The University of St. Thomas (UST) welcomes Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino, Archbishop Emeritus of the dioceses of Assisi–Nocera Umbra–Gualdo Tadino and Foligno, to Houston on Sept. 18 as part of a limited U.S. tour, bringing with him first-class relics of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Carlo Acutis and a second-class relic of St. Clare of Assisi.
The visit marks a special moment in UST’s celebration of the Year of St. Francis, offering students, faculty, staff, Catholics and neighbors of all faith backgrounds an opportunity to gather for prayer, worship and reflection. Throughout the day, visitors will have the rare opportunity to venerate the relics and hear from Archbishop Sorrentino, whose decades of ministry in Assisi have closely connected him to the lives and legacies of all three saints.
“Welcoming Archbishop Sorrentino to the University of St. Thomas is a profound honor and a meaningful moment for our entire community,” said Dr. Sinda K. Vanderpool, president of the University of St. Thomas. “As a Catholic university, our faith calls us not only to seek knowledge, but to use that knowledge in service to others. The lives of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi and St. Carlo Acutis remind us that this calling transcends generations. To gather as a community in their honor and welcome someone whose ministry has been so closely connected to their legacies was truly extraordinary.”
The day will begin at 10 a.m. with the unveiling of the relics in UST’s Chapel of St. Basil, where members of the University and public will gather for prayer and veneration. Archbishop Sorrentino will later celebrate Holy Mass in the chapel before the relics return for an additional period of public veneration that afternoon.
The visit concludes at 6:30 p.m. with a public lecture by Archbishop Sorrentino in Jones Hall, followed by a reception in the Doherty Library.
Archbishop Sorrentino served as Bishop of Assisi–Nocera Umbra–Gualdo Tadino from 2005 until becoming bishop emeritus in March 2026. During his tenure, he welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to Assisi twice and Pope Francis five times. His episcopal ministry began in 2001, when he was ordained a bishop by St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica.
His connection to St. Carlo Acutis is particularly significant. In 2019, Archbishop Sorrentino transferred St. Acutis’ body to the Sanctuary of the Renunciation in Assisi, which Sorrentino established in 2017 at the site associated with St. Francis’ renunciation of his worldly possessions. St. Acutis, who became known around the world for his devotion to the Eucharist and his use of technology to share his faith, was canonized in September 2025.
Archbishop Sorrentino has also dedicated much of his ministry and scholarship to carrying the teachings of St. Francis into contemporary life. His work has explored faith, fraternity, economics and service to society’s most vulnerable, including the creation of the International Francis of Assisi and Carlo Acutis Award for an Economy of Fraternity.
The Sept. 18 visit is free and open to the public. UST invites members of the greater Houston community to join the University in welcoming Archbishop Sorrentino and taking part in this special celebration.
His visit to UST will provide a unique connection between the centuries-old Franciscan tradition and the University’s mission as Houston’s Catholic university, bringing together faith, intellectual inquiry and service to others.
The visit is being organized by a committee led by UST faculty member Dr. Francesca Guerri as the kickoff of a broader University celebration, St. Francis of Assisi: 800 Years of Adventure. See the website for all the details about the Sept. 18 visit.