• Seton Hall University
• Department of Catholic Studies

High School Essay Contest

2026 High School Essay Contest – St. Francis and “Integral Ecology”: More Than “Being Green”

On January 10, 2026, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV established the Year of St. Francis of Assisi on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s Transitus to Heaven.

The Decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See, states that from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, it is possible to obtain a Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions, by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world. The Decree states:

“While the fruits of grace of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025, which has just ended, in which we have all been urged to become pilgrims of that hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rm 5:5), are still present and effective, a new occasion for jubilation and sanctification is added to it as an ideal continuation: the eighth centenary of the happy passing of Saint Francis of Assisi from earthly life to his heavenly homeland (3 October 1226).”

High School Students in New Jersey are invited to write essays in response to the following prompt:
St. Francis and “Integral Ecology”: More Than “Being Green”
Why is care for creation a spiritual and moral calling, not just an environmental trend? Drawing on the example of St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis, explain how loving creation shapes the way we live, consume, and serve others.

The author of the winning essay will receive $300 and a certificate, and the two runners-up will each receive a $50 gift card and certificate. All three winners will be honored at the annual Catholic Studies Honor Society Induction and reception at Seton Hall University in April 2026 (date will be announced). The three winning essays will also appear in the scholarly magazine Arcadia: A Student Journal for Faith and Culture, which is published by the Catholic Studies Department.