Looking beyond devotion: A few weeks of studying the sources, prayer, and sharing to renew the charism and missionary identity of the Friars Minor.
The 2026 edition of the Franciscan Heritage Course, also known as the Heritage Course, took place with great success from August 17 to 31, 2026. The initiative involved 45 participants, including facilitators and translators, who came from five different countries: Brazil, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Indonesia. The program was divided into several stages (complete information is attached at: Heritage Course Program 2026.docx).
First Stop: Discovering Our Roots in Rome
The first part of the program took place in Rome from August 17 to 23, 2026. During this first week, the group visited and learned about places of great importance to the Church—such as the major papal basilicas—through specialized guided tours; notably, they also had the opportunity to attend a general audience with Pope Leo. During this leg of the trip, the friars also visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception on Via Veneto, where rests the remains of St. Felix of Cantalice, the first saint of the Capuchin Order; they also visited the General Curia, where they met with the General Minister and the other friars to discuss various topics related to formation. This “Roman phase” allowed us to see and experience some of the roots that make us part of the same Christian and Franciscan community, wherever we are called to bear witness to the Gospel.
In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare: Assisi and Foligno
From August 23 to 30, 2026, the course moved to Umbria, with visits to Assisi and Foligno. From there, the participants saw the most significant sites of our family heritage, which are intimately connected to the life and spiritual experience of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. The sites they visited are: the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, the Rocca Maggiore, and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels with the Portiuncula. The carefully guided tours (with language translations)—which the participants followed with great interest—along with moments of reflection and shared prayer, allowed for a deeper exploration of Franciscan spirituality and its strong relevance to missionary and religious life. After the “great” churches of Rome and Assisi, we could not miss the “small” place where our reform began: the Renacavata friary in Camerino. Here, the local fraternity welcomed the group and toured them around, providing a detailed account of the early history of our Order.
The journey then concluded on August 30, 2026, with a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo. Our pilgrims had the opportunity to meditate and pray on the witness of the saint, who is considered a shining example of humility, holiness, and dedication to the ministry of reconciliation, and who bore the marks of Christ’s Passion.
Looking beyond devotion: a historical approach to the sources
In an era often marked by a purely devotional attitude toward St. Francis, this course sought to offer a more historical approach. The goal was to get to know “Brother Francis,” a man capable of holiness and of living the Gospel in fraternity with determination and courage. Throughout the program, great emphasis was placed on the study of Franciscan sources—including personal and hagiographic writings—to rediscover the values of the Order’s charism and to seek the proper way to live within the Church and the world in the style of the Friars Minor. These three weeks served to rekindle a passionate desire to live out the Franciscan vocation and to give new impetus to each participant’s spiritual growth.
Positive assessments and future prospects
In their final evaluation, the participants expressed deep satisfaction, praising the fraternal, educational, historical, and spiritual value of the entire program. While acknowledging that the high summer temperatures made some activities tiring, they unanimously expressed their gratitude for the experience.
The organizers believe that the set goals were fully achieved, thanks above all to everyone’s cooperation, enthusiasm, and active participation. The occasion also provided valuable lessons and helped identify areas for improvement for such events in the future.
Finally, the organizers of the course, the General Secretariat for Formation, wish to extend their sincere thanks to the host communities, the guides, the translators, the facilitators, and all the participants, whose contributions were essential to the success and fruitfulness of this important formation initiative.
