the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
Pope Leo XIV, New Leadership For The Church
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost, was born in Chicago, Illinois, the first Pope of American birth. His biography within the Church began when he became an Augustinian friar in 1977 and was ordained as a priest in 1982. His service includes extensive missionary work in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s. He was elected prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine in 2001 and served until 2013. He then returned to Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. It was just in 2023 that Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, appointed him president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and made him a cardinal.
All that is well and good, but what do our local priests know about the new Pope, and what are their perspectives and insights as to who he is? Pastor Chris Koehn says the priests are just as engaged, if not more, in the selection of any new Pope. “Monsignor John Wall, Monsignor Don Staib, Fr. Tom Fraser, and I discuss and follow the news of the church during our regular Tuesday dinners. The editor of Crux, the church news website, had Cardinal Prevost on the short list for being selected Pope and ran a great article on May 1st.” Of course, the Conclave proper to elect a new Pope began on May 7th.
Volunteer Spotlight: Pam James
Pam James can weave, and not just a great story! Pam has been in Weaver’s Guilds, each with over 200 members, in three different states, Colorado, Texas, and North Carolina, and has been an avid weaver and mixed media artist for a long time. Every two years, there is a convention where she says, “Every well-known weaver attends and is probably teaching a class.” This past year, the convention was in Wichita, Kansas, where she entered a piece in the Mixed Media category and won 3rd Place!
How does this correlate to her work at St. Francis? She weaves her love of art with her leadership of the ‘Care for Creation’ ministry at St. Francis. “I’ve always been a bit of an ‘eco-freak,’” says Pam,” I grew up with the idea that you mustn’t waste. My sister-in-law is kind enough to call me resourceful, but I’m just cheap! I’ve always asked myself, ‘Why would I throw that away? I can use that.’” She exclusively uses ‘recycled yarn’ in weaving, embracing the ‘reuse’ principle of Care for Creation.
Ministry Spotlight: Prayer Shawl
The Prayer Shawl Ministry is one of the Pastoral Care ministries at St. Francis that impacts so many of our other ministries. This ministry has been at St. Francis for 20 years. Cindy Cardello, a current ministry leader, and Regina Sissini founded it, and it has grown to 50+ members. They lovingly create handmade shawls, lap robes, children’s blankets, hats, and scarves through knitting, crocheting, and sewing. These items are crafted with care and compassion for individuals who are ill, homeless, hospitalized, or experiencing life’s challenges. As each piece is made, a prayer is said over it, often a cross is sewn on, and it is blessed before being wrapped with a card expressing their heartfelt support. This ministry is a ministry of love; love for community and love for individuals, and our members reflect that love.
One of the aspects of this ministry, as part of a web of support at St. Francis, is how much they support other ministries here and elsewhere. The members of Prayer Shawl bring items to Catholic Parish Outreach monthly, sending hundreds of knitted, crocheted, or sewn items. They support ‘Our Children’s Place’ by providing yarn throughout the year for their efforts.
