Grapevine the St. Francis
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June 2017
OUR MISSION ALIVE IN OUR PARISH FAMILY
Our parish mission, Building a Church of Missionary Disciples by Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Reaching the Poor, is truly alive in our parish members. Read some of their stories below. View more or share yours online. Our Young Church program taught me that I didn’t have to be perfect to have a relationship with God, but I just needed to take that small step. Ever since then, my life has Sean - Southlake, TX completely changed.
At times, St. Francis has been my home, and at other times it’s been my beacon calling me back. I’ve been taught and now share the faith I value and love so much. St. Francis is a gem in the treasure chest of the holy Catholic Church. Barbara - Euless, TX
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The greatest sense of encounter with Christ for me is in other members of this St. Francis community. There is something special here and I want to go deeper into my faith because of it. Lloyd - Roanoke, TX
Many, many times my fears would melt away while at adoration. The calming and powerful physical presence of Christ would let me know to trust in Him, things will be OK. David - Euless, TX
Leigh - Grapevine, TX
I had a very powerful encounter at my first Spirit Retreat at St. Francis. At the time (I was in college), I was not attending mass. I am grateful every day for the conversion of heart that weekend provided for me!
My wife and I were blessed to have become members of St. Francis. Fr. James Flynn's homily messages are always outstanding, as he is pushing us all to become true disciples of the Lord Jesus.
Welles - Roanoke, TX
READ MORE TESTIMONIALS : sfatx.org/testimonies A NEWSLETTER OF ST FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 861 WILDWOOD LN, GRAPEVINE TX • SFATX.ORG
FROM THE PASTOR
OFFICE HOURS Monday - 9:15 am - 8:30 pm Thursday (closed for lunch from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm)
Friday Sunday
9:15 am - 12:00 pm 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
CHURCH HOURS Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:00 am - 8:30 pm 8:00 am - 6:00 pm 8:00 am - 6:00 pm 7:00 am - 5:30 pm
MASS SCHEDULE WEEKENDS (nursery/guardería) Saturday Vigil 5:00 pm Sunday (no nursery) 8:00 am 10:00 am (en español) 1:00 pm 4:30 pm WEEKDAYS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:30 am 8:30 am 6:00 pm 8:30 am 8:30 am
St. Francis of Assisi Church
861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, Texas 76051 817.481.2685 // 817.488.3169 (f)
sfatx.org //
Welcome to the next installment of The Grapevine, the quarterly newsletter of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. We had a wonderful and spirit-filled celebration of the Triduum and especially the Easter Vigil. It is always a distinct honor to Baptize, Confirm and give First Holy Communion to the Catechumens. I would like to give special recognition to the RCIA team who prepared our Catechumens, and to Denise Brooks and the entire St. Francis of Assisi Choir who made the celebrations of Easter very special for the almost 6000 people who attended Mass that weekend. Following Easter, the parish stayed busy with children and youth receiving First Communion and Confirmation. We were particularly blessed to have Bishop Olson here to celebrate Confirmation for our teens, and it was an inspiration to see so many young people receive their final sacrament of initiation. Let’s continue to pray for all those who received their Sacraments here at St. Francis and throughout the world during the Easter Season. Things are not slowing down as we move quickly into summer. We have our Parish Picnic and BBQ Cook-off on June 10 following the 5pm Mass. We have several events planned for our Young Church throughout the summer, and we welcome Tim Jara, our new coordinator of middle school ministry. We also welcome Marci Houle, our new coordinator of adult catechesis and evangelization. We are blessed to have them here and know they are going to do great things for our youth and adults. Please continue to pray for the parish of St. Francis and continue to learn more about our Mission Statement and how you can get involved. Also, make sure to check out our new website at sfatx.org, follow us on twitter, and like us on facebook. May God bless you and keep you, Fr. James Flynn Pastor
WE HAVE A NEW PARISH WEBSITE! If you haven't seen it out yet, we encourage you to visit us online. We have lots of great information about mass, confession, and our parish community for you to share with your friends and family! VIEW IT TODAY:
SFATX.ORG
Parish happenings PARISH HAPPENINGS
Spring at St Francis
Taizè Prayer On the third Thursday of every month, St. Francis hosts prayer in the spirit of the Taizè Community, a meditative form of common prayer. Everyone in the parish is welcome and encouraged to invite non-Catholic or fallenaway Catholic friends for this ecumenical prayer service. Annual Easter Egg Scramble Despite rain in the forecast, over 300 people enjoyed breakfast, games, crafts, egg hunts, and a visit with the Easter Bunny. RCIA Our parish has welcomed over 15 candidates and catechumens fully into the Church over the past several months. Their presence is a blessing to our Church family! Chili Cookoff & Mardi Gras Party We celebrated Mardi Gras in style with a Chili Cook-off on Saturday, February 25. Congratulations to all the winners! First Communion Over 150 children joined us at the "Banquet of the Lord" for the first time this spring. Confirmation On May 4, over 80 teens from St. Francis were confirmed by Bishop Olson. We are proud of these youth who have chosen to enter more fully into the life of the Church. A big thank you to all the liturgical ministers and the choir who gave of their time to make the celebration special. May Crowning Children in our catechesis programs brought flowers to honor Our Mother before their classes ended for the spring.
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PARISH HAPPENINGS
ONE CARING CHRISTIAN:
opportunities for you to participate in spreading the good news of Jesus with people who are hungry for it.
Edmund Mitchell, Director of Catechesis & Evangelization
The biggest objection I hear people say is: “But I don’t know my faith well enough to teach.” I always reassure people by reminding them that they didn’t need much training to tell a friend about their new favorite restaurant or movie. It just comes out of you. And we don’t need know-it-alls. We need people who love God, and love helping others fall in love with him. If you ever don’t know the answer, you can just say “I’m not sure, let’s find out together!” The Church has all the information, but we need caring people telling it.
AN INVITATION TO CAT DAY If I asked you to name one idea or subject from your school years that changed your life, maybe you could come up with one or two after a few minutes of thought. But if I asked you to name your favorite teacher, or to think of one person who dramatically impacted your life, you could probably come up with one or two in an instant. Sometimes we’re tempted to think “if only people really understood the faith, then the world would be different.” But who will tell them this good news? We have the greatest offer the world has ever heard of: the joy and peace found in a life centered in Jesus Christ and the eternal reward of heaven. Even here at St. Francis of Assisi, we don’t have enough people telling them. The harvest is plentiful - we have lots of children, youth, and adults showing up - but the laborers are few. We have life-changing information. But we need caring people. St. Paul felt this need for more people to step-up and share the good news when he asked: "But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14) If you have ever felt the urge and desire to share the wonderful things God has done for you with others who are hungry to find out more about God, I want to personally invite you to explore the ministries of catechesis and evangelization. We have lots of
If you’d like to learn more, please come to our annual conference called Cat Day (short for Catechist Day) on Saturday, August 12, where we will be talking about our parish’s efforts to reach people and preach the Gospel. We’ll help you explore ways you can get involved teaching and sharing the faith. The day will consist of keynotes, adoration, food, fellowship, and breakout sessions to find out more about the different ministry opportunities. I believe that every child, teen, and adult is just ONE caring Christian away from a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ. These people need YOU. As it is written “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!” (Romans 10:15) If you’ve ever been interested in getting involved with Children’s Catechesis (K-6), Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Middle School or High School Youth Ministry, RCIA, or Adult Catechesis, this is a great first step. Or, if you just want to be more informed on the vision and plans for our parish, feel free to come and check it out! Find out more & RSVP: sfatx.org/catday
An Opportunity to Live the Mission: GRACE Feed Our Kids This summer, St. Francis parish will be assisting GRACE, or Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange, with their annual summer Feed Our Kids program. For four days, we will be providing lunches to around 140 kids who receive subsidized lunches during the school year and might go without otherwise. This is a great opportunity for our parish family to live out our mission statement of Building a Church of Missionary Disciples by Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Reaching the Poor.
We need your help!! There will be several ways you can contribute to this new and exciting parish program: • Contribute non-perishable items or giftcards towards perishable items to make the lunches. We will be posting items to be donated in June/July! • Plan to help prepare or distribute lunches on one or more days during the week of July 24-27. Teams are currently being formed! MORE INFORMATION: sfatx.org/feedourkids
PARISH HAPPENINGS
YOUNG CHURCH SUMMER FULL CALENDAR: sfatx.org/ycsummer We’re very excited to have such an extremely filled summer! Summer is our busiest time; it’s our chance to get to know each other better while glorifying God. All students who will be entering 7th-12th grade next school year are invited to participate in the many exciting summer events and activities Young Church has planned beginning in May. The calendar below is the best way to keep track of everything we have planned. For all of our big events, there is a link next to it with information regarding how to sign up, the requirements, time and any other information you need to know. We really hope you’ll join us for all of these events. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Joseph at jbarringhaus@sfatx.org.
All College-Aged Parishioners: Join St. Francis College Squad!
Often times college students come home for the summer and jump right into a job or maybe feel like they have nothing to do. No matter what side of things you’re on, we’ve got a place for you here at St. Francis! College Squad is a group meant for anyone entering college this coming fall through graduating seniors (or around age 18-22). Each week this summer we have an opportunity for you to come to Mass and then get free breakfast after. Who doesn’t love Mass and free food? In addition, we have a time weekly where we’ll learn more about the faith in a fun environment as well as larger events! If you’re interested in joining us for an event, need to get on the text list, or want more information, please contact Joseph at jbarringhaus@sfatx.org. You can see the summer calendar at sfatx.org/collegesquad.
TAIZÈ PRAYER
A Meditative, Candle-lit, Ecumenical Prayer Experience JUNE 15 • JULY 20 • AUGUST 17 • SEPTEMBER 21
MORE INFO: sfatx.org/taize the St. Francis Grapevine 5
Ministry spotlight
RESPECT LIFE MINISTRY: Helping Women & Children in Crisis The Respect Life Ministry is one of the oldest ministries at St. Francis, beginning under the direction of Fr. B and coordinated by Angela Walters since 1993. Angela reminds us, “The abortion industry is alive and well in this diocese. We must all take a stand against it… I would like to invite all of the parish to get involved in some way in the Respect Life Ministry.” The ministry hosts several opportunities to get involved. The Life Chain, which has been an yearly event since 1996, is held the first Sunday of October and is headed up by the Knights of Columbus. The group stands for one hour on Southlake Blvd at Kimball Road holding signs about the truth of abortion. Many other local churches participate as well. Gabriel Project is the most active component of the ministry, directly assisting women in crisis pregnancy situations. “We help women who need assistance through their pregnancy and beyond by mentoring them with spiritual and emotional support and helping them find resources that will help them and their baby,” states Angela. Often times our parish Outreach and Catholic Charities assist these women as well. The parish also has a Sidewalk Ministry that prays at a local Planned Parenthood abortion center
each week on Wednesdays from 9-10am.” This is a beautiful ministry of love; we do not yell and protest. We offer love and friendship to the women and men going into Planned Parenthood for an abortion and offer assistance through the Gabriel Project. Just the other day we had a lovely lady change her mind to not have an abortion and she took our offer of the Gabriel Project. We were all so happy!” A Respect Life Holy Hour or prayer before the Blessed Sacrament also takes place on Wednesdays at our parish each week from 5-6pm. Each year, the Respect Life Ministry also places crosses outside the Church to give a visual representation to the number of abortions each hour, encourages spiritual adoption of babies in risk of abortion (prayer cards are at the Church entrances), and hosts a Baby Bottle campaign to raise money for pro-life activities in the diocese. If you are interested in this ministry or desire to get involved, please contact Angela Walters at 817-247-5615. "We welcome any questions, comments or donations. Thanks to all of you who help and serve those in need!”
VESSELS OF THE WORD: The Reader Ministry
Each week, we hear the Word of God spoken at Mass in the Liturgy of the Word. The individuals who serve in the Reader Ministry fill an important role in helping each of us to hear God’s message. As the USCCB states in their general instruction of the Mass, “When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel.” (GIRM, #29). If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and His Word in the Bible, desire to read and study the Bible more often, and enjoy public speaking, then the Reader Ministry might be a great way for you to serve our parish! “The Reader Ministry incorporates study of the old testament, new testament, spirituality, Christian theology, and liturgy and worship.” says Greg Hart, the ministry coordinator. “I have participated in the St. Francis reader ministry for the past 17 years. The reader ministry has helped me to develop a further interest in reading the bible and to develop a closer relationship with the Lord.” Each reader is provided a Workbook for Lectors, which provides insight regarding how to prepare and deliver each reading. The workbook also offers valuable insight into the content of the readings in connection with the Gospel for that day. A reader training is conducted at the Church about every 2 months, and it covers procedures before reading, how to properly prepare the Liturgy of the Word, and how readers are scheduled. All readers must also complete safe environment training for the diocese of Fort Worth. “We currently have 75 adult and 8 youth readers and are very interested in growing the ministry. Please contact me if you would like to inquire about becoming a reader!” states Greg. You can contact him at gjhart59@yahoo.com.
PRESCHOOL UPDATE
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The month of February brought us the opportunities to learn about St. Valentine, Presidents’ Day and stewardship. We collected Dental Health items for the Outreach Program. March was a VERY busy month! We started by celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday with some of our favorite books. After Spring Break we jumped right into learning about Spring with all its rain, bugs and butterflies. Easter festivities were all around us the beginning of April. All students performed in the “Spring with Jesus” Musical! We also celebrated “Go Western Week” complete with a Cowboy Lunch and roasting marshmallows. We are in the middle of next School Year’s Registration. Please call or email the Director, Ms. Karen Bedore at 817-481-2685 ext 230 or kbedore@sfatx.org to schedule a tour. MORE INFO: sfatx.org/preschool
St. Francis Church avidly supports Catholic education and HTCS Upcoming Events: encourages parishioners to consider their parisheducation school, Holy HTCS St. Francis Church avidly supports Catholic and Grade Class Trip May Upcoming 12: EighthEvents: encourages parishioners to consider their parish school, Holy Trinity, for theirChurch children. Holy TrinityCatholic offers grades PKand - 8th, HTCS Eighth Grade Class Trip May 12: Upcoming Events: St. Francis avidly supports education May 1st Communion 8:25am OUTREACH! A BIG17: THANK YOU FROMMass, ST. FRANCIS Trinity, for their children. Holy Trinity offers grades PK 8th, on-site before and after care, and tuition assistance. encourages parishioners to consider their parish school, Holy May12: 17: Eighth 1st Communion Mass, 8:25am Grade Class Trip May We19: are so grateful for all theofdonations made2:00pm to our May Kindergarten End Year Program on-sitefor before after care, and tuition assistance. Trinity, theirand children. Holy Trinity offers grades PK - 8th, May 19: Kindergarten End of Year Program 2:00pm May 17: 1st Communion Mass, 8:25am Holy Trinity Catholic School strives to provide a superior Outreach the HTCS food8:25am drive! /Your of Day May 25: through Candlelight Service 8th truckload Graders Last on-site before Catholic and afterSchool care, and tuition assistance. Holy Trinity strives to provide a superior May 25:were Candlelight 8:25am / and 8th Graders LastaDay education which produces life-long learners, faithful May 19: Kindergarten End of Year Program 2:00pm items processedService in our pantry will make huge education which produces life-long faithful Eighth Grade Graduation 7:00pm at St. Francis Church Holy Trinity Catholic School strives tolearners, provide athe superior servants, and and influential leaders. Motivated by desire WeService areGraduation so 8:25am blessed7:00pm Eighth Grade atgenerosity! St. Francis Church May 25:difference. Candlelight /by 8thyour Graders Last Day servants, influential leaders. Motivated by the desire education which produces life-long learners, faithful for continuous growth andand improvement, and inspired and Eighth Grade Graduation 7:00pm at St. Francis Church for continuous growth improvement, inspired servants, and influential leaders. Motivatedand by the desireand strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the faculty and staff of Holy strengthened the Holy the faculty staff ofand Holy for continuous by growth and Spirit, improvement, andand inspired St. Francis Church avidly supports Catholic education and HTCS Upcoming Events: Trinity Catholic School model and teach Trinity Catholic School model and teach strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the faculty and staff of Holy encourages parishioners to consider their parish school, Holy May 12: Eighth Grade Class Trip reverence, respect and responsibility (the33R’s). R’s). Trinity, for their children. Holy Trinity offers grades PK - 8th, May 17: 1st Communion Mass, 8:25am reverence, respect and responsibility (the Trinity Catholic School model and teach on-site before and after care, and tuition assistance.
May 19: Kindergarten End of Year Program 2:00pm
respect and responsibility (the 3 R’s). and Holy Trinity students gain tools,knowledge knowledge and Holy Trinity Catholic School strives to provide a superior Holyreverence, Trinity students gain thethe tools, May 25: Candlelight Service 8:25am / 8th Graders Last Day education which produces life-long learners, faithful discipline needed to advance in life and continue to Eighth Grade Graduation 7:00pm at St. Francis Church discipline needed to advance intools, life and continue to learn, learn, Holy Trinity students gain the knowledge and servants, and influential leaders. Motivated by the desire for continuous growth and improvement, and inspired and serve and lead in their communities and beyond. discipline to advance in life and learn, serve and leadneeded in their communities andcontinue beyond.to strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the 30: faculty and staff ofDay Holy May Field Field Day For more information go to www.holytcs.org and teach30: serve and lead in their communities and beyond. Trinity Catholic School modelMay For more information go to www.holytcs.org reverence, respect and responsibility (the 3 R’s). May30: 31: End Day of Year Party-Kick off the summer with an May Field To schedule a tour 817-421-8000 x 121 or admissions@holytcs.org For more817-421-8000 informationxgo toor www.holytcs.org 31: andEnd of Year Party-Kick off the summer with an To schedule a tour 121 admissions@holytcs.org Holy Trinity students gain the May tools, knowledge alltoschool Falls,with 1- 5:00pm. May End of Yearcelebration Party-KickatoffHawaiian the summer an discipline needed to advance in life31: and continue learn, To schedule a tour 817-421-8000 x 121 or admissions@holytcs.org serve and lead in their communities and beyond. all school celebration at Hawaiian Falls, 1- 5:00pm.
Educating Beyond Academics! Educating Beyond Academics! Educating Beyond EducatingAcademics! Beyond Academics! May 30: Field Day all school celebration at Hawaiian Falls, 1- 5:00pm.
For more information go to www.holytcs.org
To schedule a tour 817-421-8000 x 121 or admissions@holytcs.org
May 31: End of Year Party-Kick off the summer with an
all school celebration at Hawaiian Falls, 1- 5:00pm.
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MINISTERIO HISPANO Con la alegría de Jesús Resucitado y reafirmando el camino hacia el Quinto Encuentro Nacional de Pastoral Hispana / Latina. Preparamos el V Encuentro con esperanza de que será un tiempo de gracia, el tema es “Los discípulos misioneros: Testigos del amor de Dios” Los delegados de nuestra parroquia Rita Gutiérrez y Ricardo Romero estarán convocando el equipo que trabajara en esta hermosa experiencia. Encuentro es: Salir a los ambientes cotidianos. Es observar con ojos de discípulo y hacer conciencia de la realidad concreta donde viven las personas, acercarnos un poco para escuchar lo que dicen, captar sus sentimientos, percibir lo que les apremia y preocupa. Preguntar sobre sus vidas, sus preocupaciones, sus esperanzas, sus ideas, sus necesidades, sus sueños. Comunicar el gesto que ayuda a salir del desconsuelo y estar listos para suscitar la esperanza y la alegría. Es compartir la Palabra de Dios y la sabiduría del Espíritu Santo en la Iglesia para poder entender, ver y sentir nuestra realidad desde la perspectiva de la fe en Jesús Resucitado y en las promesas de su reino de justicia, amor y verdad. Como los discípulos de Emaús. La parroquia de San Francisco de Asís, estamos llamados a una fuerte participación estaremos convocando diferentes actividades, y confiamos en los procesos de fe de cada persona para que este encuentro resulte de gran impulso a nuestra vida de fe y compromiso. ORACIÓN DEL QUINTO ENCUENTRO NACIONAL DE PASTORAL HISPANA/LATINA Dios misericordioso, Tú que saliste al encuentro de los discípulos de Emaús, concédenos un espíritu misionero para salir al encuentro de nuestros hermanos y hermanas, unirnos a su caminar cotidiano, escuchar sus tristezas y alegrías, encender sus corazones con el fuego de tu Palabra, prepararlos a reconocerte en la Eucaristía y enviarlos como discípulos misioneros a compartir la alegría del Evangelio a generaciones presentes y futuras de toda raza, lengua y cultura. Te lo pedimos desde nuestros corazones ardientes en el Espíritu Santo, en nombre de tu Hijo amado y por la intercesión de nuestra Madre María de Guadalupe, Estrella de la Nueva Evangelización. Amén.
STAFF Q&A TIMOTHY JARA
We are so excited and grateful to have Tim as our new middle school youth minister here at St. Francis. Tim joined the team only a few weeks ago, but is already making an impact on our youth. A bit about him: Describe your role AT THE PARISH. Serving Fr. Flynn and the parish family as the middle school minister is a true honor. It’s also wild and crazy; full of passion and reliance on prayer; delivering catechesis; and building relationships with teens, parents, and the Core. Tell us a bit about your family AND BACKGROUND. I come from a Texas, suburbliving, dog-loving, roadtrip-going family that is half Mexican, half Polish; or Polexican. The food growing up was so good! After graduating from Flower Mound High School, I went on to earn my bachelor’s degree in theology and catechetics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio with a concentration in youth ministry. I will marry my high school sweetheart, Katie, in July. I have 3 adventurous siblings and all my favorite stories begin with, “so this one time, my brother and I…” What ARE 3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Adventurous. Intentional. His. What is your favorite SCRIPTURE PASSAGE? “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Because it sums up my life’s mission and purpose, and fires me up to just abide with Christ. FAVORITE COLOR? Green. You know, the color when sunlight shines through spring leaves. FAVORITE BOOKS? A Severe Mercy, Same Kind of Different as Me, Wild At Heart, I Believe in Love, and Essentialism FAVORITE FOOD? Chicken Fried Steak. WhAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? Asking Katie to marry me while up in the Rocky Mountains. Close second: I caught a rabbit with my bare hands after chasing it non-stop for a half hour. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT OUR PARISH? It's a missionary parish of the New Evangelization that relies on prayer to reach both those who know Christ, and those who don’t yet.
OUTREACH IN ACTION
Thank you!
A big thank you to those who came out to our Outreach Open House in April! We loved sharing with everyone what we do to assist those in the parish and greater community. If you missed the Open House, feel free to stop into our thrift store any Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday from 9:30am - 1pm. It's open to anyone!
Staff Blog Samplings The fact is, if you’re a Catholic teen reading this or the parent of a Catholic teen you think your goal is to get through Confirmation. Once you’re Confirmed, you’ve done it! Yay! But, the true reality is Christ calls all of us to go out and evangelize in Matthew 28: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.” The fact is, our “job” is never done. Our “job” is to go out and spread the love of Christ to all.
Jospeh Barringhaus Youth Events Coordinator & Digital Media Assistant The fact is, our world is a swell of #fakenews, we’ve continually accepted more sin into our lives, and we publicly turn our backs on faith, family, and moral values. The fact is, by this point you probably want to stop reading… but trust me, make it to the end. The sad thing is most of us in this country know the answer and the solution but continue to turn away from that truth. The fact is, Jesus can conquer all but we choose to ignore Him. The fact is, the phrase “do not be afraid” is said in the Bible more than 365 times. That’s enough for you to tell yourself every day of every year of your life that Jesus is Lord and that you’re strong enough. It’s a fact that we continually forget: Jesus. Is. Lord. Rather than hiding in your room, forgetting to pray, or turning away from him why don’t you focus on that fundamental truth. Once again, Jesus is Lord.
The fact is, if you call yourself a Christian, the likelihood is that you’ll make it through high school as a lukewarm Christian and then get to college only to attend Church on an unregular basis. Scripture says in Revelation “So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” The fact is, we are called to much more and are given the strength to push on by our Lord and Savior. The fact is, you’re a sinner. A good friend of mine (he happens to be a Priest) will start a conversation with me by saying “what’s up sinner,” to which I’ll respond “nothing much sinner Priest.” While some may see this as a shock or an insult, it’s the truth. There’s no #fakenews or lies here, you’re a sinner. While none of us want to be sinners we are. The fact is, Jesus’ name alone holds more power than any one of your sins. The fact is, you’re stronger than the chains holding you down. The fact is, you’re a beloved son or daughter of Jesus Christ. The fact is, He’s never leaving your side. This post is from 5/4/17 on josephbarringhaus.com. the St. Francis
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Staff Blog Samplings
I Want To Know What Love Is Laura Nelson Coordinator, Children's Catechesis "I want you to show meeeee!" In the 1980s, I was a teenager trying to figure out life and love. This song from Foreigner was an anthem for me and many of my friends. We wanted to fall in love and live out the ending of our favorite John Hughes movie where the wallflower girl gets the popular guy. We wanted to experience love. The only problem was, we didn't really know what love was. In our minds, love was soft-focus romance with fireworks and drama. We were young and that's all we knew. We believed what the movies told us about love. But we were wrong. It was that false idea of love that made it hard for me to understand God's love for me. The love I imagined wasn't a selfless sacrificial love. It was a self centered all consuming obsessive love. Nothing like the love that God has for us. It wasn't until I became a mother that I started to understand God's love for us. I've often said that being a parent is a lot like having your heart walk around
outside of your body. Suddenly you're vulnerable. Everything that happens to your children, all the pains and the joys that happen to your child affect you as if they're happening to you directly but with an added feeling of helplessness. The pain I feel when my children hurt must pale in comparison to the pain God feels when we hurt. And in a similar way, God might feel helpless too not because He's unable to help but because He's waiting for us to let Him. The things we do for our children, you know, the notso-glamorous things like changing diapers, driving carpools, emergency room visits in the middle of the night, and soothing broken hearts, those things are small sacrifices in comparison to what God has done for us but they help us to understand in a small way the way God loves us. But I think the most important thing I've learned about God's love from being a parent is that no matter what, I will always love my children. I may not like what they do or how they act but that will NEVER stop me from loving them. That's how God loves us-unconditionally. Forever and always. This post is from January 2017 on catholicmom.com.
NET FAREWELL Dear St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Thank you for 8 beautiful, Spirit-filled, and loving months. We, as a team, cannot express our gratitude to everyone who took care of us and made Texas a home for us. From host homes to Young Church to everyone we would see around each week, people from across the parish loved us so well. We have cherished our time spent mentoring youth in discipleship groups, Bible studies, at Young Church, and hanging out after school. Goodbyes are always hard, but we have full confidence in the Lord’s plan for the youth of this parish. Many of the youth we mentor have helped us grow in our faith, and we are excited for them to share their faith with the rest of the parish. Youth ministry is not a job for one person or even a team of young adults. It is a shared honor among all parishioners through the specific capacities the Lord asks them to serve. As members of the Body of Christ, we can each
contribute to the spiritual health of our youth through the talents the Lord gives us. Practically, that can look like volunteering for the middle or high school Core Team, providing food for Young Church, being an example for youth during mass, and volunteering for other types of catechesis. Regardless of one’s knowledge of the faith, everyone is called to share their faith with others. Mentoring youth is a beautiful way to do so. We pray that our presence at St. Francis has encouraged youth to dive deeper into the Church and has led families closer to Christ. Thank you for leading us closer to Christ and heaven as well. In Christ,
14 NET TEAMaura,
Katelyn, Mark, L ue, nriq Grant, Suness, E rd Maggie, & Edwa
St. Francis Families There's also a quote Jane and I try to live by: "Much is expected of those to whom much has been given." We have been so blessed with healthy, beautiful children, supportive parents, and satisfying careers that we feel that payback to God and community are required. What is an interesting fact about your family that people may not suspect or know? Jane and I have traveled for pleasure all over the world from New Zealand to the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic. We have been to every continent and sailed all the Seven Seas.
Doclar Family Tell us a bit about your family. Jane and I (Ernie) are native New Orleanians. We met through my career with the Boy Scouts of America. I lived in New Orleans except for five years in the U.S. Navy. Jane was born in the Crescent City but her railroad man father moved the family to Clovis, NM, where they lived until her early teens. He died and Jane, her mother and brother moved back to New Orleans. I have been in Scouting continuously since 1943. I started in professional Scouting in 1956 after a tour in the Navy. We married in 1962 as a Navy couple, then I was released from the Navy and returned home. I was employed in the Boy Scouts of America National Office in New Jersey from 1964 until my retirement in Texas in 1994. My job was as an editor in the BSA's magazines. I was in the Navy or the Naval Reserve for 26 years and retired as a commander in 1977. Jane is a retired elementary school teacher. She has a master's degree in education from Loyola Unversity of New Orleans, and I have a bachelor's degree from that school. Jane taught in the New Orleans and New Jersey School Systems until our marriage and then in the Grapevine-Colleyville School System, and then in the Carroll School System. After years in the classroom, she specialized in technology. We have three daughters. They gave us seven grandchildren. The youngest daughter and family live in Sacramento, CA; the middle and family live in Arlington, TX; and the oldest and family live in Orange County, CA. What is a favorite scripture passage for your family? We really like the bible passage that says "You are the light of the world: let your light shine before all....".
Do you have any family traditions? Jane draws on her years as a schoolteacher to decorate our house in the theme of each national holiday: Christmas, Washington's birthday, Halloween, etc. What drew you to St. Francis of Assisi Parish? We joined St. Francis in 1979 when we moved to Texas because the BSA National Office moved from N.J. We love St. Francis because it reminds us of the parishes of our youth. What parish ministries are your family involved in? In August and Sept., Jane works hard with a team to pull together the gift baskets that are auctioned at the September Fest. She teaches RCIA and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, assists with the wedding ministry, helps instruct religious education teachers, and is a Eucharistic minister. I serve on the St. Francis Scout Troop 7 committee and on the diocesan Catholic Scouting committee; I also just organized a new Serra Club, working for priestly and religious vocations. I chair the hospital ministry and work with the nursing home ministry. I also began singing in the St. Francis Adult Choir in 1984 and still participate. How would you describe our parish if you were to explain it to an outsider or fallen away Catholic? Fallen-away or inactive Catholics would do well to renew their affiliation with the Church at St. Francis because we are a welcoming parish working for the salvation of all. Our pastor is an ardent minister and is anxious to lead the unchurched back to Christ. In every issue, we will feature 1-2 families from our parish. Each of these families contributes to what makes St. Francis a thriving community. We are honored they call us home. To nominate a family to be featured, contact dmilliken@sfatx.org. the St. Francis
Grapevine 
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861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, TX 76051 Return Service Requested
Saturday, June 10 6-10 pm $10/person $20/family PICNIC INCLUDES: Burgers & Hotdogs • BBQ Tasting • Potluck Sides Iced Tea & Lemonade • Beer & Wine Games for Kids • Live Music • Fun for the Family parishioners, please bring a potluck item to share: A-E - Fruit • F-M - Dessert • N-R - Salad/Bread • S-Z - Vegetable MORE INFO:
sfatx.org/bbq-picnic
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID GRAPEVINE, TX PERMIT NO. 87