During the Easter season, the sanctuary is filled with plants and flowers to celebrate the glory of Christ’s resurrection. We are grateful to those who have donated towards the cost of these decorations.

IN MEMORY OF:

Carlina Apolinaris Acevedo
Cyril, Twalib, Viola Agnes & Family
James Edward Ahearn
Francisco Castro Astacio
Margarita N. Atua
JJ Baldwin
Leo & Emily Bauer
Ursula Beckle & Family
Hans Behn
Yolande Blot-Medard
Jonathan Boyer
Genara Hernandez Castro
Domingo Chua I & II
Linda Davis
Marguerite Dume
Edel Family
Augustin Faustin
Cecilia Astorga Ferraro
Members of the Genes, Herrera, Gonzalez
& Rolando Families
James & Eileen Geoghegan
Matthew Geoghegan
Patricia Geoghegan
Margareth Georges
Joan Dorothy Gilbride
Thomas Aquinas Gilbride
Carol Giovanniello
Arthur & Sofie Graham
J. Lloyd Grant
Mary Grimes
Rev. Edmond Hawley
Fei Fei Huang
Nicole Hudson
R. Isaacs
Jane R. & Charles Janiak
Lina Joseph
R. Knowles
M. Knowles & Friend
Mitchel J. Krask
Leo Kwiatkowski
Sr. Jo Laurienzo, S.N.D.
Lydia & Charles Lawrence
Angela, Keith & the Lee Family
Maria Lucero
Madonna Family
Padre Santiago Mallen, CSSR
Amelia Diaz Manaog
Eduardo & Bienvenida Marte
Alice D. McCormack
Bernice F. McCray
McGee & Schneider Families
Bernabe V. Mendoza
Rt. Rev. Paul Moore, Jr.
Juan Moreno
Carol O’Brien
Robert O’Connell
Hudicourt Pierre
Robert & Frances Pouzar
The Preville Family
Lester & Ann Regula
Maggie Rittler
Eric A. Rivera
Gerchow & Candida Rose
May & Wilfred Simmons
Joseph & Dirk Simmons
Jessie Q. Sotto
Gabriel Ernesto Tarud Hazbun
Vivian Tarud Maria
Michelle Tarud Orozco
Christopher Temple
Ruth & Larry Thorne
Ronald Townes
Vera Traad Name
Cezar Augusto Umadac
Cesar, Aniceta & Rosario Villaruel
Monique Hurbon Wilson

For the Special Intentions of:

Adrienne Augustin
Theresa Doherty
Michael & Providencia Gilbride
Jessica Lee
Ruby Martin
Helga Roth
Daniel Tartaglia
Marie Y. Thomas
Orlando White
Christina Yu

The Paschal Candle has been given
by Kate Puangco for the intentions of the Puangco family.

“The Church which goes forth is a communityof missionary disciples who takethe first step, who are involved and supportive, who bear fruit and rejoice. An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first, and therefore, we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast. Such a community has an endless desire to show mercy…

An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in people’s lives; it bridges distances; it is willing to abase itself if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering Christ in others. Evangelizers thus take on the ‘smell of the sheep’ and the sheep are willing to hear their voice. An evangelizing community is also supportive, standing by people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult or lengthy this may prove to be…

The disciple is ready to put his or her whole life on the line, even to accepting martyrdom, in bearing witness to Jesus Christ…”

A Blessed and Happy Easter to All!

Today, our Scriptures celebrate that “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.” This past week we have gathered and celebrated the Lord’s Supper, commemorated his passion, death, and burial, and today we celebrate his resurrection!

Today’s Gospel speaks of the distress that the disciples experienced and how in sorrow, they approached the tomb where Jesus had been buried. They were shocked when they did not find his body there and when he appears, they are afraid. Jesus’ resurrection is our hope that nothing will defeat us in our lives, even death.

Congratulations to those who became full members of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. What a great witness you have given us and how you have touched our lives by becoming one with us! May the Lord who calls each of us forth continue to confirm and strengthen your faith.

To all of you who are here at St. Francis Church today, we welcome you! Many are from out of town or visiting from another country. We are happy that you are celebrating this day with us. For our weekly parishioners, we have gone through another Lent and Holy Week and today’s joyful celebration gives us hope and strength to live out our Catholic, Christian vocations.

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

“Goodness always tends to spread. Every authentic experience of truth and goodness seeks by its very nature to grow within us, and any person who has experienced a profound liberation becomes more sensitive to the needs of others. As it expands, goodness takes root and develops. If we wish to lead a dignified and fulfilling life, we have to reach out to others and seek their good. In this regard, several sayings of St. Paul will not surprise us: ‘The love of Christ urges us on’; ‘Woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel.’

The Gospel offers us the chance to live life on a higher plane, but with no less intensity: ‘Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort. Indeed, those who enjoy life most are those who leave security on the shore and become excited by the mission of communicating life to others.’”

This Sunday, Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday has these two names because of the reading of the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the Palm Sunday Procession and later with the reading of the Gospel account of the Passion of our Lord. This prepares us for Holy Week and what is to come later in the week. This is a lengthy Gospel that begins with Judas betrayal of Jesus at the Last Supper to the crucifixion of Jesus. At the end of this Gospel, the Roman centurion says, “Truly, this was the Son of God.” A few people stayed until the end and it is surprising that a Roman centurion probably a pagan- speaks this statement of belief.

I remember witnessing in 2010 the Passion Play at Oberammergau, Germany that has been staged every ten years since the 1600’s. The whole town participates in the play with a large cast and a full orchestra and chorus. It runs from May to October and this six hour production really captures you and helps you understand what happened to Jesus at the end of his life. It is a moving production that the town stages in thanksgiving to God for sparing them from the plague. This play will be staged again in 2020. Perhaps, we can put a pilgrimage together that year. Please note the time for confessions and all of the services for this week.

Set aside time to enter into this Holy Week.

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

Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our “technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to engender joy.

I can say that the most beautiful and natural expressions of joy which I have seen in my life were in poor people who had little to hold on to. I also think of the real joy shown by others who, even amid pressing professional obligations, were able to preserve, in detachment and simplicity,a heart full of faith. In their own way, all these instances of joy flow from the infinite love of God, who has revealed himself to us in Jesus Christ. I never tire of repeating those words from Benedict XVI…”Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person,which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

-Pope Francis

Martha and Mary were good friends of Jesus and some of his first and most faithful disciples. We hear in today’s Gospel that their brother Lazarus, also a friend of Jesus, has fallen ill. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had died and was already been in the tomb for four days. This doesn’t stop Jesus. What follows is rather touching because Jesus goes directly to the tomb and calls out,“Lazarus, come out.” To everyone’s surprise, Lazarus, alive, comes out. From this comes the famous proclamation of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies,will live…” With Jesus much is possible.

Each week I give you the latest report that I have received from the Cardinal’s Appeal Office. We are slowly but steadily moving along toward our goal. I am grateful for those people who have already given to the Appeal, many very generous in their donations. Whatever you can afford or are willing to sacrifice is greatly appreciated. If you have put the Cardinal’s Appeal donor envelope aside or lost yours, there are envelopes available in church. Take one and either give an outright gift or make a pledge.You may also do this online at cardinalsappeal.org.  (Please indicate “St. Francis of Assisi, New York” as your parish).

Thank you!

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

Jesus and the man born blind is the focus for today’s Gospel on this Fourth Sunday of Lent. Reading through this lengthy Gospel, you will notice that it is filled with many people who are blind. Perhaps they may not be physically blind, but their refusal to attempt to understand who Jesus is can be seen over and over again as the disciples, the neighbors, and the Pharisees ask question after question of the “blind” man. Some want to “see” and others just want to refuse that Jesus could heal this man. There is a good lesson for all of us about our being blind. All of us suffer from this condition, but remember, Jesus can open our eyes…and our heart.

Lent is moving along quickly. Here we are at the Fourth Sunday. On Friday of this week, March 31, we will have our Communal Penance Service, Pardon and Peace. It begins at 7:00 PM with a Scripture Service, followed by individual confession of sins. There will be a number of confessors available for anyone who would like to confess one to one. It is an inspiring service when we gather as a community of sinners to be healed by the gracious love of God, who “never tires of forgiving us” as Pope Francis has reminded us.

A reminder that if you prefer to go to confession during the week, we have extra confessors each day. Don’t wait until Holy Week.

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