The Pastor’s Corner: Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018
A Blessed and Happy Easter from the Friars and Staff at St. Francis Church!
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles that we hear at today’s Mass says: “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. [But] this man [Jesus] God raised!” This is the good news that we celebrate on this Easter Sunday. Yes, this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. Alleluia! We have come through a long winter and have followed Jesus daily through a lengthy Lent and now we have a reason to celebrate! Jesus is risen!
Thank you to all who were generous in the Easter collection, those who gave donations for Easter flowers, and those who gave to the Easter Appeal. It is not too late to make an online Easter donation.
A special thank you to those who planned and organized the various liturgies: Palm Sunday and the Sacred Triduum. Especially, we thank Fr. Timothy Shreenan; Director of Liturgy; Meredith Augustin, Director of Music; Ed Trochimczuk, Director of Volunteers and Special Events; Joe Nuzzi, Director of Evangelization and the RCIA; the Ministers of Hospitality, Ministers of the Eucharist, Lectors, Organists, Cantors, and the Choir. I also want to offer a special thank you to the Friars who heard confessions for hours each day.
Special congratulations to those who received the Easter sacraments at the Easter Vigil. What a blessing to have so many complete their initiation into the Catholic Church. You are an inspiration to all of us!
-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.
Holy Week 2018 at St. Francis of Assisi
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Holy Week
Note: All Masses are in the upper church unless specified; all Confessions are in the lower church.
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion • March 25
Saturday Vigil Masses (March 24): 4:00 and 5:15 PM
Sunday Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 9:30 (Lower Church),
11:00 AM, 12:30, 5:00, and 6:15 PM
Confessions: 8:30 to 9:30 AM; 4:30 to 5:30 PM
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week
Masses: 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, and 11:30 AM; 12:30, 4:30, 5:30 PM
Confessions: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM; 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Holy Thursday • March 29
Masses: 8:30 AM and 12:30 PM
Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the Feet and Procession to the Repository: 6:00 PM
Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Korean): 8:00 PM
Confessions: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Good Friday • March 30
The Seven Last Words: 12:00 Noon
Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion: 3:00 pm
Stations of the Cross, A Scriptural Journey: 5:30 pm
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (Korean): 8:00 PM
Confessions: 8:00 to 11:00 AM ONLY
Holy Saturday • March 31
The Great Vigil of Easter: 6:30 pm
The Upper Church will remain closed until 6:00 pm.
There are no Saturday afternoon Vigil Masses.
The Great Vigil of Easter (Korean): 9:00 PM
There will be no confessions on Holy Saturday.
Easter Sunday • April 1
Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 9:30 (Lower Church), 11:00 am, 12:30, 5:00 & 6:15 PM.
There will be no confessions on Easter Sunday.
Easter Monday • April 2
Masses: 8:30 & 11:30 am
There will be no confessions and the
Church offices will be closed for the day.
Stewardship report: Collections for February 2017 & 2018
Below is a comparison of our collections for February 2017 and February 2018. As you can see our collections are improving, but they are falling short of what we budget for and what we need to run St. Francis of Assisi.
Increases have come because of people using our Online Giving.
Please do you part and sign up for online giving here.
February 2017
Offertory Sunday Collections in church: $40,927
Online Sunday Collections: $8,964
Total Sunday Collections for January 2017: $49,891
Total Weekday Collections for January 2017: $30,623
Total Sundays and Weekdays for January 2017: $80,514
Budgeted for January 2017: $83,333
February 2018
Offertory Sunday Collections in church: $39,045
Online Sunday Collections: $14,909
Total Sunday Collections for January 2018: $53,954
Total Weekday Collections for January 2018: $27,259
Total Sundays and Weekdays for January 2018: $81,213
Budgeted for January 2018: $83,333
Pardon & Peace: A Service of Reconciliation
We invite you to join us for our annual Pardon & Peace service of penance and reconciliation on:
Friday, March 23, at 7:00 PM.
This year we will base the service on our Lenten theme, “Open your heart to the love and foolishness of God.”
Several priests will be available to hear confessions during the service.
Join us as we gather together on this last Friday of Lent to prepare for Holy Week through the celebration of the Word of God and this great sacrament of Reconciliation.
Lenten Afternoon of Prayer
Saturday, March 24, 2018 2:00 – 5:00 PM; San Damiano Hall Led by Fr. William Beaudin, O.F.M.
Prepare for Holy Week by taking a few hours to pause, pray and reflect on what the parable of the Prodigal Son tells us about what it is we are celebrating during these most sacred days of the Church year.
The afternoon will include two presentations by Fr. William as well as communal prayer and personal quiet time. Participants are invited to conclude the day by joining the St. Francis of Assisi Parish community at the 5:15 PM Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday.
Click HERE to register, or you may register at the front desk.
Lent and Holy Week at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi

Ash Wednesday: February 14, 2018
Imposition of ashes – Lower church
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and in
the upper church following the 6:30 PM Mass
Mass – Upper Church
7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 11:30 AM
12:30, 1:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 PM
(Please note: due to the frequency of Masses, ashes are not distributed during the liturgy. All ashes are distributed in the Lower Church. You may receive your ashes before or after the Mass as you like.)
Confessions – Lower Church
7:30–8:30 AM • 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
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Light from Light: Rethinking the Catholic Creed
On Easter Sunday, Catholics throughout the world reaffirm their Christian faith by renewing their baptismal promises. Lent is a preparation for that renewal, a time to reflect more deeply on our beliefs and to become more committed to living them out. Drawing on the insights of Boston College theologian, Fr. Michael Himes, this five-week course will focus on the creed and cover fresh perspectives on our ancient faith.
Required text: Fr. Himes’s The Mystery of Faith, An Introduction to Catholicism (available through Amazon).
Fr. William Beaudin, O.F.M. will teach this course on
Wednesdays, February 21 – March 21,
from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.
Please Note: Due to the low number of registrants, the Sunday afternoon session of “Light from Light: Rethinking the Catholic Creed,” scheduled to begin this Sunday, February 18, has been cancelled. Please join us for the Wednesday evening session of the same course, beginning February 21 at 6 p.m.
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Tea with Jesus: Lenten Scripture Sharing
Your unconditionally loving LGBT+Ministry warmly invites you to high tea, scripture share and deep discussion, about Lenten Gospels beginning Sunday, February 18 @ 4 p.m. and continuing throughout the Lenten Season. We welcome all members of the Young Adult Ministry to join us.
After our tea, we’ll then attend the 5 p.m. mass together.
SUNDAYS
February 18 —4 to 5 p.m..
February 25—4 to 5 p.m.
March – 4 to 5 p.m.
March 11—4 to 5 p.m.
March 18 —4 to 5 p.m.
Come reflect with Jesus, tea, cookies, and your LGBT and LGBT Ally brothers and sisters.
All are welcome.
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Stations of the Cross
Fridays after the 12:30 and 5:30 PM Masses
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Monthly Immigration Detention Visits.
The Migrant Center at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi is hosting an orientation meeting for its monthly Immigration Detention Visits on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 2:30 PM in San Damiano Hall, 127 W. 31st Street. For more information and to register, call 212-736-8500, Ext. 238, or email migrantcenter@stfrancisnyc.org.
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A LENTEN DAY WITH ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS
Mar 16, 2018
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Classroom 4
Spiritual master, Spanish poet, theologian, doctor of the Church—these titles only begin to describe the towering figure of St. John of the Cross in Catholic history. This course will examine excerpts from John’s writings on the mystical life, including The Ascent of Mount Carmel, Dark Night of the Soul, The Spiritual Canticle, The Living Flame of Love and lesser known works.
A specific emphasis of the course will be John’s insights into the connection between the practice of the virtues and one’s progress in prayer. Opportunities for discussion and personal reflection will invite participants to appropriate John’s wisdom for themselves in their own lives of faith.
INSTRUCTOR: Mary J. Gennuso, Ph.D.
Cost $45.00
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Lenten Pardon and Peace:
Service of Communal Reconciliation and Sacrament of Reconciliation
At this service we come together to acknowledge our sinfulness together, to pray, to reflect on the word of God, to contemplate God’s infinite mercy and, for those who would like, to receive that mercy in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 7:00 PM
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LENTEN AFTERNOON OF PRAYER
Mar 24, 2018 – Mar 24, 2018
2:00PM – 5:00 PM
San Damiano Hall
Facilitator: Fr. William Beaudin, O.F.M.
Prepare for Holy Week by taking a few hours to pause, pray and reflect on what the parable of the Prodigal Son tells us about what it is we are celebrating during these most sacred days of the Church year.
The afternoon will include two presentations by Fr. William as well as communal prayer and personal quiet time. Participants are invited to conclude the day by joining the St. Francis of Assisi Parish community at the 5:15 PM vigil mass for Palm Sunday.
Schedule:
[1:30 PM—Late Registration]
2:00 PM—Afternoon Prayer
2:15 PM—Presentation
3:00 PM—Quiet reflection
3:30 PM—Refreshments
3:45 PM—Presentation
4:30 PM—Evening Praye
[5:15 PM—Optional Vigil Mass]
Cost $20.00
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Click here to make your Lenten donation online.
Help make sure that the Church of St. Francis of Assisi is open and available for you and for all people who come to us. Our annual budget is $3,300,000 which we must raise each year.
Please help us meet our financial needs with your Lenten donation today.
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Holy Week
Note: All Masses are in the upper church unless specified; all Confessions are in the lower church.
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion • March 25
Saturday Vigil Masses (March 24): 4:00 and 5:15 PM
Sunday Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 9:30 (Lower Church),
11:00 AM, 12:30, 5:00, and 6:15 PM
Confessions: 8:30 to 9:30 AM; 4:30 to 5:30 PM
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week
Masses: 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, and 11:30 AM; 12:30, 4:30, 5:30 PM
Confessions: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM; 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Holy Thursday • March 29
Masses: 8:30 AM and 12:30 PM
Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the Feet and Procession to the Repository: 6:00 PM
Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Korean): 8:00 PM
Confessions: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Good Friday • March 30
The Seven Last Words: 12:00 Noon
Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion: 3:00 pm
Stations of the Cross, A Scriptural Journey: 5:30 pm
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion (Korean): 8:00 PM
Confessions: 8:00 to 11:00 AM ONLY
Holy Saturday • March 31
The Great Vigil of Easter: 6:30 pm
The Upper Church will remain closed until 6:00 pm.
There are no Saturday afternoon Vigil Masses.
The Great Vigil of Easter (Korean): 9:00 PM
There will be no confessions on Holy Saturday.
Easter Sunday • April 1
Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 9:30 (Lower Church), 11:00 am, 12:30, 5:00 & 6:15 PM.
There will be no confessions on Easter Sunday.
Easter Monday • April 2
Masses: 8:30 & 11:30 am
There will be no confessions and the
Church offices will be closed for the day.
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Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi
Here is some information you might find helpful about our parish community.
If you would like more information about joining our community or
about any of our ministries please contact
Joseph Nuzzi at jnuzzi@stfrancisnyc.org or 212-736-8500 x365
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We are a parish community and an urban ministry center in the heart of New York City.
Click HERE if you have not yet registered for our parish.
Inspired by the Franciscan tradition of ministering to people who are alienated, displaced, or persecuted, the “pilgrims and strangers” in our midst, The Migrant Center at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi welcomes immigrants/migrants of various ethnic backgrounds regardless of political or religious affiliation.
Click here for the Statement of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in support of immigrants.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi has a vibrant community of young adult Catholics in their 20’s and 30’s who celebrate life and faith together. Our Young Adult Ministry combines spiritual, social and outreach events to support our life together.
Click here for more information about our Young Adult Ministry.
In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” The Church of St. Francis of Assisi LGBT Ministry is a fellowship where gay and lesbian people of faith are welcome to explore their spirituality and share their experience, strength, and hope with one another. We actively provide and promote faith opportunities that build community for those who have experienced spiritual disconnection. We attempt to fulfill our mission by providing a safe place for spiritual events, educational and social activities, and outreach to the larger parish and Archdiocesan community.
Click here for more information about our LGBT Ministry.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process by which people can question, search, and inquire into the Catholic faith. It is a journey which leads many to seek full membership in our Church. For others this journey may not lead to full membership. Either way, all are welcome to come and see, to ask questions, and to look more deeply.
Click here for more information about our RCIA Ministry
The St. Francis Bereavement Ministry offers an opportunity for the bereaved to connect with others who grieve, and to seek a path of healing as they come to terms with their loss.
Click here for more information about our Bereavement Ministry
Remember your loved ones with a gift of flowers at Easter
The flowers and plants that will decorate our church at Easter are a sign of our joy in the Resurrection of Christ and our hope in the resurrection of those who have gone before us.
We invite you to remember deceased members of your family and friends with a donation for our Easter decorations.
There are forms in the bulletin which can be returned to the reception desk,
or you can offer your memorial donation by clicking HERE.
The names of those received by March 23 will be included in the Easter bulletin of April 1.
Evangelii Gaudium – Chapter 4, The Social Dimension of Evangelization
“I have always been distressed at the lot of those who are victims of various kinds of human tracking. How I wish that all of us would hear God’s cry: ‘Where is your brother?’ Where is your brother or sister who is enslaved? Where is the brother or sister whom you are killing each day in clandestine warehouses, in rings of prostitution, in children used for begging, in exploiting undocumented labor?
Let us not look the other way. There is greater complicity than we think. The issue involves everyone! This infamous network of crime is now well established in our cities, and many people have blood on their hands as a result of their comfortable and silent complicity.
Doubly poor are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence, since they are frequently less able to defend their rights. Even so, we constantly witness among them impressive examples of daily heroism in defending and protecting their vulnerable families.”
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주보 January 21,2021
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Traveling On: Major Novels of E.M. Forster (1879-1970) January 14,2021
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The Parables and Sayings of Jesus: Theology and Parallels Part 1 January 14,2021
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