St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

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.

We invite you to join our parish community by filling out the online registration form. Someone from our Newcomers Group will contact you shortly thereafter. As one family we come together to know, love, and serve the Lord as instruments of his peace.

Also,

Thanks for visiting and please check out our Facebook page or subscribe to our weekly
Parish E-bulletin.

Reverend Michael J. Schneller
Pastor

Uptown Canticle by Father Michael
Sunday, September 27, 2020

Ever year at the end of September the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Marriage and Family Life invites the parishes to celebrate Family Day. The 2020 theme is “Finding our way…” This year because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the Pastoral Staff and I decided on our annual retreat in August to take a different approach. We will observe Family Day in connection with our parish Titular Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on the weekend of October 3 & 4, 2020. After all the masses next weekend we invite you to listen to and enjoy “Music from the Porch” of the rectory. You will also be able to pick a “Grab and Go” picnic brown bag to enjoy with your family provided by Lagniappe Luncheonette and Catering.
 
Melisa Rey, our parish Family Life Ministries Coordinator, with the assistance of the Archdiocesan Office of Communication has produced a social media presentation for the "Shine the Light” Project. Beginning on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Sunday, October 4th there will be a Facebook post shared each day featuring some of the ministry, contributions, and history of. St. Francis of Assisi, In anticipation of this special week of highlights about St. Francis of Assisi, please like the Archdiocese Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/archdioceseofno/
 
In this Sunday’s parable Matthew presents a first century father and two sons who are finding a way to be loyal to their parental commitments.  Jesus begins his parable with the question, what is your opinion of these two sons who say “yes” and “no” to their father “to go out and work in the vineyard”?
 
One says “I will not” but later thinks better of it and goes.  The other says “Yes, Sir” but fails to follow through.  Jesus asks, “Which of the two did his father’s will?”  It is curious that Jesus doesn’t present to us a third son, the one that says both “Yes Sir” and goes to work.  Wouldn’t it be this one who truly does the will of the father?  What father or mother doesn’t long for the day when they will give their child a task, hear them say “Yes Sir?”, and then see them go get it done.  That would be amazing!
 
But that’s not what always happens, is it?  No, in the real life of a family children rarely listen carefully to instructions, understand what needs to be done, diligently work through the task and complete it correctly and thoroughly – all on the first bounce without any help.  Children are not typically so competent and they need from their parents a lot of instruction, and encouragement, and patience before they can fulfill their duties well.  That’s what parenting is all about!
 
So it is not surprising, really, when a child says “I will do it” and then gets distracted or neglects their task.  That happens all the time with children (and very often with adults!).  It is also not that surprising for a child to sometimes stamp their foot and say “I will not!” even when they know they know better.  Nobody likes being told what to do, so we all rebel from time to time.  A good father or mother knows this about their children and doesn’t expect anything different from them.  But that doesn’t stop them from giving their children responsibilities and assigning them tasks.  They do this because they have hope!  They hope that by calling them again and again to ever greater responsibility, their children will eventually gain fortitude and courage and grit.  It is the task of parents to call children out of themselves and teach them to put forth an effort for the sake of others.  In a word, parents give tasks to their children, knowing all along that they will be bad at accomplishing them, because what they want isn’t so much for the tasks to be done, but to teach them to love.
 
This is how the first son truly accomplishes the will of the father.  The work that the first son completes isn’t the work in the field, but the work in his heart.  He is able to see what he should do and has the humility, courage, and grit to change.  He goes into the field, not as a servant who is simply obeying orders, but as a true son who has learned how to cooperate with his father in doing the work of the family.  His work in the field becomes an act of love!
 
This is the will of the Father for us:  that our work, whatever it is that God is asking us to do from day to day, become an act of love for Him and for one another.  He invites us to cooperate with him with the gifts and the freedom that He has given us for this purpose.  And he asks us to be patient with one another, just as he is patient with us, when we fail or stray down the wrong path.
 
As we celebrate Family Day in the Archdiocese of New Orleans, let us give thanks for the life that comes to us through our families.  Let us pray for one another that we will allow love and patience of the Father to soften our hearts and give us the courage of the first son to turn back and cooperate in the good work of His family.
 
Join us at the family table of the Eucharist by reserving a seat. Call Teresa in the parish office or visit our website:  https://stfrancisuptown.com/mass-rsvp.  In making a reservation for mass, please observe the guidelines in our bulletin and on our parish website. You do not need to be a registered parishioner to attend Mass at St. Francis.  If you wish to use this occasion to be among the members of the flock of St. Francis of Assisi. Register on our website https://stfrancisuptown.com/join

For those parishioners we cannot accommodate in the church or who are fearful to gather with us, Archbishop Aymond has given permission to distribute Holy Communion after mass outdoors.  He strongly suggested that we not give Holy Communion to people in vehicles.  He recommends that we do so outside where people can form a communion line and observe social distancing.  Therefore, this weekend after each mass, weather permitting, I will be available to distribute Holy Communion in the front lawn of the rectory.  I suggest that as you approach me to receive the Body of Christ you pray the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father.

Please remember that Archbishop Aymond has dispensed the people of the Archdiocese from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass. If someone is vulnerable and not feeling well, we ask that you not celebrate Mass in church with other people. Baptisms, Weddings and funerals is limited to 100 worshipers. 
 
We will continue to live stream the 9:30 am Mass on Sunday from church. We have returned to celebrating daily mass in church. Monday, Wednesday through Friday mass is at 8:30 am and Tuesday at 6:00 pm. No reservation is necessary for daily mass. We will no longer live stream daily mass.

Let us implore the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor to hasten to help us and our patron St. Francis of Assisi to make us instruments of the Lord’s peace.