Christmas Midnight Mass registration is open
Registration is now open for our Christmas “Midnight” Mass which will actually begin at 11:00 PM on December 24th this year due to Covid changes in the subway schedule.
Space will be limited to 100 people and social distancing and masks will be enforced. Please try to arrive a little early to Mass to be seated.
You can register on Eventbrite by clicking HERE.
This Mass will also be broadcast on Livestream.
St. Francis is open again
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi was temporarily closed to protect everyone after we discovered a potential exposure to Covid-19. We have good news to report: all the friars have tested negative and we are free to re-open our doors.
Confessions will begin again at 11:00 AM on Monday December 14th in the lower church and in person Mass will resume also on Monday, December 14th at 12:00 PM in the upper church.
See our special schedule due to the Coronavirus at the links below:
CURRENT MASS SCHEDULE CURRENT CONFESSION SCHEDULE
Original Post of 12/9/2020:
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi Church,
May the Lord give you peace.
One of our staff members has tested positive for the Coronavirus. The friars are going to quarantine until after all of us have been tested. At this point, the friars are all healthy.
For the safety of all, we will suspend public services.
I will update you on Monday, 12/14.
Until then:
- The upper church is closed.
- The daily 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM masses and the Saturday 4:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM, and 5:00 PM will be live-streamed only. They will not be open for congregations.
- We will live stream Vespers for Monday 12/14 at 5:45 PM.
- Confessions are suspended as well.
- The Lower Church will be open for private prayer from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
I regret the inconvenience and hope to be back on schedule soon. Please continue to pray for all who are sick with the virus, for those who have died, those who mourn, for caregivers, medical personnel, and all essential workers.
Blessings,
-Fr. Tom, ofm
The Ugnayan Filipino Ministry First Sunday Mass
The UGNAYAN Filipino Ministry is having its December First Sunday Mass this month in the Upper Church, 2:00 PM. This is in lieu of our First Friday Mass which has been moved to accommodate members of our community who are working from home.
Please wear your masks, observe proper social distancing and sit on designated areas.
Thank you.
Immaculate Conception Schedule
For the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2020 the schedule is as follows:
Monday, December 7: Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM (in person and on livestream)
Tuesday, December 8: Masses at 7:30 AM, 12:00 PM (in person and on livestream) and 5:00 PM
Thanksgiving Blessing
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi Church,
May the Lord give you peace.
The friars and all of the ministry at St. Francis wish you a blessed Thanksgiving. May you know the peace that is God’s gift at this time.
Many years ago, when I was in Little Falls, NJ, we began a blessing of bread, wine, and candles for Thanksgiving. People would bring them to the church for the Thanksgiving Day mass. We continued this blessing while I was in Hartford, CT. Realizing that we may not all be able to get to church tomorrow, I am sending this blessing for you to use in your home. It was composed by one of my good friends. You may pray this with those with whom you gather and perhaps share it with those who may not be able to join at your table this year.
Blessings on this Thanksgiving and always,
-Fr. Tom Gallagher, ofm
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BLESSING FOR THANKSGIVING DAY
Leader: Gracious God, in the beginning your Word summoned the light and by a pillar of fire you led your people through the dark night from slavery to freedom. Then, when the times had at last grown full and our eyes accustomed to our chosen darkness you sent your Son as Light of the World.
We pray you, bless these candles. May the radiance of their light reflect for us the brilliance of your light. May we see each other in their light as you see us, in love, in kindness, in goodness. We ask this in the power of your Spirit and the name of Jesus our Lord.
ALL: AMEN
Leader: Gracious God, when your people’s journey became overwhelming and they had lost their way, you led them to new life and fed them with manna. Then, when they had grown accustomed to their hunger and their deafness, you spoke your Word, Jesus, into their hearts and fed them with the Bread of Life. We pray you, bless this bread. May the bread that is broken at our tables this Thanksgiving Day feed our hunger for communion, for peace, for wonder at your constant presence among us. We ask this in the power of your Spirit and the name of Jesus our Lord.
ALL: AMEN
Leader: Gracious God, in the beginning your Word separated the waters and called forth from the earth the grapes that provide the wine to cheer our hearts. Then, when our covenant with you had been forgotten, you sent your Beloved to offer a new covenant in the cup, his life, that was poured out for us. We pray you bless this wine. May the wine we share at our tables bring us closer together in your love and with one another. May it be for us the wine of compassion, of healing, of reconciliation. We ask this in the power of your Spirit and the name of Jesus our Lord.
ALL: AMEN
Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
The friars and staff would like to wish all of our parishioners and visitors a very happy and safe Thanksgiving this year.
Our Holiday schedule is as follows:
Thanksgiving day:
Mass at 12:00 PM
There are no confessions Thanksgiving Day
Friday after Thanksgiving:
Mass at 12:00 PM
There are no confessions on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.
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