On Monday, January 15, 2024 our nation will commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We will have only one Mass.

Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 PM. (also available on Livestream) 

There will be no confessions, and the church offices and adult education center are closed. *

(*please note: when the church offices are closed all ministry meetings, classes and self-help groups are suspended)

The Rev. King’s “I have a Dream” speech, which he delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 is a prophetic call for our nation to be better and to strive for greater justice and peace.  His words still ring true today, and his call for equality and justice still challenge us to build a world where we recognize the dignity of all people made in the image and likeness of God.

Here is a transcript of the Rev. King’s “I Have a Dream” speach:

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: 

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.

We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.

There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, when will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.

We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: for whites only.

We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right down in Alabama little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, Black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.

If you would to hear a recording of the actual speach given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 NPR has a recording on their website which you can listen to for free here: Transcript of Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech : NPR

That’s All Folks!

See the exhibit entitled “That’s All Folks!” of Environmental Crisis Posters currently on view at The Poster House until February 25th. The Poster House, located at 119 West 23rd Street, is open Thursday thru Sunday 10-6. On Fridays, Admission is Free and the museum is open until 9pm.

Here is the link to the exhibit on the Poster House Museum’s website:  We Tried to Warn You! Environmental Crisis Posters, 1970–2020 | Poster House

Also on their website is an article about Seven Environmental Success Stories.

“Our goal is…to become painfully aware, to dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.” Pope Francis (LS19)

If you are interested in our Laudato Si Circle you are welcome to come to our next meeting:

Thursday, January 25, 2024
6:30 – 8:00 PM
First Floor Conference Room of the St. Francis House

For more information about the Laudato Si Circle here at St. Francis or to share your own tip of the week, email: stfrancislaudatosi@gmail.com

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is again offering a
WINTER RETREAT FOR MINISTERS, VOLUNTEERS & PARISHIONERS.

This year’s theme is “Discover the Divine Within.”  On this retreat we will explore where we find God and how to become more intimate with God. Join us for a weekend of prayer, contemplation and conversation.

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 5, 2024.  

January 12-14, 2024

(Friday evening to Sunday afternoon)

WHO:

The retreat is for parishioners of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and their friends.  There is a limited number of spots available for the retreat.

WHAT:

This retreat is a chance for parishioners to escape the city for a couple of days to connect with one another and reconnect with God.  There will be time to pray, hear talks, discuss the faith, and enjoy quiet time on the beautiful property of the Mt. Alvernia Franciscan Retreat Center in Wappingers Falls, NY.

WHERE:

The Mt. Alvernia Franciscan Retreat Center is located in Wappingers Falls, NY. about a two-hour train ride from Grand Central Station.  Travel details will be given to all registrants.

WHEN:

Friday, January 12th (check in from 5 to 7 PM)
to Sunday, January 14th after lunch.

WHY:

Because sometimes it’s good to get away and pray.  Jesus went up to the mountains to pray often… and so shall we.

HOW:

Upon completion of your registration, you will be sent more information regarding travel to and from the retreat center and items to bring.

Please Note: 

We need at least 20 people registered and paid by December 29, 2023 in order to hold this retreat.  If you would like to reserve your spot, you can register now with a deposit of $100.00.  You can make partial payments as fits your budget so long as your payment is complete by December 29, 2023.

Maximum number of spots available:  50

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW – FOR NOW, JUST SAVE THE DATE

QUESTIONS:

For more information contact Joseph Nuzzi at -736-8500 x365 or jnuzzi@stfrancisnyc.org 

Be Done with One and Done

Consider how items may be reused. Did you pick up a plastic fork at lunch? Don’t throw it out. Use it again and make a set of travelling utensils. Have an empty bread bag? Use it for freezing or to line a small wastebasket. Even a lightly soiled paper towel can be rinsed and reused.

“Reusing something instead of immediately discarding it, when done for the right reasons, can be an act of love which expresses our own dignity.” Pope Francis (LS211)

If you are interested in our Laudato Si Circle you are welcome to come to our next meeting:

Thursday, January 25, 2024
6:30 – 8:00 PM
First Floor Conference Room of the St. Francis House

For more information about the Laudato Si Circle here at St. Francis or to share your own tip of the week, email: stfrancislaudatosi@gmail.com

Come visit our nativity in the upper church at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi at 135 W. 31st Street.

800 years ago this year St. Francis recreated the nativity scene in a cave near Greccio, Italy making the nativity scene the cherished part of the Christmas tradition to this day. Come take a pilgrimage this season to our own nativity where we continue to wonder at the depths of God’s for us.

St. Francis and the Nativity – 800 Years of Tradition

This year, when festive lights twinkle in homes worldwide, we will find ourselves at a significant milestone. It is the 800th anniversary of a tradition that has, for centuries, symbolized the true essence of Christmas — the crèche.

The word “crèche” originates from the Old French term for a crib or manger. This iconic scene, which reenacts the birth of Jesus Christ, finds its roots in the 13th century with St. Francis of Assisi. But who would have thought that a simple representation in a cave in Greccio, Italy, would leave such a lasting legacy?

In 1223, desiring to make the experience of the Christmas story more tangible and accessible, St. Francis sought permission from Pope Honorious III to set up a live nativity. His intention? To eschew the rising materialism of the time and bring focus back to the simple and divine nature of the Christmas story. By using real animals and a manger in a cave setting, he created a physical representation of the events of that holy night.

From its Italian origins, the crèche rapidly gained traction across Europe. Artisans in different countries began to depict the nativity using materials and styles that reflected their own cultures. The Polish “szopka,” Spanish “Belénes” and French “santons” are just a few regional iterations.

In Latin America, entire towns partake in live reenactments. In the Philippines, the “Panunuluyan” pageant is performed: actors go from house to house, seeking shelter, culminating in a display of the manger scene.

Deep Spiritual Resonance

The crèche, in all its forms, is more than just an ornamental display. It stands as a visual sermon reflecting the core of Christian belief that God became man to walk among us. This simple scene — one of a child born in humble circumstances surrounded by adoring shepherds and wise men — speaks to the universal themes of love, humility and hope.

It serves as a poignant reminder of a god who chose a simple manger in which to make entrance into the world. To many, this underscores the idea that divinity can be found in simplicity and that every individual holds intrinsic value, no matter their circumstances.

Celebrating the 800th anniversary of the crèche is about recognizing the enduring appeal and significance of a tradition that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. The crèche’s ability to continue inspiring and uniting people across generations is truly remarkable.

The octocentenary is a testament to the enduring power of the story it represents. Despite rapidly changing times, the story of a child in a manger continues to captivate and inspire. It presents an opportunity to reflect on the shared human experience. In a world that sometimes feels more divided than united, the crèche remains a symbol of universal compassion and faith. Whether displayed in a cathedral in Europe or a home in Africa, its essence remains unchanged. It is a call back to simplicity, love and hope.

– By Annette Mikat, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration