Dear Parishioners, friends and visitors at the Church St. Francis of Assisi,

As the Director of Evangelization and Adult Education, I am responsible for a variety of ministries here at St. Francis. The one that touches my heart most profoundly is the work I do with adults preparing for the sacraments of initiation. In 2008 I established the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults here at St. Francis and since then this parish community has accompanied over 220 women and men to full initiation in the Catholic Church. Each person is unique and comes with their own beautiful story of life and faith. To share the Gospel – sometimes for the first time – with these people is a privilege for which I am profoundly grateful. Even though I have directed the RCIA for over 20 years I am still humbled by the task of introducing people to the Lord and to His Church.

I do not do this ministry alone. I share this ministry with an incredible team of volunteers. Together we try to share our faith and relationship with God with our candidates. It takes a community to bring someone to know Christ, because when two or three of us are gathered in His name, He is there among us.

This ministry also has another, larger, more important community that makes the work of the RCIA Ministry team possible: all of you.

Evangelization – bringing people to Christ – is the work of the entire parish community. You, the people in the pews, invite your friends to come and see. You are the first contact people have with the Gospel and you, at Mass, welcome the catechumens, dismiss them with a blessing and pray for them as they make their way to the sacraments. We just began our RCIA sessions again this past Tuesday and we are starting with 15 inquirers. More may join in the coming weeks. All of them are here not because of one ministry in this church but because the light of Christ shines forth from this community and that light draws people in.

The members of St. Francis of Assisi make this a place where people encounter the love of God.

May God continue to bless everyone here as we try to live the Good News of Christ together.

-Joseph Nuzzi,
Director of Evangelization and Adult Education