St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

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Steeped in a rich and vibrant history of service and growth, St. Francis of Assisi has been serving the needs of Catholics for almost 125 years and welcomes young and old from all walks of life into our faith and social community. St. Francis prides itself on being a family-friendly church. We believe that all members of our church community are important to the celebration of the Eucharist.

We invite you to learn more about the parish by exploring this website. Please visit the “Our Parish” section to learn more about the church and its rich traditions. You can also learn how to exercise your stewardship of time and talent in one of the wonderful parish ministries by visiting the “Parish Ministries” section. Some of the many ways that you can become involved include: being an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion or Lector, singing in our choir, serving the needy through the Ministry to the Poor, or by joining our Senior Associates group. For the youngest members of our parish family, opportunities to get involved include serving Mass as altar servers and Children's Ministry, a group which coordinates a variety of activities including weekly Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Christmas Nativity Program, and May Crowning.

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Parish E-bulletin.

Reverend Michael J. Schneller
Pastor

Are you a procrastinator? Well, then you might want to consider becoming a member of The Society of Procrastinators (Order of Two-Headed Turtles). It was founded in 1957. Its members declared their devotion to “putting off just about everything until tomorrow --- or later.” On the founding day, the president of the society, Les Waas, explained, “We feel that anything worth doing is worth putting off!” Although this society was organized as recently as last century, the tendency to procrastinate is probably as old as humankind. I Googled “procrastination”. I discovered the Joy of Procrastination which offers the following sites: Creative Procrastination, HumanityQuest, IShouldBeWorking, The Procrastinator: The Complete Waste of Time. I could get on the procrastinator’s mailing list. All I did was waste time and procrastinated in writing this article. Advent is about time. It is about preparedness. Advent begins at the end: as the First Sunday points to last things, the last of time. Paul exhorted his readers in his Roman correspondence that now is the hour to awaken, to repent, and to be transformed. Yesterday is irretrievable, tomorrow may never come, now is the moment to realize the implications of Jesus’ first advent and to prepare for his second appearance. Paul advises us to keep the end time constantly in sight. It is sinful to waste time and ourselves on the works of darkness --- everything from drunkenness and infidelity to hateful rivalries and jealously that corrodes the spirit. We are not much different from the people of Noah’s time. Perhaps we dress differently. We may speak a different language. We focus on things that do not have long term consequences. We busy ourselves with distractions that fill time, waste time, rather than fulfill hearts. All to often we look for the parade on the wrong street. As a result, we miss it even when it passes in front of us. If you want to procrastinate during the season of Advent why not read and use for these Advent prayer and reflection these resources: The Word Among Us and Daily Reflections with SAINT FRANCIS. Copies are available in the church. You also might want to download the HALLOW APP on your iPhone or iPad. You can refer to the instructions on next page of the bulletin. And don’t procrastinate in Celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation to experience more fully the love of God the Father as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Emmanuel: God-with-us.” The prophet Isaiah lived in a time astonishingly like our own --- with wars and rumors of war. If Advent is truly to be a season of preparing for the return of Jesus, then Isaiah’s radical oracle cannot go unattended. Swords and spears into plowshares beg for a collective and individual examination of conscience. Demands that nuclear silos be emptied of their implements of death and filled with grain so that the hungry be fed; that switchblades and Saturday night specials be melted down to become implements of peace. Requires that hearts grown indifferent, and hands that are tight fisted with money, or raised to inflict hurt, be transformed by willingness to love and give and alleviate suffering. How can we work to address the elements of violence in life, everything from nuclear warheads to abusive behavior and aggressive language? What does Isaiah’s transformation oracle demand of me? of you? of us? On this First Sunday of Advent, Jesus expects us to look beyond Bethlehem to the end time. He shakes us out of our sleepy state of procrastination with three urgent warnings: Wake up and learn God’s ways of wisdom and peace! Wake up and put on the armor of light! Wake up and be prepared so that no matter when He comes again, we will be able to say, “We’re ready, Lord!”