Grapevine the St. Francis
June 2019
A CLEAR PATH HERE AT ST. FRANCIS As we continue to build missionary disciples and develop a Clear Path of Discipleship at St. Francis of Assisi, it’s important to remember why we are approaching evangelization with this strategy at our parish. The General Directory of Catechesis says the following about evangelization in paragraphs 47-49: 47. The Church, while ever containing in herself the fullness of the means of salvation, always operates 'by slow stages.' The conciliar decree Ad Gentes clarifies well the dynamic of the process of evangelization: Christian witness, dialogue and presence in charity, the proclamation of the Gospel and the call to conversion, the catechumenate and Christian Initiation, the formation of the Christian communities through and by means of the sacraments and their ministers. This is the dynamic for establishing and building up the Church. 48. Accordingly, in conformity with this, evangelization must be viewed as the process by which the Church, moved by the Spirit, proclaims and spreads the Gospel throughout the entire world.
Currently, our main focus along the Clear Path of Discipleship is three initiatives:
ENCOUNTER First, Discover Christ is directed towards nonbelievers and even all cradle Catholics who need to hear and respond to the personal call of the Gospel and into friendship with Jesus Christ.
GROW Second, Connect Groups (see the back cover for more info!) are meant for that growth as a disciple and initial catechetical activity.
SERVE Finally, the Called & Gifted Workshop is a forum for each parishioner to discern their unique gifts and talents to serve the community on mission.
49. The process of evangelization, consequently, is structured in stages or 'essential moments:' missionary activity directed toward non-believers Imagine how different our parish would be if every and those who live in religious indifference; initial single parishioner had a moment of igniting or recatechetical activity for those who choose the igniting their friendship with Jesus, grew in a small Gospel and for those who need to complete or community of disciples who loved and cared for them, modify their initiation; pastoral activity directed and each discerned their charisms to serve both inside toward the Christian faithful of mature faith in and outside the church! the bosom of the Christian community. These What impact would a church like that have on moments, however, are not unique: they may be Grapevine?!? Join us in our mission, and let's find out! repeated, if necessary, as they give evangelical nourishment in proportion to the spiritual growth START YOUR JOURNEY: sfatx.org/path of each person or of the entire community. A NEWSLETTER OF ST FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 861 WILDWOOD LN, GRAPEVINE TX • SFATX.ORG
FROM THE PASTOR Dear Parish Family, Great to meet you all through another edition of our parish newsletter. I want to thank all of you for your welcome and your kindness during these past few months. I am happy to be part of a great parish family at St. Francis.
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 Wednesday Thursday Friday
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 //
Our Lent and Easter celebrations were beautiful. I would like to thank all those who worked so hard to make our liturgy prayerful and enjoyable. Easter season reminds us of the beginnings of the Church and teaches to take courage, that despite the challenges we face, the risen Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is present and active in our lives. We joyfully celebrated the first Holy Communion of over 140 of our kids and more than 80 of our youth received their Confirmation this spring. At the EasterVigil, several were received into the Church through sacraments of initiation. Please continue to pray for them, that they will grow in their faith and be true witnesses to the Lord in their lives. We are glad to begin the refurbishing of our sanctuary and renovations of our facilities early in June. Please pray for the timely completion of this project. Thanks to all those who made pledges and contributions to our Capital Campaign, which made this possible. If you haven’t made a pledge to our Capital Campaign, I invite you to prayerfully consider making a pledge towards our Our Faith, Our Family, Our Future campaign so that we can also complete our dream of building the formation center. Please check our website and parish bulletin regularly to keep you updated about our summer programs. Through the intercession of St. Francis, our heavenly patron, may the Lord lead us and guide us in all our endeavors as we glorify His name in everything we do. In Christ, Fr. Sojan George Pastor
Has the parish of St. Francis played a part in your faith journey? SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY! We are always looking for real stories from parishioners about how God is working in their life. Through personal witness, we are able to explain both online and in writing what makes St. Francis parish such a strong faith family. We invite everyone to take 5-10 minutes and share how our parish is positively impacting you:
sfatx.org/giveatestimony
Parish happenings PARISH HAPPENINGS
Becoming Catholic:
A REFLECTION The Saturday before the Easter Vigil, Scott brought by Trisha Boyle, 2019 Neophyte us all together for a final reflective retreat and for the Easter Vigil rehearsal practice. I became so very My journey to become Catholic started in 2018 when overwhelmed that day for what was ahead of me, I attended the St. Francis of Assisi Easter Mass. I I could hardly contain my joy and my emotion all immediately felt welcomed and loved. Because of this, day. Easter Vigil Mass was an amazing experience I attended services every Sunday for a month. During for me. I felt the Holy Spirit with me right when the this time, I felt very close to God and knew that I had Vigil started. As I was being baptized by Father Sojan to investigate how to become a Catholic. I reached George, I had intense feelings of peace, joy, and love. out to Scott Immel, the RCIA coordinator, and after Then, taking my first communion gave me a sense of a series of discussions with him, decided to enroll in inner peace and comfort to be able to finally be in full RCIA classes in September 2018. I knew my life would relationship with Jesus. change, but had no idea how positive and blessed this There have been so many caring people at St. Francis journey would be over the next several months. of Assisi that have helped me in my journey to become Religion had never played a major role in my life. I’d Catholic. I want to thank Scott for being so welcoming attended non-denominational church services with and so very supportive from day one. I want to thank my family, but never felt connected to the messages. Joe and Pedro for being great, engaging instructors I never read the bible and knew little of the details of the RCIA classes and scripture sharing. I want to of Jesus’ life and how his actions saved all sinners. thank my sponsor, Mary, for being there for me every As I reached middle age, and with some additional step along the way. I am now happy and blessed to call life experiences pointing me towards Catholicism, I Mary my Godmother. decided it was time to commit and learn. That’s how I I encourage anyone that may be contemplating the ended up at my first Mass in 2018. next steps to becoming Catholic to consider the RCIA The RCIA program at St. Francis of Assisi is strong, program here at St. Francis of Assisi. I sincerely have had due to the commitment of those who teach every such a wonderful experience and I know it is only the week: Joe Oliveti, Pedro Paredez, and Scott. Over the beginning of my new spiritual, blessed life as a Catholic. weeks and months of my experience, these instructors taught and inspired me. I’ve learned so much about the history of the Catholic Church, how to pray, how to read the bible, and most importantly, how to grow closer to Jesus. Perhaps the most important figure in my journey has been my sponsor, Mary Elwood. She has been a constant guide and supporter during my Catechumen experience. She reinforced the RCIA learnings and helped me focus on how to bring these things into my daily life. St. Francis will be assisting on July 22-24 for the
GRACE Feed Our Kids Program! Due to the construction at the parish, we request that people visit the website to sign-up to donate a food item or volunteer for this important endeavor. Thanks in advance for your help feeding the kids of Grapevine! MORE INFO & VOLUNTEER: sfatx.org/feedourkids
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Parish happenings
Spring at St Francis
Father - Daughter Dance Daddys and their little girls enjoyed this annual tradition on Friday, February 22. Mardi Gras Chili Cook-off We celebrated Mardi Gras in
style with a Chili Cook-off on Saturday, March 2. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to the Knights of Columbus for bringing back this annual tradition! Lent Mission The Vigil Project joined us for two nights of prayer, worship and dynamic speaking. First Communion Over 140 children joined us at the "Banquet of the Lord" for the first time this spring. Confirmation On March 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 the liturgical ministers and choir who helped make the celebration special. Children's Catechesis Children in our catechesis programs experienced a full spring, complete with lessons on the infancy narratives, Lent, the Paschal Mystery celebrated at Easter and the gifts of the Holy Spirit celebrated at Pentecost.
OUR FAITH • OUR FAMILY • OUR FUTURE
AN UPDATE FROM FR. SOJAN ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN:
As of April 30, $3,591,876 has been pledged towards our Campaign and $1,429,117 has been received in payments. We will be spending approximately $1.1 million for the refurbishing of our sanctuary and renovation of our facilities (phase 1). We are scheduled to begin work for the renovation and refurbishing on Monday, June 3, 2019. Beginning Sunday, June 9, we will have masses in the Family Life Center, and will add an additional mass at 11:30am on Sundays from June 9 - August 25.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS & IMPORTANT DATES Amount Pledged (as of 4/30/2019) $3,591,876 Amount Collected (as of 4/30/2019) Estimated Cost of Phase 1 (refurbishing
$1,429,117 $1,100,000
Scheduled Date to begin Phase 1
Mon, 6/3
the sanctuary and renovations to facilities)
Thanks to all those who made a pledge towards our Campaign! If you haven’t yet made a pledge to the Our Faith, Our Family, Our Future Capital Sunday Mass held in Family Life Center 6/9 - 8/25 Campaign, please prayerfully consider making a pledge or a one-time Additional Sunday Mass at 11:30am 6/9 - 8/25 sacrificial gift, so that we can also complete our dream of building the new Stay updated & make your pledge: sfatx.org/campaign formation center with perpetual adoration chapel (phase 2).
YOUTH CATECHESIS & YOUTH MINISTRY I Wonder: When It’s Good to Be Afraid
So, when we ponder one of the parables of the Kingdom of God such as the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:31-32), we ask the children questions No one likes to be afraid. Suspense movies, roller coasters, and to help them see God’s greatness. For example, haunted houses aside, we don’t really want to be afraid. I certainly in the Mustard Seed parable, we ponder how a don’t. In fact, for years the idea of Fear of the Lord as a gift of the seed so very small could grow into a large tree Holy Spirit (and not a curse) totally confused me. Why the heck that can be a home to the birds of the air. We would I want to be afraid? After all, there are a lot of other gifts of ask, “What makes the seed grow like that? Do the Holy Spirit that are much more appealing to me like Wisdom you? Do I? No. We can’t make the seed grow. or Knowledge. But Fear of the Lord? No thank you. We can plant it but that doesn’t make it grow. God’s power makes it grow!” But, that was before I learned what Fear of the Lord really is. Over time, I learned that Fear of the Lord wasn’t about the fight Then we use this reflection to help us learn or flight response. Instead I learned that a better wording of this more about God’s Kingdom. “What does this confusing gift was really “awe and wonder of the Lord.” That parable tell us about God’s Kingdom? That it sounds a lot nicer, right? grows and expands? That it can be a home for all of us?” And, then Awe and Wonder of the Lord means that we see how great God is and how small and weak we are in comparison. I like to call it we end the reflection with the phrase, “I wonder...We will the gift that helps us look at God and say “Whoa….!” keep thinking about this as we This is a gift that’s easy to lose as you get older. As we learn more work today.” “stuff,” we can easily forget the sense of wonder that we once had when pondering God and His Creation. We become reasonable By spending time pondering God, His Word, and His Kingdom, and rational and it’s no longer “cool” for us to be overwhelmed at God’s greatness. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you don’t lose we teach the child that we can it, but I bet you don’t show it to just anybody. After all, we don’t grow to know more about God but that He is also beyond our want people to think we’re simple or unsophisticated, do we? complete understanding because In the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, one of the goals that we He is so much bigger and more have for the children is to educate them to wonder about God amazing than we are. What a good and His Creation. We do this by spending time pondering God, lesson about Fear of the Lord for His Love for us, His Kingdom, His Creation, and His Son, Jesus. all of us, no matter our age! Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Explained: A Series with Laura Nelson of Children's Catechesis
CATECHESIS & EVANGELIZATION DEPARTMENT FALL 2019 UPDATES
As we look forward to the new catechetical year in the fall, the Catechesis and Evangelization Department is continually striving to improve catechetical formation for the youth of our parish. First, we are thrilled to announce that we have decided to host Middle School and High School Young Church both on Sunday nights from 6pm-8pm. After lots of prayer and discernment, as well as receiving input from parents, current volunteers and Father Sojan, we believe this change will allocate more resources to each Young Church night, raising the quality and effectiveness of our ministry. We are also thrilled to be adding Level 2 of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for some students age 7-9 years old. This will continue to enhance the formation that our youngest children receive here are the parish, and we hope to continue to grow this program in the future having Level 2 available for all students of those ages in the next couple of years. Finally, at the direction of the diocese, we are improving our sacramental preparation processes. We look forward to having a personal interview with each student and their parents about their readiness and eagerness to receive either First Communion or Confirmation. More details will be provided in the fall. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for our department as we strive to more effectively catechize our youth! the St. Francis
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YOUNG CHURCH SUMMER
2019
Young Church has a ton planned for this summer! We’ll be kicking it all off on Friday, June 7 out on a Party Barge on Grapevine Lake, with great food, swimming, jumping from the top deck of the boat, worship at sunset, and a great view of the fire works! Our biggest and most anticipated trips of the summer are the Steubenville Lone Star Summer Youth Conference (June 21-23 // Irving, TX) and Lifeteen Camp Covecrest (July 28-Aug 4 // Tiger, GA). Lone Star is one weekend with thousands of Catholic high school students from around the country gathered to encounter Jesus. The weekend is full of great music, engaging and relevant Catholic speakers, and powerful experiences of God’s love. Camp Covecrest is wildly fun and great for students ready to take their faith to the next level. Students can expect adventure in the wilderness and beauty of Georgia; whitewater rafting, ropes courses, hiking, and the infamous mud-pit. Most importantly, there will be great opportunities to encounter Jesus more personally and grow in faith with friends. Here in town, we’ll also be hosting weekly fieldgame events, a summer scripture study, paintball battles, and discussing life’s biggest questions … while eating lots of donuts. Join the fun and stay connected over the summer by following us on instagram @sfayoungchurch or by visiting our website: sfayoungchurch.com
SFA CORE TEAM Do you have a heart for God and teenagers?
We need your help! We are looking to grow and cultivate our SFA Core Team, which works directly with our middle school and high school youth. We're especially looking for more Young Adults who love Jesus.
Wondering what Core Team is all about? Hear directly from Mandy Erwin about her experience serving with this ministry:
We moved to Flower Mound in August of last year. One of my main priorities as a mom of 3 teens was to find a great parish with a very active youth group. We loved the website of St. Francis of Assisi emphasizing missionary disciples and all the amazing opportunities they give for service and mission. We visited here first and stayed. In the fall, we started to go to parish events to get to know people and volunteer with the youth. Being on the Core Team has been a tremendous blessing for me in so many ways. This is a concrete way I can be supportive of my teens as they walk through a culture that is antagonistic to the faith. I also have been able to connect with other parents on a personal level, and it makes St. Francis feel like home! The very best part is being able to work with Tim Jara and the rest of our staff as they pour themselves out for our kids. They love Jesus, they love His Church, and they love my kids and want them to know God in a life-transforming way! Did I mention it is tons of fun, too!!! LEARN MORE: sfayoungchurch.com/core
STAFF Q&A
MINISTERIO HISPANO Fr. SOJAN GEORGE
Fr. Sojan (pronounced SohJUH-n), joined us as our new pastor in February of this year. He is excited to get to know everyone more! Here is a bit about him to help you get to know him better, as well: Describe your role AT THE PARISH. As the pastor of the parish, I am appointed by the bishop to be the spiritual father and shepherd of the community here at St. Francis. Under the authority of the bishop, I am called to carry out the duties of teaching, sanctifying and governing with the help of deacons, staff members and other lay volunteers. Tell us a bit about your BACKGROUND. I am one of five children. I have two brothers and two sisters. One of my brothers is a Salesian priest. One of my sisters lives in Perth, Australia, and the others live in India. My dad passed away in 2013 and my mom lives with my brother. I did all my studies in India, where I got a BA in Sociology as well as bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Theology. WHAT ARE 3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Caring, joyful and motivated. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE Food? I love good Indian food. FAVORITE COLOR? Blue. FAVORITE BOOKS? God Is Near Us by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) and Peace of Soul by Bishop Fulton J. Sheen are two favorites. FAVORITE PLACE? Santorini, Greece FAVORITE THING TO DO ON YOUR DAY OFF? On my day off I try to hang out with friends and relax. IF YOU COULD HAVE LUNCH WITH ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE? Pope Francis What'S A Favorite Bible Passage? “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness to the child of her womb? Even should she forget I will never forget you” (Is. 49:15). It is probably the most touching expression of divine love in the entire bible. What is AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF? My baptismal name is Joseph and I have a special devotion to St. Joseph. What is your fAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING HERE? I love the people of St. Francis and the sense of family that we have here!
JUNIO MES DEL SAGRADO CORAZÓN DE JESÚS ¡EN TI CONFÍO! Adoramos el Corazón de Cristo porque es el corazón del Verbo encarnado, del Hijo de Dios hecho hombre. La imagen del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús nos recuerda el núcleo central de nuestra fe: todo lo que Dios nos ama con su Corazón y todo lo que nosotros, por tanto, le debemos amar. Jesús tiene un Corazón que ama sin medida. Y tanto nos ama, que sufre cuando su inmenso amor no es correspondido.
La Iglesia dedica todo el mes de junio al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, con la finalidad de que los católicos lo veneremos, lo honremos y lo imitemos especialmente en estos 30 días. Esto significa que debemos vivir este mes demostrándole a Jesús con nuestras obras que lo amamos, que correspondemos al gran amor que Él nos tiene y que nos ha demostrado entregándose a la muerte por nosotros, quedándose en la Eucaristía y enseñándonos el camino a la vida eterna. Todos los días podemos acercarnos a Jesús o alejarnos de Él. De nosotros depende, ya que Él siempre nos está esperando y amando. Debemos vivir recordándolo y pensar cada vez que actuamos: ¿Qué haría Jesús en esta situación, ¿qué le dictaría su Corazón? Y eso es lo que debemos hacer (ante un problema en la familia, en el trabajo, en nuestra comunidad, con nuestras amistades, etc.). Debemos, por tanto, pensar si las obras o acciones que vamos a hacer nos alejan o acercan a Dios. Tener en casa o en el trabajo una imagen del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, nos ayuda a recordar su gran amor y a imitarlo en este mes de junio y durante todo el año.
ORIGEN DE LA DEVOCIÓN AL SAGRADO CORAZÓN DE JESÚS
Santa Margarita María de Alacoque era una religiosa de la Orden de la Visitación. Tenía un gran amor por Jesús. Y Jesús tuvo un amor especial por ella. Se le apareció en varias ocasiones para decirle lo mucho que la amaba a ella y a todos los hombres y lo mucho que le dolía a su Corazón que los hombres se alejaran de Él por el pecado. Durante estas visitas a su alma, Jesús le pidió que nos enseñara a quererlo más, a tenerle devoción, a rezar y, sobre todo, a tener un buen comportamiento para que su Corazón no sufra más con nuestros pecados. El pecado nos aleja de Jesús y esto lo entristece porque Él quiere que todos lleguemos al Cielo con Él. Nosotros podemos demostrar nuestro amor al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús con nuestras obras: en esto precisamente consiste la devoción al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. (catholic.net) the St. Francis
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Ministry spotlight ANGELUS PRAYER GROUP & SCRIPTURE STUDY FOR SENIORS Are you a senior of our parish looking for fellowship and community? Consider joining the Angelus Group! Comprised of seniors who meet every two weeks on Saturday afternoon before 5pm Mass, the group reads and discusses that Sunday's scripture readings. In addition, the members talk about family members and friends who need prayer support, which the group offers. As Welles Fendrich, the group leader, recounts, "The group was originally formed at the Catholic Chaplaincy serving Princeton University Catholic students. When my wife Roberta and I moved to Chicago we continued the Angelus Group at our new parish. Members are now located around the country, and continue to participate by praying for one another’s intentions once a week. When we moved to Texas, we formed another group here at St. Francis." The group now serves as a source of community for the seniors of our parish, helping to hold each other up through health issues and difficulties in their (or their families') lives. "Miracles have come forth from our bi-weekly prayer group. For example, we prayed for a family friend whose daughter’s baby had water on the brain and a woman who had breast cancer, both of whom were cured," Welles continues. If interested in joining or finding out more about this ministry, contact Welles & Bobbie at pgm1067@gmail.com or 267-872-2768.
An exerpt from the Angelus Prayer the group prays together:
As another week draws to a close let us remember those participating in The Angelus wherever they may be. We invoke the following prayer to our Lord: Keep them safe in the week ahead and always near You. Give them strength to bear their burdens as your Son bore his on earth. Give them faith to listen to your word. Give them abundant love to share with others they meet each day in Your name. ....
Staff Blog Samplings I HAVE THE PERFECT YOUTH MINISTRY Edmund Mitchell Director of Catechesis & Evangelization You read that right. I have the perfect youth ministry. There are only 5 youth in the program, but these kids are gonna change the world. We have a small budget. But, we meet every day of the week. You wanna talk relational ministry? I spend HOURS with these kids. I’m working with the parents to make sure there is really good catechesis happening in the home. We do social events, retreats, discipleship, and I show them how to pray. Sometimes we have small groups, sometimes I just answer their questions. We go on trips together and share meals together. I post a lot about the program on social media. I’ve been working with these five kids for almost 7 years now, and my goal is to work with each kid intentionally for at least 18+ years. Long-term mindset. You could say that I really love these kids. Because they’re my literal children. I reject the false dichotomy between parish youth ministry and the family. There’s no competition. The best youth ministry is the one you’re running if you’re a parent. There’s no perfect model of youth ministry.
Small group discipleship isn’t the perfect model. Large groups aren’t perfect. Discipleship. Stewardship. Outreach. Evangelization. Missionary Discipleship. Commitment to multiplication. Pick a vision. None of them are perfect. The next time you hear someone trash a specific youth ministry model or method, ask yourself, are they basically just pointing out how this model fails in comparison to a family? Or is there a legitimate flaw in the methodology in light of the pedagogy of God, or the way God works with man? The perfect youth ministry was the Holy Family. But this doesn’t mean that parish youth ministry shouldn’t exist. Even Jesus went to learn in the synagogue. How can our church support family youth ministry? How can our church reach youth who don’t yet have a youth ministry at home? Gotta go, one of the kids in my youth ministry just pooped his pants. This post was originally featured on edmundmitchell.com on 2/24/19 as part of his youth ministry email series.
Rome Sweet Home
Danielle Milliken Coordinator of Digital Media & Communications In February, my husband and I were blessed to take a week-long trip to Rome and Assisi, Italy. It was a beautiful and fruitful experience for our marriage and our faith life. We relished the time together, just the two of us, and truly enjoyed visiting some of the holiest places in the Catholic Church. We saw St. Peter’s grave, relics from the cross and crown of thorns, and the Sistine Chapel. We walked in the footsteps of some of our favorite saints, especially St. Francis of Assisi. We stood feet from Pope Francis, visited the Vatican gardens including the favorite places of prayer of St. Pope John Paul II, and took in some of the most awe-inspiring artwork in the world by the likes of Michelangelo, Bernini and Caravaggio. One really can’t understand the grandeur and reverence of these places until one visits them, and even though I had spent 4 months studying abroad in Rome as a sophomore in college, I was so grateful to get to return to these beautiful places of prayer and art.
But being in beautiful church after beautiful church that week, I realized that it’s a personal encounter with Jesus and a supportive and welcoming community that will keep people in the Church, after possibly, the art and beauty gets them in the door. So what can we do as a parish to better draw people into our Church community? I think we are on the right track with our upcoming sanctuary renovations. I can’t wait to see the altar and ambo that will be replicas of the ones I gazed upon in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. I am anxious to see the new tabernacle and back altar, complete with the renaissance style paintings of St. Francis, Jesus, and company. But more than the renewal of art and beauty in our parish, I look forward to our ongoing evangelization efforts as we continue to lean into our parish mission. By providing moments for Encounter with Jesus Christ, groups to Grow by intentional discipleship, and opportunities to Serve Christ and His Church in ministry and on mission, the parish of St. Francis of Assisi will more effectively be a conduit for people to live fully within the Catholic Church. And I think that is what “Rome Sweet Home” is all about.
As much as going to Rome somewhat felt like “going home” as a Catholic, it actually more deeply enlivened my love for my true faith “home” here at St. Francis of Assisi. Along my journey, I realized that as important as awe-inspiring art is for drawing people to God, even more so is awe-inspiring personal relationship and evangelization. This isn’t to say that there isn’t an important, and even irreplaceable, role for beauty and art in the Church. In fact, I would argue the opposite.
Outreach in ACTION
SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER! The Impact on Outreach & their Clients While most kids look forward to summer, some parents in our area are preparing for some hard months ahead. "Our biggest need is utility assistance during the summer months," says Mary Molini, director of Outreach here at St. Francis. "Kids are home all day—snacking, eating, playing in the AC, etc. Most families, especially those that rely on meal assistance at the schools, feel the crunch on their food bills and having enough ‘good’ snacks and lunches for their kiddos during the break. People often give extra around the holidays, but the summer months are a great time of need in the community as well. " If you are looking for a way to give back to our Grapevine community this summer, consider making a donation for utilities or of grocery cards/food bank items to our Outreach! Thank you for your generosity! the St. Francis
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SCHOOL NEWS
P RESCHOOL This winter we shared the wonders of Preschool with the parish community as we once again held a Silent Auction during Catholic Schools Week. We also learned about stewardship, collecting Dental Health items for our Outreach. After our Spring Break in March, we had our annual visit from everyone’s favorite, mischievous leprechaun, Teddy O’Toole. We celebrated our teachers with a wonderful appreciation week, and then jumped right into learning about Spring with all its rain, bugs and butterflies. All students performed in the Spring Musical as we readied ourselves for Easter. This was followed by our celebration of “Western Week” complete with a cowboy lunch and roasting marshmallows. Register now for the next school year, which begins in September! Classes are for children 18 mos – PreK 4 and are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9a-2p. Please call or email the Director, Ms. Karen Bedore at 817-481-2685 ext. 230 or preschool@sfatx.org to schedule a tour. Be sure to ask about the Wednesday LEEP (Little Hands Exploration and Enrichment Program) that will also begin in September!
MORE INFO: sfatx.org/preschool
St. Francis Families my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still water..." (Psalm 23). This psalm has taught us that, as a family, we know that in life there are very important things for each one of us and we seek for their success, without forgetting the passage of Matthew 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom and the justice of God, and all these other things will be given you as well."
Mireles Family Tell us a bit about your family. We were born and grew-up in northern Mexico. After dating for five years, Maribel and I (Jorge) joined our lives together 28 years ago in the small Catholic Church in our town in Mexico. God blessed our marriage with three children, to whom we have given everything we received from our parents and grandparents—love and unity in the family and the Catholic faith. Seventeen years ago, we moved to Grapevine, Texas. During the first years here, Maribel was a full-time mom to help our children learn the new language, culture and traditions. Everything was a slow process, but of great support for the children. I work in construction and remodeling and my wife does house cleaning. Currently, our first daughter, Brenda, is 27 years old and she attends UNT Denton. Our second daughter, Tania, is 24 years old and she attends TT in Lubbock. Our son, Jorge Jr., is 20 years old and attends UT Arlington. What is an interesting fact about your family that people may not suspect or know? All our Family have a deep respect and love for our Catholic Church, and we share our Catholic faith with those who don't know it. Do you have any fun or interesting family traditions? It is a tradition that at Christmas time, we invite some relatives from Mexico. It is time for us to cook all kinds of Mexican food and at night, all together, we ask for an inn for Joseph and Mary as in Bethlehem, we pray the Rosary, and we adore and sing to the baby Jesus. What is one way your family prays together? We pray before eating our food, regularly pray the rosary, and join together every Sunday in the Church. What is a favorite scripture passage for your family? There are several passages, one of whic his "The Lord is
What drew you to St. Francis of Assisi Parish? In the past, as a family we always attended different parishes of the Diocese of Fort Worth, since at that time the parish of Grapevine only had one mass per month in Spanish. The first thing that brought us to the church was to prepare our three children to receive the Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation. Then, one day our priest at that time, Father Ken Robinson, requested at the end of Mass the help of volunteers to create a Hispanic council. Maribel and I thought that we could help and be volunteers in our parish. What mass does your family typically attend and what parish ministries are your family involved in? We typically attend the 1pm Spanish Mass. As a family we have had the opportunity to help in different ministries. Jorge, Jr. and Tania helped as altar servers, then Brenda, Tania and Jorge helped as catechist assistants. I have volunteered at different times as a reader, extraordinary minister of Eucharist, usher, altar server, member of the Hispanic council and the pastoral council. Currently, I only help in RCIA classes and as a marriage sponsor. Maribel currently helps as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, marriage sponsor and as a catechist for the children. What do you love most about the parish? We love the parish because it has helped us as a family to keep our Catholic faith and put it into practice. We see the parish of Grapevine as an international church as we have parishioners from different cultures, such as Germans, Poles, Irish, Vietnamese, Mexicans, African-Americans, Indians, Colombians, Italians, Central Americans, etc. There are certainly more cultures, and all are welcome to the house of God and each one finds a place at the table of the Lord. How would you describe our parish to an outsider? If you want to know about the Bible, look for any church, but if you want to see how the Bible comes alive every Sunday, come to the Catholic Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Grapevine, TX. the St. Francis
Grapevine 
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861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, TX 76051
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID GRAPEVINE, TX PERMIT NO. 87
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Not everyone finds church meaningful and important outside of Sunday. Our church is big, and it can be easy to get lost in the crowd. We’ve realized that most people at St. Francis of Assisi who really feel that church is making a huge impact in their life all have one thing in common - they are all intentionally connected to other people at our church. This is why we believe that circles are better than rows for doing life together. It’s not enough to have strong commitments and convictions. You need an environment where you are encouraged and supported in your faith life. You need people who can hold you up or push you on when life gets hard. You need community, and someone in community needs you.
We want to help people at our parish connect with others who want to connect. The Connect Event is a short and fun cocktail party where people meet and connect with others to start a Connect Group, or a small group of people in the same stage of life and same part of town who meet regularly to share christian community. You won’t feel awkward, because everyone is there for the same reason you are - to join a group and get connected! We’d love to have you there at our next Connect Event on June 14 at 7pm! RSVP: sfatx.org/connect Interested in hosting a Connect Group? Visit sfatx.org/connect to learn how you can host a group!