As the Church honors St. Francis of Assisi this October, colleges across the United States are embracing his message of peace, humility, and care for creation. Led by Brother Gregory Cellini., Franciscan Month has become a growing movement inviting students and communities alike to rediscover what it means to live a new way of life
By Edoardo Giribaldi
When Franciscan Brother of Brooklyn Gregory Cellini, O.S.F., reflects on his mission at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, his words radiate both gratitude and purpose. “I’m very blessed to be at St. Francis College,” he begins, describing his work in the Office of Mission, Ministry, and Interfaith Dialogue — a team devoted to nurturing the Franciscan spirit across all aspects of campus life.
That spirit, rooted in the values of St. Francis and St. Clare, now extends far beyond the College’s walls. What began as a small campus initiative has blossomed into a growing international movement: Franciscan Month, a month-long celebration each October dedicated to living and sharing the Franciscan way of life.
The Birth of Franciscan Month
The idea, Brother Gregory explains to Vatican News, was inspired “by the Holy Spirit.” Having hosted his long-running radio program Thank God For Monday, he had seen firsthand the power of dedicating focused time to important themes — like Black History Month or Women’s History Month. “The Holy Spirit instilled in me the thought, what about a Franciscan Month?” he recalls. “We have this wonderful 800-year tradition, and there’s no month designated to us.”
In 2023, that inspiration took shape at St. Francis College. What had once been St. Clare and St. Francis Week expanded into an entire month of reflection, community, and creativity. Students and faculty took part in activities ranging from poetry readings to the compilation of an All Good Things blog — featuring contributions from many of the 22 member institutions of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities (AFCU) – of which St. Francis is one.
Beyond Brooklyn: Sharing the Good
The success of the first Franciscan Month sparked a new question: how could this message of peace and simplicity reach even further? In 2024, the team decided to “share the good” — extending the celebration to six dioceses across New York and New Jersey.
Secular Franciscans, religious communities, and laypeople alike joined in activities, from blessings of animals to speaking at masses. “We learned much from that pilot,” Brother Gregory recalls. “It was a wonderful, wonderful month of October.”
A Nationwide Movement
In 2025, the initiative took a bold new step — going national. A diverse working group of around 20 Franciscan leaders from across the country joined forces to plan the first nationwide Franciscan Month. “We said, with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can do this,” Brother Gregory says.
The focus of this year’s nationwide Franciscan Month carries special significance, because it commemorates the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’s writing of, The Canticle of the Creatures. This timeless text is perfect because it emphasizes care for creation, gratitude, forgiveness and right relationhip — values Brother Gregory believes are more relevant today than ever.
“One of my students once told me that the Franciscan way of life is more needed today than it was 800 years ago,” he reflects. “At first, I thought this was impossible; however, upon reflection, I realized she was right. The world is broken in many ways, and it’s the Franciscan way that can help transform it.”
Faith in Action
The 2025 Franciscan Month features both local and national events. Among the highlights is “Contemplation Across the Miles,” a simultaneous Eucharistic adoration uniting more than half of the AFCU institutions at 3 p.m. Eastern time. “We didn’t want to make it a Zoom event,” Brother Gregory explains. “We wanted each school to expose the Eucharist and pray for peace in solidarity across the country.”
Franciscan communities nationwide, including Poor Clare monasteries and religious congregations, are participating. Also during October, the Franciscan Action Network’s Justice Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., brings together nearly 150 people from across ten Franciscan schools and elsewhere for dialogue and advocacy.
Meanwhile, a new online hub — FranciscanMonth.org (created by Franciscan Media) — offers resources, daily reflections, and practical ideas to help anyone live the Franciscan way. One daily tip reads simply: “Fast from social media to pray.”
Brother Gregory notes that the call to “Franciscan freedom” has already inspired tangible change. “Some Franciscan high schools have started having students keep their phones in lockers during the day,” he says. “The students report freedom — Franciscan freedom — from putting these phones away.”
Looking Ahead
The future of Franciscan Month is as ambitious as its spirit is humble. Plans for 2026 include continued outreach across the United States, with an eye toward a global expansion in 2027 — when organizers hope to receive a papal blessing.
“We want everyone, people of all ages, to know October is Franciscan Month,” Brother Gregory says. “And we want them to be inspired to live a Franciscan way of life — not just in October, but every day of the year.”
