St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Newsletter — November 2022

SaintFrancis FrancisSaintXavier Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Annual Church Festival and Marketplace

Being separated from friends, family, and the greater community throughout 2020 and 2021 made for difficult times. In turn, such a long separation makes us all appreciate an event like the St. Francis Church Festival and Marketplace all the more. This year, we will gather on Saturday, Dec. 3, for this fun event on the feast day of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of our parish.

The Church Festival and Marketplace offers a fun opportunity to shop for craft items and eat breakfast or brunch. Baked goods, candies, and freezer meals will be for sale. There will also be a raffle and plenty of games to entertain children. If the weather is nice, attendees can enjoy a hayride. Consider bringing a group of ladies for a fun day!

Margie Ponce is in her first year of taking charge of the event, also coordinated through the Xavier Women. Having been a member here at St. Francis Xavier since the new parish opened, Margie loves this opportunity to gather and celebrate the feast day of St. Francis of Xavier.

“I am a crafty person, and I love going to the festival and other craft fairs,” Margie says. “I’ve been volunteering since the parishes merged more than four years ago. The festival has always been close to my heart.”

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Every November, as the holiday season fast approaches, we are filled with a deep sense of gratitude for all of our blessings. At the same time, we encounter many wonderful ways to give — to cheerfully share our own gifts — during this time of Thanksgiving.

It is with this spirit of gratitude that we can truly live out the stewardship way of life. This Thanksgiving, there are plenty of opportunities to do this in a direct way. Is there a family member or friend you haven’t spoken to for a long time, or someone who might be spending the holiday alone? Drop them an email, pick up the phone and call, or even catch up with them via

Zoom or FaceTime. Perhaps you may volunteer at a soup kitchen, or you might donate a Thanksgiving meal to a family in need who wouldn’t have one otherwise.

For Black Friday, make it a point to donate old clothes that you or your family members no longer need. As the winter draws closer, you might participate in — or even organize — a coat drive, and then go out into the community to give the coats away to homeless shelters and those in need during the winter months. There are countless such opportunities to live in gratitude and thanksgiving — opportunities that go beyond just having a meal at home.

Of course, we must remember that this spirit of thanksgiving

Living out Gratitude and Stewardship, During Thanksgiving and Beyond

does not end after Thanksgiving, nor does it end following Advent and Christmas. We must always consider how to give, even as the glow of the holiday season fades after the New Year. In January, if there is abundance in your closet, give away from that abundance. In February, if there are volunteers needed at the soup kitchen, give of your time. We need a renewed spirit of stewardship and thanksgiving that lasts the whole year so that our giving becomes habitual, and not just seasonal.

This Thanksgiving, ask the Holy Spirit where He is calling you to give. And may the joy of the Thanksgiving season flow into our lives as good stewards, every day and throughout the entire year.

Of course, we must remember that this spirit of thanksgiving does not end after Thanksgiving, nor does it end following Advent and Christmas. We must always consider how to give, even as the glow of the holiday season fades after the New Year. In January, if there is abundance in your closet, give away from that abundance. In February, if there are volunteers needed at the soup kitchen, give of your time. We need a renewed spirit of stewardship and thanksgiving that lasts the whole year so that our giving becomes habitual, and not just seasonal.

Gratefully Sharing Our Stewardship Gifts

Dear Parishioners,

November is upon us and we’re wrapping up our Annual Stewardship Renewal. A special thanks to all who turned in commitment cards to the parish office or online. If you have not turned in your commitment card, it’s not too late! Just put it in the collection basket, drop it by the office, mail it, or go online.

In this month’s newsletter, we’re highlighting several beautiful ministries in our parish.

We recently concluded the Month of the Rosary at the close of October, but this Marian devotion continues to be a priority in our parish community. Our Saturday Morning Rosary Group is a blessing to our parish and offers opportunities to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the year.

Compassion Meals is a wonderful ministry that allows us to show God’s love (through food!) in difficult moments in the life of parishioners. When there’s illness or death in a family, Compassion Meals come in super handy to be able to stop by a family’s house and offer a meal. This ministry is always in need of new volunteers.

Led by Ashley Klepper, the Food Backpack

Ministry works behind the scenes to provide needed meals for Stillwater Middle School students. Many young people in our community rely on school-provided free and reduced lunches. But what do they do over the weekend? That’s where the Food Backpack Ministry comes in!

Each year, as we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis Xavier (Dec. 3), our Xavier Women’s group offers the St. Francis Xavier Parish Festival. It’s a day of fun, crafts, and good food for the entire community. I am grateful to Xavier Women for all they do to make this a great day for everybody!

With these ministries and many more, the stewardship way of life is alive and well in our parish. I hope you are a part of it with your time, talent and treasure. God bless you!

In Christ,

Very Rev. Brian O’Brien Pastor, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Saturday Morning Rosary Group

Connecting Our Prayers with the Blessed Mother, Growing in Fellowship

Our Blessed Mother cares deeply about us, her children. Mary intercedes for us as we pray, bringing our petitions to her Son. One of the ways we can connect our prayers with Mary’s is through reciting the Rosary. Here at St. Francis Xavier, we are blessed to have the weekly Saturday Morning Rosary Group that prays and supports each other.

Kevin Larios leads the group that meets every Saturday at 8 a.m. before Mass. He has been involved since 2014 and took over the leadership role in 2019.

“To me, it gives me another good opportunity to start off the weekend with praying to our Holy Mother for our intentions,” Kevin says. “And also, the Church has always recognized Saturday being the day of Mary. It’s a way to honor her, to say the Rosary. Since COVID was disruptive, it’s more opened up for the time being. It’s good to be able to visit with those who I

don’t regularly see.”

The group members gather, share their petitions, and take turns leading the decades of the Rosary. Prior to the pandemic, the group would meet for breakfast after praying the Rosary, but the details for that social time are still being worked out. For now, following the Rosary, they typically visit with one another in the narthex until 9 a.m. Mass, which many members choose to attend. This provides the opportunity for fellowship, something that the COVID-19 pandemic removed from our lives for a time.

While it’s possible to pray the Rosary alone, doing so in a group allows for more support and fellowship among the attendees. Sharing petitions with one another also helps to keep in mind the well-being of others and gives everyone the chance to pray for each other.

“There’s often maybe a family member who is ill or having some major surgery,” Kevin says.

“Later we find out that person is recovering. We can only think that we have faith that our prayers are answered. I bring up the conflicts around the world, I’m constantly praying for that. But yes, still small miracles that come about in those intentions of others that come and pray the Rosary, we find out later that they are doing okay.”

Kevin was raised Catholic but didn’t encounter the Rosary until he joined the Knights of Columbus in 1993. The first component of his membership was the encouragement to pray the Rosary regularly.

“That’s where I learned to pray the Rosary,” he says.

Now, Kevin prays the Rosary several times per week, despite a busy daily schedule.

“Saying the Rosary with a very sincere and proper approach — not just rambling off, but really saying each of those prayers — to me, it’s important,” he says.

“When the Church says to honor her, this is the best way to do it.”

The Saturday Morning Rosary Group meets every Saturday at 8 a.m. All are welcome to join in prayer and fellowship. For more information or questions, please contact Kevin Larios at 405-780-3009 or klarios357@earthlink.net. There is also a livestream Rosary prayed regularly at 8 p.m. during the week —those interested may visit our website at https://sfxstillwater.org.

The Food Backpack Ministry:

Living out Stewardship and Serving Our Children in Need

As Christians, we are called to serve others and one way to do that is to live out the Corporal Works of Mercy. There are many different ways to do this, but one valuable way to serve those directly in our community is to support the Food Backpack Ministry. This ministry prepares bags of food to be sent home with children in need each weekend. This ministry at our parish has been directly supporting children at Stillwater Middle School for the past 16 years.

The parish supports this ministry through monetary donations to purchase the food, and then volunteers who put the bags together and deliver them to the school.

“It is an important ministry!” says Ashley Klepper, coordinator for the ministry. “It is hard to think about kids not having enough food on the weekends when they aren’t in school. Many of us are fortunate enough to not have to worry about this. By supporting this ministry, we can make an impact and directly help those in our community,”

Every few months, Ashley places an order for the food items. The volunteers for the ministry gather for a few hours and pack the bags with seven or eight different items. Volunteers sign up for one month when they collect the number of bags needed that week and deliver them to the school each Friday.

“The school counselor lets me know each week how many bags they need,” Ashley says. “It is usually somewhere around 75 bags. The volunteers pick up the bags from the church and bring them to the school where there are given out as needed.”

While St. Francis Xavier cares for the needs of Stillwater Middle School, other churches and organizations in the area make sure that this ministry is filled for each school in the area.

“Christ teaches us to serve the poor and love our neighbors,” Ashley says. “This is a way to actively do that. Our volunteers are so glad to be able to sacrifice a few hours to support these kids. This is important work and they are just so happy to do it!”

For those interested in volunteering, email Ashley Klepper at klepper.ashley@gmail.com. If you would like to support this ministry financially, contact Rev. Mr. Randy Hearn at dcnhearn@sfxstillwater.org or call the parish office.

Clement Ward serving with the Food Backpack Ministry

Mimi Ward serving with the Food Backpack Ministry

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Celebrating the Feast of St. Leo the Great Pope of Rome — Nov. 10

Regarded as one of the best administrators of the ancient Church, St. Leo the Great displayed tireless dedication as pope. From securing true Christian beliefs and settling doctrinal controversies as a Doctor of the Church, to defending Rome against barbarian attack and his commitment to the spiritually centered pastoral care of his people, St. Leo the Great provides a wonderful — and historically significant — example of a Church administrator who used his skills to reinforce the essential connections between spirit and structure. This resolute upholding of the faith earned him the title of “the Great.” Indeed, Leo himself held that everything he did as pope was to represent St. Peter, in whose place he acted, and to represent Christ, the head of the Mystical Body.

A native of Tuscany, Leo was believed to have been born around the year 400. The earliest known information about Leo is that he was a deacon under Pope Celestine I and Pope Sixtus III. During his time as a deacon, he was already recognized for his skills in mediation when the emperor designated him with the task of settling a dispute between the two highest officials in Gaul.

In the year 440, upon the death of Pope Sixtus III, Leo was unanimously elected by the people as the pope’s successor. Just weeks later, he would enter upon a pontificate lasting 21 years. This timespan would prove to be a crucial era for the centralization of the government in the Roman Church.

Importantly, Leo’s recorded papal letters and sermons have survived through the centuries, thus providing key historical sources regarding his career and personality. In fact, his particular prose style — cursus leonicus — would have

a lasting impact on ecclesiastical language.

A major priority during Leo’s papacy was to sustain the unity of the Church he was devoted to combating the heresies that threatened this unity. He was also a tireless champion of almsgiving, fasting and prayer, while clearly and concisely expounding Catholic doctrine. Leo put much of what he said and wrote into action as well, inviting and encouraging bishops to meet and consult with him in person. These committed efforts took place largely in the shadow of the Western Empire’s approaching collapse, and Leo would serve as a steadfast representative of lawful authority during this turbulent era.

Indeed, a crucial point of Leo’s papacy occurred during the invasion of Italy in 452. As Attila and his forces made their way to Rome, having already overrun several cities, the ruler of the Huns demanded a dowry from the reigning emperor. As a result, three envoys were sent to negotiate with Attila — one of which was Pope Leo I. While the exact nature of the envoys’ negotiations with Attila are not known, historians often credit Leo with compelling Attila to withdraw from invading Rome. And while the Vandals would sack the city of Rome just three years later, it is believed that Leo’s assertiveness and influence also helped to repress murder and bloodshed during this invasion.

Even as he maintained courage in the face of such challenges, Leo continually worked to address the everyday needs, concerns and interests of his people. He died in the year 461, most probably on Nov. 10 — which is celebrated in the Catholic Church as the feast day of St. Leo the Great.

Compassion Meals

Meeting Pastoral Needs of Our Parish Community

“This ministry meets the need of people and that is a huge goal of the parish. We are always looking to evangelize, but we also take care of people’s needs as a way to evangelize them for Christ and His Church.” — Fr. Brian O’Brien

Our journeys through life all have a common goal — eternity with our Lord. Here at St. Francis Xavier, our parish accompanies our parishioners through the joys and sorrows of life. One parish ministry, Compassion Meals, exists to serve our people in times of loss.

“Led by Denise Stevenson, the Compassion Meals Ministry involves about a dozen people who cook and freeze meals,” says Fr. Brian O’Brien. “These meals are made available to volunteers and staff to bring to families mourning the loss of a loved one or going through a difficult time.”

Parishioners currently serving in this ministry signed up through the annual stewardship appeal. Denise works with all members of the group to explain how the processes work. Members of

Compassion Meals prepare their food at home and transport it to the parish for freezing.

This small, but strong group of people is a network of parishioners constantly filling the freezer at St. Francis Xavier. They make sure the clergy, volunteers, and staff are always able to access meals to give to parishioners in need. Occasionally, members of the Compassion Meals Ministry deliver the frozen meals to families if needed.

“Compassion meals are put together to bring God’s compassion,” Fr. O’Brien says. “We all go through tough times and the parish is here in a variety of ways to meet the pastoral needs of our people — a good meal is one of those ways. This ministry not only makes the meal but also delivers it to their door! As a priest, I’ve

grabbed a few of the meals to take to families I know are going through a tough time.”

Parishioners in need can request Compassion Meals by calling the parish office. Fr. O’Brien notes that most parishioners do not know of this ministry until something happens to them or to a family member. Oftentimes, just reaching out to the parish office will start the ball rolling on many opportunities for our parish to step in and walk beside parishioners as they need our help.

“One of our staff members says, ‘Food is God’s love made edible,” Fr. O’Brien says. “I love that. This ministry meets the need of people and that is a huge goal of the parish. We are always looking to evangelize, but we also take care of people’s needs as a way to evangelize them for Christ and His Church.”

If you have a talent for cooking and would like to support the Compassion Meals Ministry, please reach out to the parish office at 405-372-6886.

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church 711 N. Country Club Rd • Stillwater, OK 74075 Web: www.SFXStillwater.org Phone: (405) 372-6886

Annual Church Festival and Marketplace continued from front cover

The event has three purposes — to get people together, to fundraise, and to donate to a local charity. The money raised this year will benefit Birthright of Stillwater. In the past, money raised has gone to the Early Childhood Development Center, Stillwater Catholic Charities, the program for high school youth, and our parish’s Spanish Ministry.

“As a church, we are supposed to be family and a community,” Margie says. “It’s great getting together to support each other and our ministries.”

Margie is proud to continue this important tradition that dates back at

least 30 years.

“You can use this opportunity to shop for birthday and Christmas gifts, but more importantly, get together to be in community and support important ministries and programs,” she says.

Margie also enjoys sharing her time and talent to make rope rosaries on Fridays, and knitting and crocheting shawls for the Wrapped in Prayer Ministry. With her love for crafts, these are perfect ministries for her. In addition, she helps with Becoming Catholic and teaches religion at the St. Francis Xavier Early Childhood Development Center.

More volunteers are always needed for the Church Festival and Marketplace. If you have any questions, or if you would like to get involved, please email festival@sfxstillwater.org.

ONLINE GIVING: