The flowers and plants that 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.

They have been donated in memory of:

James Edward Ahearn
Inang at Amang
Bessie Anderson
Vilma Arthur & the Luscombe Family
Bernadette Jean Augustin
Jerome Abellard Augustin
Marion R. & Frank T. Burns
Radney Cahilig
Joan and George Call
Genara Henandez Castro
Beatrice Chery
Orlo R. Clark
Eileen Patricia Collins
Nancy Cooney
Michael & Mary Cosie
Bertha & Charles Degnan
Danilo T. Diaz
Amelia Diaz Manaog
Frank DiRago
Tom & Tereasa Dolan
Cecilia Astorga Ferraro
Andrea Figueroa
Peter, Joanna, Joan, Sheila & Mary Foley
E. Friend
Luisa Lorna Z. Gatchalian
Jose Padilla Genito
Clara Giovanniello
Mary Grimes
Lesly Guillaume
Irene Horodecky
R. Isaacs
Jane R. & Charles Janiak
Rosaire Jean
Hector Katenant
Karen Lynn Kemp
Mr. & Mrs. George E. Kemp III
Monika and Rainer Klier
R. Knowles
M. Knowles
Marjorie & David Kraniak
Mitchell J. Krask
M. Kuerzi
Sr. Jo Laurienzo, SND
Lydia & Charles Lawrence
Le, Kane & McCarthy Families
Angela Clyde Lee & Family
Marciano, Jacela, Cirilo & Josephina Lopez
Claudia M. Louis
Fouschard Louis
Bernice F. McCray
Thomas (Al) McCready
Holly Jean McCready
Kam Wong McCready
McGee & Schneider Families
Bernabe Mendoza
Annelore and Peter Mitchell
Nevilia Moreau
Vincenzo Nappo
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel O’Brien
Thomas O’Halloran
Onesefedo & Marcelina Pacina
Mary & Bob Paddock
Lynette Persaud
Robert & Frances Pouzar
Edward Prestridge
Hysen Qosej
Michael F. Reilly Sr.
Maggie Rittler
Eric A. Rivera
Karen Scott
Ralph Solomone
Jessie Q. & Alfred Sotto
Ida Stefanachi
Allen Stone
William Stroetz
Mr. & Mrs. Chee Tam
Christopher Temple
Marion & Eugene Thomas
Ruth & Larry Thorne
Siu Tong
Ronnie Townes
Cezar Augusto Umadac
Venditti & Rodriguez Families
Carmen & Fernando Virola
Maddox White
Solomon Woldekian
Yeck Family
Julian, Lourdes, Ben & Ann Young
May & Wilfred
Elle & Sr. Consuela

For the Special Intentions of:

Carla Ann Roudette Brown
Kay Foley
Nicole Mier
Sedfrey & Kathleen

*

The Paschal Candle and Easter flowers
have been donated for the special intentions of
Katherine Puangco.

Are you without immigration status?

STAND UP! is a campaign to protect the rights and welfare of immigrants, especially the undocumented. Contact us at standupimmigrants@gmail.com or 212-736-8500, Ext. 305.

¿Está sin estatus de inmigración?

¡LEVANTENSE! es una campaña para proteger los derechos y el bienestar de los inmigrantes, especialmente los indocumentados. Contáctenos a standupimmigrants@gmail.com o 212-736-8500, Ext. 305.

A Blessed and Happy Easter!

We hear these words in today’s Gospel: “On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark and saw the stone removed from the tomb.” After experiencing the torture and crucifixion of Jesus and having her heart broken through it all, now the tomb was empty. St. John often puts in phrases that we can easily overlook; the phrase that I am referring to is “it was dark.” St. John uses this to show not just the darkness of the night, but the “darkness” in the followers of Christ because of His death. Their faith and hope in Jesus was gone… or was it? His resurrection reassures us that even though there is often “darkness” in our lives, it is the Lord who strengthens and enlivens our hope. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.”

Congratulations to our Elect who have been baptized, confirmed and received the Eucharist. Congratulations to our candidates for completing their initiation into the church. You are an inspiration to us and we are happy that you are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Congratulations to Joe Nuzzi and the RCIA Team for journeying with this group since September. It is always a great joy for me to preside at the Easter Vigil and celebrate the Easter sacraments with these brothers and sisters. May the Lord continue to bless and guide you!

Thank you to Fr. Timothy Shreenan, Director of Liturgy; Edward Trochimczuk, Director of Volunteer Ministries; and Meredith Augustin, Director of Music. A special thanks to all the cantors, organists, choir, musicians, altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and ministers of hospitality who were so helpful throughout the Triduum. You are a blessing to us!

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

During Holy Week the Chrism Mass is celebrated in every cathedral in the world in preparation for the Easter Triduum. Only a bishop can consecrate chrism, pure olive oil infused with rich fragrance, so this liturgy is a sign of the unity of the local Church and the bishop’s ministry to all who will be baptized and confirmed in our parishes in the coming year. Chrism is also used in the ordination of priests and bishops and the consecration of new altars. Two other sacramental oils, the unscented olive oil for catechumens and 

for the sick, will be blessed in the same liturgy and transported carefully to every parish by the beginning of the Triduum.

Remember when Noah’s dove returned with the sign of the world’s rebirth? The dove carried an olive branch, a pledgethat God was breathing the world to life again. Yet olives require human nurture. Olives are inedible unless they are cured by human labor. Olive trees grow on sunny slopes, away from the shade of city walls, so they can only be properly tended, cured, and laboriously pressed in peace time. The Chrism Mass with its olive oils expresses God’s deepest desires for us, and our resolve to place our lives in service to God’s saving, healing, loving plan.
© J. S. Paluch Co.

Below is a table comparing March 2018 collections to our current March 2019 collections.

We are grateful that our collections are up from last year, but as you can see we still are not reaching our budgeted goal.

We need everyone to do their part to keep St. Francis on firm financial ground.  The best way to use this is to make your offering using our online giving system.

You can sign up for online giving HERE.

We ask all of our members and visitors to offer the equivalent of ONE HOUR of their weekly salary per week to support the mission of the church.  This comes to a tithe of 2.5%

Thank you to all of you who are already doing your part.