the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
Building Community Through Sports
In 2010, the vision for the St. Francis of Assisi campus became a more tangible reality for the parish. When Father Mark Reamer became pastor at St. Francis, he focused on making our community more inclusive and expansive while bringing the whole community together. As it says on our parish website: “Reflecting upon his own goals for the parish, Father Mark sums it up in one word: unity. ‘My goal is to continue to unite the parish so that we continue to be connected in the sense of community and reach out to those who hunger and thirst for human dignity.’ He also focused on the needs beyond the parish boundaries, evaluating the community’s needs and how ready the parish is to respond to those needs. He pointed to the name of the 2007 capital campaign as a reflection of his goals as pastor: ‘Growing in Faith Together.’” In April 2010, we dedicated the new ‘Community Center’ at St. Francis as part of that capital campaign.
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.
Mass Coordinators: Decorum, Order, and Devotion at Liturgies
Michael and Julie Ducatte are Mass Coordinators (MCs) at St. Francis. Their ministry consists of those who assist the presiders to make sure the Masses have the decorum and elegance befitting the weekly celebration of the Eucharist. “First and foremost, we want to make masses as beautiful as possible,” says Julie. “The liturgical ministries help everything flow smoothly. We want to serve because of our faith and enjoy being part of the Mass”. Michael adds, “As Mass Coordinators, we also have a teaching role, assisting the other ministers in training to serve at Mass.”
Every Mass has an MC, and Joanie Madormo is a long-term ministry presence at daily Masses. She says, “As MC, I set up and clean up for Mass and ensure that everything runs smoothly; if the presider needs anything, or wherever there is a problem, we fix it, get the answer, or make things right.” Julie adds, “Jesus taught us to serve others, and we want to serve the greater St. Francis community. Prayer is a large part of our faith, and the love of Eucharist, the Mass, and serving as an MC or Eucharistic Minister (EM) all ties into prayer.” “Working directly with the priests, pastor, and ministers is rewarding. We are all together creating this beautiful liturgy for our parishioners and visitors,” says Michael.
