The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/ Raleigh, North Carolina Thu, 14 Mar 2024 22:58:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/big-Name_Date_Logo-1-90x90.jpg The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/ 32 32 Easter Blessings https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/easter-blessings/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 22:58:23 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62184 Traditionally, new Catholics are received into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil Mass by celebrating the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. The ritual that brings individuals into the Catholic church is known as…

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Traditionally, new Catholics are received into the Catholic Church during the Easter Vigil Mass by celebrating the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation. The ritual that brings individuals into the Catholic church is known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. As the name denotes, typically, this rite is designed for adults. This year at St. Francis, six students from The Franciscan School (TFS) will be welcomed fully into the Catholic Church and the community of St. Francis during the Easter season, and they are very excited. We share their excitement and welcome them all into the community!

Matthew and Maggie, brother and sister, will be welcomed at the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, March 30th. As their mother, Silvia, says, “Entering the Church on Easter is very symbolic since the children will have a spiritual rebirth and fully accept Jesus as their savior, just like Jesus promised through his resurrection from the dead.” Originally from Costa Rica, they will have family visiting from Costa Rica to help celebrate, and many of their North Carolina friends, who Silvia says have become their extended family, will be joining in the celebration. “The children look forward to continuing to be part of this wonderful community and carry its principles and teachings into adulthood,” says Silvia. As a family, she knows they are blessed. 

Maggie agrees with her mother and adds, “I am really excited for Easter, becoming part of this community, and receiving the Eucharist. I’ve been at TFS for three years and didn’t know much about the Catholic tradition. I  knew I wanted to become a Catholic because of all I learned at TFS.” Maggie is looking forward to becoming an altar server and giving back. Her brother Matthew agrees, “I am very excited. I wanted to join St. Francis, receive the Eucharist, and be a disciple of Jesus.” Matthew plays lacrosse at TFS, this being his first year on the team, and he says his classmates think it’s great that he wants to join the community and are very supportive.  Silvia shares their excitement and anticipation by saying, “When you have God, you’re never alone, and I never want my kids to feel alone.”

Valeria and Sebastian, another TFS brother and sister, also look forward to entering the Church this Easter season. Their mother, Meredith, stresses the importance of faith for their family, “Faith provides meaning and purpose in every person’s life, especially when you bring children into the world. You are now responsible for souls in this world and guiding them in the right direction; it takes on new meaning and responsibility. You want to help them find their purpose and the peace and joy that comes from being a Christian and the comfort in knowing that, as much as we know we live lives of relative comfort compared to many, there are challenges in life and the promise of Jesus and the resurrection is something that will be with them their whole lives.”

Valeria, a well-spoken 5th grader, looks forward the most to receiving the Eucharist and being an altar server. Her friends at TFS are excited, adding, “One of them kind of started this whole thing because I didn’t know what it meant to be Catholic until she introduced me to it.” Her friend had attended TFS for a long time, and Valeria asked her what was happening there before they decided to participate in the school. “We always thought about TFS but were in the COVID era, so I didn’t change schools. However, it had always been in my mind because of all the good things we heard about TFS.” She and her brother, Sebastian, have been at the school for two years. Meredith adds, “We didn’t have great school experiences before TFS. TFS is a special place; not long after they started, they had questions about being Catholic versus Christian.” She adds, “To be fair, they have been in church their whole lives, and, as parents, we wanted them to choose baptism in the Catholic Church. In a convoluted way, we got what we were looking for because the kids came to us and wanted to become Catholic. TFS was the catalyst for them to push towards joining the faith.” 

Both families praise the experience of going through the faith formation process at St. Francis, and it was an excellent adventure for all the children. Meredith specifically thanks Marisa Ferrara, the parish Coordinator of Elementary Formation and First Sacraments. “Marisa has made it an overwhelmingly positive experience, and her enthusiasm comes across,” says Meredith. “She made us feel comfortable and welcome and confident we were going down the right path.”  

The joy of the Easter season is punctuated by welcoming new Catholics into the Church and, even more importantly, our local parish community. This year, including so many students from The Franciscan School adds even more to the celebration as it emphasizes the impact of the role of Catholic education and the parish faith formation program on forming new followers of Jesus Christ as members of our community at St. Francis of Assisi. It truly enhances the joy of Easter!

Author: Mike Watson

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Summer Service through Mercy Camp and Mission Mercy https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/summer-service-through-mercy-camp-and-mission-mercy/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 19:47:28 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62163 Mercy Camp has been a summer fixture at St. Francis for two decades, and Mission Mercy is approaching a decade of summer service!  Each summer, these camps offer the youth at St. Francis the opportunity…

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Mercy Camp has been a summer fixture at St. Francis for two decades, and Mission Mercy is approaching a decade of summer service!  Each summer, these camps offer the youth at St. Francis the opportunity to learn about their faith through service. As Tim Hetzel, the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at St. Francis Parish, says, “Our faith teaches us to do good things, to do service, but why? How can we love others as Jesus called us to do? Service makes us most human, and it is the best way to be faithful people.”

Mercy Camp is a one-week faith-based summer camp for rising 6th – 9th graders. At Mercy Camp, youth travel to service sites throughout the Raleigh area and engage in direct service to those in need. Rising 10th graders through rising College Freshmen can register to serve as Teen Leaders for Mercy Camp. Teen leaders lead and travel with Mercy Campers to these service sites and engage with them in service. Before camp, teen leaders participate in leadership training and create many aspects of the camp. Mercy Camp runs from June 17th to 21st.  You can sign up for either role here on the parish website. 

Mission Mercy is for high school students by design. Following our Franciscan tradition of service and love of others, rising 10th graders through rising college freshmen assist in offering “Pequeños Gigantes,” a week-long, faith-based summer camp for children of The Hispanic Families Center which helps low-income Hispanic families integrate and flourish in the Raleigh area. Mission Mercy runs from July 8 to July 12. You can find Mission Mercy sign-ups here

So, what are the focused experiences during these camps? Well, as Tim emphasizes, they are focused on the Corporal Works of Mercy and the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which are The Life and Dignity of the Human Person; A Call to Family, Community, and Participation; the recognition of Human Rights and Responsibilities; an Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; recognition of the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; the Solidarity of all people; and Care for God’s Creation. 

During a typical day at Mercy Camp, campers travel to service providers like Hope Reins, an organization that pairs kids in crisis with rescued horses to find hope and healing, Note in the Pocket, which provides quality clothing to homeless and impoverished children and families in the Raleigh area, or Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, an organization that addresses food insecurity for seniors and low-income families in the Raleigh area.  Back at St. Francis, Teen Leaders and campers reflect on these experiences and engage in small and large group activities, prayer, discussion, fun, and fellowship.  

A Mercy Camper recently told us: “I’ve done Mercy Camp for a few summers, and I love it! Going to all the service sites and helping people in need feels good, and all the games and activities with the other kids are fun. I made some new friends at Mercy Camp, too!”

During Mission Mercy, the youth are camp counselors at Pequeños Gigantes, where everyone grows in faith, serves others, and enjoys themselves immensely. Mission Mercy is unique in that it is a Ministry of Encounter, which means St. Francis teens encounter and form relationships with people in need on the margins of society, that is, the children at Pequeños Gigantes. By partnering with the Hispanic Families Center, the Pequeños Gigantes students and their Mission Mercy counselors experience a unique opportunity to enrich each other’s lives; it is a mutually beneficial experience! After assisting at camp all day, Mission Mercy teens gather each evening for deepening discussion, prayer, and fun social events like bowling and a pool party.

A recent Mission Mercy participant reflected: “Mission Mercy was an incredible experience that allowed me to serve others while also growing personally. I loved getting to know all of the kids at Pequeños Gigantes and spending time with them, and by the end of the week, we could tell that the camp had an impact. It was super special to be involved in that …”

Fundamentally, these camps provide a mission trip experience for St. Francis youth without leaving home. These mission, service, and outreach experiences encompass Catholic Social Teaching values that are the fabric of St. Francis of Assisi parish and provide an invaluable opportunity to live our faith in action. Both camps offer youth the opportunity to grow in compassion and faith while standing in solidarity with vulnerable folks, those Jesus calls us to love without condition or exception. 

Do you want your summer to be valuable and faith-filled? Do you want to live your faith in an environment where you are genuinely doing the work of ‘the hands of Jesus on Earth,’ all while having a great time? Then Mercy Camp and Mission Mercy are here for you! These camps fill up fast, so register now, but certainly before April 1st.  Click here to have an unforgettable experience this summer!

Author: Mike Watson

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What sign can you show us? https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/what-sign-can-you-show-us/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:56:30 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62157 In the Lenten Gospel Jesus is asked “What sign can you show us?” Every day the blessings of our lives are signs that God has visited us. The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides a…

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In the Lenten Gospel Jesus is asked “What sign can you show us?” Every day the blessings of our lives are signs that God has visited us. The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides a way a way we can show others God’s love, especially for the suffering and the poor.

A neighbor lost her job in early February. Although in the past she had always paid her rent, on time, she quickly got behind on bills as she sought employment. With no income except child support, the bills were quickly piling up. Although SVdP doesn’t pay all the bills, it can provide help.

“The mountain she had to climb suddenly doesn’t seem so high,” said Cathy Smith, acting president of SVdP.

Another neighbor was working full-time as a caregiver and has an adult son who works living with her. Surgery left her temporarily without income and her son’s hours as an Amazon driver were reduced after the Christmas rush. While her son is looking for a second job, she is seeking a better paying job to help get caught up. Again, SVdP was able to help provide some assistance.

St. Vincent DePaul Society can assist those who are in need because of volunteers like the parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi. Besides providing money for rental and utility payment assistance, SVdP is able to refer neighbors to agencies that can also help.

SVdP focuses on providing short term help for families in the area. Most of the cases are the working poor, families who can pay their bills until they get an unexpected situation – a funeral out of town, a car needing service, a sickness–and then they need help making their rent that month.

It also provides updated lists of resources – how to get in touch with Legal Aid, where to find other help with utilities, which food banks are in their area, etc.

Volunteers at SVdP work closely with individuals in need. If you’d like to help to provide hope and financial assistance, contact Cathy Smith at smithtcr@gmail.com

If you know someone who needs help, encourage them to call the SVdP helpline at 919-534-4842.

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Lent with a “Greener” Focus https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/lent-with-a-greener-focus/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:26:00 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62102 Traditionally, when Lent approaches, people ask themselves, “What should I give up for Lent this year?” In recent years, however, the idea has been to see what you can add to your life during Lent…

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Traditionally, when Lent approaches, people ask themselves, “What should I give up for Lent this year?” In recent years, however, the idea has been to see what you can add to your life during Lent to make it a more positive experience. What if you could do both?

That’s the whole idea behind ‘Greener Lent.’ Since it started, Rosemary Herhold, the driving force behind Greener Lent, reminds us, “Lent is 40 days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving,” and, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), “We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ’s will more faithfully.”Greener Lent,” says Rosemary, “is a Lenten program along the lines of traditional prayer, fasting, and almsgiving because we don’t want to lose or change Lent.” In fact, Deacon Josh, who has worked with Rosemary on the program, has said, “We are taking Lent back to what it used to be.”

The refocusing on tradition is the reason for Greener Lent: “It is to prepare ourselves for Easter by experiencing a true inner conversion,” says Rosemary. She adds, “Greener Lent focuses on prayer, fasting, and giving to the poor through the lens of the ecological crisis, as Pope Francis eloquently explained in Laudato si’.” The Greener Lent website explains the program and its focus on making Lent a meaningful journey with real impact by rediscovering its meaning and value to our faith. 

This year, Greener Lent’s focus is ‘water.’ The idea is to provide people in sub-Saharan Africa with water, not just during Lent or for a short time, but for the rest of their lives. Unicef highlighted the increasing water crisis in a November 2023 report, which reported,1 in 3 children, or 739 million worldwide, already live in areas exposed to high or very high water scarcity, with climate change threatening to make this worse.” Decreasing meat consumption during fasting and substituting cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternatives, for example, allows savings and encouragement for almsgiving; the idea is that this money, along with any additional ‘almsgiving’ efforts, can be donated to Cross Catholic’s Wells of Salvation Project through Greener Lent. The Greener Lent organization partners with Cross Catholic Outreach to specifically fund 200 people’s water in Malawi and Zambia by digging wells for them. As Rosemary says, “Through our sacrifice, we are giving people water for their lives; this has a very tangible effect on people in need.” 

Pam James is the coordinator for the ‘Care for Creation’ ministry at St. Francis, and even though Greener Lent is not a St. Francis ministry, it is a natural fit because it has to do with the environment and involves multiple faith communities. These efforts align with the Diocese of Raleigh’s Care for Creation efforts, including North Carolina Catholics Caring for our Common Home (NCCCCH). NCCCCH is a new ministry in the Diocese of Raleigh that helps area Catholics become better stewards of the earth and inspires them to care for all God’s creatures. 

Pam worked with Rosemary to present ‘Green, Greener, and Greenest Lent’ at St. Francis this year.  Pam explains, “‘Green Lent’ has many options. You can pray, fast and assist others in their Lenten commitment, or follow the St. Francis Eco-Lent Calendar, a new initiative at St. Francis, or commit to not using disposable water bottles for Lent; ‘Greener Lent’ encourages adherence to the Greener Lent Program and assisting those who need access to water; and ‘Greenest Lent’ is a commitment to make one of the Eco-Lent Calendar options permanent, or make Greener Lent a persistent effort, or permanently give up disposable water bottles. We planned to ensure attainable options for everyone, and you can commit to whichever works best for you.” No matter what level people choose, each improves our environment and the ‘care for creation’ to which St. Francis committed himself.

Rosemary thinks of the Greener Lent efforts as analogous to the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man didn’t hurt Lazarus; he didn’t have him hauled away from his gate or beat him, but he did ignore him. “We don’t want to ignore the poor affected by the environmental crisis,” says Rosemary, “Lent is a good time to love what Christ loved, and he loved the poor.” 

Are you ready to commit to a “Green, Greener, or Greenest” Lent? Take this as your ‘call to action’ to make Lent a season of impact and adherence to St. Francis’ teachings on creation; make your Lent green, greener, or greenest today! 

Author: Mike Watson

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Planning for Success: The Strategic Plan Process For St. Francis https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/planning-for-success-the-strategic-plan-process-for-st-francis/ Sun, 04 Feb 2024 17:05:15 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62062 Strategic planning is the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating the priorities for an organization where it can have the most impact based on its vision and mission. “When doing this process for…

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Strategic planning is the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating the priorities for an organization where it can have the most impact based on its vision and mission. “When doing this process for a Catholic parish,” as Jacob House, a member of the Pastoral Council and Strategic Planning Committee, says, “We feel grateful that the Holy Spirit is one of our committee members. We all are grateful and confident that no one of us is driving an agenda through this; the Holy Spirit is driving the process.”

That process involves including a representative cross-section of the parish, from long-time leaders to recent Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) parishioners to high school-aged members to add their perspectives; they all have come together with the Holy Spirit to plan the path forward for St. Francis of Assisi parish. The team has been meeting for the past few months, and the group feels good about how things are going. “I’m excited about what the committee is producing.  We are a little behind schedule.  Part of me wants to be 100% on time with our original timeline,” says Jacob, “but it’s more important that we take the necessary time to fully hear each other and follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance through prayer and reflection.” 

The committee is working on a 5-year planning horizon and working within a framework that begins at the level of “purpose.” The big questions under consideration are: “Why do we exist as a parish (schools and church)?”; “What is our vision and mission? What do we do for whom?”; and then “What are our ‘big bets and unifying themes?’” The team split into four subteams at the beginning of December, one for each of the priorities discerned by the larger committee: ‘Encountering Christ,’ ‘Community,’ and ‘Mission,’ and then a communications team. 

Jacob also emphasizes that there were overriding considerations, adding, “‘Youth’ is at the top of our minds.  How do we help our younger parishioners develop their relationship with God, see the relevance of our Faith, and become self-motivated to participate in the body of Christ?’ We want them to want to be here, even when they are not ‘required to be.’ Youth spans all of our initiatives. We are also recognizing the growing needs of our elderly community and making sure all we do is welcoming and accessible to them. Again, we want the parish to be as much of a home to them as it ever was across all three priorities.” “Another unusual dynamic,” he continues, “is that we have some parishioners who are still grieving the departure of the friars and have concerns about whether the community identity has changed. ‘Is this still my community?’ people ask, and, hopefully, this process will convince them that we remain their parish family and rely on their participation as much as ever.”

The idea is to bring the subcommittees’ output together on January 18th, have a consensus on our goals for each priority, and discuss the first draft of objectives (specific, measurable intentions to achieve the goals). By the end of February, the communication focus is understanding any potential impacts to 2024-25. “We don’t need all five years fully quantified, but it’s important to have the resources needed for the first year in place,” says Jacob, “the Year 1 objectives and actions that will have costs will need to be finalized.”  The committee also has the February / March timeframe as the focus on when the communication program starts to be implemented by the team Parish-wide. While there will be communications in January, including this article, it isn’t just as simple as one bulletin announcement. “We need multiple communications done in multiple ways to be efficient and involve everyone. We especially want to be sure,” Jacob adds, “that the schools are brought in and involved so everyone understands how the parish’s purpose, mission, and vision align with what the schools are doing.”

“We all feel a tremendous amount of responsibility. We all love this parish and the nearly 16,000 parishioners that make it up.  The stakes are so much higher than what a strategic plan impacts in a business setting,” Jacob adds when comparing to previous experiences in the business world. “Understanding today’s and tomorrow’s needs of our youngest to our most senior members and how best to equip them to fully live out their baptismal call in a healthy and growing community of faith is our goal with this five-year plan.  None of us, individually or collectively, would be up to that task, which is why the Holy Spirit is our most valuable committee member.” 

When asked what he is concerned about with the process, Jacob says, “We take the responsibility seriously, and while it can be intimidating, we also have to take the time to think about how these things will look through the eyes of all our stakeholders, from preschoolers to founders to our neighbors, even to former parishioners. There are many different viewpoints to consider to be sure we aren’t overlooking anyone.” To help with including all, they have looked at all the different kinds of ‘listening’ over the past several years, from the 2019 Parish Leadership Summit and other internal feedback to the local Synod process and the active listening to the voices shared through all these efforts. The committee still asks, “Who have we not heard from yet, and are there additional voices we need to go out and get?” The recent communication survey results are coming, as is ongoing listening from the Synod globally; “Continued listening is essential, and these outputs will be incorporated into the process by the committee,” Jacob assures. He adds, “We also all know people who are less engaged than before COVID and are somewhat familiar with their reasons; we do our best to represent the voices of those who haven’t physically been in their parish home for some time.”

Jacob closes by saying, “This parish is amazing! Discovering and communicating what God is calling us to do differently over the next five years to make the Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi church and schools even more inviting and welcoming, where all people can encounter Christ, truly feel they are a valued part of a genuine community and are motivated to go out and share Christ’s light with the world is our highest priority.”

Author: Mike Watson

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Catholic Schools Week: United in Faith and Community https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/catholic-schools-week-united-in-faith-and-community/ Sun, 21 Jan 2024 00:44:56 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=61950 “The faculty and staff of our two schools are making a big difference in the lives of their students. They do a great job instilling the relationships and beliefs important to us as Catholic Christians,”…

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“The faculty and staff of our two schools are making a big difference in the lives of their students. They do a great job instilling the relationships and beliefs important to us as Catholic Christians,” says Michael Clay, pastor of St. Francis. National Catholic Schools Week (CSW) is celebrated this year from Sunday, January 28th through Saturday, February 3rd. It is an annual recognition traditionally held the last week in January. The theme for this 50th anniversary year to celebrate CSW is “Catholic Schools: United in Faith and Community.” Catholic schools observe the week with Masses and other activities for students, families, parishioners, and community members to celebrate what makes Catholic schools great. 

At The Franciscan School and the St. Francis Preschool, they enthusiastically embrace the celebration of Catholic education each year as they recognize all they offer to their students and families. The leaders of both schools provided their perspectives on what their schools offer to families. Dawn Smith, principal at The Franciscan School, says, “Beyond academics, Catholic schools aim to prepare students for life beyond the classroom. This preparation includes developing critical thinking skills, effective communication, and a strong moral compass. Catholic schools offer a unique combination of values-based education, character development, academic excellence, and a supportive community. Our families seek an education integrating faith, morality, and academic rigor; TFS can provide their children a well-rounded and enriching educational experience.” 

“Our students are formed daily around the core beliefs of our Catholic faith,” says Father Michael. “Daily prayer and weekly Mass shape their spiritual lives.” At The Franciscan School, he says, “Learning and practicing the ways of St. Francis also shape our students to look at life through a lens that is quite different from our secular world, a lens that would make our world a better place all around if it were taken seriously by more people.” Looking towards their futures, he adds, “I’m thrilled that our students are formed in the ways of St. Francis at TFS, as many of them will have significant leadership roles in our society later in life.”  

Director Heidi Hobler of the St. Francis Preschool emphasizes, “Catholic Schools strive to foster an environment that is built on the foundations of faith while encouraging the formation of a ‘family of people’ who understand and believe in the importance of living a life which shares love, forgiveness, and understanding equally amongst those whom we know and those who are strangers to us.” Why does this matter? Heidi points out, as did Dawn, that “Catholic Schools are committed to the idea that educating a young child goes beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic; it involves nurturing the whole person and the belief that the development of kindness, compassion, and generosity are as important as academics.”  

“Our pre-schoolers are at that wonderful phase of life where they naturally sense the divine, the spiritual, and the holy all around them,” says Father Michael. “Our Preschool staff is masterful in helping these children see the face and presence of God in all their experiences.  What a wonderful gift they offer these children who have so much to teach us adults who can often struggle to find these relationships and experiences in our daily lives.”  When thinking about his interactions with the Preschool students, he says, “My hope is strengthened.”

When considering the impact of Catholic schools, Dawn says, “Catholic schools foster a strong sense of community among students, parents, and educators. This supportive environment can enhance the overall educational experience and create lasting connections. Catholic Schools foster a child’s growth towards becoming a kind, caring, respectful, and compassionate individual.” Heidi agrees, adding, “Catholicism offers examples of those who modeled these values through their love of God and neighbor. Our Catholic schools can share stories of those who lived a life of kindness, compassion, and generosity, including the ultimate example provided by Jesus Christ. They can easily emphasize, in all that they do, these values and practice living like those who followed Christ. Catholic schools are firmly committed to forming future generations of people of faith who truly understand what it means to be a good person.” 

During Catholic Schools Week, daily themes emphasize all aspects of Catholic education. The week starts on January 28th with a celebration of the parish. Catholic Schools are an outreach of the faith formation programs of the parish, the root of the faith of the Church. Throughout the week, we will celebrate our community at St. Francis, one that works and learns together. The students are hailed and recognized as both the beneficiaries and future advocates of Catholic education. With her freedom and religious rights, our country is also recognized and celebrated on one day during CSW. Vocations are one of the daily celebrations for those who choose a religious vocation and lead our parishes and for those whose secular work supports those parishes. We encourage all students to use their God-given talents to benefit humanity. Of course, we take time to recognize our schools’ faculty, staff, and volunteers for their hard work in making Catholic education successful and vital in the lives of their students. Lastly, and most importantly, we celebrate our families, the building blocks of our parishes and schools. Their dedication to providing for and supporting their children in the faith leads to a continuation of our faith through the formation programs in our parishes and our schools. 

Father Clay states, “While there are many other reasons our schools make a difference in our students’ lives, it is for all of the reasons noted above that make our schools quintessentially Catholic.” Our schools at St. Francis, genuinely embracing the week’s theme, are united in the Catholic faith with the St. Francis community! 

Author: Mike Watson

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Oak City Cares Ministry — A Great Christmas Eve Brunch and Looking Forward to 2024! https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/oak-city-cares-ministry-a-great-christmas-eve-brunch-and-looking-forward-to-2024/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:55:44 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=62089 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, dear friends of Oak City Cares! Thank you for your generous spirit in helping the guests at Oak City Cares. Your donations of food and time serving make a…

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, dear friends of Oak City Cares!

Thank you for your generous spirit in helping the guests at Oak City Cares. Your donations of food and time serving make a huge difference to them, even if they don’t show it.  Your gifts show the dignity that Christ asked us to share as Christians. During 2023, we encountered rain, heat, and cold. We’ve seen men, women, children, and families struggling with hunger and homelessness—in fact we’ve served over 2,500 meals since the beginning of the year.  At the beginning of 2023, we planned for 150 meals at breakfast, and now we prepare 200 on a regular basis. In fact, just a few days before our Christmas Eve brunch, we were asked to increase it to 250, as OCC expected record numbers of guests. We asked for quick help, and you definitely stepped up! Thank you so much for answering God’s call to help others.

 

As we turn to 2024, we find that the need for our help continues to grow. We, Jim, Suzanne, and Ann are looking for ways to fill these needs and grow our understanding of how to do more than just provide a meal. We hope to live up to the Catholic Social Teaching that calls us to change—”to care, sacrifice, and love our brothers and sisters in poverty,” according to Fr. Patrick McDevitt, C.M. He goes on to say, “Catholic Social Teaching shows that we must do more than just ‘help out,’ ‘give some of our time,’ ‘be nice,’ and to do for the poor in order to ‘feel good about ourselves.’ The Christian call is to advocate for real systemic change to directly alleviate and liberate our brothers and sisters from the suffering and shackles of poverty. The disease of poverty kills the body and spirit in those directly affected by the rage of poverty, and it deeply affects all of society.”  Oak City Cares does this by offering more than just weekend meals but by offering wrap around services of social work, medical care, and other services to help their guests move from homelessness to homes. Your donations and service do much more than just feed the hungry!

We opened the opportunities for January, February and March. Click on the link below to sign up to donate food or sign up for serving.

  • If you are interested in donating food, look for opportunities on these Fridays:  January 26, February 9, February 23, and March 22.
  • If you would like to serve, look for these dates: January 28, February 10, February 25, and March 24.

CLICK HERE to View Oak City Cares Needs

For First Time Servers only:  If you have never served at Oak City and would like to, please reach out directly to either Jim, Suzanne, or Ann. We are opening some slots just for first-time volunteers. We will sign you up!

Thank you again for your generosity and compassion for those experiencing homelessness and hunger. You are truly living Jesus’ call to serve the poor.

Peace and all good things for 2024!

Ann, Jim, and Suzanne

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A Dragon’s Tale https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/a-dragons-tale/ Tue, 02 Jan 2024 19:10:13 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=61849 There once was a Dragon, giant and colored green, who delighted so many children; it made quite a scene. For years, he watched the preschool playground for all, ensuring the kids were safe and didn’t…

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There once was a Dragon, giant and colored green, who delighted so many children; it made quite a scene. For years, he watched the preschool playground for all, ensuring the kids were safe and didn’t take a big fall. “The time had finally come, though, to travel,” he said; a new fun adventure was pictured in his head.

Did you ever wonder what happened to the old preschool playground equipment and the iconic green dragon? The stalwart equipment and the grounds that had served St. Francis so well needed renewal. The parish needed a new drainage plan for the site to address water issues, which required significant investment and construction, and the preschool faculty and its director, Mrs. Heidi Hobler, sought a solution. Working with PlayPower, an outdoor recreation company, a new playground facility was proposed and built after the completion of the resurfacing and drainage work, but what of the old equipment? It was still serviceable and could be reused, all while recognizing the values of St. Francis of Assisi Parish. A beautiful new play structure, with a safe play surface, new equipment, and a dinosaur to replace the dragon, soon took shape, but PlayPower had an idea on how to give new life to the beloved dragon and the previous play structure; “No,” said Heidi, “the old equipment did not end up in a landfill.”  

Dragon was excited; his thrilling journey was almost here. He cleaned up, dressed well, and packed; the time was near. He was headed south for a change, to bring joy anew. Island life could be good, by waters so blue!

Todd Brinker, a Senior Vice-President at PlayPower who leads the ‘Little Tikes’ brand, had the plan. PlayPower had a corporate relationship with ‘Kids Around The World’ (KATW), and he knew they could help. KATW allows for the reclamation of old playgrounds by identifying commercial playgrounds in the United States scheduled for replacement. They disassemble, completely refurbish, and ship them overseas to communities in need. Many times, this is the first time the children in these communities have ever seen a playground. The joy they experience when playing on a playground for the first time is magical, and now the St. Francis Preschool playground could be part of that magic!  Bryan Yeazel, a parishioner and CEO of PlayPower, is impressed with KATW. He says, “‘Kids Around the World’ is a great organization. It’s a ministry-driven organization, and when they reclaim and refurbish playgrounds for less developed countries, they usually tie it in with a food program for the local community. They have done over 1,000 of these playgrounds worldwide, and the St. Francis Preschool playground in the Dominican Republic was one of those.”

Dragon had settled into his new space; the smile was now wide on his freshly cleaned green face. Children still climbed onto his scales; they played, had fun, and laughed loudly in gales!

The dedication and commitment of the ‘Little Tikes’ representatives made the St. Francis playground reclamation even more special. They happened to be on an incentive trip at a resort in the Dominican Republic when the scheduled installation was to take place, and they loved this program so much that they volunteered to give up a day of their incentive trip to help install the St. Francis Preschool playground in this community with the KATW team. As Heidi Hobler gushed when she heard, “Our beloved Dragon has a new life!”

“I think it’s great because it gets at core sustainability, hospitality, and helping your neighbor,” says Bryan. The crew may have taken the St. Francis Preschool playground to the dump on Durant Road, except for this program and the values long espoused by the St. Francis community.  “Instead,” Bryan says enthusiastically, “there is a neighborhood in the Dominican Republic with 100 kids that can play on it every day, and they don’t care in the slightest that it’s a refurbished model.” That’s a great benefit for them and a recognition of the values of sustainability, care for creation, and the dignity and care for people around the world espoused by our St. Francis community!

While he fondly remembered his old play space, Dragon was happy here with the sun on his face! The new children loved him as much as the old, but now, in the winter, it wasn’t so cold! He recalls St. Francis with a gleam in his eye, knowing it was hard for them to say ‘bye.’ But now that his story was to be told to all, he loved that his old friends would think and recall; they’d remember the good times, the play, and all of the fun, and they’d love that new children played with him as they had done. For this old dragon, it was all about the joy; he still saw it on the face of each new girl and boy. 

  Author: Mike Watson

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Well, I made a difference for that one! https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/well-i-made-a-difference-for-that-one/ Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:10:39 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=61810 Many of you have heard the story of the starfish on the beach. While indeed an imperfect analogy for this story, here is the tale: A young girl was walking along a beach where hundreds…

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Many of you have heard the story of the starfish on the beach. While indeed an imperfect analogy for this story, here is the tale: A young girl was walking along a beach where hundreds of starfish had been washed up on the beach during a storm the previous night. She walked down the beach, picking up starfish, one at a time, and tossing them back into the ocean. 

A man watched her for a few minutes, then approached her and asked, “Why are you doing this? Look at all these starfish on the beach. You can’t begin to make a difference in how many survive!” The girl, looking down sadly, saw his point. 

But after a second, she straightened and looked at him; she smiled, bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it into the ocean as far as she could. Then she looked at the man and said, “Well, I made a difference for that one!” The man looked at the girl and thought about what she had said. Inspired, he bent down, picked up a starfish, and hurled it into the ocean as far as possible.

Rosa is a hard-working mom with three children. Several parishioners and staff at St. Francis contracted with Rosa to clean their houses, especially after a tornado hit the area in 2012 and damaged her home; she needed money for repairs, and they wanted to help. Her husband, Leo, was ill, and they didn’t have extra money for roof repairs. Those parishioners also petitioned the Justice and Peace ministries at St. Francis for help. The funds allowed the roof repairs, and a little normalcy returned to Rosa’s life. Then, about six years ago, Leo, who had been ill for some time, passed away, leaving Rosa as the sole support for her family.

Diogenes Ruiz, the Parish Communications Coordinator, met Rosa through Kathleen Owen when Kathleen was the Justice and Peace coordinator. Rosa cared for Diogenes’ mother for some time, and he was thankful for her compassionate care. Rosa reached out to Diogenes and Eileen McEntegart, a parishioner who had known and helped Rosa for many years, because her trailer needed repair, refurbishment, and weatherproofing due to additional storm damage and age; her electric bill was outrageously high. Diogenes and Eileen helped with some of her needs, and he went to take a look at her trailer but felt the repairs were beyond his ability to do on his own. They knew money was essential to helping Rosa out, so Diogenes started a GoFundMe page; the St. Francis Justice and Peace Ministry, through the intercession of Director Trevor Thompson and board member Bill Laxson, also donated some funds. As things moved forward, a little over a year ago, a group of Rosa’s friends at the parish, led by Ellen Ferrone, came together and talked about what to do to fix the trailer. So many people came out to help on ‘Team Rosa,’ as Ellen called the group. 

At this meeting, Tina Subasic, she recalls with a bit of humor, volunteered her husband Shawn to help. Shawn has a background in facilities and has been a Habitat for Humanity volunteer for many years. Shawn says the project was ”right up the alley of taking your skills and gifts to help others. Tina and I did a ‘Habitat House’ the last few years, sponsoring it on our own and bringing friends together to be involved to help someone.” This project was in the same vein. Shawn went out, looked at the trailer, and worked up an estimate. Contractor friends of Shawn’s helped solidify his estimates, used their contacts to get the best prices on materials, and volunteered some skilled labor and time to the project. Specifically, Robins & Morten, a local branch of a national construction company, helped tremendously. “They did the heavy lifting in getting the site set up, from getting the dumpster there to getting the ‘Port-O-Potty,’’” says Shawn. 

Ellen Ferrone proclaims, “We couldn’t have done it without Shawn. I had no idea of the scope; when you think about what these professionals did! Everything got pulled off the outside; they replaced the insulation, put new siding and skirting on, and replaced two windows. It’s pretty amazing, and it’s beautiful.” Thinking about the project, Shawn mentioned, “The group felt it was important for her and her family to participate too. Rosa and the kids worked on the repairs with us or supported the effort somehow.” The whole family participated, and Rosa helped with food for lunch. Shawn adds, “Her son Leo was talking about getting into construction (when he graduates high school this year), and they discussed some options with him. Maybe we also gave him some thoughts and direction on his life and career.”

No one could express the project’s impact on her family more than Rosa. She shared her feelings by saying, “My words cannot fully express my sentiments and the gratefulness for all the help I have received for my children and myself; it was a gift from God. I want to thank everyone for their remarkable help and the time they gave; this is priceless to me.” She knows many were involved and appreciates their help, adding, “I realize many people are behind this project. I know Victoria Romero, Kate, Ellen, Eileen, Diogenes, Jean and her husband, and Mr. John. Although I have not mentioned the names of all those involved with this project, please accept my profound thanks. I am grateful to everyone, especially those who put in all the work on repairs, regardless of the rain or cold weather; they did the best job possible. My home turned out very beautiful. I am thankful that I met Eileen, who played a key role in all of this, because, thanks to her, I have the job I have today; my blessings to her family. I don’t know what to say; I am happy and joyful. Thank you to everyone for their support.” 

Often, we can be overwhelmed by the needs of our community. The scope can be daunting, and the needs formidable, but at St. Francis, we focus on what our impact can accomplish to make a difference. Maybe we can’t always help every family, but for Rosa’s family, her friends at St. Francis can reiterate the little girl’s words, “Well, I made a difference for that one!” Perhaps others, like the man in the story, can also be inspired to make a difference for a family. That’s how we all can have an impact, one family at a time!

Author: Mike Watson

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The Christmas Creche, 800 Years of Tradition and History https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/he-christmas-creche-800-years-of-tradition-and-history/ Sun, 03 Dec 2023 17:24:10 +0000 https://www.stfrancisraleigh.org/?p=61766 Do you remember setting up a nativity as a child? Do you recall putting the stable, the shepherds, the animals, and Mary and Joseph in place but waiting until Christmas to put baby Jesus out?…

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Do you remember setting up a nativity as a child? Do you recall putting the stable, the shepherds, the animals, and Mary and Joseph in place but waiting until Christmas to put baby Jesus out? Did you know that this beloved Christmas tradition was started by our patron St. Francis 800 years ago this Christmas? Before 1223, the faithful heard about the birth of Christ in Mass as described by the priest in Latin, which many may not have understood. St. Francis asked a friend to borrow his donkey and ox and set up a nativity scene in a cave just outside Greccio, with a costumed person playing Mary and Joseph and perhaps a wax figurine as Jesus. Accounts differ on whether a figure represented Jesus. Father Jim Sabak, our resident Franciscan, said, “It wasn’t a Christmas pageant, more of a representation of the birth, but without Christ because it wasn’t proper to impersonate Jesus.”  However, other reports indicate Francis used a figurine to represent the baby Jesus. In either case, what is reported is that a miracle happened in Greccio that day. The infant Christ, whether a doll or an apparition, appeared in the crib to be cooing and moving. “People fell to the ground in wonder and amazement,” according to reports, said Father Jim.

The crèche is an enduring tradition for the Franciscans, and it would be hard to argue that anyone embraces it more than our Father Jim.  At last count, Father Jim has collected about 140 crèches; some 50 or so of them were gifted to him by friends and parishioners, and some he has purchased himself, but not all are ‘full crèches.’ “A ‘full crèche,’” according to Jim, “is Mary, Joseph, Jesus, wise men, shepherds, a cow, a donkey, sheep, an angel, and stable/shelter; about 20 pieces total.” However, there is no limit, and many contain the whole tableau: shepherds, upwards of 50, all in different poses; thousands of sheep in various poses are available, as are pigs, steer, and elk; the animals can run the gauntlet. Says Jim, “A crèche builds from the culture where it was created to make it relevant for their culture. It can include geese, ducks, dogs, chickens, turkeys, and quail; the whole of creation.’ Jim jokingly laments, “I don’t have one from Australia, so no platypus or kangaroos, but the tradition is just goats and sheep.” Still, it takes an entire room to store his collection. He sets up about 15 or so in the house, then sets some up at the office at the Diocese, about 20-25 sets in total.  

His biggest crèche has 120 pieces, and he has organized his collection by country and artist. Angela Trippi, a Sicilian artist, makes clay figures, giving each a unique face, which is his most expensive. Jim remembers, “I did a program with her on Francis and the nativity that she so enjoyed she sent the initial pieces to me. I then purchased follow-on pieces. They can run at about $300 per piece! Fontanini is the one with the largest figures and is the one Father Jim gifted to St. Francis Parish on the 25th anniversary of his religious profession. It is Italian and modeled after Southern Germany and Northern Italy wood carvings. One of these artistic centers is Val Gardena, where Fontanini was born. This set has about 13 pieces made out of resin but based on the wooden carvings from the area.  Why did he start? “I collect them for the art and for the fact that when you look at the nativity, you see the uniqueness,” he says. “Mary, Joseph, and the kings are always similar, but the townspeople add uniqueness to each set.” He adds, “The best are the Santons of Provence France painted clay figures. You need to have a thief, a baker, an astonished man, a woman with a basket, and some people doing their jobs and not paying attention. Some are not recognizing what’s happening, but it still happens to those people.”

At St. Francis parish, we are celebrating the ‘Centenary of Francis’ from 2023 through 2026 in coordination with the Padre Pio Fraternity, the secular Franciscans in central North Carolina, one of the largest such groups in the country. This ‘Centenary’ marks several events in St. Francis’s life that have their 800th anniversary over the next few years. This year, we commemorate the establishment of the ‘Rule’ for the Franciscans and the crèche at Greccio; next year marks the anniversary of the stigmata appearing on Francis; the canticle of the creatures in 2025; and then his death in 1226 the following year. We will honor these events in Francis’s life here at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, starting this year with the ’Living Stations of the Crèche,’ and you can participate!  December 15th at 6:30, we will begin in the Labyrinth and move throughout campus. Jim Wahl, the parish Director of Liturgy and Music, will coordinate the event with the Secular Franciscans. It will be a processional event with 12 ‘stations’ throughout campus, ending in the church. For those interested in helping, signups for each station began on November 15th and can be found on the ‘St. Francis Serves’ website. If you sign up for a station, the details for each station are in the description, but please note that each station may require multiple individuals to represent the characters at that station. Practice for the ‘Stations’ will be held on December 12th. 

Following the ’Living Stations of the Crèche,’ there will be refreshments and a display of over 50 of Father Jim’s crèche collections in Fellowship Hall. What better way to commemorate our patron and celebrate the Christmas season than to participate in and attend a unique program offered by only St. Francis of Assisi parish? Join in the fun!

Author: Mike Watson

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