Five Footsteps of St Francis

Thursday 1st October 2026

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

This October marks 800 years since the death of one of the Church’s most recognised and influential saints: St Francis of Assisi, whose Feast Day is on Sunday 4th October.

Born to a wealthy family in the Italian town of Assisi, St Francis has been remembered throughout the centuries for his bold rejection of wealth and comfort, dedicating himself, instead, to a life of poverty, preaching, and peace with all of creation.

Esteemed by Pope Francis through his choice of papal name and priorities around social justice and the environment, St Francis has also been honoured by Pope Leo, who has proclaimed this year to be a special year of Jubilee – The Year of St Francis.

But as we remember St Francis and his teachings this holy year, we are called not to ignore the cries and sufferings of our planet and people throughout the world today. This summer has been declared the hottest on record, with 2025 coming in at a close second. Forest fires the size of 230 football pitches scorch the land in England, where two-thirds of the country have been declared officially in drought, while towns and cities across Europe also burn in their own heat emergencies. Climate change, war, persecution, and poverty has exacerbated our global refugee crisis; wars rage across Europe, the Middle East, and around the world; and here in our own diocese – 333,000 children – are growing up in poverty.

Never have the teachings and example of St Francis been more relevant to Christian living, but the words of this impressive saint also provide us with the hope and reassurance that we can make a difference: “start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly, you are doing the impossible.”

This year, we remind ourselves of the life and legacy of a man who has captured the imagination of millions around the world for more than 800 years through a series of five simple steps to continue his remarkable mission.

Stripping back

One of the most striking images associated with St Francis was his public rejection of wealth. Brought before the bishop by his exasperated father, St Francis stripped off his expensive clothing in the middle of the piazza and boldly rejected his inheritance and all worldly wealth. This dramatic display signalled the start of St Francis’ new life of poverty and prayer, emptying himself of everything to let Christ in. Today, we remember this story and his words “above all the grace and gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.” In this year of St Francis, we follow this first footstep by considering all the things that set us apart from Christ; all the distractions, temptations, and privileges that hold us back from unity with God and fraternity with one another. In scripture, references to emptiness often point towards the grace and fullness we find only in God. And so for our first step, we seek to “overcome [our]selves”, to empty our minds and hearts from those distractions and invite Christ to take their place.

Oneness with God

Emptied of ourselves, we make room for God to work in us. St Francis reminds us “I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, He can work through anyone.” Regardless of our past actions or whether we consider ourselves worthy or capable, offering our new – emptied – hearts and minds to God allows him to act through us. And so our second step is to surrender: to listen, pray, and discern what it is that God is asking of us.

Simplicity

After the Holy Spirit prompted Francis to renounce his wealth, the saint began a new life of humble poverty, hard labour, and devoted preaching. The once wealthy youth now laboured to rebuild dilapidated churches and chapels, he preached to all who would listen, nursed the sick, and begged for his food, giving away any excess to those also in need. St Francis taught us that “it is in giving that we receive” and he lived each day by giving everything he could: his food, his time, his labour, his prayers and spirituality so that others might receive from what he had to spare. St Francis’ approach was one of total humility, viewing all people and all creation as an interconnected family in worship of one divine God, each with an equal right to an equal share of the resources God provides. Inspired by his example, our third footstep is to live simply, to use only the resources we need, to protect and nurture God’s creation, and to offer what we have to spare so people and all creation can flourish.

“Rebuild my church”

One of the most prominent stories we associate with St Francis is the mandate Christ gave him to “rebuild my church”. Taking this mission literally, St Francis became set on rebuilding the declining chapel of San Damiano but the commission Jesus gave was one of much greater significance: to be a living witness of Christ and to build up His kingdom on earth. In our own diocese, we were reminded of this same mission just recently, when Bishop John, reflecting on the opening of our newly-restored cathedral, reminded us that the Church is more than mere bricks and mortar. We, as Christians, are called to be “living stones”, active in faith and making God’s love visible in our world today.

St Francis has his own advice on how we do this: “we have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” In this Year of St Francis, we are invited to consider all the ways we are being called to do this in our everyday lives. What changes can we make to heal the wounds of creation? How can we better love one another to unite relationships that have fallen apart? How can our witness as Christians bring home those who have lost their way? The answers to these questions require action; as St Francis also said: “preach the Gospel and only when you have to, use words.” Everything we do, our entire way of life, should be evident of Gospel living so all of creation can recognise and give glory to God. Reflecting on these words, we take our fourth footstep by considering how we can be “living stones’ of the Church today. How do we use our gifts, talents, time, and resources to praise God and create a world of justice, hope, and peace with all of creation and each other.

Hope

Without doubt, the challenges of our world today can be overwhelming and the cry of the planet and the needs of people around the world can seem impossible to respond to. But the life and story of St Francis reminds us that “all the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.” Through God, this rich young man walked willingly into poverty, entrusted everything to God, and proclaimed the Gospel to all who would listen – including, famously, a flock of birds, whose incredible attentiveness drew many people to Christ and His Church. From the admirable to the impossible, the stories of St Francis captured the attention of his contemporaries and the imagination of generations to follow. Whilst we may never perform wonders like he did, even the simplest action – given in generosity and with hope – is one more “living stone” in a missionary Church that is alive and filled with the love and peace of Christ. So in this special year of prayer, we take the final footstep of St Francis, a step of hope that our simple lives of faith can help build up God’s kingdom on earth.