inconsequential but sinful habits that have crept into your life – the white lies, taking things nobody will notice, overindulging, and spreading gossip.  

2. Pray
Prayer is a conversation that requires both speaking and listening. If you tend to talk more than you listen, try silent meditation or adoration. If you get distracted on your own join the community for daily Mass or join a prayer or bible study group. Do you find yourself at a loss for words when it comes to prayer? Try memorization - a Psalm or one of the Gospel canticles from the Liturgy of the Hours makes a Scriptural prayer available to you at any time. 

3. Fast
Intermittent fasting is all the rage. Put a spiritual focus on this latest diet trend. Instead of fasting to lose weight consider that fasting is an ancient tradition meant to strengthen the mind, the body, and one’s relationship with God. By limiting not only what but also when you eat, you put your trust in God rather than eating whenever you want or whenever food is around. 

4. Do good works
Have your chronic sleep debt and busyness led you to let the little things slide? For the sake of others, clean up after yourself, unload the dishwasher at the office, and shovel the walk for your elderly neighbour. For the sake of the environment bring your own travel cup rather than use a disposable, skip the produce bags at the grocery, and iron and repair rather than dispose of and purchase fast fashion. 

5. Give alms
How many times have you forgotten your offering envelope? Do you attend different parishes for Sunday Mass from week to week depending on your schedule? If you parish offers the service, consider signing up for direct debit so your gift is consistent. Many charities make it possible for you to make your gift automatic through a regular subscription. This kind of commitment increases your sense of belonging and makes it possible for organizations to plan their programming and services. 

6. Abstain
Did you know that throughout the year, all Catholics who are 14 years or older are obliged to abstain from meat on Fridays? It is permitted to substitute other good actions for abstinence from meat but that seems to have led many to forget the prescription altogether! In addition to abstaining from a desirable food for one or more days during the season, Lent is an excellent time to reclaim Fridays as the memorial of Christ’s saving death on the cross. 

7. Carry out our duties of life
Do you sometimes turn down invitations to socialize or join a team, skip the gym, or can’t find time to make an ongoing volunteer commitment? It could be that you are already carrying out your duties of life! By contrast, if your primary responsibilities and relationships are suffering because you’re too busy with things on the periphery, it might be time to slow down and recalibrate. 

8. Read deeply
Neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf has been researching how the brain develops different skills when reading in print than reading online. Online readers cover more content but they skim rather than read deeply. What does it matter? The online reader doesn’t “have time to grasp complexity, to understand another’s feelings, to perceive beauty, and to create thoughts of the reader’s own.” Reading a printed book over Lent can improve your concentration, remind you to think critically, and develop your empathy for others, all of which can help you become a better disciple. 

9. Control desire for possessions
Marketing is all about psychology and the power of persuasion. In our social media age, sellers are called “influencers”. If you use social media, mute your favourite influencers and submit yourself to the influence of prayer instead. 

10. Control Desire for entertainment
Entertainment often provides a welcome rest but today’s streaming services make distraction available any time all the time. Suspend, limit, or schedule your streaming so that entertainment does not drown out uncomfortable feelings that you could bring to God in prayer.    

Someone very close to me has been away from the Church since we were teenagers, and for many years I have prayed for a return to the healing love the Lord holds in His heart. The two of us never did agree on much, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember. Over the years, we have learned to avoid certain topics to keep the peace, and that has worked because we care about each other very much. 
​
We all have people in our lives that we would so dearly love to come home to Jesus and His Church.  For the most part, we are called to pray and fast for them. Because of how close we are to them (and often the baggage that goes with that) it is likely that we are not the ones the Lord will send to share the Good News with them. He will send another. We are called to pray and fast. 
​
However, it is also likely that the Lord wishes us to reach someone else’s loved one, someone with whom we are called to share the Gospel.

Written by Ryan Schmidt, Director of Renewal, Diocese of Calgary.

Roughly 25.6 million people in Sudan, more than half of the country’s population, are facing acute hunger, making this one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies today.

Years of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse have left millions of families struggling to find even their daily bread. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are among the most vulnerable, with many facing severe malnutrition and limited access to basic health care.

During this Lenten season, when we are called to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we are reminded that our sacrifices can become a source of life for others. Lent invites us to open our hearts to those who suffer and to respond with generosity and compassion.
​
Please consider making a donation to support emergency assistance for families facing hunger in Sudan through Development and Peace — Caritas Canada. Your gift helps provide critical nutrition supplies, support local partners, and bring hope to communities enduring this crisis.

A message that appears to come from someone you trust can sometimes be the very thing designed to deceive. Recent scam attempts reported within our diocesan community remind us to pause and verify unexpected requests.

Please remain alert and cautious. Don't fall for urgency, presence of mind is necessary for your safety.

A few reminders:

• Be cautious with unexpected requests
  • ​Messages asking for money, gift cards, banking details, or personal information should always be treated with suspicion and ignored. 
  • Messages asking you to click a link to view photos or files when you are not expecting anything should also be treated with caution. If unsure, please verify the request before opening the link. 
• Verify before responding - If a message claims to come from a parish, the Diocese, a priest, or another trusted organization, confirm it through a known email address rather than replying directly. Often though, the message already sounds strange. If this is the case, ignore and consider it junk/spam.
• Be careful with phone calls - Caller ID can be spoofed, even showing the name of your bank. If a caller asks for personal or financial information, hang up and contact the institution directly using its official number.
• Remember what banks never ask - Banks will never ask for your PIN, full password, or verification codes, and they will never ask you to move money to a “safe account” or purchase gift cards.
• Do not click on suspicious links or attachments -When coming from an unverified source, even if it appears to be a pdf file, the file extension often shows that it is a shortcut to a link of a page, therefore, ignore the email and consider it junk/spam.

If you receive a suspicious message that appears to come from someone in your parish or the Diocese, please do not respond. Delete the message and report it to your parish or diocesan office if necessary.

From Jan 10, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027, the Church marks a special Jubilee Year of Saint Francis of Assisi on the 800th anniversary of his death. During this year, the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence by fulfilling the usual conditions (confession, Communion, prayer for the Holy Father, detachment from sin) and engaging in acts inspired by the Franciscan spirit, such as pilgrimage, prayer, works of charity, and humble service.

This Jubilee invites not only celebration, but a deeper imitation of St. Francis through a Gospel life lived simply, faithfully, and daily.

• Read more | Info on Plenary Indulgence
• Prayer of Pope Leo to St. Francis

“May the Lord give you peace.”

Pope Leo highlights this famous greeting of St. Francis of Assisi and places the notion of “Peace” at the heart of this Jubilee year of grace. In his prayer to St. Francis asking for his special intercession, the Pope recalled that St. Francis was a person who sought and lived peace:

“Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago went to meet Sister Death as a man of peace, intercede for us before the Lord. You recognized true peace in the Crucified of San Damiano, teach us to seek in Him the source of all Reconciliation that breaks down every wall. You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war and misunderstanding, give us the courage to build bridges where the world raises up boundaries. In this time afflicted by conflict and division, intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers: unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ. Amen”

This Jubilee year of grace invites us to find inspiration in the life and witness of St. Francis for our own journey of faith, so that we, too, become models of holiness and constant witnesses of peace.

Francis was a particular witness of peace in his time: born into a life of privilege, he renounced all to follow the way of the Crucified Saviour, allowing Christ to be his source of peace. In humility and simplicity, he became detached from all desire for power, possessions or social status. Not needing to defend or protect anything, he went to the margins of society and served those in whom he recognized the face of the suffering Christ. Desiring to proclaim the message of reconciliation and peace to all people, he crossed boundaries and, through his respectful witness, engaged with Sultan Malik Al-Kamil, earning the Sultan's high regard and favour.

It is fitting in this Jubilee year that the Pilgrim Church of Christ be reminded that we, too, follow in the footsteps of Jesus and are called to conform our lives to his, just as St. Francis did. As Francis told his followers as he was close to death, “I have done what is mine to do. May Christ teach you what is yours.”

And what does Christ teach us? How do we live from a heart filled with the peace that only Christ can bring? The first requirement is receive the Good News proclaimed by Christ and to do as Francis did: be receptive to the grace that changes our lives – metanoia. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news!” (Mark 1:15) We, like Francis, are called to cling no longer to that which does not lead to peace in Christ: greed, inordinate ambition, arrogance, self-righteous judgments against others, pursuing our own selfish interest and desires without due regard for the needs and dignity of others. At his lowest point, Francis recognized his poverty before God and opened himself to becoming a vessel that God could use to advance the kingdom of peace. We are invited to recognize our own poverty, placing all in the hands of Christ to do with us as God the Father wills for us – discovering our unique mission of peacebuilding and peacemaking.

St. Francis did not see himself as a saint. He, in fact, understood himself to be a sinner, forgiven and in constant need of God’s grace and mercy. The life of penance he embraced was motivated by his love of God and desire to be a willing instrument in God’s hands.

God’s mercy is a constant focus within Church teaching. Recalling God’s indulgent mercy, Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, which published a decree on God’s indulgence available this Jubilee year, reminds us that God’s grace can transform even our greatest weaknesses. God’s indulgence makes it possible to free the heart from the burden of sin and to purify and heal the harm sin causes.

The Church developed its teaching on indulgences from this notion of God’s mercy, which is more than we can fully take in or comprehend. In its essence, an indulgence reaffirms the forgiveness of sins and the healing and purification of the heart from the consequences of sin that comes as one allows God’s grace to transform one’s life. God’s indulgence is always available to us. “It is essential to understand that indulgence is first and foremost an encounter with God, and that its power lies not in our human efforts, but in the grace of God that transforms hearts… All penitential practices – such as confession, Communion, pilgrimage, prayer – are instruments of preparation that facilitate the encounter with God, but they do not replace the experience of grace itself. The authentic fruits of indulgence appear when a person consciously opens themselves to God’s transforming power, allows God to act in their heart, heals relationships, forgives, and is converted.” (Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, quoted from “Indulgence is an Encounter with God, not a Spiritual Shortcut,” by Fr. Marek Weresa, Vatican News, January 16, 2026)

While the Church has established common practices which give expression to one’s interior desire to detach from sin, surrender to God’s mercy and be receptive to God’s grace  – including sacramental confession and participation in the Eucharist and reception of Holy Communion – “at the heart of the practice of indulgences is God’s love, always calling us to grow in holiness. Living out indulgences is not just about fulfilling a list of requirements; it is an opportunity to open our hearts to divine grace and to the intercession of the saints.” (Bishop Lucia, “Indulgences Explained,” from The Catholic Sun, April 10, 2025)

God moves in our hearts at all times and everywhere. During this Jubilee year of St. Francis, we are invited to find meaningful ways to grow in our relationship with God and in the love of our brothers and sisters, which reflects the path of St. Francis. Some of the particular ways may include making a pilgrimage to a place of worship dedicated to St. Francis, praying with the same words he used before the crucifix at San Damiano – “O most high, glorious god, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me a right faith, a certain hope and a perfect love, understanding and knowledge, O Lord, that I may carry out your holy and true command”; praying the Way of the Cross which became associated St. Francis after he promoted this devotion on his return from the Holy Land; praying before the Blessed Sacrament, mirroring the same desire of St. Clare of Assisi of giving yourself totally to the One who gave himself totally to you; meditating prayerfully (Lectio Divina) on a passage that reflects the spirit of St. Francis; finding concrete ways to serve the poor Christ in the suffering and marginalized; becoming an unarmed and disarming peacemaker in your home, community and workplace; spending time contemplating creation and the many ways it reflects God’s goodness and beauty; praying the Seven Joys of Mary, a particular Franciscan rosary which honours the joyful mysteries of the Virgin Mary’s life. During Lent, the Seven Sorrows of Mary are prayed; uniting your personal suffering, difficulties, illness, and diminishment in the same spirit of St. Francis, who wrote the Canticle to the Creatures, which exhort God’s praise, all while blind and close to death.
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As you take advantage of this Jubilee Year of St. Francis, may you hear St. Francis’ blessing addressed to you: “May the Lord bless you and keep you; May He show His face to you and have mercy on you; May He turn his countenance to you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6: 24-26)

Written by Susan Campbell, Mount St. Francis. 

It started with a handshake.

Not a debate. Not an argument. Just an invitation.

On a recent episode of Heroic Hotline, I sat down with longtime friend and ministry leader Richard Beaulieu to follow up on a conversation about what we call “handshake outreach,” the simple, human act of inviting a man into something meaningful.
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What followed was a story neither of us planned to tell, but one that captured exactly what that outreach can look like when it is patient, relational, and rooted in trust. 

A tap on the shoulder

Richard spoke about a friend he had known for years, a self-described atheist. “He would say he was an atheist,” Richard said, “but he would also tell these childhood stories.”

The stories always returned to one memory in particular, his grandfather, a Russian Orthodox priest, with long vestments and a long gray beard. “He would talk about it like it was nonsense,” Richard said. “But there was something endearing about the way he told it.”

The friend also spoke of a fleeting moment with Jesus as a young man, an experience that came and went, and later joining a church baseball team. Once the season ended, so did church.

Richard did not push his friend. He did not argue theology. He simply listened.

And then came the tap. 

“I just thought, maybe if he walked into a Catholic church again,” Richard said, “he might feel that love he sensed when he was a kid.” So he bought him a ticket.
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An invitation to come and see

The invitation was to the God Squad Men’s Conference. “Come,” Richard told him. “What’s the worst that can happen? You get a free lunch.”

The conference that year carried a weighty theme, Memento Mori, remember your death. Speakers included Father Raymond de Souza and Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, whose invitation to “come home to the Church” left a deep impression.

“For him,” Richard said, “it was a mountaintop experience.” 

“All of a sudden, the fog breaks, and there they are.”

​Walking with him after the high

Richard knew the experience could not stand alone. “You don’t leave a man floundering after that,” he said. “You journey with him.”

So the next invitation came, an Alpha program at their parish. Dinner included. No pressure. Still, something had shifted.  

The man was not ready to be prayed over. He was not ready for RCIA. But he was hungry. “I want more,” he told Richard.

He began attending RCIA just to explore. Then Mass. Then blessings during Communion. “A year earlier, he said, ‘No, it wouldn’t feel right,’” Richard said. “Now he was going up.”

Eventually, he said the words Richard had been waiting for, “I want to receive.”

At 70 years old, after a long RCIA process that included canonical complications, the man was baptized at the Easter Vigil on April 19, 2025.

“He used to call himself ‘one of the others,’” Richard said, referencing the labourers in the vineyard who arrive late but receive the same wage.

“He felt guilty about that,” Richard said. “Until he began to understand God’s unfathomable mercy.”

Memento Mori

That joy was soon tested.

In August, the man was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. By October 18, he had passed away. “He was part of the Church militant for six months,” Richard said.

His wife later told Richard that without faith, he would have been an angry patient, frustrated with doctors, with her, and with the world. “Instead,” Richard said, “he had peace. All the time.” A supernatural peace. “The only kind that can be inspired by faith.”

Richard connected the story to an account from the French Revolution, of religious sisters who went to their deaths with peace and forgiveness. “Only a faith inspired by courage could allow them to die that way,” he said.

The same courage, he believed, marked his friend’s final months. 

“Memento mori,” Richard added. “Remember your death.”

One more soul

The message Richard left with listeners was simple. “I always pray for one more soul,” he said. “Just one more than yesterday.”  

“Who’s the man in your life you need to tap on the shoulder? Buy him a coffee. Invite him. Walk with him.”

Submitted by Sean Lynn, God Squad / Heroic Men Canada.

​At its heart, the recent newsletter from the Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration carries one clear message: Eucharistic Adoration changes parishes.

March, devoted to St. Joseph, the Passion of Our Lord, and the institution of the Eucharist, is a fitting time to return to the heart of our faith: Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church has long taught that worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass is not secondary or optional. As St. John Paul II wrote in Ecclesia de Eucharistia:

Likewise, Redemptionis Sacramentum urges that Eucharistic adoration be diligently fostered “with the participation of the people.”
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The message is simple and direct: if we desire renewal in our parishes, we return to the Lord in the Eucharist.

What we are seeing in our Diocese

Last year, parishes across the Diocese of Calgary took up that invitation in a concrete way through the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocations.

At St. Mary’s Cathedral and in parishes throughout the diocese, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for extended hours. Parishioners signed up for time slots, many of whom returned more than once. Some came late at night. Others brought their children. Students in Catholic schools also participated, adding dozens of hours of adoration across chapels and classrooms.
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At Holy Spirit Parish in Calgary, 378 adorers were formally registered, with participation likely exceeding 500. Many described the experience as calm, peaceful, and holy. One recurring question that surfaced afterward was: When can we do this again?
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The numbers matter less than what they represent: a hunger to remain with the Lord.

The Heart of Adoration
​St. Teresa of Calcutta expressed it plainly:

Her words echo what many in our own diocese have experienced: silence before the Lord brings clarity, strength, and peace. It deepens love for Jesus and, from there, love for one another.

​Pope Benedict XVI, in Sacramentum Caritatis (§66), highlights its intrinsic link to the Mass: "In the Eucharist, the Son of God comes to meet us and desires to become one with us; eucharistic adoration is simply the natural consequence of the eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church's supreme act of adoration... The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself."

Why Adoration Matters​

​The newsletter cites a striking statistic: 70 percent of seminarians come from parishes with Eucharistic Adoration. While statistics never tell the whole story, they suggest something profound: where Christ is adored, vocations flourish.

Adoration draws us into sustained contact with the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It strengthens faith in the Eucharist. It deepens reverence for Holy Communion. It fosters repentance, intercession, and reparation.

40 Hours Devotion for Vocation

​In our own Diocese, the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocations revealed a real hunger for time before the Lord. Parishes reported strong participation, including overnight hours. Students, families, and seniors alike came to pray. ​

Adoration is not an extra devotion. It is a wellspring of renewal for the Church. And it begins with one hour.

Where to find Adoration hours?

• Check the parish-submitted schedule for Parish Adoration in our Diocese.
• Join the 40 Hours Devotion for Vocation - and commit for one hour.