Laudato Si: 800th Anniversary of the Canticle of Creatures Saint Bonaventure Continuing Formation Pilgrimage 2025

From October 15 to 26, 2025, four Filipino friars joined a pilgrimage in Italy sponsored by the General Curia to celebrate the 800th anniversary of The Canticle of Creatures. The program, titled Laudato Si: 800th Anniversary of the Canticle of Creatures, was part of the Saint Bonaventure Continuing Formation and was organized by Friar Michael Lasky, OFMConv., the General Delegate for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC).

The participants—Friar Miguel Sumagaysay, Friar Christopher Baptista, Friar Bernard Anuta, and Friar Odorico Laoreno—all from the Philippines, spent the first part of the program in Rome, staying at the Seraphicum. There, they visited the holy doors for the Jubilee Year and other significant churches and basilicas.

The second part of the pilgrimage took them to Assisi and Siena, where they visited important places connected to the life of St. Francis. These included churches and hermitages, which provided them opportunities for spiritual input, personal reflection, and fraternal sharing.

Their journey was not just about visiting places—it was, above all, a time to grow spiritually, deepen their Franciscan identity, and appreciate the rich heritage left by St. Francis to the Franciscan Order and the Church. The four friars are deeply grateful for the experience and are inspired to live out the message of Laudato Si in their lives and ministries.