St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCVQcRjkPFxEs_CvqH1nR7w/videos
 

Parish Services Ongoing:

1)Daily Mass uploaded on YouTube around 9:30 am 
2)Unless there is a Funeral or other event, Church open for prayer 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily; Adoration in Church 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday; Pavilion open  24 hours daily
3)Confessions 3:00-4:00 pm Saturday and by appointment - contact Parish Office
4)Bulletin on website; paper copy in Church
5)Food Bank open outside Old Rectory, 9:00 - 11:00 am, Thursdays
6)Pray together as a community at 3 pm daily, the "Hour of Divine Mercy"
7)ALL MASSES OPEN TO 141 PEOPLE BEGINNING MAY 15 - SEE DETAILS BELOW
7)Parish Office open 9 am - 2 pm Monday through Friday but  calls and emails answered from 8 am - 4 pm.  For spiritual, sacramental or other needs, call 504-834-0340 or email  rgriffin@stfrancisxavier.com.  Emergency Line:  504-837-4733.

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       7th Saturday of Easter
                        May 30
               Jail Break

Today's 8 am Mass celebrated and preached by Fr. Joe and accessible at church.stfrancisxavier.com.
Today’s 4 pm Vigil Mass celebrated by Fr. Thien, preached by Deacon Kevin. and accessible on website on Sunday morning.
 
1^st Reading: Jail Break.  After years of doing missionary work for the Lord, Paul was imprisoned in Rome for two years. During that time, he could not visit any of the communities of faith he established.  But being in jail did not stop Paul from proclaiming God’s word.  God’s word and God’s mission cannot be jailed.  Paul couldn’t go to the people so he wrote letters to them and welcomed visitors to his cell.  Paul simply changed the way he ministered. 
 
Sometimes when a door is closed for us, we despair over the closed door instead of looking for the open door.  With God, there is always a way, an opportunity, an open door.  Lord, your word and your mission cannot be imprisoned.  When it looks like all doors have been closed to us, show us the open door.  Unlock the prison of our mind and hearts.
 
First Communion Mass and Confirmation today.  A second group of children made their First Holy Communion this morning, and an adult in our RCIA Program received his Confirmation.  Prayers for our newest sacramental recipients.
 
Saturday Vigil Mass and Confessions; Sunday Masses.  Parishioners are asked to wear facial covering at the 4 pm Saturday Vigil Mass – to accommodate all who are asking for facial covering for health reasons.  Confessions will be heard today from 3-3:30 pm in Church (Fr. Thien) and from 3-4 pm outside under the Port Cochere (Fr. Joe).  This will be our last time of outdoor confessions as the outside temperatures heat up.  Sunday Masses are at 8 am (facial covering), 10 am, 12 noon and 6 pm.
 
Drive-by Food Drive tomorrow.  The Daughters of Isabella will collect food for our Food Bank tomorrow from 11 am – 1:30 pm in front of the Old Rectory Garage.  See the Bulletin for details on the food items that are needed and the driving route for dropping off food.  Thank you.
 
Adoration Chapel reopens Monday:  Adoration in Church is ending because our Adoration Chapel will reopen on Monday.  The Chapel will be open daily from 7 am to 6 pm.  Only four people can be in the Chapel at a time due to Covid restrictions.  Thanks to the adorers who have signed up to cover all the available hours.  To sign up as a sub, text Dottie W. at 504-339-4298.

St. Joseph Hall Will Reopen Soon.  During the quarantine, we have been working on the replacement of the a/c units in St. Joseph Hall with more energy-efficient units and the construction of new a/c closets to make the facility more air-tight.  The a/c closets are almost complete and half the new energy-efficient a/cs have been installed.  We are grateful to the generous benefactors who contributed the funds for this to happen.  We are in the process of assessing the facility to meet Covid guidelines for meetings of small groups, large groups, and events with and without food.  Please be patient as we complete our construction/assessment ahead of the reopening of St. Joseph Hall.
 
Bulletin:  The Weekly Bulletin is accessible on the parish website and in Church.
 
Your donations keep us going.  Our Church and its ministries function because of your financial support.  Please be generous in your offertory giving, and please donate to the Peter’s Pence Fund this weekend.  This fund enables Pope Francis to make gifts in the name of our Church to victims of war, oppression and natural disasters throughout the world.
 
HAVE A BLESSED SATURDAY, FR JOE

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Public Mass Attendance Has Expanded; Phase 1 May 15 Guidelines
 
+Governor’s Directive.  The new Directive allows us to expand to 141 people in Church per mass.  Once that capacity is reached, we can’t allow any more people at mass.
 
+Dispensation Continues.  The Dispensation from attending Sunday Mass remains in effect.  If you attend a Weekday Mass, that fulfills the Sunday Mass obligation too. 
 
+Videotaping of Masses Continues.  The videotaping of weekday/weekend masses continues.
 
+No More Signing Up for Mass; No Limit to Attending Mass.  There is no more requirement to sign up for Mass.  The first 141 people for Mass get a seat.  The rest come back for another Mass. There is no limit of attending one Mass per week.  You can go to Mass as often as you like.
 
+Entry through Side Doors of Church Only; Seating at Mass.  Please use the side doors to enter church.  For weekday mass, choose a pew and stay 6 feet away from everybody else.  For weekend Mass, ushers will direct you to a pew that fits your group.
 
+Social Distancing Requirements at Mass:  Stay 6 feet apart from others in Church and in the Communion line unless you are with a group; sanitize your hands immediately before Communion; receive Communion in the hand – open your hand flat and let the minister ‘drop’ the host into your hand; no physical contact at the sign of peace unless you are with a group; please don’t hang out in church before or after Mass; you MUST wear a facial covering to attend the 4 pm Mass on Saturday, the 8 am Mass on Sunday and the 6:30 am Mass on Tuesday – for all other masses, facial coverings are encouraged strongly but not required.
 
+The Mass Schedule is as Usual on weekdays and weekends.
 
+Thanks for your patience and cooperation.