Important Weather Update: Weekend Schedule Changes
Due to ongoing inclement weather, parish operations and Mass schedules have changed. The safety of our parish family is our highest priority. Please do not travel if conditions are unsafe. If local officials advise staying off the roads, do not risk traveling. Per the Diocese of Raleigh, Mass obligation is not in force when travel is unsafe.
Sunday, February 1
We will have ONE Mass on Sunday at 3 pm – it will be live-streamed
All other activities are canceled.
Monday, February 2
Campus closed except for those safe to come to 9am Mass (which will be held in the chapel)
the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
A Safe Environment for All
We are called to share our Catholic Faith, and, at St. Francis, we heed this call in so many ways. From our various ministries, to our faith formation program and schools, to the parish athletic and camp programs, and many other events and programs, St. Francis is a hub of activity that can be frenetic. Providing a safe environment for our faith to grow is essential, and Trish Adamkowski, the parish’s Coordinator of Human Resources, is the parish contact for the parish’s “Safe Environment Program,” which includes safe child training, reference checking, and background checks, as required by the Diocese of Raleigh’s Safe Environment Program.
The Diocese of Raleigh developed the initial safe environment training course in cooperation with Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina. Its design is such as to enable adults to recognize and report child abuse. “I believe the safe environment program, which includes the training, is important,” Trish says, pointing out that, “part of the Diocese of Raleigh Safe Environment vision statement says: ‘Because all human life is a precious gift from God, we must assure that all persons, especially the young and the vulnerable, are to be treated with dignity, respect, and offered an environment which promotes safety.’” The St. Francis website has a landing page dedicated to this safe environment program that explains the expectations for those who work in the Diocese or volunteer and oversee children on campus.
Ministry Spotlight: Men's Prayer Breakfast
Deacon Steve Andrews and Richard Szulewski work together to provide fellowship for the men of our parish over a shared meal. As Deacon Steve says, “The Men’s Prayer Breakfast ministry is a gathering of men over coffee and burritos to explore the writings of various spiritual writers. The meetings provide an environment for the men to freely express their heartfelt views on how what they read impacts them.” He emphasizes that the discussions primarily aim to engage the heart, not just the head. “This is a chance for men to join in on personal faith development, guided by the insights of various spiritual writers,” he says. “These writers offer different, sometimes challenging, perspectives on what it means to be a Catholic, and that’s the point.”
Deacon Steve and Richard provide the forum for the men to explore their faith. “Are you going to hear stuff you agree with? Yep. Are you going to consider perspectives that might make you think about some things differently? We think so,” they say, adding, “but that is how we learn.” The Catholic Community of St. Francis brings the Franciscan ethos of the essential good news of Christ’s love for all people exactly where they are in the creation we are all part of. “The men who participate in the Breakfast,” adds Steve, “gain insights that enhance their lives and their ability to engage with all they encounter in our church community and far beyond it.”
