saint FRancis xavier parish October 1, 2017 If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit... ~ Philippians 2: 1 Celebrating 125 Years Our Mission Statement St. Francis Xavier is a Catholic- Jesuit parish ignited by the Eucharist To Pray, Serve, Do Justice, and Love.
Items of Note: The Blessing of Animals Join us following the 10:00 am Mass Today, October 1st as we bless our beloved companions. As autumn arrives, so too does a procession of animals, everything from dogs and cats to hamsters and even a lama or horse, are led to churches for a special ceremony called the Blessing of Animals. St. Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. The story is told how he and his brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey. Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God s living things. All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures. And there was testimony in the cause for St. Clare of Assisi s canonization that referred to her little cat! For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love. Pope Francis - the first to boldly choose the name of Francis in honor of the revered Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology and celebrated champion of the poor - surprised everyone when he famously broke ceremonial rules by allowing Asia, a guide dog for an Italian radio journalist, into the Vatican s audience hall and issued a special blessing for her. In his first homily, the pontiff said, The vocation of being a protector... means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live... In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God s gifts. In Pope Francis, one hears the echo of St. Francis of Assisi himself - to respect all life, and that it is the moral responsibility of the powerful to protect the undefended, the powerless, and the vulnerable. 2
Faith Formation: 100th Anniversary Our Lady of Fatima First meeting of Confirmation prep. October 15th at 3:00 pm bjohnson@sfxmissoula.org October 14, 2017 Noon Rosary From Conflict to Communion Lutheran-Catholic COMMON COMMEMORATION OF THE REFORMATION Please meet by the Grotto Ecumenical Vespers Saint Helena Cathedral, Helena Monday October 30, 7:00 pm The Catholic and Lutheran Communities of Montana gather with our Bishops to embrace a very special moment between Lutherans and Catholics throughout the world. Occasioned by the joint document of the two churches, From Conflict to Communion, we gather in prayer, memory thanksgiving and confession. With our common faith in Christ we look ahead to common witness and a continued journey forward for the sake of our shared mission to the world. All are Welcome! To download the Document, Conflict to Communion, prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Lutheran World Federation go to https://www.lutheranworld.org/sites/default/files/from%20conflict%20to%20communion.pdf To download the Study Guide for Conflict to Communion http://www.strasbourginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/fctc-guide-3-13.pdf TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO REGISTER! DON'T MISS OUT! Share in a special weekend devoted to the 100th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. On October 13th & 14th, Billings Catholic Radio brings you Living Fatima: The Miracle & The Message, a two-day conference that will touch hearts and dig deep into the messages of Our Lady of Fatima, 100 years later. With the help of our keynote speaker, EWTN s Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., you ll hear why Our Lady s messages and warnings are more critical now than ever before. The conference will be hosted at both St. Francis School, 2202 Colton Blvd, and at the neighboring St. Thomas the Apostle church in Billings. Full schedule and registration information can be found at www.kjcrradio. com or by calling 406-294-5250. Joint Lutheran-Catholic Motor Coach Bus to the Helena Cathedral Meet at St. Anthony Parish (217 Tremont St) at 3:45 p.m. Oct. 30 Cost: $20 per person, includes bus ride & meal on the bus. Payment will be due upon Registration Sign-Up (deadline to sign up is Oct. 23) please come to the parish office to register. Ecumenical Vespers (Evening Worship) From Conflict to Communion Lutheran-Catholic Commemoration of the Reformation October 30, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Saint Helena Cathedral Reverend Jessica Crist, Bishop of the Montana Synod ELCA Most Reverend Michael Warfel, Bishop of Diocese of Great Falls/ Billings Most Reverend George Thomas, Bishop Diocese of Helena, Reverend Mark Ramseth, Former Bishop of the Montana Synod ELCA 3
Items of Note: Moms Group The Mom s Group will meet on Thursday, the 5th of October at 10:00 am in the Loyola Center. JustFaith We will be hosting a "Just Faith info night" on October 5th in the Loyola Building Library. starting at 6:30. All are welcome to come and find out more about this 9 month transformative program focused on the Gospel vision of peace and justice. Call Pam in the parish office for more information. Mass celebrated in Spanish Vamos a celebrar la Misa en español el domingo el 15 de octubre a las 6:00 pm en la parroquia de St. Anthony. Our next Mass in Spanish will be at 6:00 pm on Sunday, October 15 at St. Anthony Parish. Todos están bienvenidos! St. Joseph School Admissions Open House Thursday, Oct. 5th from 9:30-11am. If you are interested in participating in Eucharistic Adoration and would like to commit to an hour of prayer in the church, please contact Kathy Kaiser 406.251.3704. St. Francis Xavier offers Adoration on Wednesdays from 8:30am-3:00pm and First Fridays from 8:30am to noon. Come join our student and parent ambassadors for a custom tour followed by an information session led by our Principal, Christina Vierra McGill, and learn about the unique and dynamic Catholic education going on at St. Joseph's! We want you to be a part of our community. All prospective parents and guardians of students in PreK- 8th grade are encouraged to come and learn more. Come and see our dedicated faculty and staff in action while you tour the building. Any questions, please contact Principal Christina Vierra McGill at tina.mcgill@mcsmt.org. Looking forward to seeing you there! 4
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER ~~ MISSOULA, MONTANA 420 West Pine Street, Missoula MT, 59802 542-0321, sfxmissoula.org October 1, 2017 Prayers May --- Laura Fellin and Marilyn Rollin receive His healing and consolation. May --- Dorothy Sharp rest in peace in Our Lord s Loving arms. Collections for Sunday, September 24, 2017 Envelopes $9801.00 Loose: $1728.93 Building Maintenance $60.00 Catholic Home Mission$50.00 Poverello $235.00 Thank you for your generous giving! Twenty -sixth in Ordinary OFFICE HOURS: Monday-Thursday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Friday 8:30 am - Noon e-mail: stfrancisxavier@sfxmissoula.org. Phone: 406-542-0321 Fax: 406-327-8537 Weekend Liturgies Saturday ~~~ 5 p.m. Sunday ~~ 8 am, 10 am, and 6 p.m. Weekday Liturgies Monday - Friday ~~ 8 am Confession -Saturday ~~ 3:00-4:30 p.m. or by appointment Eucharistic Adoration Wednesdays 8:30 am - 3:00pm & First Fridays ~ 8:30 am - Noon on Facebook at St. Francis Xavier Church, on Twitter @SFXmissoula and on Instagram at sfxmissoula. Are you interested in finding out more about St. Francis Xavier and the Catholic Church? Whether you are baptized in another denomination, have never been baptized and are exploring Christianity for the first time, or are a former Catholic pondering a return to the Church, we are happy to talk with you, answer questions, and explore the many possibilities. Find out more by calling Fr. Rich Perry, S.J., Fr. Matt Holland, S.J. or Fr. Joseph Carver, SJ. For information on Jesuit vocations BeAJesuit.org Follow all the events, news, and photos of life here at St. Francis Xavier. Family Promise Remember to add our parish App to your phone and stay connected! We are looking for another volunteer to join our coordinator team for Family Promise. It would involve helping to organize volunteers before and during our rotation weeks which occur 5 times per year. If you are interested, please call Pam in the parish office. St. Francis Xavier Parish will often use parishioner likeness in print, video, website or in social media sites for the purpose of sharing our church community with others. 5
Mass Scriptures for the Month of September, 2017 October 1, 2017 Saturday 9/30 Zech. 2:5-9, 14-15a St. Jerome Jer. 31 Luke 9:43b-45 Sunday 10/1 Ezek. 18:25-28 26th Sunday in OrdT. Ps. 25 Phil. 2:1-11 Matt. 21:28-32 Monday 10/2 Zech. 8:1-8 The Holy Guardian Angels Ps. 102 Matt. 18:1-5, 10 Tuesday 10/3 Zech. 8:20-23 St. Francis Borgia Ps. 87 Luke 9:51-56 Wednesday 10/4 Neh. 2:1-8 St. Francis of Assisi Ps. 137 Luke 9:57-62 Thursday 10/5 Neh. 8:1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12 Ps. 19 Luke 10:1-12 Friday 10/6 Bar. 1:15-22 Ps. 79 Luke 10:13-16 Saturday 10/7 Bar. 4:5-12, 27-29 Our Lady of the Rosary Ps. 69 Luke 10:17-24 St. Joseph School is hiring! If you are interested in joining the dynamic team of faculty and staff at St. Joseph Catholic School, here is your chance! Our Extended Day program and Early Childhood program are hiring part-time staff and also looking for substitute teachers. Hours vary so please contact our Co-Directors of the programs, Mrs. Amanda Wiseman at amanda.wiseman@mcsmt.org or Mrs. Launa Beamon at launa.beamon@ mcsmt.org. You may also contact Mrs. Christina Vierra McGill, Principal at tina.mcgill@mcsmt.org. Attach a cover letter, resume and three references as well. Memorial Service To honor patients who have died in recent months Twice each year the Spiritual Care Department at St. Patrick Hospital holds a Memorial Service to honor patients who have died in recent months. If you would like to honor a person who has died (in the hospital or beyond) you are welcome to attend. Mass Intentions for the Month of September, 2017 Saturday 9/30 Loretta Bezdicek The service will be held on Sunday, October 8, at 1:30pm in the Broadway Building Conference Center. Parking is in the Broadway Building underground structure. Please bring a photograph of your loved one. Call 327-1645 with questions and to RSVP. Mass Intentions for the Month of October, 2017 Sunday 10/1 Monday 10/2 Tuesday 10/3 Wednesday 10/4 Thursday 10/5 Friday 10/6 Saturday 10/7 Sunday 10/8 Monday 10/9 Tuesday 10/10 For the People* Eva Zalak Beth Ann Long Jim Herz Chuck Turner Evelyn Welter* Marianne Moe* Bruno Friia* Jerry Lubbers Tim Burger Dewey Campbell For the People* Mercedes Cookie Velasco Sheila Combo Mass Stipend Suggested Mass stipend is $20 tax deductible... only the intangible value of prayer... Looking for fellowship and a place to pray with the lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday? Join the Ignite Catholic Young Adult Group for weekly Bible study ~ Wednesday evenings at 7:00. email - ignitemisssoula@gmail.com or Facebook -Ignite Missoula - Catholic Young Adult Group 6
If you are looking for a way to help victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean or earthquake victims in Mexico, go to www.redcross.org or to Catholic Relief Services at www.crs.org to donate. Please keep our neighbors in your prayers. Open House(s) on Burlington Avenue 1. UNite: This week there will not be an official UNite this week, but the foundational Newman Lecture instead! There will still be dinner at 6pm on Tuesday night, and then the lecture "John Henry Newman and the Catholic way of knowing" will begin at 7pm at CTK. We hope to see you there! 2. Mass on Campus: Every Wednesday at noon in the UC. Check the "Today in the UC" signs for the room number! 3. Bible Study: Join us as we look at the readings for the upcoming Sunday. It s happening every week at noon in UC 215. Bring a friend! The Faith Relations Committee of Habitat for Humanity of Missoula invites you to tour our homes in the Franklin to Fort Neighborhood in the 2200 Block of Burlington Avenue. Sunday October 8 th from 1-3 pm. Featured homes are the 2017 builds with the Ellison and Janes families on Burlington Avenue, as well as viewing the future location of our 2018 builds around the corner on Schilling Street. This is an exclusive opportunity to not only tour these beautiful and well built homes, but to meet and talk with the families who will soon be moving in. Area churches and faith communities have been among the many important partners in our ministry. Working with HFHM is one way for a congregation to be servants of God s love through a fun and valuable partnership to put faith into action. 4. Women's Group: We will be meeting twice a month to join in community and reflect on the Gospel of the week. This Saturday (10/7) we will be meeting at Liquid Planet Grille across from campus at 10am! 5. Service Projects: Join us once a month to give back to the community of Missoula! Put your faith into action and live out our call of disciples of Christ! Our next meeting will be Oct 28th! Since October is National Pro-Life month, we will be visiting a nursing home in Missoula! More info to come, contact Liz McMahon (liz@umccm.org) if you are interested in going! Our 2017 building projects will provide 7 children and their parents an affordable, stable, and secure place to call their own, built with their own hands and the love of the Missoula Community. Directions: From Reserve Street, turn east on Mount Ave., then right on Eaton and left on Burlington. From Russell Street, turn west on Mount, left on Schilling and right on to Burlington. 7