November 14, 2026
Dear Friends in Christ,
With less than two months left in this Jubilee Year of St. Francis, it has been a great gift to reflect on some of the many charisms with which God blessed our patron saint. This year, we have considered St. Francis’ care for God’s creation; his devotion to the Eucharist; willingness to work within the Church for change; his desire to dialogue with people of other faith traditions; love of poverty and embrace of the poor; and his gift of living the Gospel joyfully despite trials. This month, as the war with Iran nears the nine-month mark, Francis’ pursuit of peace is a worthy attribute to contemplate. But, unlike the peace hammered out at negotiating tables, our patron’s peacemaking was achieved one interaction at a time, with every person he encountered.
When we look at the growth of the Franciscan order, Francis started out small, with a band of men from in and around Assisi. By 1215, the Franciscan friars had spread not only throughout northern and central Italy, but to southern France and Spain, according to “St. Francis of Assisi: A Biography.”
How is it that Francis was able to captivate people to follow him? At least part of his appeal seems to be his disarming manner with everyone he met. Instead of stirring up seeds of rebellion and hostility, as even Pope Innocent III did with the Crusaders, Francis showed men the work that needed to be done and molded his charges to be holy and perfect. With robbers, he extended them trust and respect. And, even with heretics, Francis declined to engage them in verbal battles, which caused them to leave the peacemaker in peace (St. Francis of Assisi, 146).
His friars, likewise, followed suit. Walking along the road in twos, the friars radiated joy in their interactions and preaching. They moved among the people they met, because they depended on them for food. The people, in turn, loved and admired the friars for their chosen destitution and practice of faith that was devoid of ambition or greed. Because they didn’t preach anywhere without the permission of the parish priests and lived in poverty to mimic Jesus, the friars won the respect of the clergy too.
Francis and his followers practiced peace that was not grounded in stopping wars, but in seeking justice. By living among the poor, caring for lepers, and spreading Jesus’ teachings joyfully and purely, they showed in word and deed how Jesus calls us to live. It was certainly not a life that just any person would choose for him or herself. But it was a life that regular people could observe and recognize as being holy and worthy of emulation.
Forty years ago, on October 27, 1986, Pope John Paul II gathered leaders of many interreligious faiths for a World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy, at the Basilica of St. Francis. It was the first interreligious meeting convened by a Pope of its kind, drawing leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Zoroastrian, African Traditional, and American Indigenous faiths. In his remarks, Pope John Paul II called on those gathered to be “arbiters of peace,” saying that respect for conscience, love for all people, and obedience to the moral law must be a part of peace. He stressed that “peace depends basically on this Power” — God, revealed in Christ for Christians.
In the church built for this great peacemaker, Pope St. John Paul II sought to further the message of peace that the saint he admired practiced so simply. Let us all pray that peace may prevail in our lives, one person, one action, the influence of one Pope at a time.
I wish you all a blessed week. Please join us at 6:15 pm tonight in the church, as our parish’s Children’s Choir performs the play “St. Francis the Servant” in honor of this Jubilee Year.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. John
Saturday, November 14:
Dear Friends in Christ,
With less than two months left in this Jubilee Year of St. Francis, it has been a great gift to reflect on some of the many charisms with which God blessed our patron saint. This year, we have considered St. Francis’ care for God’s creation; his devotion to the Eucharist; willingness to work within the Church for change; his desire to dialogue with people of other faith traditions; love of poverty and embrace of the poor; and his gift of living the Gospel joyfully despite trials. This month, as the war with Iran nears the nine-month mark, Francis’ pursuit of peace is a worthy attribute to contemplate. But, unlike the peace hammered out at negotiating tables, our patron’s peacemaking was achieved one interaction at a time, with every person he encountered.
When we look at the growth of the Franciscan order, Francis started out small, with a band of men from in and around Assisi. By 1215, the Franciscan friars had spread not only throughout northern and central Italy, but to southern France and Spain, according to “St. Francis of Assisi: A Biography.”
How is it that Francis was able to captivate people to follow him? At least part of his appeal seems to be his disarming manner with everyone he met. Instead of stirring up seeds of rebellion and hostility, as even Pope Innocent III did with the Crusaders, Francis showed men the work that needed to be done and molded his charges to be holy and perfect. With robbers, he extended them trust and respect. And, even with heretics, Francis declined to engage them in verbal battles, which caused them to leave the peacemaker in peace (St. Francis of Assisi, 146).
His friars, likewise, followed suit. Walking along the road in twos, the friars radiated joy in their interactions and preaching. They moved among the people they met, because they depended on them for food. The people, in turn, loved and admired the friars for their chosen destitution and practice of faith that was devoid of ambition or greed. Because they didn’t preach anywhere without the permission of the parish priests and lived in poverty to mimic Jesus, the friars won the respect of the clergy too.
Francis and his followers practiced peace that was not grounded in stopping wars, but in seeking justice. By living among the poor, caring for lepers, and spreading Jesus’ teachings joyfully and purely, they showed in word and deed how Jesus calls us to live. It was certainly not a life that just any person would choose for him or herself. But it was a life that regular people could observe and recognize as being holy and worthy of emulation.
Forty years ago, on October 27, 1986, Pope John Paul II gathered leaders of many interreligious faiths for a World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy, at the Basilica of St. Francis. It was the first interreligious meeting convened by a Pope of its kind, drawing leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Zoroastrian, African Traditional, and American Indigenous faiths. In his remarks, Pope John Paul II called on those gathered to be “arbiters of peace,” saying that respect for conscience, love for all people, and obedience to the moral law must be a part of peace. He stressed that “peace depends basically on this Power” — God, revealed in Christ for Christians.
In the church built for this great peacemaker, Pope St. John Paul II sought to further the message of peace that the saint he admired practiced so simply. Let us all pray that peace may prevail in our lives, one person, one action, the influence of one Pope at a time.
I wish you all a blessed week. Please join us at 6:15 pm tonight in the church, as our parish’s Children’s Choir performs the play “St. Francis the Servant” in honor of this Jubilee Year.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. John
Saturday, November 14:
- Confession in English from 3:30-4:30 pm in the St. Clare Chapel of the Rectory. Heard by Fr. John Dillon.
- Confession in English and Spanish from 3:30-4:30 pm in the church confessional. Heard by Fr. Andrew Corriente, OFM Cap.
- 5 pm Vigil Mass in the church. Celebrated by Fr. Andrew Corriente, OFM Cap. Mass readings
- Premiere of “St. Francis the Servant” play at 6:15 pm in the church. Performed by the parish Children’s Choir.
- Evening Prayer at 7:30 pm. Hosted by parishioner Diana Massino.
Advent 2026 schedule:
Come celebrate Advent with us starting November 28, as we prepare to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ!
- Spirit Tree gift card project
- Christmas Tree sales
- Advent wreath candle lighting
- Alternative Christmas gifts
- Advent penance service
Calendario de Adviento 2026:
¡Venga a celebrar el Adviento con nosotros a partir del 28 de noviembre, mientras nos preparamos para conmemorar el nacimiento de Jesucristo!
- Proyecto de tarjetas regalo del Árbol del Espíritu
- Ventas de árboles de Navidad
- Encendido de velas con corona de Adviento
- Regalos alternativos de Navidad
- Servicio de penitencia de Adviento
