St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Newsletter — September 2021

Saint Francis F rancis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH DISCOVERING CHRIST:

Bringing Evangelization, Discipleship and Fellowship into Our Parish

Contents: 2 Stewardship and

Evangelization: Using Our Time and Talents to Spread the Good News

3 Let Us Pray for

One Another as We Continue to Grow Closer to Christ

4 Birthright:

Faithfully Serving as Stewards of the Gift of Life

6 Celebrating the Feast

of the Archangels

7 Ushers Ministry

Embodies Pillar of Hospitality for Parishioners and Visitors Alike

SEPTEMBER 2021

W

hen you visit our parish website, the first thing you will see is a friendly welcome, followed by a message that St. Francis Xavier “is committed to helping each person in Payne County: Encounter Jesus Christ, Grow in relationship with Him as a disciple, and to ‘Go, make disciples.’”

We want every person to experience all three of these valuable interactions with Christ. So, each year, we offer a series of programs through Christ Life. The sessions follow the three themes of discovering, following, and sharing Christ.

The first session in the series, Discovering Christ, begins on Tuesday, Sept. 7, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and continues each Tuesday for seven weeks in the Parish Hall. The seven-week session is followed by a Saturday retreat.

“We want to bring more evangelization and discipleship into our parish,” Fr. O’Brien says. “This program fits our mission. We want people to encounter Jesus, grow and go.”

Discovering Christ is for new Catholics, cradle Catholics, those just learning about the Church for the first time, and everyone in between.

“This is an opportunity to encounter Christ for anybody in the parish, and a way to intentionally move people deeper and help them grow as disciples,” Fr. O’Brien says. continued on back cover

Saint

Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH

Stewardship and Evangelization:

J

Using Our Time and Talents to Spread the Good News

esus came to save the world and to draw all men to Him. When we think of the salvific work of Christ, many of us think of His life, death, resurrection, and His ascension into glory. While those salvific events are of primary importance in salvation history, it doesn’t end there.

Christ wants everyone to know the salvation He has won for them. He wants every soul to experience heavenly glory. Therefore, after having conquered death through His cross and resurrection, Christ commissioned His disciples to carry the Gospel to the world. They were charged to “preach the Gospel to all nations,” winning, through their words and examples, souls for the kingdom! What a task! The disciples were overwhelmed at the thought of carrying the Gospel to all nations after Christ had returned to heaven. But the Lord assured them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon

Each of us must re-evaluate how we are using the gifts God has given us to build up His Kingdom. Do we preach the Good News in all that we do and say? The same Spirit that descended upon the apostles that first Pentecost remains with us now, giving us the strength and courage to labor in the vineyard of the world.

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you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the Holy Spirit descended upon them on the feast of Pentecost, all those in the crowd were amazed. They all spoke in different tongues, preaching the same message, and everyone there could understand!

So it was that the Church was established through the power of the Spirit and for the purpose of evangelization. Each of us has been baptized in that Spirit, and through that, made a member of the Church. It is, thus, up to each and every one of us to actively participate in the Church’s mission — proclaiming the Good News to all the world and building up the Kingdom of God! Each of us must re-evaluate how we are using the gifts God has given us to build up His Kingdom. Do we preach the Good News in all that we do and say? The same Spirit that descended upon the apostles that first Pentecost remains with us now, giving us the strength and courage to labor in the vineyard of the world.

Christ came to save the world, and He established the Church as the “universal sacrament of salvation” (Christifideles Laici, 2), by which many people throughout the world would know the glory of His truth. St. Paul describes the Church as one body with many parts. Just as each part of the body has a particular function, so each member of the Church has a particular calling, but united as one body in the Spirit, all of the members are to carry out the Church’s one mission. How is God calling you to carry out this mission? What particular gifts has He given you with which you ought to build the Kingdom?

A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR

Let Us Pray for One Another as We Continue to Grow Closer to Christ Dear Parishioners,

T

he beginning of a school year in a college town is a special time of year. We see many more people at Mass as vacations are over and new families settle in. Xavier Teens and Xavier Kids are soon underway. These are beautiful opportunities for our young people to encounter the Lord Jesus.

For adults, Discovering Christ is the place to be!

It’s an opportunity for ANYONE to do just as the title suggests, to discover the Good News of Jesus Christ and His Church. I hope we have a full house of adults ready to take the next step in their faith. Discovering Christ is also the start of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Pray for these potentially new Catholics and for all who will join us for Discovering Christ.

This newsletter is also an opportunity to say, “thank you” and to encourage more parishioners to the Ushers Ministry. Our ushers serve at each of the four Sunday Masses and on Holy Days of Obligation and other big Masses. They open doors, help people find seats, take up the collection, and are the eyes and ears to help keep us safe.

This ministry is open to men and women with a heart of service. We love our ushers!

In addition to Discovering Christ and the ministry of ushers, a life of stewardship is not just in the parish.

Many St. Francis Xavier parishioners are involved in wonderful and necessary ministries outside the parish.

Birthright is one such ministry. When a woman is in a crisis pregnancy, she often has nowhere to go. For the women of Payne County, Birthright is a haven of goodness and mercy. The good people of Birthright will help any woman needing prenatal care or a pregnancy test. They will also help new moms with food, diapers, and support. What a beautiful ministry!

As we move into the fall and the 2021 Stewardship Renewal, maybe one of these three ministries is something you can do.

Let’s pray for one another!

In Christ,

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

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Saint

Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH

Birthright:

Faithfully Serving as

F Birthright is entirely funded by generous donors who are willing to stand up for the cause of life.

This playroom of toys is a place where moms can do paperwork while their children have toys to play with or cartoons/ movies to watch.

This quiet and peaceful room is a place to provide counseling for women going through tough emotions.

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rom time to time, the staff members of Birthright receive feedback that warms their hearts, keeps their chins up, and gives them the strength they need to carry on.

“I just talked to a woman who came to us about nine months ago because she was having struggles with the father of the baby and was considering having an abortion,” says Birthright Outreach Coordinator Joyce Pool. “It was not our job to hound her out of it, but we supported her. When she left, I still didn’t know what her decision was going to be. I was so happy when she let me know she had a healthy baby girl, and that she and the father are now engaged to be married. Hearing stories like these keep us going.”

Birthright is a crisis pregnancy center for life that provides free, confidential services including pregnancy tests, emotional support, baby clothes, diaper assistance, and non-judgmental assistance.

Birthright also makes referrals for prenatal support, financial resources, employment, housing, legal/social assistance, parenting classes, and adoption.

“We believe in caring for both the mother and baby every step of the way,” Joyce says. “That is our vision. We try to support new moms all the way through delivery and afterward. Ultimately, we want each mom to feel that she can keep her child peacefully.”

Time and time again, Joyce has seen how paramount the friendship and emotional support they give to the families really is.

“A lot of mothers come into our office, feeling so lost and alone,” Joyce says. “Their situations can be very dire, and they can get confused and depressed.

We just want to love them where they are at and help them in any way we can. We are not here to

Stewards of the Gift of Life judge anyone who has had an abortion, but we do want to give emotional support and friendship to them.”

Birthright is entirely funded by generous donors who are willing to stand up for the cause of life. With their help, this beautiful ministry serves as a powerful means of evangelization in our community. Our parish deacons, Deacon Bart Brashears and Deacon Glenn Collum, are both on the board of Birthright as well. Birthright also provides a wonderful way for people to be faithful stewards of the gift of life and use the experience God has given to them.

“I have always had a passionate desire to help single mothers,” Joyce says. “I am a single mom and I know it can be rough. It is not the easiest journey and I can relate to the women that come into our office. I want them to know that they are doing a good job and that they really can be there for their kids.”

Financial donations or that of baby items are needed, such as diapers, pull-ups, wipes, baby or toddler shoes, blankets, bottles, or pacifiers.

Birthright is interested in putting together a Prayer Chain to pray for the families with whom they work, and would appreciate having parishioners join.

There are volunteer positions open, as well.

If you would like to learn more about Birthright, please visit the website at www.birthright.org/stillwater/.

To receive services from Birthright, please call 1-800-550-4900 or 405-332-1555 (texting option).

(From left) Jeanne Campbell, Executive Director; Joyce Pool, Outreach Coordinator; and Joshua Hawkins of St. James Orthodox Christian Church.

The volunteer station is where volunteers greet clients and answer phones.

A generous donation from Orthodox Christians for Life is brought in by Joshua Hawkins.

They chose Birthright of Stillwater to honor with a baby shower.

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Saint

Francis Xavier ST. R

APHA

EL

CATHOLIC CHURCH

ST. GABRIEL

Celebrating the Feast of the ST. MICHAEL

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Archangels

very Sept. 29, the Church celebrates the feast day of the Archangels — St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. We are blessed to be inspired by these “servants and messengers of God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 329).

The term “archangels” has its Scriptural basis in the New Testament (1 Thes 4:16, Jude 1:9), indicating a chief or leading angel. “Archangel” generally refers to St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael, as they are the three angels most frequently mentioned throughout Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The fact that these three angels are mentioned by name on multiple occasions indicates the significance of their roles in the history of salvation. It is because of these important roles that we take pause to celebrate on Sept. 29.

St. Michael is mentioned by name on several occasions in Sacred Scripture (Dn 10:13, Rev 12:7), and his role in the Tradition of the Church has been extensively documented. He has been widely referred to as the “great prince,” and is most often associated with the apocalypse — the final battle against Satan. Christian Tradition gives St. Michael four different roles, but he has primarily been regarded as the patron and protector of the Church.

St. Gabriel is mentioned by name in Scripture (Lk 1:19), and Tradition has also assigned him implicit roles within Scripture where he is not specifically mentioned. Most important, however, is St. Gabriel’s role as the messenger of God, delivering to Mary the announcement of the birth of Our Savior (Lk 1:26).

St. Raphael is mentioned by name only in the Book of Tobit, where he is responsible for healing Tobias. Raphael means “God has healed” and thus, he has also often been associated with the “angel of the Lord” (Jn 5:4).

The feast day on Sept. 29 gives each of us the opportunity to consider our own role in the Church, as we gratefully commemorate the Archangels responsible for carrying out their roles of defender, messenger, and healer.

USHERS MINISTRY

O

Embodies Pillar of Hospitality for Parishioners and Visitors Alike

ne of the four pillars of parish stewardship is hospitality, and our Ushers Ministry embodies this pillar at every Mass, greeting and assisting our parishioners and visitors as we prepare to celebrate the Liturgy. And with St. Francis Xavier continually emphasizing our parish’s mission of evangelization, the Ushers Ministry works to fulfill this mission by being a welcoming presence to newcomers at Mass.

“I hope our presence and interaction with new people might lead them to look at us and feel they are welcome in the church,” says Jim Stiegler, coordinator for the Ushers Ministry. “We are the face of ‘welcome.’”

The ministry currently has between 30 to 40 members — this doesn’t include those serving at the Spanish Mass.

“We don’t have enough,” Jim says candidly, particularly at the 11:15 a.m. Sunday Mass.

Typically, four ushers serve at each Mass.

The men and women of the ministry take care of several duties. They often greet early arrivals and offer a welcome to all. They open doors and assist the elderly or disabled to easily enter the church. They help those entering the church to find seating — a duty that was a particular challenge during pandemic restrictions when social distancing protocols had to be followed.

The ushers also make sure the gifts are in place and gift bearers are located. If some coaching is needed, the ushers offer that help.

A major responsibility is taking up the collection and making sure it is secured. They also make note of any doctors or nurses at Mass in case a

medical emergency arises.

After Mass, the ushers go through the pews and pick up discarded bulletins, replace the missalettes, and make sure the pews are tidy for the next Mass.

“We’re probably one of the main representatives of the church when people need to feel welcome, feel ready to be part of Mass,” Jim says. “We need to display hospitality and welcome to all to make you feel good about coming to Mass.”

Jim offers a short training session for new ushers, usually in the evening at the church.

Most have been trained in CPR and the use of AED devices. Several have received Active Shooter Training.

“It’s a pretty intense day-long training program so you know what to do,” Jim says. “I hope we never need it, but it’s knowing what might happen.”

Anyone interested in joining the Ushers Ministry may call the parish office at 405-372-6886.

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Saint

Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH

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

Discovering Christ

continued from front cover

The program is designed to help people learn how to evangelize. Our parish staff is very excited about the third year of the Discovering Christ program. Each session starts with a meal and a chance to get to know one another in a lowstress environment. Then, there is a time for praise and worship.

“St. Augustine says, ‘when you sing, you pray twice,’ and this opens up our hearts and breaks down the barriers we build up through the day to receiving and to praising God,” Fr. O’Brien says. “It’s a really good way to pray.”

Next, participants watch a video on a topic, and attendees break into small groups for discussion.

Part of the relationship building is with the facilitator. Facilitators receive training to walk with all attendees in their faith journeys.

“The facilitators are there to represent Jesus’ love in a way people haven’t experienced much in their lives,” Fr. O’Brien says. “We are a big community, so sometimes it’s hard to be a small community.”

Discovering Christ also kicks off the year for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process, or RCIA — the seven weeks are the first classes. This allows students to meet other parishioners.

All parishioners are asked to consider inviting someone to Discovering Christ — a valuable way to engage in the stewardship pillar of hospitality while promoting fellowship in our faith community.

To get involved in Discovering Christ, please contact the parish office for more info.

You may also attend the first class on Sept. 7.

ONLINE GIVING:

PARISH REGISTRATION: