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“Laudato Si” Echoes Online through the Franciscan Vision Global Summit - 2025 (FVGS)

As the Franciscan family prepares to celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures in 2025, this timeless hymn takes on new significance in an era marked by ecological crisis. To transform this milestone into a catalyst for global reflection and action, the Franciscan Vision Global Summit (FVGS) has once again begun its role: a year-long digital pilgrimage uniting scholars and communities worldwide to delve into the enduring wisdom of the Canticle.

Br. Arokiam John OFM (Editor of TAU: A Franciscan International Journal and Professor at Rome’s Pontifical Antonianum University), Founder and Coordinator of FVGS, in collaboration with the OFM-India Province, has successfully organized a series of monthly online sessions under the banner of FVGS. This initiative spanned 2023 and 2024, commemorating the centenary celebrations of the Rule & Greccio (2023) and the Stigmata (2024). The centenary celebrations for 2025 commenced with the 25th Session of FVGS on 25 January 2025.

The session began with blessings from Br. Carlos Alberto Trovarelli OFMConv, Minister General, and was moderated by Br. Xavier Durairaj OFM, Minister Provincial-India. Br. Mauro Botti OFM, Guardian of San Damiano Sanctuary in Assisi, was the resource person, offering a profound reflection on “San Damiano in the Jubilee Year 2025: The Site of Composition of the Canticle of the Creatures.” These sessions are offered in multiple languages, including French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Tamil, and Hindi, to ensure broad accessibility.

In 2025, Franciscan scholars from around the globe will come together to engage participants in FVGS on a series of themes related to the Canticle of the Creatures, including The Canticle of the Creatures (February), Francis’ Sermons to the Birds (March), The Choir of the Creatures in Aid of Humans (April), The Cry of the Earth and Laudato Si (May), Francis’ Vision of Creation and its Relevance Today (June), Franciscan Response to Climate Change (July), The Canticle of the Creatures and Audite Poverelle (August), The Inspiration of the Canticle of the Creatures to be Pilgrims of Franciscan-Marian Hope (September), The Creation (Eco) Spirituality of the Canticle of the Creatures: Its Application in the Oraon Tribe of India (October), Promotion of Creation-Spirituality (November), and New Perspectives on the Canticle of the Creatures Across the World (December).

This unique initiative brings a global audience together on a single platform, united by a shared love for St. Francis of Assisi and a fervent desire to follow his example of loving Creation. May this Jubilee Year inspire a global chorus, echoing Francis’ vision that every creature— from the smallest blade of grass to the vast expanse of the cosmos—stands as a testament to the sacred interdependence of all creation.

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