Catholic Advance article – 3/8/26
Although the Jubilee Year of Hope ended on Jan. 6, a different celebration making a giant of Church history is in effect now, and a west Wichita parish is seeking to help the faithful access those special graces.
Pope Leo XIV proclaimed a special jubilee year to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi in a Jan. 10 decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary and announced by the Franciscan Friars. During the jubilee, which runs through Jan. 10, 2027, Catholics may receive plenary indulgences under the usual conditions, including through pilgrimages to Franciscan churches worldwide or spiritual participation by the sick and homebound. In a letter marking the opening of the jubilee in Assisi, OSV News notes, Pope Leo said St. Francis’ witness is urgently needed in a world marked by war, division, and environmental harm.
As pastor of the lone parish under St. Francis of Assisi’s patronage in the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, Fr. James Schibi is not only celebrating the jubilee’s significance for his parishioners, he is also inviting the rest of the diocese’s faithful to make a pilgrimage to the parish.
“We want to open up for anyone in the diocese who wishes to make a pilgrimage to our parish and receive a plenary indulgence,” he said.
And if the Spirit so moves them, Fr. Schibi adds, they can also mark the special year by attending St. Francis of Assisi 2026 Parish Mission, scheduled for March 26-28.
Fr. Schibi and SFA’s parochial vicars, Fr. Kevin T. Lix and Fr. Grant Huslig, will lead the mission, which will include a 40-hour Eucharistic devotion.
In an article published in the SFA bulletin earlier this year, Fr. Schibi noted, a plenary indulgence “helps heal the temporal effects of sin for those who are properly disposed.”
He went on to note that, “for this jubilee year, a plenary indulgence may be received by the faithful who receive confession and Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father, and:
• Make a pilgrimage to a Franciscan church or place associated with St. Francis;
• Spend time in prayerful meditation, asking for hearts rooted in charity, peace, and harmony; and
• Conclude with prayer, including the Our Father, the Creed, and invocations to Our Lady, St. Francis, St. Clare, and all Franciscan saints.”
Fr. Schibi points out that indulgences may be gained for oneself or offered for the souls of the faithful departed.
“We want to make our parish available for people to come and experience it, pray, go to confession and Mass, and receive the plenary indulgence,” he said. “We want to be very welcoming for that.”
Part of Fr. Schibi’s own excitement originates in a growing appreciation of and devotion to St. Francis, he acknowledges.
“I always have considered St. Francis of Assisi to be one of the greatest saints, but my devotion to him has definitely increased since I’ve been here at St. Francis,” Fr. Schibi said. “I have learned more about his life and prayed frequently for his intercession about things here at the parish.”
The saint also leaves his stamp on the parish in detectable ways, he considers, such as a vibrant St. Vincent de Paul ministry that serves the saint’s beloved poor. “St. Francis of Assisi was known for his humility and simplicity, his generosity, and most especially his love for the Eucharist,” Fr. Schibi added. “I have seen this throughout the inner workings of our parish life. There are over 170 ministries at our parish, and so many of our parishioners serve and give selflessly their time, talent and treasure.”
One example of that he cites is four decades of round-the-clock time with the Eucharistic Lord. “We just celebrated our 40th anniversary of perpetual adoration, remembering so many hours of adorers being in silence and prayer in the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist,” Fr. Schibi said. “I’ve noticed a deep devotion of the Eucharist here at St. Francis with many spiritual fruits as a result.”
One fruit he mentions is the prevalence of joy among SFA parishioners, which he detected from his earliest days at the parish.
“I have witnessed even in the ordinary rhythms of parish life – committee meetings, school events, ministry efforts – a noticeable warmth and authenticity,” he said. “St. Francis was known for his joy, even in hardship. That same joy seems present here, not because everything is perfect, but because Christ is at the center.”