In 2026, we commemorate the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis. In this first presentation of our four-part series, facilitated by Darleen Pryds, we will look at the final years of Francis’ life, when his spiritual conversion reached completion. But these were hardly easy years for him. Instead, the complexity of his final years offers much for our own reflection on experiencing spiritual fulfillment and peace while living in a world that offers uncertainty and disorder. In this series, we will reflect on the process of ongoing conversion in our own lives by using stories from Francis’ life. We will go beyond the usual characterizations of Francis and explore the gritty realities of aging, retirement, and letting go as a process that can be both unsettling and freeing. This isn’t a path that we can skip and bypass. Instead, the journey through the process of letting go is where Easter is found.

This Zoom program will take place on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM Central Time, USA.

https://shalomretreats.org/stec_event/the-easter-of-st-francis-of-assisi-ongoing-conversion-and-the-spirituality-of-presence-with-darleen-pryds/

Presented in collaboration with the Franciscan Federation.