Fr. Polycarp Guerth was assigned as pastor of Saint Francis, but he died in December 1882. Fr. John Roser, a professor at Saint Bonaventure College, provided temporary coverage from March ]to July of 1883 when Fr. Cornelius Praetori was named pastor of Saint Francis. In 1888 he was replaced by Fr. Ludger Beck, who had 16 years of pastoral experience in Munich and Ratisbon in Ger- many, as well as a dozen years of missionary experience in America at the time of his appointment. 

Fr. Ludger was born in Ursulapoppenricht, Germany in 1832 and joined the Franciscan Order at the age of 23. Fearful that the May Laws which exiled their Prussian confreres would be extended to Bavaria, the Franciscan Provincial Minister sent Fr. Ludger to America to find a suitable place for the relo- cation of the friars in case of repression. Fr. Ludger served for a short time at St. Francis of Assisi in New York, and eventually moved on to Louisville, Kentucky where he found a potential home for his brothers back in Bavaria. The May Laws were never promulgated and the expected expulsion never materialized. Fr. Ludger worked in a German parish in Louisville where he was pastor of Saint Mar- tin Church for 12 years. The parish was taken over by the diocese and Fr. Ludger returned to the friars of the Allegany Custody. 

In 1888 Fr. Ludger was appointed to succeed Fr. Cornelius Praetori, who had served as pastor since 1883. Fr. Ludger imme- diately liquidated the parish debt of $14,000 and began to plan for the construction of a new parish church which would bring his people into the 20th century. 

This series of articles on the history of our parish is adapted from the writ- ings of Fr. Flavian Walsh, O.F.M., Pastor from 1985-87. 

Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the beatitudes. The beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card. So, if anyone asks:, “What must one do to be a good Christian?” The answer is clear. We have to do, each in our own way, what Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount. In the beatitudes we find a portrait of the Master that we are called to reflect in our daily lives.

The word “happy” or “blessed” thus becomes a synonym for “holy.” It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, by their self-giving, gain true happiness.

Although Jesus’ words may strike us as poetic, they clearly run counter to the way things are usually done in our world. Even if we find Jesus’ words attractive, the world pushes us toward another way of living. The beatitudes are in no way trite or undemanding, quite the opposite. We can only practice them if the Holy Spirit fills us with his power and frees us from our weakness, our selfishness, our complacency and our pride.

On this Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, we hear Isaiah say: “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come. The glory of the Lord shines upon you. See darkness cover the earth and thick clouds cover the people, but upon you the Lord shines and over you appears his glory.”

Although this was written centuries before Jesus, we can easily see that our light has come in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the one that is our light in the darkness of his world and this day and age that threatens us. The Epiphany shows us that Jesus is this for all people, all ages, all places. We say to Jesus: “Let your light shine on me.”

You may remember that we had our church elevator rebuilt last year. So, you may ask, why isn’t it working? Unfortunately, we found a small leak dripping from somewhere into the elevator that threatens to shut down the electrical system. We are trying to find that “somewhere” and have had engineers and maintenance personnel tracking down possibilities. Several ducts with rust may have to be removed and new ones installed. This means that they have to be custom made to our setting. All of this is in progress. We regret the inability of being able of using the elevator over these past weeks. Thank the good Lord that we will be receiving funds from Renew and Rebuild that you so generosity contributed to and this will pay for the project.

-Fr. Andrew Reitz, O.F.M.

Today’s feast is new as feasts go, and it sets us this year in a very modern crisis. Amid conflicting schedules and commitments, a young man, testing the limits, has strayed from his parents and gone off to the big city. Mary and Joseph search frantically, only to find the child Jesus in the temple, conversing with the elders and scholars of the law, who are amazed at his wisdom.

In the time of Jesus, the temple was the religious center of Jewish ritual. Outside of Jerusalem, people gathered in the synagogues, centers of learning, for daily prayer and study.

Still, everyone longed to journey to the temple to participate in the offerings, and to fulfill certain obligations of the law that could only be done there. On this feast, we catch a glimpse of the family of Jesus: parents dealing with the normal stresses of raising a child, and yet completely grounded in the ways of faith and tradition.

There has always been an appreciation in Christianity for the value of pilgrimage – the journey to holy places that is a symbol of our life’s journey to God, and a sense of connection to important events in our family history. During the Christmas season, many of us undertake pilgrimages to the family homestead for festival meals, to the parishes where we were formed in the faith, or perhaps even to a beautiful manger scene or festival of lights. There are few better days than this in our calendar for spending time with the family, especially on a short pilgrimage to a favorite place. Just make sure that no one gets left behind!

-James Field

© J. S. Paluch Co.

The friars and staff at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi would like to wish all of our parishioners, visitors, friends and families a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

It is right to give thanks to God for all of the blessings we receive each and every day: for the gift of creation in all its wonder, the gifts of the fruits of the earth that sustain us, the gift of all of the animals, wild and domestic, that share this world with us, and for the gifts of our family and friends.

At St. Francis we are especially grateful for all of the wonderful people who make up our community here on 31st street.

And of course, it is always right and just that we give thanks to the Father for the gift of Christ Himself, the good shepherd who loves us all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 118:

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord;
he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side,
but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];
he has become my salvation.

15 Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

25 Lord, save us!
Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b]
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up[c] to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

When you feel the temptation to dwell on your own weakness, raise your eyes to Christ crucified and say, “Lord, I am a poor sinner, but you can work the miracle of making me a little bit better.” In the church, holy yet made up of sinners, you will find everything you need to grow toward holiness. The Lord has bestowed on the church the gifts of Scripture, the sacraments, holy places, living communities, the witness of the saints and a multifaceted beauty that proceeds from God’s love…

At times life presents great challenges. Through them the Lord calls us anew to a conversion that can make his grace grow more evident in our lives, “in order that we may share his holiness.” At other times we need only find a more perfect way of what we are doing…When Cardinal Nguyen was imprisoned, he refused to waste time waiting for the day he would be set free…He decided, “I will seize the occasions that present themselves every day; I will accomplish ordinary actions in an extraordinary way.”