Parish Update

03-27-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Dear Parishioners of San Francisco de Asis,

I hope you and your family are all doing well during this difficult time. Last Sunday was a very strange experience. I very much missed seeing you! I am grateful for those of you who reached out to us and let us know how you are doing. We hope to be able to connect with every parish family in the coming weeks. Even though we haven't seen many of you these past two weeks, we are grateful that you are a part of our parish.

Although there are still many unanswerable questions at this time, I write this letter to you to keep you informed about recent developments with the Church and how we are responding to this crisis.

  1. It seems like our current social distancing initiatives will go on for a longer period of time than hoped for. In addition to cancelling the April Confirmation Masses, Bishop Olmsted has now officially cancelled the public celebration of Holy Week, which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. Thus, the priests of Flagstaff will be celebrating the Triduum Liturgy in private at Nativity Chapel. Of course, we will live-stream them so that you can join in remotely. As we get closer, we will let you know about the times for these events. We do not know yet when we will be able to give the Sacraments to those who were supposed to receive them at the Easter Vigil. We will provide that information as soon as we know.
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A Blessing for the Sick

03-22-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Lord Jesus, when you were on earth, they brought the sick to you and you healed them all. Today I ask you to bless all those in sickness, in weakness and in pain.

For those who are blind and who cannot see the light of the sun; the beauty of the world, or the faces of their friends:
Bless your people, O Lord.

For those who are deaf and cannot hear the voices which speak to them:
Bless your people, O Lord.

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Answering your Questions and Concerns

03-19-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Dear SFDA Parishioners,

At the end of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says to His disciples, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." These are important words for us to hear at this time of great concern for our world and its health in light of the spread of the Covid-19 virus. We must never forget that Jesus is with us, even in moments of turmoil and in times where many of the Sacraments are not made readily available to us. As your pastor and spiritual father, I know that many of you are experiencing great pains and confusion and that you have many questions and concerns. This is not what we had hoped for or expected. I think we are all feeling lots of disappointments and frustrations. It is okay to feel unhappy about this and to tell God all about it.

While I do not have all the answers you are looking for, I send this letter to you to answer as many questions and address as many concerns as I possibly can.

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Third Sunday of Lent

03-15-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

One of my favorite saints is St. Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th century Spanish soldier whose leg was badly damaged by a cannonball during battle. While in recovery, Ignatius read two books that changed his life: a book on the life of Jesus and a book on the lives of the saints. After reading these two books he noticed competing desires in his heart. One desire longed for worldly glory through knighthood. The other longed for heavenly glory by seeking to give up everything and following Jesus. As he examined these desires, he noticed that his desire for heavenly glory, while never overwhelming him, remained strong and consistent, while his desire for worldly glory, although it came on strong in the present moment (much stronger than his desire for heavenly gory) faded rather quickly. As a result of his prayerful analysis, he decided to abandon knighthood and follow Jesus. I mention St. Ignatius today because I believe his prayerful experience of the competing desires in his heart relates to our Gospel.

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Second Sunday of Lent

03-08-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As many of you know, I was born and raised in the state of Arizona, and I am the product of Catholic education. One of the blessings of living in the state of Arizona is how much our state values the many contributions made by Catholic Schools. As a result, twenty years ago the state of Arizona gave us an unprecedented opportunity to redirect our state tax liability directly to our Catholic School instead of it going into the state’s general fund. This is a HUGE benefit for Arizona residents, especially families living in Flagstaff. As you all know, the cost of living here is higher than other places, and it can be difficult to make Catholic education affordable for our children.

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First Sunday of Lent

03-01-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Will Schmid

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had disobeyed the Lord, they found themselves in immense shame. In their shame, they tried to hide from God. They did not want to be seen for who they had become, so they covered themselves up and fortified themselves behind the trees to avoid being seen. When the Lord came to them to call them out of hiding, he asked them a question. Not a question of accusation like, “What have you done?” or a question of confusion like, “What is going on here?” Rather, he asked them a deep and personal reflective question: “Where are you?” Salvation history, the process by which God saves us from sin and death and draws us into new life and love, begins with a question inviting us to locate ourselves. The season of Lent, in a sense, is inviting each of us to ask the deeply personal and reflective question, “Where am I?”

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