Today’s Gospel from St. Luke says: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on earth? No, I tell you but rather, division.” This is a disturbing statement and yet, this is what happened in the time of Jesus and continues to happen. Not everyone believes in the values that Jesus taught and exemplified throughout his life. Not everyone lives by them in today’s world. The values of Jesus focus on the dignity and value of each person created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus constantly reached out to those who were looked down on by the people of his culture and times. Many today in our world chose primitive values that are self-centered. They do not include God or Jesus in their way of dealing with the world or people. Thus, division. Jesus did not back down on what was important to him. That can be a temptation for us.

Each month I put together the figures of our income from Sunday and weekday Masses, both for collections taken up in church and donations given online. I show the comparison between 2019 and 2018. I also include the budgeted amount that is needed to meet expenses for the month. It is rare that we meet the budgeted figure. Many people are very generous to St. Francis Church and I am grateful for their ongoing support. Some have to live on a fixed income. But some give only $1 in the collection, or nothing at all. You keep this church going; your donations pay the bills, provide beautiful music, salaries for our staff, the ministries that touch the lives of many people. The Archdiocese doesn’t pay our bills. In fact we are assessed a certain amount each year that we must pay the Archdiocese: the regular yearly Archdiocesan assessments for St. Francis are about $200,000 and the school tax is $144,000. I believe that this is important information for everyone to know.

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

Fr. Anselm Kennedy, O.F.M. was a farm boy from Maple Ridge in upstate New York. He was ordained on May 26, 1888 by Bishop Wigger of Newark, and spent his early years as a priest in Paterson, NJ and Croghan, NY. In 1896 he was transferred to Denver, CO, and then served in Butler, NJ as pastor. Among the people, Fr. Anslem was known as an unassuming and gentle friar whose cheerfulness was contagious. After eight years as pastor in Buffalo, Fr. Anselm was chosen by the friars to serve as Provincial Minister of Holy Name Province from 1910 to 1916. His appointment to St. Francis of Assisi as pastor in 1919 was certainly a pastoral blessing for the parish.

He brought to the ministry an extensive pastoral experience, a simple but practical wisdom, and a genuine love for people. His first task was to carry out the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the parish, planned by his predecessor, Fr. Damian, Kehr, O.F.M. The observance of the jubilee began on Sunday, October 10,
1920, at the “Nightworkers’ Mass.”

The Very Rev. Monsignor Luke Evers, pastor of St. Andrew’s Church near City Hall, celebrated the Mass since he had been the first priest in New York to inaugurate an early Mass for nightworkers in 1901. It was fitting, therefore, that he be invited to offer the “Nightworkers’ Mass” on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the parish. Fr. Eusebius Schlingmann, former pastor, and Fr. Philip Waldmann, a native of New York City, assisted as deacon and subdeacon of the Mass.

On the same day, at 11:00 AM, a Solemn Mass of thanksgiving was offered. This was preceded by a procession of the school children, altar boys, Knights of Columbus, and clergy. Archbishop Patrick Hayes presided at the Mass. At the close of the Mass, Archbishop Hayes congratulated the Franciscans on their successful ministry in the New York Archdiocese.

Fr. Anselm guided the Church of St. Francis of Assisi as its pastor for ten years. During that decade he saw the little edifice on 31st Street develop into one of the busiest and most popular churches in New York City. The remarkable progress was largely due to the single-handed efforts of this short, white-haired friar. In those days the church personnel comprised at most eight priests. All worked feverishly, but Fr. Anselm did a lion’s share of the work. He was constantly ministering. He celebrated the famous Nightworkers’ Mass every Sunday and holyday. He heard confessions for hours, conducted devotions, directed the work of ushers, sexton and janitor, and busied himself in countless ways in providing comfort to those who came to the church. “Some days I am in the confessional for 11 hours, other priests hearing too,” a New York daily newspaper quoted him. It was mainly through the medium of daily confessions that “the little church among the skyscrapers” came to be known and loved by the Catholics of Greater New York.

One of the improvements that endeared churchgoers to Fr. Anselm was the little garden on the 32nd Street side of the church. When the new parochial school was built, Fr. Anselm had the old structure razed, and the entire site was transformed into an attractive garden. A fountain with a goldfish pond was placed in the center, and in a secluded corner, a statue of St. Francis, surrounded by birds and animals, was erected. A colorful column in the New York World recalls the garden and preserves the memory of what preceded the present courtyard of St. Francis on West 32nd Street:

“A little patch of green grass, geraniums, daisies and evergreens fronts on 32nd Street, hemmed in by whitish walls, and bending over the flowers is a barefooted friar in a brown cassock. On the sidewalk nearly every passerby is halted by the scene, common enough among the missions of California, that is bizarre in the heart of Manhattan. A sign on an iron fence informs that this is the entrance to the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

‘My new St. Francis Garden!’ beams Fr. Anselm Kennedy. ‘The roses are on their way here from Assisi. For years it has been my dream to have this garden, both as a tiny beauty spot in the heart of the city, where there is so little natural beauty, and as an inviting side entrance to the church.

‘Last Sunday was the first on which we could test our garden as a means of attracting guests from the big hotels to our Masses. How they came! We had the biggest attendance in years. Our little St. Francis Rose Garden brought them.’”

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

Chapter 5: Spiritual Combat, Vigilance and Discernment

An essential condition for progress in discernment is a growing understanding of God’s patience and his timetable which are never our own. God does not pour down fire upon those who are unfaithful or allow the zealous to uproot the tares growing among the wheat. Generosity too is demanded, for “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Discernment is not about discovering what more we can get out of this life but about recognizing how we can better accomplish the mission entrusted to us at our baptism. This entails a readiness to make sacrifices, even to sacrificing everything. For happiness is a paradox.

When in God’s presence we examine our life’s journey, no areas can be off limits. In all aspects of life we can continue to grow and offer something greater to God even in those areas we find most difficult. We need, though, to ask the Holy Spirit to liberate us and to expel the fear that makes us ban him from certain parts of our lives.

Last weekend we considered the phrase from Luke’s Gospel that spoke of being “rich in what matters to God.” It is a good phrase to meditate on anytime. This week the sentence of today’s Gospel that follows along, and is fitting for further meditation, says: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”When I was pastor of St. Francis Parish on Long Beach Island, NJ, during the summer vacationers would mention that having some leisure time helped them to put things in perspective. They gave some thought about what was important to them and if they were giving enough time and attention to those priorities. In the hustle and bustle of life here in the Big Apple, these questions can often get lost, but they have surfaced in Luke’s Gospel these weekends. As St. Augustine once said: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” There are many treasures in each of our lives. How do they speak of God’s place in your life?

One person who is a good example of “finding her treasure” is St. Clare of Assisi. Today is her feast day. She was a contemporary of St. Francis and even though she came from nobility, this was not enough for her. She was attracted to Francis’ preaching and the austerity of his life. One night, she snuck out of her family house in Assisi and ventured down to where St. Francis and the brothers lived. She began a new life under St. Francis’ guidance. We have the Poor Clares today who follow her way of life. Happy and Blessed Feast day to all the Poor Clares!

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

Fr. Damian Kehr, O.F.M was appointed pastor of St. Francis in 1914. He had been guardian of the friary for a year when he succeeded Fr. Eusebius Schlingmann, O.F.M. as pastor. Many alterations had to be made on the church property. The sidewalks had to be widened and the iron fences moved back. Water from an underground brook suddenly appeared in the cellar and pumps had to be installed to carry the water into the sewers.

Fr. Damian installed one of the largest and finest organs in the country for St. Francis Church. The contract for the new organ was signed with Reuben Midmer & Son of Merrick, NY in September of 1915. The installation alone required six weeks, as the organ occupied most of the choir loft and a large part in the tower space. At the time of the installation it is recorded: “This organ is a first class instrument and the sixty-four gilded and exquisitely decorated front pipes give it a fine appearance. For power, sweetness and variety of tone, this organ can hardly be surpassed by any other.” The magnificent instrument with over 3,000 metal and wooden pipes was first played at Mass on Easter Sunday, 1916. For over seventy years, Fr. Damian’s courageous acquisition provided joy and beauty for the daily liturgies and devotions at St. Francis.

During Fr. Damian’s pastorate, each year the number of younger families decreased as the businesses continued to expand in the neighborhood. Sunday after Sunday, the pastor witnessed more and more vacant family pews as family after family moved elsewhere. At the same time, the number of transient devotees continued to grow, and the friars began to experience new and vibrant forms of ministry on West 31st Street. In the spring of 1919, Fr. Damian began formulating plans for the celebration of the parish’s 75th Diamond Jubilee. The celebration was organized for October 1919, but was postponed until the following year. Meanwhile, the Provincial Chapter of 1919 transferred Fr. Damian to St. Anthony Friary in Butler, NJ. A former Minister Provincial, Fr. Anselm Kennedy, O.F.M., the first American-born friar, was appointed Pastor of St. Francis Church.

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

The Lord speaks to us in a variety of ways at work, through others and at every moment. Yet we simply cannot do without the silence of prolonged prayer, which enables us better to perceive God’s language, to interpret the real meaning of the inspirations we believe we have received, to calm our anxieties and to see the whole of our existence afresh in his own light. In this way we allow the birth of a new synthesis that springs from a life inspired by the Spirit.

Nonetheless, it is possible that even in prayer itself we could refuse to let ourselves be confronted by the freedom of the Spirit, who acts as he wills. We must remember that prayerful discernment must be born of a readiness to listen to the Lord and to others and to reality itself which always challenges us in new ways.

Only if we are prepared to listen do we have the freedom to set aside our own partial or insufficient ideas, our usual habits and ways of seeing things. In this way we become truly open
to accepting a call that can shatter our security but lead us to a better life.

What is important in your life? Luke’s Gospel says: “Thus will it be for all who store up treasures for themselves, but are not rich in what matters to God.”This verse concludes today’s Gospel. Earlier in the readings we heard “Vanity of vanities…all things are vanity.” And “seek those things that are above.” The goal of following this wisdom is to make ourselves a new person in Christ. To allow Christ’s thoughts, His attitude, His ways of dealing with challenges in life to shape ours. Many traditional values in today’s society have almost disappeared and been replaced by selfish, self-seeking, im- mature, cruel rhetoric. Today’s readings are a call to live out what “matters to God.” When we “put on” Christ, we indeed become that “new creation.”

There is still more to happen as part of the 175th Anniversary of our church. There will be events in September and October and they will be made public as soon as the final plans are put to- gether. The raffle continues and you may purchase raffle tickets at the reception desk. Prizes are $1,000, $500 and $250. Many thanks to all who participated in the Commemorative Journal that is now at the printer. Those who participated will receive a free copy and copies are available for advance purchase. I have seen a preview of the book and it will be beautiful.

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

Chapter 5: Spiritual Combat, Vigilance and Discernment

The gift of discernment has become all the more necessary today, since contemporary life offers immense possibilities for action and distraction, and the world presents all of them as valid and good. All of us, especially the young, are immersed in a culture of zapping. We can navigate simultaneously on two or more screens and interact at the same time with two or three virtual scenarios. Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend.

This is all the more important when some novelty presents itself in our lives. Then we have to decide whether it is new wine brought by God or an illusion created by the spirit of this world or the spirit of the devil. At other times, the opposite can happen, when the forces of evil induce us not to change, to leave things as they are, to opt for rigid resistance to change. Yet that would be to block the working of the Spirit. We are free, with the freedom of Christ. Still, he asks us to examine what is within us – our desires, anxieties, fears and questions – and what takes place all around us – “the signs of the times” – and thus to recognize the paths that lead to complete freedom.

“Test everything: hold fast to what is good.”

Fr. Francis Koch’s pastoral sense and understanding of changing times was shared by his successor, Fr. Eusebius Schlingmann, O.F.M., who led St. Francis of Assisi as Pastor from 1903 to 1907. On the first anniversary of the Nightworkers’ Mass in 1905, Archbishop John M. Farley wrote the following letter to Fr. Eusebius:

I am pleased to hear of the success attending the half-past two A.M. Sunday Mass at St. Francis Church. Among the many things which I had to communicate to the Holy Father and which he assured me was a great consolation to him, was the request of the night workers in your neighborhood to have Mass at half-past two o’clock on Sunday mornings, to enable them to comply with the duty of hearing Mass. He desired me in the most affectionate manner to convey to yourself and to all those good and zealous Catholics who at such inconvenience comply with the precept of the Church by assisting at that early Mass his apostolic benediction, which I hereby empower you to bestow on that congregation on Easter morning. Praying for you and for them every blessing and all Easter joys, I am Sincerely yours in Christ,

+John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York

Fr. Eusebius also asked permission for a Mass at noon during Lent. The first midday Mass was offered on Ash Wednesday, February 13, 1907. In the Catholic News of that day, Fr. Eusebius wrote:

“For several year past I have been thinking of celebrating Mass at high noon. I have noticed very many people in the church at this hour every day of Lent, making a visit or saying the Stations. Even if only forty or fifty people could hear Mass at that hour who otherwise would be deprived of that blessing, we should feel amply repaid for the sacrifice.”

The noon Mass attracted such crowds that it was decided to continue the Mass on a daily basis. The Church of St. Francis of Assisi was the first church in the United States to have a daily Mass as late as 12:15 P.M., and the little church on 31st Street became known as a convenient spiritual oasis for busy travelers, shoppers and workers.

Grand hotels began to appear in the neighborhood, and visitors to New York found the church convenient and uplifting. In 1910 the Pennsylvania Railroad Station became a main terminal on the corner of 7th Avenue, and travelers began to worship and pray in the beautiful St.Francis Church. Department stores and businesses in the neighborhood were booming, and shoppers and workers found the church a warm welcoming spiritual center. St. Francis Parish had few remaining parishioners, but thousands of devotees were finding their way to the Franciscan church between 6th and 7th Avenues. The attractive sanctuary developed into a Service Church for the people, a new model of urban ministry.

Fr. Eusebius managed to pay off the remaining debt on the church. In the space of four short years he raised $52,000. During those years attendance at Mass had triples, and the number of people at devotions continued to increase. Fr. Eusebius reconstructed the church school, and raised its standards to such a degree that in 1906 the pupils won first prize for being the best of all parochial schools in New York City.

In this photo, taken from atop Pennsylvania Station in the 1920’s, shows the neighborhood surrounding St. Francis Church (seen in the upper left).

The earliest photo of the interior of the present church, shows the central window in the apse directly behind the altar before the installation of the Great Mosaic in the 1920’s. That window, St. Francis in Glory, can now be seen in the 31st Street vestibule of the church.

We learn a lot about God in today’s readings. First, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah have never had a good reputation, and Abraham tests God to see how far God will go in sparing these places… if there are still innocent people there. Abraham starts with 50 innocent people, then 45, then 40, then 30, then 20, and finally only ten. God does not change and replies that even if there are only 10, they will not be destroyed. What an amazing and merciful God! The Gospel presents us with the Lord’s Prayer and then the famous “ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” In the midst of any age and culture that is evil and cruel and heartless, God wants to remind us that we stand for something positive, life giving and selfless because this is how God has been throughout history and remains the same for us.

On Friday, August 2, we Franciscans celebrate a Feast day that is important to us: the Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula. This little chapel is regarded as our Franciscan home. Portiuncula, “little portion”, describes the small piece of land that was given to the Benedictines and later St. Francis spent time physically restoring this chapel. He prayed there with his followers; he received St. Clare into his way of life there and it remains a sacred place that Franciscans return to frequently. When you go to Assisi, you will be surprised that this small chapel is surrounded by a large basilica, St. Mary of the Angels. Yes, in the center of this large basilica is the small chapel. When you go there, you cannot help but think of all that has happened in that sacred space over the centuries.

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