Saint Francis offers model to resist consumer culture

KOCHI, Kerala (Indian Catholic News) —The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council has called for a “major course correction” against consumerist culture, urging families and communities to embrace the simplicity of Saint Francis of Assisi and redirect resources toward people in need.

The appeal came in a Sept. 22 circular marking the Feast of Saint Francis and the Franciscan Year, which the council said offers an opportunity to renew spiritual lives and reflect on the continuing relevance of the saint’s life and message.

The circular, signed by KCBC president Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal of Calicut is to be read or explained in churches and institutions across Kerala’s Latin, Syro Malabar, and Malankara Catholic Churches on Oct. 4, the Feast of Saint Francis.

It said the world has witnessed “great technological advances and material growth,” but that “peace and joy are increasingly being lost in human hearts.”

“We live in an era where selfishness, consumer culture, violence, and the exploitation of nature have become part of daily life,” the council said.

It compared the situation with the “moral degeneration and disquiet” of the period in which Saint Francis lived and ministered eight centuries ago.

A model of simplicity

Born to a wealthy merchant, Francis “completely renounced the pleasures, statuses, and prospects of the world,” the circular said, choosing “the poverty and simplicity of Christ.”

He considered Gospel values “a treasure far greater than all the worldly gains he could have attained.” Described as the “Second Christ” for living out Christ’s example, Saint Francis “provides us with a model for a major course correction against today’s consumerist culture.”

The council identified “a ‘life of simplicity’” as one of the saint’s greatest lessons.

“In today’s world, where people compete to acquire beyond their needs and to display their possessions, Francis’s lifestyle was to ‘be content with the minimum,’” the circular said.

It urged families to “eliminate unnecessary luxuries and extravagance” and said that “only a simple life enables us to maintain a closer relationship with God and fellow human beings.”

The council called on parents not to raise children merely to pursue material gain. Instead, children should be taught to become “God-fearing, humble, and compassionate” and to assist people who suffer.

It also urged families to cultivate in children “an attitude of loving and safeguarding nature.”

From celebration to transformation

The message called on young people to draw inspiration from Francis to “build a meaningful existence rather than pursuing the temporary luxuries and fleeting pleasures of the world.”

They were encouraged to dedicate their lives to Christ and use their “creative talents and energy for the service of the poor, and to sow goodness and peace in society.”

The council said the Franciscan Year should produce changes beyond religious observances.

“The observance of this Franciscan Year must not conclude as a mere ceremonial formality,” it said. “A new wave of transformation must begin through this within our parishes and families.”

It urged every family to become “a model of simplicity” and proposed reducing extravagance at parish feasts, family functions and similar occasions.

“If we can avoid extravagance in our parish feast celebrations, family functions, and similar occasions, and instead set aside those funds to assist the destitute, that would constitute the greatest tribute we can pay to Saint Francis,” the circular said.

Pope Leo XIV proclaimed the Franciscan Jubilee Year from Jan. 10, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death.

Full statement available: original Malayalam and AI‑generated English translation.