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Dear Community and Friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi,

May the Lord give you peace.

Happy Easter! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Easter is fifty days! We have just begun our celebration. Blessings and thanks to all who were able to join us for the Sacred Triduum.

Special thanks to:

the musicians under Meredith’s direction.

They were outstanding. The music brought us into the depth of the experiences of each day.

Our countless volunteers under Ed’s direction:

Lectors proclaimed the Word with grace and dignity.
Hospitality ministers graciously greeted and assisted participants (and took up the collection).
Altar servers provided graceful assistance for the liturgies.
Good Friday Cross bearers engaged us in the mystery of the cross.
Ministers of the Eucharist, like the early disciples, distributed the gifts.
Ministers of the Live-stream connection for many people.
Our sacristans made sure that we were prepared for each celebration.
Our foot washers and assistants.

Our RCIA team, under Joe’s direction:

Nurtured the journey of our newly baptized members and members received into the church.
Worked throughout the year to support all seeking Communion with us.
Allowing themselves to be transformed in the journey.
Assisted in decorating the Church on Holy Saturday afternoon.

Our maintenance crew!

Set up the pool and all the major pieces needed for each celebration.
Made the Church and Hall welcoming spaces for us.

Finally, my brothers, the friars, for their presence and affirmation of the Franciscan vision of God’s great love for us.

All of you who came to watch and pray.

You are the great gift of God for the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. It was amazing to see so many people. Everyone was engaged and actively participating. We had visitors from around the world and from around the city. All giving praise to God.

Alleluia! This was just the beginning. We are on our way to Pentecost opening our hearts to the wonders of the Holy Spirit already given yet being fanned into flame anew as we give thanks for the gift of God in Jesus. In love, he gave himself for us. In love, he was raised for us. In love, he breathed the Holy Spirit upon us forever! Alleluia! Let us celebrate with lives of praise.

Blessings of Easter,
Fr. Tom, ofm

The beautiful flowers in the sanctuary raise our minds and our spirits during this joyous season when we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection with renewed exuberance.  They also remind us of the beauty and fragility of creation which is ours to care for.

We also thank all of you who donated towards the flowers and made this possible.  We continue to remember and pray for all of those in whose memory these donations were made:

Our Easter Flowers have been donated in memory of:

Agnes and Morris Albenda
Richard and Shirley Armiger
John Armiger
Bernadette and Jerome Abellard Augustin
Teresa and Frank Badami
Marie Therese & Raymond Barrau
Members of the Brown family
Members of the Badami, Armiger & Byrnes families
Robert Carter
Helen and Philip Castellano
Elena Castellano
Members of the Castellano family
Members of the Cipriani family
Elisa Mary Clarke
Juaquina Colon
David Contreras
Rita Coppa
Istvan Dekany
Thomas & Theresa Dolan
Members of the Dunleavy Family
Mary & James Dunleavy
Anna & Michael Dunleavy, Sr.
Edmona Glasgow
Gilberto Gomez
Dieter Grether
Donald Hsu
Jane R. and Charles Janiak
Members of the Andrejko & Kopcza families
Margaret Kronenberger
Prospera Fernanda Lake
Margarita Lopez Rivera
Concetta Mamone Pinckney
Marie Mamone Pinckney
Members of the Mamone Pinckney Family
Anita & Joe Marquez
Helen McKeon
Joan Melone
Giti Neumann
James Newson
Elizabeth Newson
Eida Ortiz
Carlos Perez
Maximino Perez
Irita Samuel
Anne Marie Sargusingh
Charles A. Sclafani
Jessie Sotto
Mary Ellen and Eamonn Stanford
Members of the Huston and Staub families
Hannah Todd
Neil & Mary Helen Torpey
Jeanne Walsh
Dorthey Wendt
Jennie & Charles Wildes, Sr.
Stephen Rosty & Piotr Wozniak
Li-Yun Yeh
Tsao-Chung Yeh
Ruth and Larry Thorne
Friend, M. Knowles, M. Kuerzi,
Knowles, R. Isaac C. M. Prayor
Cathy Frances and Clare Leblanc
Lawrence Family
Peters Family
Hoff Family
Perry Family
Carmelite and Victor
Maria Dolores Aspa’s family and friends
Deceased members of the Lee, Kane & McCarthy Families
Peter Kim (Inho Kim), Theresa Choi, John Sunwoo (Soon Sunwoo)
Familias Tavarez and Mejia
Gillooly and Hoey Families
The Lee Family
Clyde, Angela, Keith and Christine
Michael and Mary Cosie

And for the special intentions of:

Annette Sampson

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

After a long pause due to the pandemic, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi resumed offering the Communion under both kinds to the community starting Holy Thursday, April 6, 2023.

Reception of the Precious Blood by the Laity has had a long and at times turbulent history.  Reception of both the Body and Blood of Christ by both the clergy and the laity was the original practice of the Church.  This practice lasted in the west for more than a thousand years.

However, by the 13th century the cup had begun to be removed from the laity for a variety of reasons, and by the time St. Thomas Aquinas was writing in the late 1200’s he referred to is a “custom prudently observed by some Churches” (Martimort, A.G. The Church at Prayer, Volume 2: the Eucharist, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, pg. 138-139).  Eventually the church began to regard drinking from the chalice as a privilege restricted only to the presiding priest or bishop.  Eventually this practice was enshrined into Catholic law at the Council of Trent. Despite this, many theologians and faithful fought to have the ancient practice of the Church – for everyone to be able to receive both the Body and Blood of Christ – to be restored.

Communion from the Chalice was not returned to all of the faithful until after the Second Vatican Council.

Many people still choose to receive only under one species – either the Bread or the Wine.  This is totally fine. We believe that Christ is really and fully present in both the consecrated bread and the consecrated wine.  Nothing is lost to anyone who receives only one or the other.

Despite this theological truth, many have missed being able to participate in the sacrament in the way that the Lord handed it over to us: To eat his body and drink his blood.

Therefore, we think it is time to return the precious blood to the community for those who chose to receive under both kinds.  The Archdiocese of New York has lifted the pandemic-based prohibition of reception from the chalice. (Liturgy Update, Archdiocese of New York, March 2023)

As always please follow the directions of our ministers of hospitality.

-Joe Nuzzi
Director of Evangelization

Dear Community and Friends of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi,

Alleluia!

May the Risen Lord give you peace.

We gather this weekend to remember the great love of God, who raised Jesus from the dead. We celebrate the gift that is God. What wondrous love! From the cross, Jesus offers forgiveness, and in his resurrection, he empowers us to do the same. He does not seek retribution for betrayal, denial, false accusation, or condemnation. Instead, he breathes the new life of the Spirit into the world. Alleluia!

Please come to join us as we celebrate the great love of God together. I remember how painful it was three years ago when we could not gather as communities to rejoice in the gift of resurrection. God has raised us with Christ! Please invite family and friends; there is plenty of room for all. Saints and “so-called sinners”  ere welcomed by Jesus. People from many ways of life and unusual paths encountered him and discovered themselves. Come whether or not you have kept the fast of Lent or been steadfast in your resolutions! No matter where your life’s path has led you, prodigal daughter/son or faithful older sister/brother, the feast of God’s love is prepared for us all.

Even as we gather to rejoice in the Lord, we remember places of war and violence, school shootings, migrants, the homeless, the poor, all who suffer addiction, the sick, and all who grieve. Together, we are the communion of saints; many people struggle and carry heavy burdens. This feast of the Lord’s compassion inspires us to greater compassion. Our journey from Ash Wednesday to today has been transformative for us. We are more open to receiving the gift of God’s goodness.

We are a blessed community here at St. Francis of Assisi. We are rich in diversity and talent. Graced in prayer and reconciliation. The Franciscan tradition is embodied in our way of celebrating and our way of life. Thank you for all you bring to the community and our life together. St. Francis’ love for Christ and Christ’s presence in all creation is fundamental to the life of this church community.

Alleluia! Thanks!

Happy and Blessed Easter,

Fr. Tom, ofm

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion • April 2

Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 pm

Sunday Masses: 8:00 AM, 9:15 AM (Korean), 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM

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Monday – Wednesday • April 3, 4, and 5

Daily Masses: 7:30 AM, 12:00 PM, and 5:30 PM

Confessions: 8:00 – 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:30 – 5:30 PM

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Holy Thursday • April 6

Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the Feet and Procession to the Repository: 6:00 PM

Confessions: 8:00 – 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

There will be no confessions once the Triduum begins until the Tuesday after Easter

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Good Friday • April 7

The Seven Last Words: 12:00 Noon
Guest Preacher: Rev. Canon Michael F. Delaney, Episcopal Priest

Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion: 3:00 PM

Stations of the Cross: 5:00 PM

No Confessions on Good Friday

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Holy Saturday • April 8

The Great Vigil of Easter: 7:00 PM

The Upper Church will remain closed until 6:30 PM.

No confessions on Holy Saturday.

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Easter Sunday • April 9

Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 11:00 AM, 12:30 & 5:00 PM

No confessions on Easter Sunday.

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Easter Monday • April 10

Mass at 12:00 PM only

There are no confessions on Easter Monday and the church offices are closed.

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All of our Liturgies will also be available on Livestream on our website and on our Facebook page.