175TH ANNIVERSARY AND PASTORAL VISIT: St. Francis Church will be celebrating our 175th Anniversary on May 7-8, 2022. Bishop Carl Kemme will be coming for the Pastoral Visit to St. Ambrose and St. Francis Churches. He will celebrate the Anniversary with us; and our PSR youth will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Mass. There will be Chicken Annie’s catered meals at the St. Francis Hall on Saturday, after 5:30 p.m. Mass and Sunday, after 10:00 a.m. Mass. Everyone is welcome to attend and are asked to use the sign up sheet that will be in the back of the churches. It will be very helpful to have an approximate count for the meals. This message was received by the Parish Office, via email, on February 23: Call to Action On Monday, February 28, the Senate will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act, H.R. 3755. This deceptively-named, extreme bill would impose abortion on demand nationwide at any stage of pregnancy through federal statute. Even worse, it would eliminate modest and widely supported pro-life laws at every level of government -- the federal, state, and local level -- including parental notification for minor girls, informed consent, and health or safety protections specific to abortion facilities. It would force all Americans to support abortions here and abroad with their tax dollars. It would also likely force health care providers and professionals to perform, assist in, and/or refer for abortion against their deeply-held beliefs, as well as force employers and insurers to cover or pay for abortion.
We need to send an unmistakable message to the Senate that this horrible bill must never be enacted. Join Archbishop Lori, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Cardinal Dolan, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty in urging the Senate to oppose H.R. 3755. Check out the chairmen’s letter and this fact sheet to learn more about this radical bill. Click the link below to log in and send your message: https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/dup78voj74oEKsEuAHWNmw ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING CATHOLIC OR KNOWING MORE ABOUT YOUR FAITH? There will be an informational meeting on Monday, January 31st at 7:00 p.m. in the Rectory Basement. RCIA, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults for entering the Catholic Church, classes will be held every Monday at 7:00 p.m. through Easter. For more information about the Parish's RCIA Program, follow this LINK. Please note that scheduling of the classes has been modified this year from that described on our main page.
Reminder/RSVP - First Degree Exemplification & Social. Knights of Columbus Council 760 will host a First Degree Exemplification Ceremony and social on Saturday, January 22, at the St. Francis Parish Hall. The Exemplification Ceremony will be held in the east room of the parish hall beginning at 6:00 pm, lasting about one hour. Following the Exemplification, at 7:00pm, there will be an evening social. The Knights will provide grilled burgers with the trimmings and beverages including adult beverages. The social is for all Knights and their wife or friend. Knights not involved with the Exemplification and guests may gather in the west room during the Exemplification. Please RSVP, if you plan to attend, by calling*:
* Or, if you have thought it over and have decided to join after all, call and let them know. It is not to late to be a part of the Exemplification! About the Knights:
Pope John Paul II once referred to the Knights of Columbus as the “Strong right arm of the Church.” There were reasons for his comment and when you Join the Knights, you are placing yourself in the company of a well-respected Catholic fraternal organization. Follow THIS LINK for more information about the Knights of Columbus on a local, national and world-wide basis. SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD, MASS SCHEDULE.
January 1st is normally a Holy Day of Obligation to celebrate the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. This year, since it falls on Saturday, the obligation has been lifted. There will be a Vigil Mass Friday, and a Mass Saturday to celebrate the Solemnity. Schedule of Christmas Masses at St. Ambrose and St. Francis:
Christmas Eve:
First Degree Exemplification: Knights of Columbus Council 760 will host a First Degree Exemplification and social on Saturday, January 22, at St. Francis Parish Hall. This is a perfect opportunity to become a Knight; and introduce your spouse or a friend to our Council 760 fraternity and their wives. The Exemplification ceremony will be held in the east room of the parish hall. It begins at 6:00 p.m. and should last about one hour. Following the Exemplification, at 7:00, there will be an evening social, the Knights will provide grilled burgers with the trimmings and beverages including adult beverages. The social is for all Knights and their wives or a friend. Knights not involved with the Exemplification, and guests, may gather in the west room during Exemplification. Interested? If yes, contact:
About the Knights:
Pope John Paul II once referred to the Knights of Columbus as the “Strong right arm of the Church.” There were reasons for his comment and when you Join the Knights, you are placing yourself in the company of a well-respected Catholic fraternal organization. Follow THIS LINK for more information about the Knights of Columbus on a local, national and world-wide basis. During the past weekend KofC Council 760 replaced the fourteen The Lord's Prayer signs, that stretch about 4/10th's of a mile east from Xavier Road, on the north side of highway 47. A group of Knights took on the job of: removing the old signs; scraping and repainting the existing posts; and remounting a set of new 2' x 4' sign panels. They also repaired a couple of posts and replaced a few of the trim strips finishing off the installation. The project actually started several weeks earlier when artwork from the earlier signs was located. Those earlier images were enhanced to make the lettering more prominent on the backgrounds. Then the new images were printed on vinyl covered aluminum plates mounted on a corrugated vinyl core. This Was the Third Iteration. We don't know the exact timing, but the new signs are the third set that have graced The Lord's Prayer along K47 during the past 25 or more years:
Note:
104th ANNIVERSARY, 2021 PUBLIC SQUARE ROSARY: Join us on Saturday, October 16th, 12:00 noon, at the St. Francis Church parking lot. This Public Square Rosary, sponsored by America Needs Fatima, will be one of over 20,000 rallies that will take place all across the United States on this day. Please join us in offering reparation for the sins and offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to fervently pray for the conversion of the United States. Please join us on this very important day. Mary Jane Gouvion is organizing this Rosary for our parishes. For more information call 620-449-2654. For More Information: https://www.americaneedsfatima.org/
ROSARY IN THE CHURCH GARDEN! Respect Life Sunday is October 3rd. This is a day set aside to pray for all human life, especially for an end to abortion. We also pray for a greater respect and value of each human life. Our 6th-8th grade PSR classes will lead a pro-life rosary in the church garden at 4:00 p.m. Homemade ice cream and cake will be served in the shelter house afterwards by the Knights of Columbus. Please join us as we ask Mary’s blessing for our prayers! This is a Confirmation stewardship project for our junior high students. THE FUNERAL VIGIL AND MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL FOR SERVANT OF GOD, EMIL KAPAUN, will both be broadcast on EWTN; and livestreamed from the Diocese of Wichita YouTube Channel.
Please tune into EWTN on your TV, or go to: www.youtube.com/user/dioceseofwichita to livestream the liturgies. More information can be found at: frkapaun.org/kapaun-comes-home Some tickets may still remain for the liturgies. In addition, a Memorial Mass will be held at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu this Thursday, September 23 at 11:00 p.m. It can be streamed at:* www.cathedralofourladyofpeace.com/LiveStream.html * Note: The Memorial Mass link from Honolulu might not remain active on their site. HARVEST HOUSE MEETING: Attention to all Harvest House members, and anyone wanting to join, please feel welcome. Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of the month. This month’s meeting will be on Thursday, September 16th at the St. Paul Café (back dining room) at 12:30 p.m. Hope to see you there. Contacts: Judy Fager 620-423-9144, Marlene Clark 620-687-4401. If you want some more information about the Diocese Adult Senior Ministries, or the Harvest House Organization follow THIS Link. A Busy Time Ahead! Knights of Columbus Meeting — September 13*. Council 760 will have a meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 13 at the St. Francis Parish Hall in St. Paul. All Knights are encouraged to attend. We have a busy period ahead including, Benefit Breakfasts, Fall Festival, Our annual Smoked Ribs community fund raiser and some other projects. Hope to see you there! Benefit Breakfast — Sunday, September 26th. Mark your Calendars for Sunday, September 26th, for a Benefit Breakfast at St. Francis Parish Hall. We begin serving at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until around 11:30 a.m. We will some need early kitchen workers in the 6:00 - 6:30 a.m. time frame. * This meeting has been rescheduled from Tuesday, September 14 to Monday, September 13 because of schedule conflicts. Knights of Columbus Council 760 St. Paul — Walnut — Erie Effective Monday, August 30, Mass Schedules For Weekday Masses At St. Francis Are Changed:
There will also be a First Saturday Mass on September 4th at 8:00 a.m. * The Family Mass for PSR, on Wednesday, September 8th, will be at 7:00 p.m. Back Under Way! After a break of nearly two years it was great to get the team back together. Our August 22 meeting included a great chicken dinner, home-made cupcakes and the much-missed companionship of our Altar Society sisters. Among other things, we are kicking of our 2021 Fall Festival planning. A Fall Festival job sign-up sheet will be in the back of church soon. Also, the annual plan and officers/guild list will be posted to the parish website. Effective Immediately The Weekday Mass Schedule Is:
For the Time Being, There Will Not be Monday or Tuesday Morning Mass. The Weekend Mass Schedule is Not Changed. Wednesday and Thursday Adoration Will Remain As Scheduled in the Bulletin. WHAT A WEEK — A Holy and Exciting Week!!! St. Francis Catholic Church started the week of July 18th through 23rd with a wild and wet Totus Tuus retreat for our 1st through 6th graders.[1] Before the dust had settled, we started a traditional St. Francis Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) Retreat for sixteen candidates from around the Diocese of Wichita. Wichita TEC #165 took place at the St. Paul High School on Friday June 23-Sunday June 25. Teens Encounter Christ is a 3 day retreat for High School Juniors and older. It focuses on Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the mission for his disciples to spread his love throughout the world. Here are some highlights and facts about this year's St. Paul TEC and the program in general:
Thanks to Our TEC Crew: Resource:
Wheat Crew (WC):
NOTE:
1. For information about the St. Francis Totus Tuus, follow THIS link. 2. A former Diocese TEC Director, Andy Green, told us years ago that he loved to bring a group of youth to St. Paul for a TEC. He knew they were coming to a truly holy place — the birthplace of Roman Catholicism in southern Kansas. To better understand follow THIS link. Our 2021 Totus Tuus youth retreat was a success and proof is in the photos! Totus Tuus is committed to bringing kids closer to Christ through the sacraments, prayer and fun! During the week of July 18th-23rd the day program ran from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and included outdoor water fun, snacks pizza, ice cream sundae making and a few pretty good messes. During the week, our 1st through 6th graders also took time for Mass, prayers, Confessions, Adoration and learning more about their Catholic Faith. Many, many thanks to our Diocesan Missionaries: Katie, Thomas, Dominic and Audrey for providing an energetic program and keeping it exciting. Also thanks to Father Sam Pinkerton, Religious Ed. Director Suzie Diskin, and a small army of volunteers. Special thanks to the Mission Township Fire Department for cooling things off; and Heather Sinclair for this great set of photos!!! OH! And as if a week of Totus Tuus wasn't exciting enough; St. Francis also started it's 2021 Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) retreat on Friday, July 23! Follow THIS Link!
CONFIRMATION FOR YOUTH WHO ARE IN 6th-8th GRADES THIS SCHOOL YEAR: Attention to parents of students in these grades. Attendance at PSR classes in 2021-2022 will be required in order to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The date has not been set as of yet. CONFESSIONS: Saturday, June 26th at 3:00 p.m. will be the last time I will hear Confessions on the west side of the rectory. On Monday, June 28th, Confessions will resume as before in the Confessionals. Saturday from 4:30-5:15 p.m. at St. Francis; and 30 minutes before each daily and Sunday Mass at both churches. Returning to Normality—One Step at a Time: On Thursday, April 15, Bishop Kemme announced that the Mass dispensation would be lifted on the weekend of June 5-6. His letter allowed that personal dispensations; and local guidelines regarding social distancing, masks, etc. would be left to the judgement of pastors. With this announcement, St. Francis and St. Ambrose have taken the following steps. Return to Normal Mass Schedules at Both Churches. Effective this weekend, June 5-6, both St. Francis and St. Ambrose will return to their normal, pre-Covid, Mass schedule: Saturday: 5:30 p.m. — St. Francis, St. Paul* Sunday: 8:00 a.m. — St. Ambrose, Erie 10:00 a.m. — St. Francis, St. Paul Monday: 7:30 a.m. — St. Francis, St. Paul Tuesday: No Mass Wednesday: 7:00 p.m. —St. Francis, St. Paul Thursday: 8:30 a.m. — St. Ambrose, Erie Friday: 7:30 a.m. — St. Francis, St. Paul The new schedule is reflected in the May 30 bulletin and the parish website has been updated. The Ministry Schedules for both churches have been updated and changes are reflected in the bulletin. The Ministry Schedule for St. Francis is linked below. * At the moment, the Saturday, 7:30 a.m. Mass at St. Francis is not reinstated (subject to change). Guidelines. Most of us received a letter from Father Sam dated May 1, 2021. It lays out guidelines for implementation of Bishop Kemme's announcement as they apply to each parish. Please note that until social distancing is removed for both churches; St. Francis parishioners should attend weekend Masses in St. Paul to avoid over-crowding of St. Ambrose. In addition to Father Sam's letter, the Diocese released another brief Guidelines document this week (below). Some Reference Information:
Here are links to relevant information:
Congratulations to Our Second Grade PSR Students Who Received Their First Holy Communion at 11:00 Mass On Sunday, April 18. Front — Amani LaForte
Back — Amy Hummel (Teacher), Rhett Born, Daxen Burns, Knox Aday, Kristy Mueller (Teacher) Thanks to Father Sam Pinkerton, PSR Director Suzie DIskin, teachers Kristy Mueller and Amy Hummel, and all of the parents and family members who made this a joyous and holy event. SOLEMNITY OF MARY THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD Holy Day Mass Schedule At St. Francis, St. Paul: Thursday, December 31st, 5:00 p.m. (No Morning Mass @ Erie) Friday, January 1st, 9:00 a.m. (No Early Moring Mass) Have a Happy, Blessed and Healthy New Year! There Will Be Five Christmas Masses at St. Francis: Thursday, December 24th:
Friday, December 25th:
CHRISTMAS CHURCH DECORATIONS: We will be decorating the church for Christmas on Sunday, December 13th, immediately following the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Everyone is welcome to help. Face masks are required. We plan to divide up and work in small groups to keep the 6’ distancing. CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS
Poinsettias are available again this year in memory of your loved ones. Please pick up the envelopes on the back table and return them as soon as possible. They can be dropped in the collection at the week-end Masses or mailed to St. Francis Church, P.O. Box 216, St. Paul, KS 66771 |
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This is the community website for the St. Francis de Hieronymo and St. Ambrose Catholic Churches in Neosho County, Kansas. Both churches are located in the center of the historic nine-county southeast Kansas area. We share one of the richest Catholic Heritages in Southern Kansas and the Four-State Region. For more information about our churches, history, organizations or programs browse our site including its links.
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