Happy Sunday!

The last week of September is somehow already upon us. I love seeing the parish in full swing. So much of the activity is because of our wonderful volunteers. Thank you so much to all of you who support our catechesis and formation programs. While these are a few ways to get involved, there is so much more happening in the parish. This weekend we will be having a parish ministry fair where over 50 ministries will be present to share their work with you. This is a great opportunity to get involved if you are not already participating in a ministry or group.

Happy Sunday!

This week on Monday the church celebrates the feast of St. Padre Pio. I recently finished a biography of him called “Man of Hope” by Renzo Allegri. While I’ve often heard about Padre Pio this was the first time I actually read a book about him. His life was one of great and varied suffering, but also of joy and hope. He bore the stigmata, that is, the five wounds of Jesus, on his body for 50 years. They disappeared three days before he died.

Happy Sunday!

This week the priests of the Diocese of Phoenix will converge on Flagstaff for our annual Priest Convocation. This is a unique week where we can all get together, listen to a speaker, and share time in prayer together. Please keep us all in prayer throughout the week for a fruitful convocation!

Happy Sunday!

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the final day of the 33-day consecration to Jesus through Mary. Nativity Chapel downtown will be open from 9:00am until 3:00pm today to stop in and pray. For those of you who have participated in the consecration, I hope it has been fruitful.

Happy Sunday!

Labor Day weekend is here! Somehow it always comes so quickly. I used to think when I was out of school summer that I would somehow slow down. How foolish of me! It was still a great summer. I got to spend it here and enjoy the beautiful weather. Now, school is back is session and catechesis is starting back up for children, teens, and adults. It’s great to see the parish so alive once again!

Happy Sunday!

This past Friday we had the Back to School BBQ. Thank you to everyone who helped organize this event and to everyone who attended. It’s great having the school back in full swing! This week our middle school students will be on their annual retreat. Please keep them in your prayers during these days.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the re-registration as we transition to a new database. It is incredibly helpful to us and we are grateful for your participation in this endeavor. If you have not already done so, please go to the parish website or grab a form in the office or narthex to complete the re-registration.

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we prepare for the foundation of the Militia of the Immaculata Village at our parish on August 27th, traditionally the Franciscan Feast of the Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we give thanks for all the many ways in which God and Mary have blessed our community. This is the first MI Village to be established in the Diocese of Phoenix. It is our hope that MI Villages will begin to form in other parishes of the Diocese as well. Promoting total consecration to Mary within a framework of missionary discipleship can only bring many blessings to our parish and to the Diocese as a whole.

Happy Sunday!

This week on Thursday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. We will have four Masses for this Holy Day of Obligation. There will be a 5:30pm Vigil Mass at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel on Wednesday night, the 14th. On the 15th there will be a 6:30am Mass at Our Lady of Gudalupe, 8:15am and 12:15pm Mass at SFdA.

Happy Sunday!

This Tuesday, August 6, we begin the parish wide consecration to Jesus through Mary. I have received some logistical questions about how this takes place. As you know I recommended a couple of different books to help you along the way. You may have found other consecration books that are suitable and that could also be a great option. The daily prayers for the consecration can be done in private, with friends, or with family. In this way the 33 day consecration is rather informal.

Happy Sunday!

These last days of July have come upon us quickly! Teachers start back this Wednesday and soon our school will be filled once more with our wonderful students! I hope everyone is able to enjoy their last days of summer break. These last days of July are also beautiful days in the Church. On the 22nd we celebrated the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, on the 25th St. James the Apostle, the 26th was Sts. Joachim and Anna, the 29th Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and on the 31st St. Ignatius of Loyola. On four of these feasts we celebrate saints who would have lived close to Our Lord. The last one, St. Ignatius, was the founder of the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits.

Beloved friends in Christ,

I want to thank you for the warm welcome I have received from you and your families. I am very grateful for your support and for the ways in which you have already helped make me feel at home at San Francisco de Asís Parish. I am looking forward to getting to know you better and spending time with you. I have been a priest 8 years and served the Church as a Franciscan friar for 18 years before I entered the Diocese of Phoenix.

Happy Sunday!

We’re midway through July already and I can’t believe it. There continues to be quite a bit of activity in the parish. It’s a gift for me to see so many of you giving so generously of yourselves. There’s of course the regular events involving our funeral volunteers, rosary volunteers for funerals, cleaning the church and the chapels, as well as groups like the Knights of Columbus and our Senior Luncheon volunteers. Thank you so much to everyone who make our parish such a wonderful place to be.

Happy Sunday!

I hope everyone had a safe and restful Fourth of July. June was a whirlwind. We hosted a Mass with Fr. Joseph Nguyen, a Women's retreat, Vacation Bible School, and Camp Invention. For that reason, we shut down the office last week for a little repose. This week, we are open again and beginning to gear up for the coming year. Next weekend, our teens will be at the Steubenville West retreat in Tucson. Please keep them in your prayers as they take this time away to be with other teens and encounter the Lord more deeply.