Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion • March 28*
*see below for attendance policies for Holy Week

Saturday Vigil Masses: 4:00 pm

Sunday Masses: 8:00, 9:15 (Korean), 11:00 AM, 12:30, and 5:00, PM

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Monday – Wednesday • March 29, 30 and 31

Daily Masses: 7:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 5:00 PM

Confessions: 8:00 – 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 4:00 – 5:00 PM

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Holy Thursday • April 1

Lenten Mass: 12:00 PM (Lower Church)

Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Washing of the Feet and Procession to the Repository: 6:00 PM

Confessions: 8:00 – 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

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Good Friday • April 2

The Seven Last Words: 12:00 Noon

Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion: 3:00 PM

Stations of the Cross: 5:30 PM

Confessions: 8:00 – 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

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Holy Saturday • April 3

The Great Vigil of Easter: 8:00 PM

The Upper Church will remain closed until 7:00 PM.

There will be no confessions on Holy Saturday.

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Easter Sunday • April 4

Masses: 8:00, 9:00 (Korean), 11:00 AM, 12:30 & 5:00 PM

There will no confessions on Easter Sunday.

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Easter Monday • April 5

Mass at 12:00 PM only

There are no confessions on Easter Monday and the church offices are closed.

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ATTENDANCE IN PERSON:

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is able to welcome up to 140 people at each Liturgical celebration to maintain safe social distancing. Masks are mandatory covering both your nose and mouth.  We are not taking reservations for our celebrations.  People will simply be allowed into the church until we hit our maximum number.  Please be kind and patient with one another as we navigate together how to celebrate this Holy Week with these restrictions in place and please follow the instructions of the ministers of hospitality.

All of our Liturgies will also be available on Livestream on our website and on our Facebook page.

Join us live or virtually on the Friday’s of Lent!

February 26, March 5, 12, 19, 26
6:30pm in the Upper Church

Let the power of music help you release fears, worries, negative thoughts, and anything holding you back. Begin to cultivate peace, love, gratitude, and forgiveness in your life.

We welcome all who want to come and relax and meditate.

While we would love for everyone to join us live on Fridays so we can pray together, whether in church or from home, below is the latest Taize from last Friday:

The Stations of the Cross will be prayed every Friday during Lent following our 12 noon and 5 PM liturgies.

You can join this prayer in person in the church or on livestream at the end of the Mass.

“In a new Apostolic Letter entitled Patris corde (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, an accepting father; a father who is creatively courageous, a working father, a father in the shadows.

The Letter marks the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s declaration of St Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. To celebrate the anniversary, Pope Francis has proclaimed a special “Year of St Joseph,” beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2020 and extending to the same feast in 2021.” (From Vatican News, Dec. 8, 2020)

In this special year dedicated to St. Joseph, we will celebrate a festive Mass on:

Friday, March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph
at 12:00 PM.  

You can join us in person in the church or on livestream.

Pope Francis concluded his letter with a prayer to St. Joseph for this special year:

Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became human.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil.  Amen.

Join us for Lenten Vespers (evening prayer) each Monday of Lent as we take time to slow down and pray during this sacred season of hope and renewal.  Add some extra time to tend to spiritually prepare for the celebration of Easter.

Vespers, 5:45 PM in the upper church and on livestream.

Monday, February 22nd

Monday, March 1st 

Monday, March 8th 

Monday, March 15th 

Monday, March 22nd

Monday, March 29th

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The St. Benedict the Moor Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order is pleased to announce there will be a

Rite of Profession
during the 11 AM Mass
on Saturday March 13th.

Father Joseph Cavoto, OFM Spiritual Assistant to the Fraternity, will be the celebrant.

Alex Angeles, Mary Havey, and Cherylann Vescio, having completed three years of formation, will profess their permanent commitment to live the Gospel following the example of St. Francis of Assisi. Following the Mass there will also be a Rite of Admission to the Fraternity for Joseph Lapponese, Paul Frediani, and Antonia Fusco, after which they will embark on their three-year journey towards profession.

This Mass may be attended in person in the church and it can also be seen live on our website at St. Francis Live or on our Facebook page.

This Lent, find hope and renewal with the Friars throughout the season by exploring the Lenten Sunday Gospels.  These scripture sharing groups will meet on zoom and groups begin February 23^rd

We are offering three options this Lent:

• • Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:00 PM – February 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23
  • Wednesdays at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM – February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24
  • Wednesdays at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM – February 24 & March 3, 10, 17, 24

Please consider joining us.

To sign up fill out the form below.  Registration closes Sunday, February 21st.

The St. Francis of Assisi Adult Education center is hosting a Winter/Spring Semester in 2021.  The upcoming semester will be completely held on zoom.

Classes are posted online here:  www.stfrancisnyc.org/courses/

A Week of Prayer to Mary, Untier of Knots will be held from Monday to Friday, February 8-12, after the 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM Masses.

Here is the novena prayer for this week:

Introduction

The devotion to Mary, Untier of Knots was inspired by a painting created in 1700 for the Church of St. Peter am Perlach in Augsburg, Germany. In the image, Mary stands above a crescent moon, crushing a serpent under her foot. An angel passes a knotted white ribbon to Mary who unties knots in the ribbon. Another angel receives the smooth, unknotted portion.

Both the painting and the devotion to Mary, Untier of Knots, trace their roots to the second-century bishop, Saint Irenaeus of Lyons. Referring to Mary’s role as the Second Eve, Saint Irenaeus wrote that “the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what Eve had bound fast through unbelief, thus did Mary set free through faith”  (Against Heresies).

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let us pray for those who are having difficulty with the knots of their lives.

For those having marriage troubles, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those beset by financial problems, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those struggling to find employment, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For thos

e suffering from illness, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those dealing with loneliness, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those burdened with fears and worries, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those fighting addictions or behavioral problems, we pray: Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those suffering discord in their families, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those overwhelmed by anguish or despair, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those victimized by violence or neglect, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those targeted by racism or discrimination, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those struggling to let go of grudges, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

For those seeking to make peace, we pray… Mary, Untier of Knots, pray for us.

N

ow with confidence in God who hears us and helps us in all our struggles, we ask Mary to join our prayer:

Holy Mary, full of the presence of God,

during your life you accepted with great humility

the holy will of the Father

and the legacy of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ.

Evil never entangled you with its confusion.

As you did the young couple at the wedding feast of Cana,

you have interceded for all of our difficulties

With simplicity and patience,

you have given us an example of how to untangle

the knots in our complicated lives.

By being our mother forever,

you arrange and make clear the path that unites us to Our Lord.

Holy Mary, Mother of God and our mother,

untie the knots that upset our lives.

Receive us into your hands,

as well as those for whom we pray,

and deliver us from the chains and confusion that restrain us.

Blessed Virgin Mary, through your grace, your intercession

and by your example, deliver us from evil,

and untie the knots that keep us from being united to God

so that free of all confusion and error,

we may find Him in all things,

keep Him in our hearts,

and serve Him always in our brothers and sisters.

Amen.