Young Adult Fall Retreat – Registration closing soon!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH
WHO:
The retreat is for members of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in their 20′s and 30′s and their friends. There is a limited number of spots available for the retreat.
WHAT:
This retreat is a chance for young adults 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.
The Young Adult Ministry will make arrangements for transportation to and from the train station and the retreat center for anyone arriving between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. If you must take a later train you will need to take your own cab to the center.
WHEN:
Friday September 28th
check-in from 5 to 8 PM
to Sunday, September 30th
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:
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
ONLY MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR 20′s AND 30′s MAY REGISTER.
Upon completion of your registration, you will be sent more information regarding travel to and from the retreat center.
COST:
The retreat costs $200 .00 per person for room and board with single occupancy, and a private bathroom. This includes all meals Friday night to Sunday and snacks and a social on Saturday night.
Travel expenses are not included. Arrangements will be made to assist retreat attendees to travel from the Morristown train station to the retreat center. Information on this will be included in an information email after registration.
FINANCIAL AID:
St. Francis of Assisi is able to provide a limited number of partial scholarships to assist St. Francis of Assisi parishioners who need help covering the cost of the retreat. For information about financial aid to attend this retreat please email Joe Nuzzi at [email protected].
Stewardship: Collections for August 2017 & 2018
Below is a table comparing August 2017 collections to our current July 2018 collections.
As you can see our collections fell short of our budget.
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.
Thank you to all of you who are already doing your part.
The Pastor’s Corner, September 23, 2018
In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say something that startled his early disciples and can startle us: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” For Jesus, being first or being great does not matter. He has a different perspective. He sees that people who think that they are great enjoy it because of the prestige and feeling of importance they receive from others. He sees this as being self-serving and misses the point of why we were created. The reading from St. James helps us understand Jesus’ mind on this topic of greatness when he says that “where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and foul practice.” Jesus recognizes this tendency and does not want his followers to fall into the same trap, one that still exists today.
This Sunday is our annual Ministry Fair. Stop over at San Damiano Hall and check out the displays of the various ministries here at St. Francis. If you are looking for a way to become more involved in the church, you might find something that interests you and gives you the opportunity to put your gifts to good use! The Fair will be held after the 11:00, 12:30 5:00 and 6:15 Masses.
-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.
Evangelii Gaudium: Chapter 5, Spirit-Filled Evangelizers
We may be sure that none of our acts of love will be lost, nor any of our acts of sincere concern for others. No single act of love for God will be lost, no generous effort is meaningless, no painful endurance is wasted. All of these circle our world like a vital force.
Sometimes it seems that our work is fruitless, but mission is not like a business transaction or investment, or even a humanitarian activity. It is not a show where we count how many people come as a result of our publicity; it is something much deeper, which escapes all measurement. It may be that the Lord uses our sacrifices to shower blessings in another part of the world which we will never visit.
The Holy Spirit works as he wills, when he wills, and where he wills; we entrust ourselves without pretending to see striking results. We know only that our commitment is necessary. Let us learn to rest in the tenderness of the arms of the Father amid our creative and generous commitment… let us give him everything, allowing him to make our efforts bear fruit in his good time.
You can still join the RCIA
Are you interested in exploring Catholicism for yourself?
Do you know someone who might be interested in finding out more about our faith?
Were you baptized in another Christian church and are thinking about joining the Catholic Church?
Are you Catholic but never received Confirmation or First Communion?
Our RCIA began this week on Tuesday, September 11th and we are off to a great start. But you can still join!
Our RCIA meets every Tuesday from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM beginning September 11th. These classes are designed for people who may or may not be sure that they want to join the Catholic church. We present a comprehensive overview of Catholic faith and traditions designed for adults. Anyone inquiring into the Catholic faith may attend these sessions with no obligations.
The RCIA is free for anyone exploring Catholicism.
If you would like to find out more about our Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, please contact:
Joseph Nuzzi
Director of Evangelization
212-736-8500 x365
[email protected]
For Those Undergoing Separation/Divorce
The Archdiocese Family Life Office will present a “Surviving Divorce” program, starting Thursday, September 6th, in the Parish Center of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, 405 West 59th Street. The program, which is free of charge, will take place every week, at 6:30 PM on Thursdays, and run through Thursday, November 29th.
The program is open to anyone who needs comfort, counsel and clarity with respect to issues related to separation and/or divorce. For additional information email: [email protected] or call 646-794-3194.
Evangelii Gaudium – Chapter 5, Spirit-Filled Evangelizers
Faith… means believing in God, believing that he truly loves us, that he is alive, that he is mysteriously capable of intervening, that he does not abandon us and that he brings good out of evil by his power and his infinite creativity
…Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, in different ways: like the small seed which grows into a great tree, like the measure of leaven that makes the dough rise and like the good seed that grows amid the weeds and can always pleasantly surprise us. The kingdom is here, it returns, it struggles to flourish anew.
Christ’s resurrection everywhere calls forth seeds of that new world; even if they are cut back, they grow again, for the resurrection is already secretly woven into the fabric of this history, for Jesus did not rise in vain. May we never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope!
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