Fr. Jarrod delivered the following homily on December 27, 2020, to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. He desires to share this message with each and every family in St. Francis parish.
To every Christian family, to every husband, wife, and child: thank you for being the family that you are! I beg you to hear these words of gratitude truly and sincerely. I fell convicted by the Holy Spirit to share with you not only my own gratitude, nor the gratitude of your fellow parishioners, but the gratitude of God Himself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who wants you to know, in
the depths of your soul, and who wants you to hear resonate in your heart of hearts, deep and abiding gratitude for your perseverance as a Christian family! The Heavenly Father is proud of you. The Son, Jesus Christ, is grateful for you. The Holy Spirit, the Advocate and Paraclete, is solicitous to you.
So, if you will, please permit me to shower you with a litany of gratitude:
Thank you for the dedication and love you show one another. Thank you for the various ways you serve and cooperate with one another. Thank you for the effort you give, the conversations you share, and the hidden acts of kindness you perform. Thank you for the many acts of love, words of encouragement, hugs, and tenderness you offer to each other.
Thank you for the work you do to provide a living your family. Thank you for the chores you perform to do your part in the household. Thank you for the preparing of meals, trips for shopping, and the paying of bills, so that everyone has food and clothing. Thank you for cleaning and maintaining the house, mowing the lawn, and washing the cars. Thank you for feeding the pets, taking out the trash, and cleaning your room. Thank you for the little things you do that no one notices.
Thank you for the games you play, the decorations on the walls and tables, and the gar-dens you water. Thank you for the cookies for dessert, the steak well-prepared, the side dishes that add flavor, and the PB&J that is second to none. Thank you for remembering birthdays, celebrating wins, and preparing sleepovers with friends.
Thank you for the wounds you bandage, the tears you wipe away, and the patience you show when one of you is simply having a bad day. In a particular way, thank you for the forgiveness you give time and time again. For ignoring the snarky comment, for deflecting the bad attitude, and understanding that every day just isn’t as cheery and bright as every other day. Thank you for swallowing your bad mood for the sake of peace, and not letting your bad day be everybody else’s problem. Thank you for not returning a punch for a punch, and nasty word for a nasty word, or a hurtful comment with a hurtful comment. Thank you choosing patience on days of frustration, peace on days strife, reconciliation on days of offense. Thank you for persevering by faith in a crazy, mixed-up, messed-up world.
Thank you for the prayers before meals, attending Sunday Masses, making hours of ado-ration. Thank you for saying rosaries, nightly prayers, Lenten Stations, and celebrating holy days. Thank you for going to confession together and living the forgiveness of God by forgiving one another. Thank you for situating your family in the grace of God, be-cause you know, that more certainly than gravity holds the earth together, God’s grace holds your motley, messy, marvelous family together.
Thank you for the sacrifices you make and the sufferings you endure. If the fruit of love is joy, then the blood of love is sacrifice, and the two go hand in hand. Thank you for the sacrifices that till the soil of human hearts, the service that plants seeds of love, and the patience that lets the storms of life water the family until the fruit of joy buds forth.
Finally, put succinctly, and maybe surprisingly, thank you for being normal. Thank you for going unnoticed and even uncelebrat-ed. Thank you for simply doing what you do because that is what you are supposed to do, for doing your
duty without recognition or celebration, for loving one another even when no one is noticing.
I would dare say that there are very few people in this room who would let me say to your family, “Thank you for being a holy family.” My suspicion is that, if I were to say that, you would wrench backwards and say, “Oh, Fr. Jarrod, we are NOT a holy
WELCOME! At St. Francis of Assisi Parish, we strive to be united in the Eucharist and formed as instruments of peace through the practice of stewardship in imitation of God’s Triune love. Through the proclamation of the Gospel we invite you to become disciples of Jesus Christ and included within our parish family through worship, fellowship, education, and stewardship.
NEW TO OUR PARISH? We’d love to have you join our faith community! Start the registration process by going to stfranciswichita.com or by calling the parish office.
All high school students in the parish are invited to join us for CYM on Wednesday nights. Throughout the year, we partici-
pate in activities that allow us to meet new people, grow in our faith, and serve our community. We have students from
five different high schools who attend on a regular basis.
January 13 – TBA Clare Hall
Please bring a mask.
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What’s Happening STEWARDSHIP FORMS It’s not too late to turn in your stewardship forms! Drop them off at the church office. If you still need forms, please contact the church office at (316) 722-4404.
What’s Happening ADORERS NEEDED Perpetual adoration at SFA has resumed, with social distancing and face coverings. If you are interested and willing to commit to one of these hours for adoration, please contact Jenny Morgan at [email protected].
• Tuesday, 4:00 to 5:00 a.m. URGENT • Tuesday, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. • Thursday, noon to 1:00 p.m.
OPERATIONS COUNCIL Prayers is one of the four pillars of stewardship. We need to ask ourselves how the Lord is calling me to serve during these winter months.
We look forward in hope as this year begins, as a prayerful people. May our parish continue to flourish and may we grow closer to God as 2021 begins.
- The Operations Council
BLOOD DRIVE Please join us for a blood drive on Friday, January 15, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Clare Hall parking lot. Visit Red-CrossBlood.org to schedule an appointment.
THANK YOU, GIVING TREE DONORS From St. Anthony Family Shelter: A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who placed gifts and household items under the Giving Trees. Your generosity was truly overwhelming and put on a beautiful display of this parish’s commitment to stewardship. Christmas came to the families served at St. Anthony Family Shelter only because of you. For two days parents of over 70 children came to “shop” in the “store” we set up. They were able to choose fleece throws, games, puzzles, gifts, winter wear, and stuff a stocking for each child. A joyful crew of vol-unteers gift wrapped. Parents were also told to select a gift for themselves. It was humbling and brought a few tears to see such excitement at the opportunity to experience what we so easily take for granted. Prior to Christmas the cupboards at Saint Anthony Family Shelter were practically bare. Now they are full to the brim and will help to provide essentials to homeless families well into 2021. Most often families arrive at Saint Anthony Family Shelter with very few possessions. Your giving will enable them to leave the shelter with a few house-hold items for a fresh start! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND ALL THOSE YOU LOVE THROUGHOUT 2021!
SAVE THE DATE: SHEKINAH HOLY HOUR Our Praise & Worship Holy Hour will return on Wednesday, February 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the church. This is a new time and it will now have a new name, “Shekinah,” which means “The majestic manifestation of God which has de-scended to dwell among men.” The Shekinah team members have been hard work and at prayer to make this relaunch of the event a very special and powerful evening for all who at-tend. Future Shekinah events will always happen on the sec-ond Wednesday of the month. All are welcome to attend and experience praise, worship, and healing prayer.
ST. JOSEPH CONSECRATION St. Francis will be walking through the Consecration to St. Joseph February 15 to March 19 for the Year of St. Joseph. The consecration is found in a book by Fr. Donald Calloway which we have purchased in bulk at a discounted price. You may pick up a copy in the parish office for $13. We will dis-tribute a limited number of copies on a first-come, first-served basis.
PARISH DIRECTORY PICKUP If you had your photo taken for the parish directory last year, you can pick up your directory in the parish office. If you did not have a photo taken but would like a directory, you may purchase one for $10 in the parish office.
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School News 4 Father’s Focus Cont’d SAVE THE DATE: DAY OF GIVING 2021 Save the date for St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School’s 2021 Day of Giving! The Day of Giving is an annual celebration of Catholic schools nationwide, and is held during Catholic Schools Week. The 2021 Day of Giving will be held for 24 hours starting on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Please consider making a gift to SFACS to commemorate this occasion.
SFA KINDERGARTEN APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED FOR 2021–2022 Applications for admission for the 2021–2022 kindergarten class are available on the school website, stfranciswichita.com/school. To begin the admission process, please turn in your completed application to the school office. Questions? Call the school officeat (316) 722–5171.
If a Catholic education is something that you do not feel is possible for your family, please contact Mr. Pat Burns, director of stewardship and finance, at (316) 722–4404 or [email protected] to learn more about the Stew-ardship Way of Life.
SFA PRESCHOOL APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED FOR 2021–2022 Enrollment applications for the preschool classes for the 2021–2022 School Year are now available on the school website: stfranciswichita.com/school. Once you complete the online form, your child will be placed on a waitlist for your selected class. The enrollment process is not completed until all sup-porting documentation, and an enrollment fee of $60, is re-ceived in the school office. Preschool classes include:
• 3 YR T–TH AM Class: 7:50 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
• 4 YR MWF AM Class: 7:50 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
• 4 YR M–F PM Class: 12:30 p.m.–3:20 p.m.
• 4 YR M–F ALL DAY Class: 7:50 a.m.–3:20 p.m.
For more information about the St. Francis of Assisi Pre-school Program, contact the school office at (316)722–5171.
NOW HIRING IN FOOD SERVICE SFA School is hiring for a part-time food service position (approx. 10-12 hours per week) starting in January 2021. You will join our friendly and hardworking food service team to prepare food, serve meals, and clean and organize work areas, in addition to providing outstanding customer service. For detailed information and position requirements, please contact St. Francis Food Service Manager Denise Smarsh at [email protected]. Applications can be found at catholicdioceseofwichita.org/careers and submitted to Den-ise Smarsh.
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family.”
So then would you accept this compliment? “Thank you for being a normal family! Thank you for being the family that God calls you to be. Thank you for your love of your spouse, your sacrifice for your children, your tenderness for your par-ents, your care for your siblings.” Would you let me say that? “Thank you for being a normal family”?
And if you are okay with me thanking you for being a normal family, then it is my hope that you can understand this simple truth: the normal family IS a holy family. A holy family doesn’t glow, doesn’t levitate, doesn’t float slightly above the ground as if it is too good to get dirty. That kind of family does not exist, nor will it ever exist! And, if you really paid attention to the early chapters of the Gospel, you would notice that isn’t even the kind of family that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were. A holy family is not a spectacular family: it is a normal family couched in God’s grace. In the end, a normal family IS a holy family provided it lets the grace of the God be bigger than the problems of the world and weakness of our humanity.
So, I feel compelled to speak, and even to proclaim, a sincere word of gratitude to all Christian families.
Thank you for being a normal family. Thank you for being a holy family.
- Fr. Jarrod Lies, pastor
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Mass Intentions
JANUARY 11 - 17, 2021
Monday 11 8:00 a.m. † Mary Hein
5:30 p.m. † Jerry Simon
Tuesday 12 8:00 a.m. † Matthew Suchan 5:30 p.m. † Bernard Wells
Wednesday 13 8:00 a.m. † Terry Fritz
5:30 p.m. † Clara Weber Thursday 14 8:00 a.m. † Ryan Finn
5:30 p.m. † Milissa L. Moore
Friday 15 8:00 a.m. All Souls In Purgatory
5:30 p.m. † Victor & Nilka Cano
Saturday 16 8:00 a.m. † Carlos Vasquez
5:00 p.m. † Bill Ashenfelter 7:00 p.m. † Mike Polly
Sunday 17 7:00 a.m. For the People
8:30 a.m. † Clementa Coronado
10:00 a.m. † Fred Kuestersteffen
11:30 a.m. Florence Gorges Spec. Int.
1:00 p.m. † Lena Starkey
CATHOLIC IN RECOVERY RETREAT From January 29 at 7:00 p.m. to January 31 at 1:00 p.m., Scott Weeman will be hosting a healing retreat at the Spiritual Life Center. This event is open to anyone struggling with an addic-tion or unhealthy attachments. Participants will be encouraged to encounter the Lord and grow closer to him through talks, reflection, prayer and sharing, as well as a faith-centric ap-proach to the 12-Steps of Addiction Recovery principles. Con-fession and Mass will be offered. For more information and to register, please visit www.slcwichita.org or call (316) 744-0167.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 10
FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD ROSARY GROUP Church, 5:00 p.m.
MONDAY, JANUARY 11
MARIAN MANTLE ROSARY GROUP Church, after 8:00 a.m. Mass
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY ROSARY GROUP Church, 7:00 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13
MEN’S PRAYER GROUP Clare Basement, 6:30–7:30 a.m. CALLED & GIFTED Stewardship Hall, 6:00–10:00 p.m. RCIA Clare Hall, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14
THURSDAY MORNING ROSARY GROUP Clare Basement, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15
MOBILE BLOOD DRIVE Clare Hall Parking Lot, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16
No events
Around the Diocese DIOCESAN JOB OPENING The Diocese of Wichita is seeking an outstanding individual to serve as Program Coordinator for the Office of Hispanic Ministry. This individual will work directly with the director in carrying out the mission of the office. This position will include administrative duties, translation and interpretation of documents, coordination and facilitation of projects/events to reach out to the Diocesan Hispanic community with special attention to youth and family efforts in our parishes. Dead-line for accepting resumes is January 19, 2021. For infor-mation regarding requirements, please check our job posting at http://catholicdioceseofwichita.org, Administration, Hu-man Resources/Careers.
PART-TIME POSITION OPEN AT CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION Church of the Resurrection in Bel Aire is seeking a hardwork-ing, trustworthy individual to serve as part-time Bookkeeper/Benefit Coordinator. The position will not exceed 30 hours a week. Responsibilities include but are not limited to bookkeeping of the church and school, benefits, payroll, hu-man resources coordination, balancing all financial transac-tions and contributions, accounts receivable and payable, preparation of financial reports and budgets, diocesan reports and completing and filing of government tax reports. Must be willing to work closely with pastor and Finance Council. Three or more years of accounting experience is desirable. Submit cover letter and resume with references to [email protected].
SIDEWALK ADVOCATES FOR LIFE TRAINING The Respect Life and Social Justice Office invites you to a Sidewalk Advocates for Life training, Thursday, January 14, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Pastoral Center (443 N. Topeka, Wichita). Sidewalk Advocates for Life promotes a compassionate, peaceful, prayerful style of advocating in front of abortion facilities. All materials and lunch will be provided free of charge. Space is limited. To register, contact Stephanie Nemechek at (316) 269-3900 Ext. 134 or [email protected].
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PRAYER REQUESTS
Kevin or Karen: (6:00–10:00 p.m.) .................................. E-mail ............................. [email protected]
LOST AND FOUND Please check Lost and Found in front walkway. Items are kept for two weeks before being donated to Goodwill. CHANGE OF ADDRESS? Please keep the church office informed of changes in names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. By letting us know you have moved, we can save money on postage returns and keep our membership roster up to date. BULLETIN NOTICES
Call 706–7185 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Unplanned Pregnancy? CALL 1.800.848.LOVE
Natural Family Planning
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FORMED Pick of the Week 6
To sign up for FORMED, visit formed.org/signup and search “St. Francis of Assisi Wichita.”
For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.4lpi.com St. Francis of Assisi, Wichita, KS B 4C 02-0756
CAROL CARPENTERRealtor ®, GRI, ABR, CRS, SRES 648-7797 [email protected]
Free CMA’s
Parishioner
316-686-8200
West Wichita Family Optometrists
J.D. Herndon, O.D. C.W. Kissling, O.D.
S.J. Schwartz, O.D.
M.A. Simon, O.D. E.W. Lamp, O.D.
E.J. Becker, O.D. N.J. Richmond, O.D.
1202 Maple 318 N. Main Wichita, KS 67213 Goodard, KS 67052 1-316-262-3716 Phone 1-316-794-2228 1-316-262-0784 Fax 1-316-794-2229
316-721-6424
DeGraffenreid Chiropractic, PADr. Aaron DeGraffenreid SEAS Parishionerwww.degraffchiro.com
9095 W. Central Just west of Tyler on Central 721-4546
Oxler Family DentistryJude A. Oxler, D.D.S. • George P. Oxler, D.D.S.
St. Francis Parishioner
900 N. Tyler Road, Suite 2 • Wichita, KS
722-2596
No Job Too Small - Painting, home repairs, clean-up I install just about anything Bill Parker • 644-5720 20 Years Experience • Insured Free Estimates • Senior Discounts
Claudia Wendell, MD • Hai Truong, DO • Thanh Truong, DO
Family Practice - Now Accepting New Patients • Family Medicine/Medico de Familia Aceptando Pacientes Nuevos7111 East 21st Street North, Suite A, Wichita, KS
Primary Care
AssociatesP C A
Bradley McClaskey Parishioner
352.895.8052Serving all of Wichita and South Central Kansas
Specializing in working with everyone from first time buyers to luxury clients
The Sisters of St. Joseph are inviting lay individuals to live with them in their residential complex at 3700 East Lincoln in Wichita.
Independent and assisted living apartments and rooms in skilled care are available.
For a tour contact Michael Rajewski
316.686.7171 or mrajewski@csj initiatives.org
For ad info. call 1-800-950-9952 • www.4lpi.com St. Francis of Assisi, Wichita, KS A 4C 02-0756
STEPHEN P. DUGAN DDS
Dugan Family Dentistry, P.A.
• Family Cosmetic Dentistry
• New Patients Welcome
7405 W. Central 316-773-2244
www.duganfamilydentistry.com
SEAS PARISHIONER
• TRUST • WILLS •
• PROBATE • BUSINESS •
• REAL ESTATE •
• DIVISION OF ASSETS •
• MEDICAID •
(316) 267-0200
LEON G. KEITERATTORNEY-AT-LAW
610 N. Maize Rd., Suite A440-9380 • garagewichita.com
