Cathedral Family,
I am just hearing the wonderful news from the Vatican that Pope Leo XIV has called for a “Special Year of Jubilee of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. It was decreed in Rome on January 10th. It will conclude in January of 2027. The Sacred Penitentiary has announced that during this special Franciscan Jubilee Year there will be an opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence with the usual requirements associated with obtaining the indulgence. This includes making a sacramental confession, receiving Holy Communion, praying for the intentions of the Pope and making a pilgrimage to a recognized Franciscan site. We qualify as a pilgrimage site as our Cathedral is named in honor of St. Francis!
The goal of the year is “authentic spiritual renewal across the whole Church.” Please stay tuned for our upcoming events to mark this milestone and for a potential plan to make a parish pilgrimage that I would like to lead to Assisi in Italy and some shrines there. More information will be forthcoming! It will be next Fall.
Our Transformative Small Faith Communities will kick off this next week. Please, let us know as soon as possible of your interest. You will not be disappointed. This is a great opportunity to take your spiritual journey to the next level! Call the Pastoral Center Office immediately and/or speak with our staff, in particular, to Deacon Rick who is overseeing the process.
Please consider coming with us this coming Friday, January 23rd, to Washington DC for the March for Life. We must remain a persevering presence to lend our voice to protect children in danger of abortion, and to pray for, and bring healing to, women who are deeply wounded by their choice of abortion. We also must pray for a change of heart for those who are hardened to the tragic reality of taking life in the womb that remains all too common in our land. Pray and sacrifice is the biblical solution.
Please bring your bibles to Mass next Sunday. It is Word of God Sunday. We will preach and teach on the importance of God’s Word as the normative source of life in the Church as we promote reading and praying with the Scripture at home. We will also bless and commission our parish readers (lectors) who faithfully proclaim God’s Word in the assembly of the Church. The commission will be at the 10 am Mass.
Next Sunday, at the 12 noon Mass, we will celebrate Catholic Schools Week! It is an opportunity to celebrate and honor all who work for the mission of Catholic education right here at St. Francis Cathedral School. I am grateful to our talented and gifted teachers, administrators and students who daily make us proud. Please pray for our school and all we do for the mission of Catholic education.
Please keep daily prayer, regular Mass attendance, and Confession a steady part of life. We need all of our parishioners to be attached to the Vine of Jesus Christ! We do that through the sacraments, our daily prayer, our outreach to the poor, and conforming our daily sacrifices to Him who lives in us!
In Jesus,
Father Christy