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

May the Lord give you peace.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Fr. Ronald Stark, ofm. Fr. Ronald was pastor here from 1996-2002. He is a gifted preacher, confessor, pastor, and spiritual director. Fr. Ronald also has an incredible sense of humor. He is presently in Hospice Care. We are certainly grateful for his ministry here at St. Francis.

Thank you for your early contributions to the Cardinals Annual Stewardship Appeal. We are at $1,200 of the $73,000 goal. Do what you can to support the work of the Archdiocese of New York. As you know, Catholic Charities is overwhelmed by the work with the recently arrived migrants from Ecuador, Venezuela, and other countries. Families are arriving in New York daily seeking hospitality. Your donation to this appeal is greatly appreciated.

The Spring Adult Education/Formation brochures are available. Please consider registering for a course. This can be a great way to engage in the Lenten-Easter-Pentecost pilgrimage. Instead of giving something up, gear up with something new. This is an opportunity to expand your horizons and deepen your understanding of the many ways of God’s self-revelation. Information is also available on our website HERE.

Please keep your Monday nights open for soup and scripture as we prepare for Lent together. As we did in Advent, we will offer an opportunity for you to reflect on the Gospel each Monday of Lent as you enjoy a cup of soup and community. Please register so that we can be sure to have enough soup and space for everyone. We can also make access available for folks who need to avoid the steps. (We just need to know that you are coming.)

Jesus tells his hearers and us: “You are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world.” What was said in the early days of Jesus’ ministry during what is known as the Sermon on the Mount is a proclamation for our reflection. We are wonderfully gifted by God, sharers in God’s healing, preservation, flavoring, and radiance.
Imagine, it is Jesus who says that we are brilliant! Our call is to let our light shine, to reflect God’s goodness in our fragile and often fragmented world.

Thank you for all sharing your gifts with such generosity.

Blessings and peace,

Thomas M. Gallagher, ofm

On Sunday, January 15, 2023 at the the 5:00 PM Mass, Fr. Tom blessed a new statue of St. Benedict the Moor which was permanently installed for veneration at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.  Fr. Tom invited members of the St. Benedict the Moor Fraternity of Secular Franciscans from our parish to join him in blessing the image of the saint.  This beautiful new statue was donated by members of the St. Benedict the Moor Fraternity and permanently resides in the upper church.

Here is a short biography of St. Benedict provided by Mr. Paul Beelitz, SFO, who is the minister of the St. Benedict the Moor fraternity:

St. Benedict the Moor (1526 – 1589)

St. Benedict the Moor was the child of slaves who were taken from Africa to Sicily and given Italian names. Diana and Cristoforo Manasseri became devout Catholics, and their son Benedict was declared free when he was born in 1526. Benedict’s charitable nature was apparent from the time of his youth when he worked as a shepherd and gave what money he could to the poor. At the age of twenty-one Benedict became a member of a local group of Franciscan hermits. Benedict’s spiritual maturity far outweighed his lack of a formal education, and he became the group’s superior at the age of twenty-eight. In 1564 Pope Pius IV ordered the disparate hermit communities to join established religious orders, and so Benedict’s group joined the Order of Friars Minor at the Franciscan Friary of St. Mary of Jesus in Palermo. Benedict’s reputation as an excellent cook preceded him and he began his years in the Friary in that capacity. Once again, however, Benedict’s theological erudition and patient demeanor propelled him to become Master of Novices and then Guardian of the Community. After years of administrative duties, Benedict asked only to return to the kitchen, where he was visited by people who journeyed from afar for the opportunity to speak to him and benefit from his holiness and wisdom. Benedict died in 1589, having lived his entire life in Sicily.

Benedict was beatified by Pope Benedict the XIV in 1743 and was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807. There are St. Benedict the Moor Churches in New York, NY, Savannah and Columbus, GA, Pittsburgh, PA, Milwaukee, WI, Washington, DC, and St. Augustine, FL.

St. Benedict the Moor, whose Feast Day is April 4th, is the patron saint of African Americans.

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Photos by Mr. Keith Kemp, parishioner

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

May the Lord give you peace.

We have begun the 2023 Cardinal’s Annual Stewardship Appeal. The hope is for the Archdiocese to raise $21,000,000. Our contribution toward that goal is $73,000. Last year we surpassed our goal due to a very generous gift. It is my hope that we will be able to reach our goal for 2023.

The theme of the 2023 Appeal is rooted in Psalm 2: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” As I sit at my desk this afternoon, there are several migrant families seeking assistance in the rooms on the lower level and the first floor. These are folks who seek refuge in God through us. We at St. Francis are blessed to have come to know these families. Many children here have journeyed great distances to find a place of peace, hospitality, and community. One dimension of the Annual Appeal is to help address the needs of these families. We do our part here through your generosity. The Archdiocese depends on similar generosity to assist Catholic Charities.

Another source of refuge for all of us is the Word of God. This Appeal seeks to deepen the efforts of the Church to embody and preach the Gospel. Your financial assistance enables the possibility of the Church to meet the hunger for the Word throughout our Archdiocese. Again, finding refuge in the living and effective Word of God is the heart of our way of life. Please give as you are able to give. Any amount is appreciated. You can pledge an amount and give over time. You can also give online by clicking here.  (We just want to be sure that it is linked to St. Francis of Assisi!) Please consider your financial situation and determine if or what you may be able to give. Know that, if you are on the mailing list, you will get letters until you give or return that you cannot give at this time. Please pray for the success of this Appeal. I thank you for your consideration of this request. I also ask our virtual community to consider giving to this Appeal.

I am grateful for your commitment to St. Francis and grateful for your help.

Thomas M. Gallagher, ofm