Beginning the first Sunday of Advent our Mass and Confession schedule will change slightly.

Here will be the new schedule which will take effect Sunday, November 28, 2021.  The changes are in bold:

Sunday Masses:

• • Saturday (Vigil): 4pm
  • Sunday Masses at: 8:00 AM,
  • 9:15 AM (Korean),
  • 11:00 AM,
  • 12:30 PM
  • 5:00 PM.

Daily Masses:

Monday through Friday at:

• • 7:30 AM
  • 12:00 Noon
  • 5:30 PM

Saturday at 11:00 AM

Confession :

Monday – Friday:

• • 8:00 to 9:00 AM
  • 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
  • 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Saturday: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Our monthly after Mass meet and greet returns this Sunday after the 5 PM Mass.  Join us for a glass of wine or a soda and some snacks and meet members of the community and the staff. This is a great way for existing members to reconnect and for new people to get to know our community a little better.

Since we are serving refreshments we will follow restaurant rules for these monthly events.  Please be prepared to show proof of vaccination to come to the meet and greet.

The Rite of Acceptance is the first ritual that punctuates the journey of people who are entering fully into the Catholic Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).  During this ritual, converts are introduced to the community and initiated into the Liturgy of the Word.  It is a time when a person goes from inquiring into our faith somewhat privately to  proclaiming publicly that they desire to learn the Gospel from Christ himself among us.  During this Rite they “meet the family” by being introduced to the community during Mass and after this point they join the “family dinner” each week by coming with us to Mass on Sunday.

At this Rite we also hand over to the converts our most cherished blessing: the sign of the cross.  We hand over this ancient ritual to them and we commend them to the protection of the Lord who Himself will lead his new disciples to the waters of Baptism, to Confirmation and to the Eucharist.

We will celebrate this Rite at the 5 PM Mass on Sunday, November 21st.

Join us at the Mass and at our after Mass hospitality to welcome our candidates.

Here are photos of the Rite of Acceptance from last year.  Photos courtesy of Keith Kemp.

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The friars and staff at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi would like to wish all of our parishioners, visitors, friends and families a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.  (Our holiday schedule is below.)

It is right to give thanks to God for all of the blessings we receive each and every day: for the gift of creation in all its wonder, the gifts of the fruits of the earth that sustain us, the gift of all of the animals, wild and domestic, that share this world with us, and for the gifts of our family and friends.

At St. Francis we are especially grateful for all of the wonderful people who make up our community here on 31st street.

And of course, it is always right and just that we give thanks to the Father for the gift of Christ Himself, the good shepherd who loves us all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 118:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.

Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Our Holiday schedule is as follows:

Thanksgiving day:

Mass at 12:00 PM

There are no confessions Thanksgiving Day

The parish offices and Adult Education Center is closed.

Friday after Thanksgiving:

There is a full schedule of Masses: 7:30 AM, 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM
and Confession: 8:00 to 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and  4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

The parish offices and Adult Education Center is closed.

Last week we emailed everyone a survey asking for your input on the best times for our midday and evening daily Masses.  This is part of the staff’s effort to include the community in decisions that affect us all.  We had nearly 300 respondents.

The results of the survey indicate that Noon is the most convenient time for most people for a midday Mass and 5:30 is the most convenient time for an evening daily Mass.

In response to your input we will be moving the evening 5 PM Mass to 5:30 PM beginning the first Monday of Advent: November 29, 2021.

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi will observe Veterans Day on Thursday, November 11th, with one Mass at 12:00 PM.

There will no confessions and the church offices and adult education center will be closed for the day.

We offer our thanks, appreciation and pray for all those who have served our country in the armed forces, especially those who were injured in the line of duty. May your bravery and courage not go unrewarded!

“Your kindness multiplies a hundredfold.”
-Jimbo (Jimmy Austria)

Our very own Jimmy ran the 50th Anniversary NYC Marathon this year and he completed the run in 5:41:37, with an average 13:02 minute per mile for the 26.2 mile run!  He did an amazing job and we are all proud of him.  Jimmy asked people to sponsor him for his run to raise money for the ministries of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi which help those in need.   With the help of parishioners and friends who supported him, Jimmy was able to raise nearly $6,000 for the church.

Jimmy would like to thank everyone who supported him!