ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH, OKLAHOMA CITY MARCH 2, 2014
From the Pastor’s Desk
Our Sunday Best (Part 3)
The quality of our worship on Sunday depends greatly on our attitude. We should be mindful when we come to church of our frame of mind – am I distracted by something? Am I upset at someone? Am I fulfilling an obligation or am I grateful for the opportunity to spend time with the Lord in prayer with my fellow brothers and sisters?
Being present even if that is all we can give has a value. So often we think that if we are not going to get something or if we have nothing to give, then we are exempted from doing something – but Mass is different! Our attitude is important but not as important as our need for God – all the time – whether we are aware of it or not. The beautiful part about the Mass is that God’s grace is present even when we are preoccupied. If we are present, then we open the door of possibilities that God’s Word may speak to us or that the Eucharist may change us. The Lord is present to us at all times and in all places so it is the least we can do to be present to him when he is closest to us at Mass. Only then can we allow him into our lives completely.
Have a good week and glorify the Lord by your life.
Fr. Novak
Sunday Collection
Week of February 23
Parish General Collection $22,618.81 (+6,272.81)*
Scholarship $296.00
Building Fund $2.00
Poor Box $114.60
Mass Attendance 1,581
*+/- Budget ($16,346.00)
Weekly Mass Schedule
Sunday, February 23 – 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lv 19:1-2, 17-18; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13; 1 Cor 3:16-23;
Mt 5:38-48
5:00 PM (Sat.) Joan Cowden (The Orr Family)
8:30 AM Special Intention of Irene Burke
(Gail Luna and Hazel Buckner)
11:00 AM For the people of St. Francis Parish
Monday, February 24 - Weekday
Jas 3:13-18; Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15; Mk 9:14-29
No Daily Mass
Tuesday, February 25 - Weekday
Jas 4:1-10; Ps 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23; Mk 9:30-37
7:30 AM Special Intention of Ann Hunzicker
(Bill & Vicki Holloway)
Wednesday, February 26 - Weekday
Jas 4:13-17; Ps 49:2-3, 6-7, 8-10, 11; Mk 9:38-40
7:30 AM Special Intention of Maureen Hoffman
(The Schultz Family)
Thursday, February 27 - Weekday
Jas 5:1-6; Ps 49:14-15ab, 15cd-16, 17-18, 19-20; Mk 9:41-50
8:30 AM Louis Thele (Mary Claire Thele)
Friday, February 28 – Weekday
Jas 5:9-12; Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8-9, 11-12; Mk 10:1-12
7:30 AM Wade Bernard (Richard & Molly Bernard)
Sunday, March 2 – 8th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 49:14-15; Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; 1 Cor 4:1-5; Mt 6:24-34 5:00 PM (Sat.) Earl Carson (Sean McFarland)
8:30 AM Tom Braun (Linda Briceno)
11:00 AM For the people of St. Francis Parish
This Week at St. Francis
Monday, February 24
Tuesday, February 25
6:30 PM Accreditation Team Dinner - PH
Wednesday, February 26
5:30 PM “Family Feast” dinner - PH
6:30 -8:30 PM RCIA Class – 3rd Floor MH
6:30 PM Long-range Planning Meeting - KR
7:00 PM Adult Choir practice—CH
Thursday, February 27
7:00 PM AA Meeting—KR
Friday, February 28
Saturday, March 1
All day Room reserved – KR
6:15 PM K of C “German Night” Dinner - PH
Sunday, March 2
7:55 AM Chaplet/ Rosary—CH
9:30 AM Coffee & Donuts – PH
9:30-10:45 AM RE Classes – RS
12:15 PM St. Vincent de Paul – KR
3:00 PM Oklahoma Master Chorale Concert – CH
Reception following - PH
[CH=Church, MH=Meerschaert House, KR=Kelly Room, OR=Old Rectory, RS=Rosary School, PH=Parish Hall]
Upcoming Parish Events
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is on March 5th and we will have 2 Masses and 2 prayer services (ashes only). Please see the following schedule:
7:30 a.m. – Prayer Service – Ashes
9:00 a.m. - School/Parish Mass
Noon – Prayer Service – Ashes
6:30 p.m. – Mass
School Mass Announcement
No Rosary School Mass on Thursday, March 6th since the students will attend Ash Wednesday Mass that week.
Daily Mass Announcement
We will NOT have daily Masses on March 18 – 21. Daily Mass will resume on Tuesday, March 25.
Lenten Penance Rite
We will have our parish Lenten Penance Service on Wednesday, March 26th at 6:30 p.m. in the church.
Altar Society Board Meeting
The next meeting of the Altar Society Board will be on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Kelley Room.
St. Vincent de Paul Meeting
Next meeting on March 2 at 12:15 p.m. in Kelley Room of the Meerschaert House. The food pantry needs soup & crackers.
Young at Heart Seniors
Our next luncheon will be on March 12 at NOON in the Kelley Room. A program on honey will be presented by one of our own parishioners that owns bee hives. Call the parish office to RSVP.
St. Francis Blood Drive
Saturday, March 15 from 8 – 11 a.m. will be our next blood drive in the parish hall. Our last drive that we had in August was very successful. We had 29 donations. Just think of how many lives that might have saved! Let’s see if we can do even better this time! Please sign the donor sheet in the church vestibule or call June Hovorka at 608-1965 to get on the schedule.
Other News & Information
Beginning Experience
There is hope for the heartache of separation, divorce, and widowhood at a Beginning Experience Weekend at the Catholic Pastoral Center on March 14-16. This weekend program helps deal with the natural grief process and offers an opportunity, through God, for turning the pain of loss into an experience of positive growth. Trained team members lead participants through presentations, private reflections, and small group sharing. Contact the Office of Family Life at 721-8944 to register or download a brochure at www.Archokc.org.
Birth Choice Information Session
Has God been calling you to help the unborn and their mothers? Birth Choice needs volunteers for 2-4 hours a week to answer phones, administer pregnancy tests, clerical work, working in clothing room and nurses for clinic and ultrasounds. Volunteers needed in Bethany, Edmond, Norman and South OKC.
Come to an information session on Saturday, March 15 from 9 am to Noon at 4701 S. Western. To register or for more information, call Barbara at 606-8428.
Love of Rosary Raffle
The raffle winner was Martin J.H. Povser from Sellersville, Pennsylvania. He has generously donated the funds back to the school! The total raised this year was $7,450 and 175 tickets were sold. A big thanks to all the donors and we are one step closer to having a playground for the school students to enjoy.
Volunteers Needed
The CGSAA tournaments are Feb 28 – Mar 2 (grades 4 & 5) and Mar 7 – 9 (grades 6, 7, 8). If you can work the concession stand, take tickets, or keep the scorebook and scoreboard please call Mike Kierl @ 812-9481 or email: .
Come and See Weekend
Come and See Weekend held April 5-7 at Conception Seminary College is a trip for young men who are juniors and seniors in high school and older who would like to visit a seminary. It is free. Interested? Contact Fr. Novak to register by March 14.
Cursillo Encounter – Region 8
A cursillo is an encounter with Christ. The next encounter will be Feb. 28-Mar 1 at the Pastoral Center. Call Irma Arandas at 824-1240 for more information.
National Speaker for Pro-Life Event
Learn more about promoting a culture of life and how to get involved! Come to a special presentation by Abby Johnson at the Catholic Pastoral Center on Feb. 26 from 7 – 9 pm. She is a Pro-Life activist and author of unPLANNED who resigned after seeing the horror of an abortion when she was a Planned Parenthood clinic director. Call the Office of Family Life at 721-8944.
Camp Rocket
Camp Rocket for grades 1st-5th will be held on March 17 &18 from 9 am to 1 pm at Mt. St. Mary High School Auditorium. Cost is $50. All campers will attend 4 activities, 2 each day – Robotics, Art, World Languages and Fitness. T-shirt included. Register at: www.mountstmary.org/camprocket.
St. Francis Legacy Society
Did you know that nearly 55% of those that die do not have a will? Without one, your wishes for your family and others may not be realized. Certain types of planned gifts to benefit the church or school require a will. For information about planned giving visit www.stfrancislegacyokc.com or call Mike, 947-5936.
Welcome New Parishioners
Please register by filling out a green card located on the tables behind the last pews. Turn it into the collection or the parish office located on the first floor of the Meerschaert House.
Let Us Pray For the Sick
Joe Klepise, Lyn Toelle, Frank W. Manley, Megan Simons, Valerie Greene, Raymond Lutomski, Geraldine Willett, Shirley Ardoin, Mark Bliese, Laura Torres, Peggy Wolf, Victoria Brown, Reyes Family, Catherine Ledlow, Elizabeth Wessel, Sharon Pierce, Theresa Henfling, Patricia Taylor, Chip McCuan, Kathi Hamilton, Tina Lorenza, David Barnes, John Mitchell and Valentino Emberty.
Let Us Pray for those in the U.S. Military
William Hodges, Maleah Slaughter, Cory Thompson, Luke James, Sarah Ryan, Chris Jaramillo, Capt. Robert Trzcinski, Zachary Wilkey, Oman Castillo, Capt. Kenneth Novotny, Matthew Hay, Chad and Erik Mortenson, Carrie Remer, Matthew Bryson, Xuan Bohlman, Robert Zeese, Joey Miles, Brad Clear, Andrew Murphy, Matthew Keidel, Pvt. Dustin Doyal, John Martin, Jake Schexnayder , Joseph Reyes, John Carew, Cindy Tinkham, Joshua Sandina, Cory and Jennifer Taylor & Matthew Largent, Patrick Rodriguez, Robert Vincent Semaan, Elijah Barnes, Nathaniel Harding, Michael Runker, Joey Haruis, Kevin Oaks,
Anthony Michael Analla and Drew Surmeier.