Veteran’s Day Holiday Schedule

Mass: 12:00 NOON

No confessions

The church offices are closed today

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi Church and Parish,

May the Lord give you peace.

This weekend we celebrate the feast of All Saints. We can look back at those children, women, and men recognized by the church as saints.  We can also recall with St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Christians, “you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.” With this in mind, let us consider the many saints of our day. We can think of men and women who worked for the dignity and grace of all people. We can consider the educators who provide book knowledge and also tender the care and wisdom that forms gracious ways of thinking and being. We recognize medical personnel who offer healing and peace. We might consider the men and women who challenge us to face our racism, sexism, and limited understanding of gender and sexuality. We are also blessed with those children, women, and men who live simple, humble lives open to God’s continued call to transformation in grace. Pope Francis invites us to consider the holy men and women of other religious or non-religious traditions. We think of so many who give themselves in service to our world with compassion. I invite you to take some time to consider the saints of your life, those children, women, and men who have loved you, nurtured you, challenged you, held space for you, and were present for you. We can give thanks to God for all whom we know and the many we have already forgotten. 

Many of us are anxious about the election. We are challenged to choose leadership as Catholic Christian voters. We think of the Pro-Life dimension of our call to social justice, and we remember that Pro-Life is not simply pro-birth; it is the whole of life. Within our Catholic Social teaching, we consider a large picture. The right to life continues beyond birth. The right to life beyond birth includes our transformation/conversion as a culture and church in the areas of human dignity. These areas of conversion include racism, ecology, care for families, care for the poor, quality education for all, affordable medical care, nutrition, homelessness, refugees, and migrants. To be Pro-Life calls for an economy that places people over objects. Our hidden wealth is found in our relationships, our faith, our willingness to dialogue, and our respect for diversity. We are responsible for electing leaders who see beyond the narrow confines of limited imagination. We seek leaders who are open to the vista of participation in a world that, while divided, is filled with children, women, and men created in the image of God, loved by God.  Please pray for our nation. 

Pray for peace during this election. Pray for those who are elected and those who are not. We seek to unite the divisions that often seem overwhelming. To do this we must put bitterness and resentment aside, work for the values of the Gospel within the way of the Gospel. 

Finally, please stay safe. The virus is spiking in many places. Follow the prescribed protocols, avoid crowds, and encourage one another. 

Peace and all good,

Peace and all good,
-Fr. Tom Gallagher, O.F.M

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi,

May the Lord give you peace.

I thank you for your generosity and your many ways of caring for one another. While I have only been here a short time, I have come to see the many gifts of this community. We are indeed blessed. I am delighted by the number of folks who watch our live stream services. I am hoping that we can increase the options for your participation from home or office. We have been training folks to work the cameras.

I invite you to join us in person or on-line for a week of prayer for our nation. We will gather for Evening Prayer, Vespers each night Monday – Friday at 6. This is an opportunity to reflect on our call as disciples during this election cycle. We will listen to texts from the Sacred Scripture and from Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, Fratelli Tutti (We are all Sisters and Brothers). I hope you will find time to join us for the entire week or often as you are able.

With attention to the upcoming election, I offer you this talk given by Bishop McElroy of San Diego in February for your reflection: https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/bishop-mcelroy-voting-faith-and-conscience.  I find it particularly helpful that Bishop McElroy’s presentation offers a broad view and calls us to prudent decision-making rooted in our conscience. The bishop invites us to incorporate all aspects of life in our considerations as we elect those we entrust with leadership. Please read this talk, reflect, consider other sources of Catholic Social Teaching documents, pray and vote. Your wisdom is a great gift.

We will host a celebration of all the deceased on November 2nd. This annual time of prayer engages us in remembering our loved ones who have gone before us. At 5 and 7 PM, the services will be live-streamed for your participation at home or office.  We also welcome those who are able to join us in person. Remembering that we can only accommodate 100 participants in church, please register here if you are able to be here in person.

Later in November, we will offer an opportunity to pray as we consider the struggles of Suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AFSP, designates the Saturday before Thanksgiving, this year, November 21st, as a day of prayer and education. Many of us have had our lives touched by suicide. There are those who mourn the loss of friends or family members, those who live with constant thoughts of suicide, those who fear the phone call that confirms the loss of a loved one, and those who have survived attempts at suicide. At this service, all are welcome. We will share in the scripture, reflect on God’s faithful love, and share in the Eucharist. Please invite others to join us. AFSP sponsors annual walks to raise money for suicide awareness and prevention. I have participated in 8 of the overnight walks, two here in NYC. There is strength in our coming together in the grace of God to give peace, healing, and life.

Peace and all good,
-Fr. Tom Gallagher, O.F.M

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi,

May the Lord give you peace.

I thank you for your participation and support of the ministry of St. Francis of Assisi. It is good to see so many of you who are able to join us for the public masses and to know that many of you are choosing to participate via the live stream. We want to stay connected. It is also good to know that many of our parishioners, who no longer live nearby, are joining us on the live stream. Given the current technology, we are able to continue many parts of our mission.

Within the next few weeks, we will offer some new chances for reflection on the scripture via Zoom. Please keep an eye out for the registration and Zoom link.

We will also begin a week of prayer for our nation as we consider the upcoming elections. From Monday-Friday, October 26-30, we will host a Vesper service in the Church and live stream at 6:00 PM. This service will include psalms, readings, and time for quiet reflection. The readings will come from the scripture and from Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. This is an invitation to prayerfully consider how we will vote and the challenges to our nation. I hope you will be able to join us. For those who are not able to participate at the scheduled time, the live stream will be archived on our website and the service may be downloaded for private prayer. I would ask that you set aside a space for your prayer, perhaps a table with a cloth, cross, and candle. It might also be something for a family or small group to pray together.

In this weekend’s Gospel, Jesus is quizzed on paying taxes to Caesar. He enjoins his hearers to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are God’s”.  Our participation in our government through voting is our joining of these two dimensions of our lives. Voting is our rendering to the civil government what is due. Voting is also rooted in the Gospel, that speaks of care for the poor, of servant leadership, of the welcoming of the stranger, (cf. Matthew 25:31-40 “Whatever you did for the least one, you did for me.”) renders to God what is God’s. Our voting is not a single issue, nor based on what someone in authority has said. It is the act of an adult conscience that looks at the broad picture of human life and development. Our voting is participation in the compassion of God. Please vote wisely and compassionately.

We are also planning for our Mass of Remembrance on All Souls Day. Please check the website for more information. This will be a public mass as well as available on the live stream. Too many of us were unable to gather with family and friends at the passing of loved ones during this pandemic. The mass of remembrance is a chance to pray for that person and for all who grieve. As we remember, I invite you to call to mind the gifts of the person. Their shared gifts are a grace from God that continues to speak to our hearts. As Schillebeeckx wrote, “we cannot believe that all that they have meant for us will be lost forever; You are their life, now and always.” We remember. We celebrate. We believe.

Peace and all good,
-Fr. Tom Gallagher, O.F.M

DUE TO A DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE COUNTING FOR THE CENSUS WILL END 6:00 AM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16.

THIS EVENT IS THEREFORE CANCELLED.

Take part in the Census 2020!

As you may know, national census happens only every 10 years.  If you have not completed your Census form there will be Census volunteers at the 32nd street entrance of the church who can help you next Sunday:

Sunday, October 18th
from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Numbers are important; therefore it is important to be counted!

Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Francis of Assisi,

May the Lord give you peace.

I thank you for your participation in our celebrations of the Feast of St. Francis last weekend. They were wonderful opportunities for us to remember our Holy Father St. Francis and to recommit ourselves to living the Gospel in love. Your presence, in person or via live stream, was a gift for all. We thank our friars, lectors, servers, musicians, camera persons, and ministers of hospitality for the ministry that made the celebrations joyful and enriching. We are indeed blessed in so many ways.

While there is a new normal coming to life during this pandemic, there are many opportunities for us to connect as we deepen our life in Christ. We have Scripture Sharing Groups available via Zoom with some new opportunities in the planning stages. Our RCIA, the process for becoming a member of the Catholic Church or completing initiation sacraments, is active and welcomes interested people. Our Bereavement Ministry Support group is scheduled and encourages anyone who has experienced loss to participate.  We are also starting a new support group for people who are recently unemployed. (See links for RCIA, Bereavement and Unemployed Together for more details.) We will also soon resume our devotional prayers at the end of the masses. We cannot pass out copies of the prayers at this time but will make a link available for you to print from home and your participation through live stream.

We are just weeks away from our national elections. Please be sure that you are registered and prepared to cast your vote based on the love of God, which we have come to know through the Spirit in Jesus. On October 3rd, 2020, Pope Francis signed an encyclical entitled Tutti Fratelli. In this document, the Holy Father invites us to a broad world view that embraces each person as sister or brother. This encyclical speaks of love. Rooted in the realization that God is love and all who love live in God and God in them, he calls us to be bridge builders recognizing the inalienable rights of human dignity inherent in all children, women, and men. He challenges us to move from a culture of walls built in fear to a life-giving transformation for all. Pope Francis speaks of a politics of charity, not as a handout but as one would nurture a sister or brother, respecting their dignity, engaging their gifts, and delighting in their success. As we prepare to vote, not on just a single issue, but the broad spectrum of life issues, homelessness, unemployment, children, migration, refugees, education, human sexuality, care of the sick and elderly, those suffering or grieving during this pandemic, and the death penalty, pray for guidance. I suggest consideration St. Francis’ Prayer before the Crucifix (1205/1206).

Most High,
glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me right faith,
certain hope and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge Lord,
that I may carry out Your holy and true will.

Peace and all good,

Fr. Tom

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi will observe a holiday schedule on Columbus Day:

Monday, October 12th with one Mass ay 12:00 PM.
There will be no confessions.

The church offices will be closed for the day, including the St. Francis Adult Education Center.

On Thursday, August 13th at 6:00 PM we will celebrate a special liturgy during which we will baptize our elect and confirm another 4 candidates for Confirmation.

Our RCIA ministry has not taken a break throughout this pandemic and the shut down.  The ministry has been preparing two adults for baptism and another 6 adults for Confirmation and full communion.  When the lockdown occurred in mid March we had to suspend our in person meetings and our elect and candidates had to miss all of the Lenten and Holy Week celebrations that they normally participate in.

This, however, did not deter their dedication to their formation and their eagerness to join fully in the Body of Christ through the sacraments.

We moved our classes, our prayers and our formation online and we have been meeting ever since.

Our candidates have shown great resilience, patience and dedication through all of this.  Not only are they prepared to receive the sacraments, but they have demonstrated a deep faith in God and a true Christian spirit of hope even in the face of the challenges, sadness and loss we have all been facing while this virus is raging.

Please pray for our two elect: Annie and Miguel as they approach the waters of Baptism this week, and please pray for our candidates for Confirmation:  Lane, Danielle, Brooke, Kristen, Andrew, and Nick that the Holy Spirit bring them all into the fullness of the Body of Christ.

This has been a long but inspiring journey for them and the RCIA ministry team who has shared it with them and we are overjoyed to be able to celebrate with them at this point.

You can join us in prayer and support by watching the Liturgy live here or on our Facebook page this Thursday at 6:00 PM.

In case you missed it, here is Fr. Tim’s homily from the Mass of July 5, 2020.