To our St. Francis Xavier Parish family:

Thank you all for your patience and prayers as we work through how to safely open our parish for public Masses again.  To date we can still only have 10 people at any one Mass (we are hoping and praying that this will change soon).  We will try to resume public Masses June 13 & 14.  As we move forward, we will introduce our sign up system and review detailed safety measures.  This information will be shared on the website, Facebook, group email and a letter will be mailed.

This weekend, you will still be able to view weekend Mass on our Facebook page or through the link on our website under events.

Please continue to pray for an end to this pandemic and for this parish.

God bless,

Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,
I am sure that many of you have heard about the opening of our Churches for public worship.
In addition to all of the information already posted from us and on the Diocese of Syracuse website, I would like you to know the following 12 points:

1. Although we will not be ready this weekend, we are planning for next weekend, June 6-7.
2. We, for now, will keep the same weekend Mass schedule.
3. The weekday Mass schedule is still to be determined.
4. There will be a sign-up for Mass attendance as this is necessary to ensure:
a. the proper number will be attending.
b. contact information will be available in case someone in attendance is/or does come down with Covid19.
(Sign up details are being worked on)
5. Proper social distancing, hand sanitization and mask wearing will be necessary for ALL.
6. There will be people at each Mass for helping insure proper social distancing.
7. Specific information will be presented as to how to receive Communion.
8. There will be one entry to the Church and one exit.
9. There is to be no social gathering before or after Mass in the Church, Church parking lot on on any Church property
10. There will be signs posted to help people.
11. There will be no passing of the collection basket; I ask that you place your contribution in the basket provided (we are in the process of getting permanent fixtures for this); also you may still drop off your donation through the mail slot in the Rectory of send it by mail or use the electronic/bank means some of you already have. I really want to thank all of you for your continued generosity to our parish at this time, you have truly been generous and an inspiration to me. Thank you.
12. I ask that you all continue to be patient and pray for an end to the pandemic and for all who work so hard to keep us all safe, and all who are ill because of this pandemic.

Please be aware that as we move forward, this information may change.

Thank you all and God Bless you,
Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

Probably you have heard by now that the Bishop has given permission for resuming public masses. We are working on how we can accomplish this given the guidelines/restrictions we need to follow;  basically right now we are limited to only 10 people per mass, if and when this increases to 25% capacity we will be better able to meet the requirement and accommodate our people  and maintain safety.  We have attached to our bulletin and on our social media a more extensive explanation of what we must do; including having people sign up online to attend a particular mass.  I am still trying to figure this out; our Liturgy committee is working to help put together a plan that we must submit to the diocese for approval. This will also enable us to figure out the logistics for weekday mass.  Please read the material and the letter from Bishop Lucia addressed to the people of the diocese; and please continue to pray for an end to this pandemic.

Dear St. Francis Family,

Thursday we celebrated the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, next Sunday we will celebrate Pentecost:  the birth of the Church.  This week we look at how God calls us into a relationship with Him and each other.  We are His people, the ones who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to make Him, His love and His truth know. Our lives are called to give glory to God; our faith is to make Jesus known and loved; our hope is the power of the Holy Spirit.  We join with the whole Church as we pray:  Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of Your love.

God Bless you.

Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,
This Sunday, the sixth Sunday of Easter, our Scripture readings tell us of yet another gift God has in store for us. The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, The Holy Spirit is the Advocate promised by Jesus in today’s Gospel. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that Peter and John are able to act; that Christians have the ability to undergo suffering and persecution for their faith; that we can observe God’s commandments and therefore love God and experience God’s love for us. Thursday we will celebrate the Ascension, Jesus returning to the Father not to abandon us, but so that the Holy Spirit might be sent from God to us. The Holy Spirit continues to act in our midst, our lives and our Church. The Holy Spirit is the New Advocate who speaks on our behalf and is the source of our joy and hope. Hope even in the times of a pandemic, because our God will never abandon us and will give all that we need to continue to proclaim to the Glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord.
God Bless,
Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

This Sunday’s Gospel begins with Jesus saying to the disciples:  Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (John 14:1)  We are being constantly reminded that we are in a difficult troubling time, and as true as that is, we are also a people of faith.  Jesus was not just speaking of a later time and place, but also how we are to live our lives here and now.  Certainly we are to be reasonable and prudent; using the good common sense that God gave us to take care of ourselves, our loved ones and those most vulnerable; but we are never to lose faith or hope. God is found in every act of kindness and compassion, every heroic act on the part of those who care for us and others; every smile and laugh:  we are truly to have faith in our God.

God bless you and a happy and blessed Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, those still with us and those who have gone to the home prepared for them in our Lord Jesus’ Father’s house.

God bless,

Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

Our Psalm this weekend, the 23rd Psalm is perhaps one of the most known and loved Psalms in the Bible reminding us the Lord is truly our Shepherd.  Our Gospel also uses the image of Jesus as the sheepgate:  through whom we find rest, safety, security and peace. We are continually reminded that we can always look to Jesus, he will never disappoint us, he will always be there for us.  Jesus always offers comfort and peace, no matter what the situation.

God Bless,

Fr. Dan

Third Sunday of Easter

Divine Mercy Sunday

Dear St. Francis Family,

The Second Sunday of Easter (the Sunday immediately following Easter) was proclaimed by St. Pope John-Paul II to be the Sunday of Divine Mercy. This feast comes to us from the revelations of our Lord Jesus to now St. Maria Faustina Kowalska as found in her diary. The image of Divine Mercy (which you can see in our Church Sanctuary) is depiction of Jesus in His Resurrection.  Flowing from the hands of Jesus one sees red and white streams, depicting water blood and water: the outpouring of grace and mercy on all who come to him seeking His mercy.  The words on the image: “Jesus, I trust You.” sum up beautifully Jesus’ invitation to trust in Him:  His providence, His Mercy and His love. The Divine Mercy chaplet is to be prayed at 3 PM; the hour of mercy.

This Sunday, during this time of trial, we all need to remember and look to Jesus and place our trust in Him. He, and He alone is our hope and our salvation.

Please join me and pray:  “Jesus, I trust You.”

God Bless you all.

Fr. Dan

Dear St. Francis Family,

As Christians, Easter is the central and most important celebration of our faith.  It is the victory of life over death, light over darkness and redemption over sin.

In this time in our history when we are facing adversity we should always remember the victory of our God and promise He makes to all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  As we read in John 3:16-17: “God so loved the world that he sent His only Son , so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have Eternal Life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

What an amazing gift, what an amazing God we have. He offers to all of us faith, hope and love:  as St. Paul reminds us that the greatest is love for our God Is love itself.

This Easter, even though we may not be able to gather together in our houses of worship, we need to remember that we, the People of God are the Church, the Body of Christ and we offer the gift of our faith in Jesus Christ, crucified and Risen to all who are in darkness, feeling anxiety or are experiencing hopelessness.

Jesus Christ is Risen,and all things are made new.  “Resurrexit sicut Dixit”

God Bless you all and have a happy, prayerful, blessed Easter.

Fr. Dan