Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we are celebrating the Solemnity of St Francis of Assisi. It is a solemnity for the Franciscans because St. Francis was the founder of the Franciscan Order.

One on the many stories of St. Francis that I always enjoy reflecting on is about how he would often fast many times throughout the year. Many of the other friars would try and follow his example and too often fast. One time, there was a young friar who was trying to follow Francis and his fasting. He had the best of intentions and would be fasting and praying, but at some point, he became ill because his body wasn’t use to the severe fasting that Francis himself would do. During the night, Francis saw how this was affecting the young friar and how he was getting sick. Francis then woke up all the friars and told them to gather all the food they had and to prepare a meal for everyone. Even Francis ate that night. He did this because he didn’t want to embarrass the young friar.

For me this shows how Francis cared for other people. He would put their needs ahead of his own. The person was more important than the ritual act of fasting. He showed this not just with his own brothers but with everyone he met, whether they were lepers, homeless, widowed, or even a robber. Francis truly embraced the great commandment to love our neighbors as our self. Francis didn’t put himself first, rather he thought out ways that he could serve his brothers and sisters.

This notion of Francis is very counter cultural, not just to our country, but for the world. There are many who always put themselves first and are only concerned about what benefits them. Some are entitled and feel they deserve more than everyone else. To embrace the Franciscan Charism is to embrace the Gospel message. The message is constantly repeated that we are called to love one another, we are called not to be served but to serve, and we have Jesus’s example of how he cared for all people.

I think the best way to truly celebrate St. Francis is by imitating his example of taking care of the poor. For the month of October (Socktober) we will be collection new socks that will be given to the homeless. There will be a box in the church to drop them off as well as a box in the Gift Store. We will also host our next Giving from the Heart donation drive on Saturday, October 11, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the North Campus. The St. Vincent de Paul Society will also be collecting at the Masses on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. These funds help them to support people who are in need in our community. Also, every Saturday, our Hands of Hope ministry gather to feed the homeless at the North Campus. They are the beneficiary of this month’s Giving from the Heart drive. Our Bikes from the Heart ministry continues to help the poor with transportation. These are just some examples of how parishioners are responding to the needs of others.

November, with the feast of All Souls Day, is a time we remember all of our loved ones. This year for All Souls Day, Sunday, November 2, we will remember our loved ones in the following ways:

• Request a Memorial for All Souls Day
  • All names will be remembered at each weekend Mass
  • $10 Donation
  • Visit shfla.org/intentions to arrange your memorial
  • This is available beginning in October

• Parishioners may go online (shfla.org/prayerwall) to the Prayer Wall and list the deceased under the “All Souls Day Remembrance.”
  • This is available now.

• Parishioners and visitors may write the name of the deceased in our Book of Intentions in the back of the church.
  • This is available now.

From the Gates of Repentance: New Union Prayer Book for the Days of Awe (Author Unknown)

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Mike

Dear Parishioners,

It has been two months since the parish started using Mass Intentions Online. It has been going extremely well and we have received many comments on the change. Parishioners have said they like it for several reasons. First, they can go online and look at available dates through 2027 for themselves and choose one that best fits their needs. Secondly, we’ve heard that many appreciate the convenience of it. The vast majority of requests are now coming online. Of course, you can still come into the parish office, and our receptionist can assist you with reserving a Mass intention.

With the implementation of the new program, several things have changed that you may want to know. The suggested donation is now $10 for a weekday Mass, and $15 for weekend Masses or major solemnities like Christmas. Another change is that now, on weekends, there can be up to two intentions for each Mass. You might notice that on some weekend Masses, the program only allows for one intention. These intentions were made before the new policy went into effect. When you are choosing a date, you will see that the next available date will be about two weeks in advance. The reason for this is so that we can get all of the intentions listed in the bulletin. If you see a date that you want before that two weeks and it is available you can call the parish office and they can assist you.

In addition, the new program allows us to also to accommodate memorials. When on to the website, click on “Request Memorial” on the top right side of the page:

• Sacristy Candle | Sits near the Tabernacle | Sun. to Sat. | Suggested donation: $25 | This candle will be lit all week in memory or in honor of someone. The names will be listed in the bulletin every week. You will find this memorial on Sundays every week of the year.

• All Souls Day | Suggested donation of $10 for each name | The list of the names will be remembered at all of the Masses on the first weekend of November. You will find this memorial under the Sacristy Candle on Sundays during the month of October.

• Christmas Flowers | Suggested donation of $20 per plant | Each poinsettia that you see has been given in remembrance or honor of loved ones whose names will be memorialized online. You will find this memorial on Saturdays during the season of Advent.

• Easter Flowers | Suggested donation $20 per plant | Each flower that you see has been given in remembrance or honor of loved ones whose names will be memorialized online. You will find this memorial on Saturdays during the season of Lent.

• Mother’s Day | Suggested donation $10 for each name | The list of the names will be remembered at all of the Masses on Mother’s Day. You will find this memorial under the Sacristy Candle on Sundays starting five weeks before Mother’s Day.

• Father’s Day | Suggested donation of $10 for each name | The list of the names will be remembered at all of the Masses on Father’s Day. You will find this memorial under the Sacristy Candle on Sundays starting five weeks before Father’s Day.

You can access and request Mass intentions and memorials online at shfla.org/intentions.

Over the past few months, many people have also used our new, online Prayer Wall. Here you are able to submit prayer requests for the sick, for the deceased, for those in the military, or for a special occasion. At times, we have been unable to approve certain requests because they didn’t meet the spirit of our Prayer Wall. We will not include any political rhetoric. Each prayer request remains up for one month. The requestor may than add it again.

You can submit your prayer requests on our website at shfla.org/prayerwall.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Mike