October, 2025 - Saint Francis of Assisi

November 5: Mass of Remembrance

Join us on Wednesday, November 5 at 6:30 PM for our Mass of Remembrance as we honor the lives of loved ones who have gone before us.

At St. Francis of Assisi, many of us come from other places and often grieve our loved ones from afar. This celebration allows us to come together as one community of faith and memory. Names submitted by mail or online will be placed in the sanctuary. Our community is also invited to bring or submit a photo or memento of someone you’ve lost to be placed near the altar during Mass.

Our Book of Names of the Dead will be available in the Pietà Chapel to inscribe the names of those you wish to remember throughout November until Advent begins.

2025 ALL SOULS REMEBRANCE

Roberta Gabriel Carls, Miguel, Jose, Katherine, Dulcesimon Gabriel,Bomiu

Buena Ventura Quipanes, Gregoria Hallay O Abelis,

Alma Sabina Bruce

Howell Family members Stephen and Josephine Zimbaldi

Members of the Vivo family, living and deceased Members of the McLaughlin family,

Living and deceased Members of the Lewin family, living and deceased Members of the Eide family, living and deceased

Lorna Scott McBarnette John McBarnette John Scott Nikki Scott Frances “BaBa” Johnson Malcolm Scott Georgianna Wilson Scott

Raymond Black Virgina Black Violet Rivera

In loving memory of our dear friend, Enrico G. Adelman.

In loving memory of my dear father, Alberto Joseph Gomez

Theadore (Teddy) Babolsay Helen Elliott Donald Ross Elliott

Mary & James Dunleavy Anna & Michael Dunleavy, Sr, Jennie & Charles Wildes, Sr.

For the heavenly repose of my husband’s father who died early this morning. His name was Jerzy Stefan Maksymowicz. May he rest in peace.

Archie McMullen Emilio Hernandez Connie Douglas

Sofia Violeta G. Roa Pedro “Boyboy” B. Roa Jr. Joan Cecelia Mah-Lee

Oloy N. Roa Sr. Benedicta B. Roa Luciano Gunabe Brigida T. Gunabe

Nestor Mayo Jim Alvarez Miguel Gozum Margaret Rozmus Mike Gruss

Gregorio Y. Ramos Sr., Ana Socorro T. Laxa, Socorro Tionko

Maximiano Veloso Sr., Lourdes Veloso, Bet Ramos, Lita Lorenzana

Pope Francis: may he rest in peace. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to remember him as he always asked for our prayers

Godfather and Uncle: John J. Scudellari, Jean Thom

My mother: Edith J. Scudellari, father: Robert D. Scudellari and Father Bart Daly (M.H.M.)

Ann and Peter Picariello Sr. Virginia O’Brien Mary and Ralph Paride

Christine Findlay Mona and Mary Lou Paride Louis Paride

Joseph Nemia Thomas Nemia Mary Nemia Grace Mamo Frank Barila

Concetta Barila Frank Nemia Catherine Caraciolla-Nemia Rudy Wallner

José Alberto Castillo Leonor C Álvarez Eduardo J Alvarez

Roberto Serantes Enrique Julian Alvarez Francesca Dolores Santos

Mabel Serantes Hilda Serantes Alvarez

Lina Ammatuna Carlo Ammatuna John Di Stefano Ceceila Boccone

Santo Agosta Vanessa Testani Michael Armenia Maria Cesarano

Michael & Mary Cosie Frank W Cosie Baby Cosie

Cuthbert Family Stonley Family Petit-Clair Family Scharteg Family Salzano Family Stephen Crane

CHARLES B. WILEY, BERTHA WILEY, ALBERTO GOMEZ, LOUIS GOMEZ

LOURDES GOMEZ , ENRICO ADELMAN, AND George ADELMAN, Jackie ZAVALLA, JOE ZAVALLA, ETTA Lucas, BEVERLY Grayson

Ben RIESIN..and our BELOVED POPE FRANCIS

Mary & John Naughten, Delia & George DeBell, Bridget & Luke Naughten, Bridget & John O’Loughlin

Thomas O’Loughln, Vanessa Naughten, John Sullivan, Andrew Cliff, Nora & Bridie O’Loughlin

Members of The Naughten, O’Loughlin, Logan & Fitzpatrick Families. All Great Grandparents and others not included above including Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Also, Lesley Gould, Charlene & George Harris, Alphonse Normandia, Anthony & Frances Mandano and Rose Rinella.

Margarito, Exaltacion, Rosalina, Oliva, Sancha and all souls in Purgatory

Victor Ryan Forbes Carol J. Burke Anthony B. DiBattista Anthony & Grace DiBattista

Edward & Kathleen Wiederkehr Rocco & Nannette Itri Joseph & Gladys Nista

Paul L Kergoat, Marie Kergoat, Yvonne Kergoat, Rafael Franceschini, Juana Ramona Segarra de Franceschini, Fransico Antonio Franceschini,

Rudecindo Franceschini, Sara Gonzalez, Irma Gonzalez, Manuel Gonzalez, Emilia Franceschini, Luis Torres

Luz Maria Torres, Hector Franceschini, Hector Luis Franceschini

Laura Gonzalez, Rudecindo Franceschini Jr., Edad Enid Franceschini

Gonzalez, Carlos Juan Franceschini Gonzalez, Vicente Belgodere, Alan Belgodere Ramos

Ana Marta Ecehvarria, William Ecehvarria, Yolanda Gonzalez Franceschini, Rafael Cordona,

Rafael Cordona, Neftali Soler Rodriguez, Francis Soler, Giovanni Matos, Rosemarie D’Angelo

Rosalía Arango de Munera Gisela Vélez All souls in purgatory

Rose and Phil DeCara, my parents

Carlos Perez Antonia Contreras Daniel Contreras David Martinez

Contreras Hilaria Gomez Jimmy Maximino Perez Juaquina Colon

Mr & Mrs Montho Dsouza, Micheal Dsouza, Mr & Mrs Johny Vaz, Mr & Mrs Dennies Gomes

Mr & Mrs Louis Gomes, Lucy Dsouza, Oswal Nazarath, Josquiem Dsouza, Philip Dsouza

Mr & Mrs Castelino, Franky D’sa, Simon Castelino, Johny Dsouza.

Amanda Rogers

November 16: Friendsgiving

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” – Maya Angelou

The Converge at St. Francis Parish Life Ministry is delighted to host this year’s parish Friendsgiving—an afternoon of celebration, community, food, and gratitude.

All Parishioners and Friends are warmly welcome!

Date: Sunday, November 16, Doors open at 1:00 pm and festivities will begin at 1:30 pm after the 12:30 pm Mass
Location: San Damiano Hall

We’ll provide the turkey and ham, and we invite you to bring a favorite dish to share — sweet or savory, homemade or store-bought. It’s all part of the feast!

Prefer not to cook or bring anything?
No problem! You can contribute $25 for each person instead, and still be a full part of the celebration.

To help us plan (and avoid a table full of just mashed potatoes—unless that’s the dream), please fill out the potluck form below (please plan to bring up to 8 servings):

Mashed Potatoes
Other Dessert
Other Side Dish
Pie
Salad
Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes
Vegetable Dish

A Few Notes:

Need to heat your dish?
Please bring it in an oven-safe container and drop it off at San Damiano Hall by 12:30 PM on the day of the event. We’ll make sure it’s warm and ready when it’s time to eat!

BYOB
Feel free to bring your favorite wine or beer if you want to partake. We will provide sodas and water.

November 1: Marathon Masses

On Saturday, November 1, we’ll continue our beloved St. Francis tradition of blessing all NYC Marathon runners and their families!

Join us at the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass, where we will honor these incredible athletes and offer a special blessing for strength, safety, and joy on race day. To accommodate the wide variety of runner and family schedules, we’ll also celebrate an additional Vigil Mass at 5:15 PM.

We invite the entire community: runners, visitors, neighbors, and friends—to come together in prayerful support. Let’s fill the church with the same energy and spirit that fills the streets of New York on Marathon Sunday. Spread the word and bring your cheer!

All Souls Day – Letter from Father Brian Jordan, OFM, Pastor

Dear Friend in St. Francis of Assisi,

Recently, I received a thank-you card from a family whose father I had the privilege of burying last month. Inside was a prayer that deeply moved me: “Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith in God.”

As we observe All Souls Day on November 2—and throughout the rest of the month—we pray and remember the faithful departed: our loved ones and friends who have gone before us. These wonderful people have left a lasting impact on our lives through their example, their witness, and their love.

On All Souls Day, we celebrate souls who never lost faith in God and one another. The Franciscan Friars will remember the souls of all the faithful departed in our Masses throughout November. We will pray for them unceasingly because we, too, have lost loved ones to “Sister Death,” as St. Francis so tenderly called it. We truly share your pain and sorrow as our own. The Old Testament offers these consoling words from the Prophet Hosea (13:14): “I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death.”

Every All Souls Day, as I celebrate Mass, hear confessions, or comfort the bereaved, I am reminded that grief transcends all cultures and languages. The Brazilian poet Adela Prado expressed it best: “Suffering belongs to no language.” These words come to mind as I think about the grief caused by gun violence in our nation, bombings in the Gaza Strip, war-weary soldiers in Ukraine, and mass hunger in Sudan, and countless calamities afflicting our brothers and sisters worldwide. All of this moves us to pray: “Help them, Lord.”

Grief is the price we pay for love. The late poet Maya Angelou wrote: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” She was right. We need to share our inner pain with others to grow through grief so we can heal. Bereavement groups provide a safe and compassionate space to do just that.

In addition, Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D., in his book Growing Through Grief: The Role of Support Groups, writes: “Support groups are an appropriate and effective way to help bereaved people heal… As group members give and receive help, they feel less helpless and discover continued meaning in life. Feeling understood by others brings down barriers between the bereaved person and the world outside.”

I have presided over countless Masses of Christian Burial during my forty-two years as a Franciscan priest. I can safely say there have been many, many, plus many more! I cannot do it all by myself as a Franciscan. As Franciscans, we walk together, and in times of loss, we all need each other. That’s why I began relying on bereavement groups years ago—as a way for us to share the burden of grief and to find comfort and strength in community.

How can you help? This special appeal affects the visceral, the spiritual, and the physical dimensions of our well-being. The Church of St. Francis of Assisi has been walking with grieving families for 181 years, thanks to the generosity of friends like you. This year, we ask for your exceptional support so that we can continue offering Masses, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Pastoral Care, and Bereavement Programs. With a heartfelt plea, I ask you to consider making a gift in honor of your departed loved ones. Your contribution, whatever the amount, makes a difference in bringing comfort, faith, and hope to those who need it most.

If you would like to have your loved one remembered in our special celebration, please submit the name(s) to be remembered at our All Souls Day Mass on November 2 through the form below. The deadline is Thursday, October 30 to submit the form. You may also include a non-returnable photo of your loved one to be placed near the altar.

Thank you for walking this journey of faith with us! Your kindness makes a real difference in the lives we serve. I want you to know that the Franciscan Friars, I, and the Pastoral staff remember you and your special intentions in our prayers. May the Lord reward your goodness and fill your heart with lasting peace.

With deep gratitude,

Fr. Brian Jordan, OFM
Pastor

“Eternal Rest Prayer”

Eternal rest grant unto them,
O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

2025 ALL SOULS REMEMBRANCE