a joyous celebration: thededicationmass · rocky railway: jesus’ power pulls us through - june...

Grapevinethe St. Francis

September 2019

A NEWSLETTER OF ST FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 861 WILDWOOD LN, GRAPEVINE TX • SFATX.ORG

Special 70th Anniversary & Dedication Edition

On September 1, 2019, St. Francis of Assisi marked its 70th year as a parish with the dedication of a new altar and the revealing of a long-awaited sanctuary renovation. Most Reverend Michael F. Olson, Bishop of Fort Worth, was here to celebrate the special Mass, which was con-celebrated by Fr. Sojan George, our pastor, and Fr. James Flynn, our previous pastor, who helped initiate the Captial Campaign which made the renovation possible. About 1,200 people were in attendance at the Mass, which was marked by a special Altar Blessing and Dedication. This rite of the Church lifts

continued on page 3...

A JOYOUSCELEBRATION:

TheDedicationMass Absolutely beautiful new sanctuary and

a very moving Mass. The choir sounded

amazing (even better than usual)!

- Mark Davis"

"What a great day for all of us who had the pleasure

of attending this wonderful

dedication!

- Nancy Habasch

FROM THE PASTOR

OFFICE HOURSMonday - 9:15 am - 8:30 pmThursday (closed for lunch from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm)Friday 9:15 am - 12:00 pmSunday 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

CHURCH HOURSMonday - 8:00 am - 8:30 pmThursday Friday 8:00 am - 6:00 pmSaturday 8:00 am - 6:00 pmSunday 7:00 am - 5:30 pm

MASS SCHEDULEWEEKENDS (nursery/guardería)Saturday Vigil 5:00 pmSunday (no nursery) 8:00 am 10:00 am (en español) 1:00 pm 4:30 pm

WEEKDAYSMonday 8:30 amWednesday 6:00 pmThursday 8:30 amFriday 8:30 am

St. Francis of Assisi Church861 Wildwood LaneGrapevine, Texas 76051

817.481.2685 @StFrancisTX

Dear Parish Family,

I am happy to share with you all this special 70th anniversary and dedication edition of our parish newsletter, The St. Francis Grapevine.

The last few months have been very busy for me and the parish staff as we have worked together, along with our architects,

designers, and construction crew, to ensure a timely completion of the sanctuary renovation, all while also undergoing updates to the Family Life Center and the restrooms in the church building. We so appreciate your patience as this process was not without its inconveniences and setbacks, and we are grateful to the entire parish family for your contributions which made this project possible. What a gift the newly renovated space will be to all of us and our worship, as we continue to strive to build a Church of missionary disciples here in Grapevine, TX.

Our Dedication Mass was a wonderful occasion. I would like to thank Bishop Olson who came to be with us to dedicate our new altar. His support of this project, along with that of Fr. Flynn, made the celebration so much more special for our community. I would also like to express appreciation for all the music ministers, readers, servers, ushers, greeters, acolytes, extraordinary ministers, hospitality ministers, and staff who made the day possible. I encourage you to visit sfatx.org/mychurch to discover more fully the beauty behind the updated artwork and architecture through our visual tour. We pray that this new space will deepen your faith and enliven your prayer life here at the parish.

While the summer has seemingly been focused on the construction, our staff has also been busy leading summer programming, while also preparing for the catechetical year which just began. We invite everyone in our parish community to discover a specific way they can get more connected and grow deeper in their faith this coming year, whether through Discover Christ, a Connect Group, our various ministries, Young Church or children's catechesis.

As we continue to celebrate our 70th year as a parish, I hope that your family will join us for the Pictorial Directory. Our goal is for every family to participate. You can sign-up at sfatx.org/directory. We also hope you will join us for our 70th Anniversary Parish Picnic & BBQ Cook-off Celebration on Saturday, October 5. More info can be found at sfatx.org/bbq-picnic.

Be assured of my prayers for you.

In Christ,

Fr. Sojan GeorgePastor

sfatx.org

the St. Francis Grapevine 3

PARISH HAPPENINGSPARISH HAPPENINGS

Bounce Houses • Petting Zoo Face Painting • Yard GamesPet Blessing • Pet AdoptionOutdoor Mass with Fr. Sojan BBQ Contest • Potluck Sides

Silent Auction • Food • Drinks Live Music by Bradley Banning$5/person • $30/family max

TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ONLINE AND IN THE PARISH OFFICE PRIOR TO THE EVENT! TICKETS

PURCHASED AT THE DOOR WILL BE $8/PERSON.

MORE INFO: sfatx.org/bbq-picnic

Saturday, October 5 • 2-9PMWE HOPE YOUR FAMILY WILL JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF OUR PARISH!!



















up the altar as the central part of the sanctuary space with an anointing, incensing, and lighting. The anointing with chrism makes the altar a symbol of Christ, or "The Anointed One," who on the altar of His body offered the sacrifice of His life for all. Incense was then burned on the altar to signify that Christ's sacrifice, there perpetuated in mystery, ascends to God, along with the prayers of the people who gather there. Finally, the altar was lit to remind us that Christ is "a light to enlighten the nations" and His brightness shines out in the Church. Relics of three saints were also placed in the altar during the dedication, St. Justin Martyr, Pope St. Pius X, and St. Anthony of Padua, in keeping with the ancient tradition of the Mass being celebrated in the roman catacombs over the tombs of the martyrs. Parishioners also appreciated the other updates to the space, including the new tabernacle, stairs, paint color, artwork, flooring and kneelers. The choir and musicians, various liturgical ministers, acolytes, and hospitality ministries helped to make the liturgy a beautiful celebration, complete with a special reception afterwards. God has surely blessed our parish and we look forward to many years of prayer, worship and sacred liturgies in our new sanctuary space.

More pictures of this special occasion can be found on page 7.

The Dedication Mass... (continued from the front cover)

"The sanctuary is beyond

beautiful! The mass was quite

memorable!

- Laura Pereira

PARISH HAPPENINGSWhen VBS is Good, God is Good!Vacation Bible School 2019 was a ROARing good time! We had over 130 participants and nearly 100 volunteers join us this summer at Holy Trinity Catholic School for our first-ever off-site St. Francis VBS. Thank you to all of the many volunteers and to Holy Trinity for hosting us during our renovations. The whole building was full of the joy and love of the Holy Spirit and everyone involved learned so much! We spent the week of VBS learning that God is good no matter what is going on in our lives. In addition to learning about God, we practiced our faith through prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, and service to the poor. Our VBS Service Project collected over 2,600 food items to help families who struggle in our community during the summer. THANK YOU for your generosity! Save the Date for VBS 2020 - Rocky Railway: Jesus’ Power Pulls Us Through - June 15-19. Volunteer Registration opens in February and Participant Registration opens in March!

This summer, St. Francis of Assisi hosted it’s second Connect Event, this time off-site at Redefined Coffee House in Grapevine. About 50 people met and connected with others to start a Connect Group, or a small group of people in the same stage of life and same part of town who meet regularly to share Christian community. Groups were asked to initially commit to meet together for eight weeks. This time was spent getting to know each other and walking through a short study series on Christian community. At the end of the the eight weeks, group members decided to either continue with their group, or wait and join a different group at another time. No pressure, no questions asked. To find out more about Connect Groups and the next Connect Event, visit sfatx.org/connect.

RECAP

But, Denise's impact reaches far beyond music ministry. Dee McNosky notes, "Her dedication, talent and vision has led many to .... a deeper appreciation of their faith. She has been 'instrumental' in all manner of transitions; weddings, funerals, new pastors, [etc.] With her direction and steadfast resolve, she has helped our church community grow together as one family, in the Body and Spirit of Christ." When asked what legacy she hopes to leave at St. Francis, Denise simply stated, "That I helped instill a love of music here. Keep singing—no matter what." We wish Denise all the best in her retirement. She will be missed!

A RETIREMENT WELL-EARNED:Honoring our Liturgy & Music Director, Denise BrooksAfter 22+ years of ministry at our parish spread over four decades, Denise Brooks, our Director of Music & Liturgy, will be retiring this fall. Arriving in 1983 when we were still in the old church, Denise recalls, "We started with nothing. We didn't have a rehearsal space or a piano or anything.... in fact, I just happened to attend Mass at the mission church one Sunday and Pat Rampellini invited me to come have donuts and coffee after Mass in the parish hall. Before I knew it, I was talking to Fr. B and offering to start a choir. And that's how it all began." And since that time, Denise has been an integral part of the liturgies at our parish. "Our choir was basically built out of community. When we dedicated the new church in 1985, our ministry grew very quickly, going from 20 to 50 choir members." As Jennifer Disco, a choir member recollects, "I have loved being part of the choir and will miss Denise terribly... Her beautiful passion for music touched me often and brought me closer to our Lord." Terry Miller continues, "One of the things I've always admired about her is her sincerity and her generosity with compliments and with motivating people." Sophia Polisetty also expressed her gratitude, saying, "Having worked with Mrs. Brooks since Children’s Choir, she has always inspired a love of music within me. Now over seven years later...Mrs. Brooks is still constantly challenging me to be the best version of myself that I can be."


YOUTH CATECHESIS & YOUTH MINISTRY

Parents love it when their children make things for them to see. A card, a picture, schoolwork that they can talk about...it’s all welcome to a mom or dad. In the CGS Atrium the children often create things. And just as often, they don’t. Does it mean they aren’t learning when their hands aren’t full of papers after Atrium? Of course not. They’re still learning and growing in their relationship with God. In fact, kids can get so used to the “production mentality” (“I have to use my time to produce things to show my parents.”) that they don’t allow themselves to enter into deeper meditation on the Word of God.

I’m just like the children, though. Sometimes, my brain wants to express itself with art or other written or created pieces. Other times, I keep my hands busy because my brain is too tired or distracted to concentrate on bigger thoughts. It’s not until someone comments on my fidgety movements that I recognize the need to slow down and breathe.

In the Atrium, we give the children the space, time, and encouragement to slow down to breathe and think about God. Often the most beautiful growth that comes from their time in the space doesn’t have any stuff to demonstrate their learning. Their deeper love for God, their understanding of a particular Scripture passage, their desire to be with Him, often doesn’t have physical evidence that goes with it. But the growth is real and is deep. After all, years from now, you may or may not have that piece of artwork they created, but they’ll still have their relationship with God.

It’s Not About The Stuff Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Explained: A Series with Laura Nelson of Children's Catechesis

SACRAMENT PREP UPDATEGod’s plan for us is to share in His blessed life. “God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life.” (CCC 1). Each of us is on a unique journey of faith with the Lord, growing in our participation in the life of God. The primary way we share in God’s life is through the sacraments, which dispense grace into our lives and bring us into greater communion with God. Throughout our lives we are supported by God’s grace to resist temptation and sin, and encouraged to use our freewill to choose to participate in the life of God.

God wants us to choose ourselves to share in His divine life, through the sacraments. Because of this, it is important for parents and other disciples to accompany youth on their own unique journey towards the sacraments. The sacraments are not a rite of passage required to be received at a certain grade level. The requirements of the sacrament (age, preparation, readiness, willingness to receive) are just a starting point for the journey toward the sacrament.

In the past, the Church has done a poor job of journeying with parents and youth on their way to the sacraments. Important questions have been ignored, and we often just push kids through a “sacrament preparation program” to receive a sacrament without asking these questions first:

• Does the child desire the sacraments and a deeper relationship with God?

• Is the family ready to support the sacramental life of the child AFTER they receive?

• Does the child have the right context for how the sacraments fit into the bigger picture of who they are and who God is?

• Does the child understand who Jesus is, what we believe about Him, and what that means for us?

We’ve been working hard to create a new approach to sacrament preparation. We’ve created a tool, the Sacrament Prep Discernment Interview, where a parent and child can partner with a trained volunteer who will ask questions and listen to the child’s unique journey with God. Then we’ll help them come up with a custom plan for their child’s journey toward the sacraments. We hope this new approach will make people feel cared for, and create a better plan for children to embrace God’s call to share in His divine life rather than just go through a program. We’re seeing that when children are treated uniquely, and are given more time to respond to God’s invitation, they understand and desire the sacraments in a much more profound way. We’re praying for you!

I'd like to share with you all the experiences that will be the most important ones of my life: the most important message I received, the most important decision I made, and the most important relationship to maintain.

I grew up in a wonderful Christian home. My family worked as missionaries in Spain. My family became Catholic when I was thirteen. We pray together. We go to church every Sunday. We talk about our faith all the time. But God wanted more from me. He didn’t want my relationship with Him to be limited to my family’s practices. Romans 6:13 says, “Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes.” I was avoiding this complete surrender; my relationship with God was becoming intermittent and lacking righteousness. It was not the relationship that God had intended and would easily be strangled by the challenges of the world because I was not completely submitting to His perfect will for me. Yet, I continued to participate with my family because I knew it was Truth. Slowly I realized I was called to more.

June of this year, I signed up for Steubenville Lonestar, and that is where it all happened. I had chosen to go, intentionally, in order to grow closer to God. I wanted the type of personal relationship with God that others had, that my parents had, and that they had shared with me and my siblings. So as my life-changing weekend began, I remember

being completely shocked by the thousands of teens gathered, all wanting the same thing I did. All weekend long we were told about how we belong to God, and that He is unceasingly seeking a relationship with us. I was able to speak to Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, during adoration, telling Him everything I had been feeling before and during this conference. I thanked and worshiped and praised Him because of His unconditional love and mercy, His patience with my noncommittal behavior. But, one of the most important messages that they told us throughout the weekend was that God’s love was not meant to be a fleeting feeling that comes with fellowship, but that His was a sacrificial love. Jesus died on the cross that we may enjoy a perfect relationship with Him for all of eternity. I realized God was calling me to make the decision of whether or not I would surrender to His will and accept His sacrificial love. So as I left that conference, I made a conscious decision that I would become completely invested in my faith, that I would make it personal. And I know that God is always there, when distractions come up, to call me back to Him, to help me stay faithful to my commitment to Him.

My faith has been made inextinguishable due to the growing love I have for the Lord. My love makes me want to choose the righteous path God has chosen for me. I choose to listen to Christian music, I choose to learn more about the saints and Church teachings and I choose to encourage you all in your faith. Just by being part of St. Francis parish and the Catholic Church, you have made the first step in seeking God’s perfect love. So I encourage you to open yourself up to God even more, listening to the messages that you will hear from Him, because they will be some of the most important moments of your life.

Steubenville Lonestar A Reflection by Hadassah Erwin, a senior at Flower Mound High School

Out of the 3,000 students from around the country who attend Steubenville Lonestar, only about 30 are chosen to participate in LEAD.

Young Church Summer Highlights: • Party Barge on Lake Grapevine complete with

praise under the fireworks and stars• A weekly game-night with an inspiring Gospel

message and time of prayer• Journeying through Salvation History at our

Scripture Immersion Day • Gaga Ball.... and more Gaga Ball! • Paint Ball Excursion• Helping lead Vacation Bible School • Life Teen's Camp Covecrest in Tiger, GA• Steubenville Lonestar in Irving• Sending FOUR of our very own high school

students to Franciscan LEAD, a week-long retreat leading up to Steubenville focused on Leadership, Evangelization, and Discipleship

• Lake Day Picnic to close out the summer


MINISTERIO HISPANO

Soy la Hermana Edid Torres, Nací en Caltepec Puebla. Ingresé a la Congregación de Misioneras Catequistas de los Sagrados corazones de Jesús y de María en el año 2000. Mi experiencia de Misión en los estados Unido ha sido en los estados de Texas y Nuevo México. Agradezco a Dios por cada experiencia vivida que ha hecho crecer y madurar mi fe. Me encomendó a sus oraciones para que pueda cumplir con la voluntad de Dios en esta nueva misión de la cual me siento muy contenta de haber sido enviada. Gracias, que Dios los Bendiga.

Bienvenida

HERMANA EDIDLa hermana Edid se unió a nuestro personal en agosto. ¡Únase a nosotros para darle la bienvenida!

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT"Friendship is one of life’s gifts and a grace from God. Through our friends, the Lord refines us and leads us to maturity. Faithful friends, who stand at our side in times of difficulty, are also a reflection of the

Lord’s love...The experience of friendship teaches us to be open, understanding and caring towards others, to come out of our own comfortable isolation and to share our lives." (Christus Vivit, 151). In his post-synodal letter to young people from this past April, Pope Francis reminds us of the importance of a supportive and authentic community of friends. If you are a young adult looking for this type of community, we invite you to join us for an upcoming Young Adult Taco Night. "Young adults, first and foremost, really need a place where they belong - a regular event where they can be themselves, where they don’t feel 'preached-at,' and where they can have fellowship with their peers outside of the office or the pews," says Sam Ford, coordinator of young adult ministry here at St. Francis. "We really want to build up that sort of inclusive, Christian young adult community here at St. Francis." For more information or to join the next young adult event, visit: facebook.com/sfatx.ya

"Very moving Mass. Thank

you for bringing back some more

tradition and reverence!

- Helen VanCura

For more information on in-person tours of our new sanctuary or to take our

virtual tour of the updates, visit:

sfatx.org/mychurch

"So honored to be part of such a wonderful

day. I felt the warmth of the [Franciscan

Order's] spirit and I am so happy I have found this parish.

- Margie Davoodi

STAFF BLOG SAMPLINGSDO YOU 'HAVE' IT?Scott ImmelCoordinator of RCIA & Tribunal Advocate

"You can not give what you don't have." - Anonymous

This saying, in various forms, has been floating around the ‘sayings-to-be-remembered’ universe for a long time. It applies to all people in all situations, but I’m particularly interested in how it applies to us Christians, who have been told we have a responsibility to preach (give) the Good News to all the world in order to fulfill our own destiny to become Disciples on fire with the Truth of God’s love for us.

Speaking as a Christian, it’s my duty, my calling, my designation by baptism and confirmed by my anointing with chrism to pass on, to give, to teach, to preach, to educate all whom I meet about the teachings of Jesus Christ. Wow! Heavy stuff. The question is…am I prepared and qualified to do it, because I believe the saying “You cannot give what you do not have”?

Let’s see: sixteen+ years of formal Catholic education and training, several years of religious formation and more years of vowed religious life, two dozen years additional study, training and catechizing in formal Church settings…you would think, wouldn’t you, that I’ve “got it”!? But, all that ‘resume’ stuff above doesn’t speak to the essence of the saying.

The “have” part is the key. "Having" something means way more than just possessing something in this context. “Having” in this instance is more like ‘I have pneumonia’ than it is like 'I have a job.' When you have pneumonia, it’s part of your body chemistry. It’s internal with external manifestations. It’s powerful

enough to affect everything your body does while you have it. If pneumonia was a good thing to have, this analogy could continue, so lets pretend for context that having it is the goal. The question for each of us is, "do we have it?”, and the next question is, “how do we know we have it?"

If we perform a little examination of our day just before we go to sleep, we can judge whether or not we’ve had it that day by how often we gave it away. The

smile and kind words to every person we met that day, the gratitude expressed to others who have done good things to/for us that day,

the prayerful thoughts about someone who needs prayers for healing, for comfort, for loneliness…all these are solid evidence that we had it for the day! Contrast that with the exam showing our road

rage driving to work, the disrespect shown to a fellow worker (who, by the way,

we don’t like!), the failure to acknowledge another’s greeting or signs of recognition. I don’t believe that these behaviors are an indication that we don’t have it…I believe they are indicative that, today, we were selfish, self-centered and not aware of others. I don’t believe that, if we ever have it, that we can suddenly lose it. Instead, it’s like a tool that doesn’t get used frequently and isn’t well taken care of, so over time, it becomes more and more useless until it can’t be restored and

we determine it has no value and throw it away.

So I’d add this to the saying: “But the less you give of what you have the more likely it is that what you have will soon be gone.”

A Huge Thank You TO EVERYONE AT THE PARISH WHO ASSISTED WITH THE

GRACE Feed Our Kids Program!

We were able to provide healthy lunches & snacks to about 250 kids for 3 days. Whether you donated food, money, or gave of your time, your generosity is appreciated! A special thank you to Cristina's in Southlake, and Los Amigos, Braum's, and Chick-fil-a on William D. Tate in Grapevine who donated or discounted entrees for the three days.


This blog post by Laura was originally featured on catholicmom.com on 9/3/19.

OUTREACH IN ACTION

A POUND OF FLESHLaura NelsonCoordinator of Children's Catechesis

When my oldest son turned 18, I came face to face with my own hypocrisy and irrationality. It was time for him to register for Selective Service and suddenly, that thing that I had always rationally understood as not-the-draft and nothing-to-be-concerned-about, irrationally became an injustice of gigantic proportions.

My mama bear gut reflex came out in a full-on emotional crisis. Suddenly, I felt as if my rights and my son’s rights were being assaulted. How dare “they” even think about ripping him out of his life to serve in the military against his will!

Now, I know that this isn’t what’s happening at all. Registering for Selective Service isn’t the draft. We have a strong professional military in our country that doesn’t need to rely on forced participation to keep us safe and protected. I knew that then too. In my head. But my heart felt very differently at that surprisingly emotional time. Suddenly, I felt like I had skin in the game. In my heart, it felt like the government was trying to force me to give my pound of flesh but it was actually well over a hundred pounds of flesh which contained my handsome, blue-eyed precious 18 year-old “baby.”

And then I realized, this is what sacrifice is really all about, isn’t it? It’s not about giving from our excess. It’s about giving from our heart. Sometimes, until it hurts. And there are lots of families over the years that have made the ultimate sacrifice of their sons and daughters through active and often voluntary military service. Here

I was, not willing to even sacrifice in theory and there are so many that lean into the sacrifice of military service in reality each and every day. To say that I was humbled is an understatement. And then I thought about God and His Son...another wave of humility hit me.

Without a certain Sacrifice of gigantic proportions, we wouldn’t have eternal life. God sacrificed His own innocent Son for us; sinful, imperfect us. Out of love. It’s because of this sacrifice that we know of His love as well as of His mercy and forgiveness.

This experience taught me so much about myself and about God. It helped me see where I need to do some spiritual work. I am sinful and selfish and sometimes, I’m just awful. I’m not God (obviously). I’m not Love. I’m not Goodness. But, I understand a little better the depth of God’s love and the depth of His sacrifice for us now in part because I see how great He is in comparison to me. And that’s what makes His love so amazing. It’s too good for us. Yet, He gives it to us freely.

I know I’ll never be God. But I strive to be more like Him throughout my life. But, I can only do that with His Divine Assistance. If you need His help like I do, join me in prayer.

Dear Father in heaven, help me to love so deeply that I don’t count the cost. Help me to stop weighing my “pound of flesh” and instead give all to you because of my love for you. And please bless greatly all of those who give without thinking. Help me to be more like them. Amen.

It's Almost Angel Tree Time! Plans are already underway at our St. Francis Outreach to ensure local families in need will get some special love from our parish family when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around. Adopt-a-Family sign-ups, for those families who need assistance, begin October 22. These families must qualify as they would with any agency after meeting with an Outreach caseworker. Over the next several months, we will be conducting special food drives to collect the food specifically needed for the Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets. Keep an eye on the bulletin for the specific food needs. The Angel Trees will go up mid-November and the

unwrapped gifts will be due back by December 7, ensuring enough time to distribute the gifts to the families before Christmas. We will also have angels requesting donations for financial needs these families may have, such as utilties and rent. This is a great option if you prefer not to shop for clothing or toys. This program would not be possible without the tremendous generosity of our parish family. Those who volunteer and work at St. Francis Outreach love this time of the year and we are so very thankful for your support!

McKuzes Family

SCHOOL NEWS

VISIT CAMPUS AND CONSIDER A CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOR YOUR CHILD3750 William D. Tate Avenue • Grapevine, TX • 76051 • 817.421.8000 • [email protected]

October 5, 2019 join us for our 1st annual 5K Fun Run/Walk & 1k Obstacle Race(age 5 and under). To register for this event go to holytcs.org/events, scroll to the link and click or email [email protected]

Tuition Transfer Grants For qualifying students transferring from private,

public, charter and home schools. Contact your Parish Office for more information.

Now offering

“The foundation I received at Holy Trinity allowed me to achieve academic excellence, confidence in who I am, and a strong moral compass.”

Abigail Settlemier Class of 2015

Attending Trinity College in Dublin Ireland

On NTGD we will host our 4th Annual Fund Kick Off Party at Holy Trinity from 6:30-8:30pm. Bring your family and enjoy live music, dancing and games. Food trucks will be available to purchase dinner and treats.

St. Francis of Assisi Preschool is about to start its 26th year of classes and care for the children of our parish and community! Our program is Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am - 2pm for children 18 months - PK4. We have also launched the Wednesday LEEP (Little Hands Exploration and Enrichment) Program for PK3 -4! We have a few remaining spots, so contact the Director, Karen Bedore, for more info or to schedule a tour at 817-481-2685 x230 or [email protected].

The preschool was extremely busy as we finished out last school year in May! We had our May Crowning, a special End of the School Year Blessing with Father Sojan, and as is tradition, a fabulous Tropical Splash Day (despite having to be moved indoors due to the weather). Our Pre K4 graduation ceremony was joyous and bittersweet as our students move on to kindergarten in the fall. It was wonderful to see how much the children have grown in 9 months, or for many of them, over 3-4 years!

We were so excited as the students returned to school the first full week of September. We had a wonderful Meet the Teacher Day and the students are well on their way to settling in for the year. We can't wait to watch our students flourish in their studies and faith again this year!

PRESCHOOL

ST. FR

ANCIS OF ASSISIMORE INFO:

sfatx.org/preschool


ST. FRANCIS FAMILIES

Tell us a bit about your family. We met in Justin, TX, and Eric and I (Desiree) were married by Fr. Thu at St. Francis in 2009. I was Methodist when we were married, and I came into the Catholic Church through RCIA here at St. Francis in 2012. That same year, we added Genevieve to our family and in 2016, Viktoria joined the fold. Genevieve is in 2nd grade and Viktoria will be starting preschool this year. Eric works as a customs broker here in Grapevine and I am a stay at home mom. Eric is a cradle Catholic, was raised in Champaign, Illinois, and was active in the local parish as a kid. Eric moved to Texas in 2001. I was born and raised in the DFW area.

What is an interesting fact about your family that people may not suspect or know?Our last name, McKuzes, is extremely rare. There are currently ten people with the last name McKuzes living in the world, and we’re all directly related! Seven of those 10 have the name by birth.

Do you have any fun or interesting family traditions?Every summer, we pick one night to just have ice cream for dinner. At Christmas, we choose children from the Angel Tree that are the same age as our children. We then allow our kids to pick the gifts to teach them that there are some who are not as fortunate as we are here in our own community. We hope that this tradition is passed down to their children.

What is one way your family prays together?Dinner together at the table every night is non-negotiable. It is also non-negotiable to leave all electronics completely turned off during that time.Because of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Genevieve has learned that she can stop and pray anytime she wants or needs to, and she has become very comfortable with it.

What is a favorite scripture passage for your family? "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." from Joshua 24:15. This directly reflects our family mission statement which is “We will always do the right thing.”

What drew you to St. Francis of Assisi Parish?Our family has called St. Francis our home for more than 10 years. When we got married in 2009, we said we wanted to get involved in the parish life. Since then, we have joined many ministries and groups within the parish. Years ago, we were asked why we went to St. Francis. Our answer came easy—its our home. We chose St Francis after attending other parishes within the area, and St. Francis was just the place that felt like home. Even though St Francis is a larger community than some other parishes in the area, it was the one that was most welcoming.

What mass does your family typically attend and what parish ministries are your family involved in? We love the 10:00am Mass, but feel so blessed that there are many Masses to choose from so that we can always fulfill our spiritual needs. Eric is currently serving as Grand Knight for the 4th time of our parish Knights of Columbus Council, while I am a member of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary. Together we have served as Engaged Couples Sponsors and with the Wedding Ministry, on various events committees, and with the Captial Campaign Committee. I also serve as the MSP Administrator, help with the Environment Ministry and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd as a sub, and attend MOMS Group.

What do you love most about the parish?We love what everyone else loves about St. Francis! This is an exceptionally warm, dynamic, inviting and family friendly church.

How would you describe our parish to an outsider? For those new to faith, returning Catholics and those who are searching for a faith home, St. Francis Grapevine is a great place to join a faith community, with perfect opportunities to learn and grow in your faith.

McKuzes Family

These featured families, along with all our parish families, contribute to what makes St. Francis a

thriving community. We are honored they call us home. To nominate a family to be featured, email

Dani Milliken at [email protected].

861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, TX 76051Return Service Requested

NONPROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDGRAPEVINE, TXPERMIT NO. 87

What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? What is my purpose? What will make me happy? Is God real? Discover Christ is multi-week series of open conversations about life, meaning, purpose, God, and faith. We’ll open with a free dinner and a short talk to launch a conversation about life, meaning, and faith. We’ll then spend the rest of the time talking openly at small tables. No one will force you to think or believe anything. No pressure. Just come and share your thoughts and explore life’s big questions. We want to hear from you.

Discover Christ Fall Session starts Oct. 6 at 6pm in the Parish Hall. Learn More & RSVP: sfatx.org/discoverchrist

BE A PART OF OUR 70TH ANNIVERSARY PARISH DIRECTORY

sfatx.org/directory

You are an important part of our parish! We hope you will take this opportunity to have a nice family photo taken, while joining this effort to have a pictorial representation of our entire parish community. Photography will take place in September & October and we hope every parish family will participate. See the table in the Narthex to sign-up or visit:

a joyous celebration: thededicationmass · rocky railway: jesus’ power pulls us through - june...

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