Are you eligible for a matching gift? Ask your employer today if you can double your donation to St. Francis of Assisi. Were you aware that many corporations offer their employees matching contributions through programs designed to promote benevolent giving and philanthropy as part of their social mission? Ask your HR department today if your employer will make your gift have twice the impact. If your organization uses another matching gift program and you would like to nominate or designate St. Francis of Assisi but require more information, please contact our Business Manager Victor Espinoza at Vespinoza@dsj.org or 408-223-1770 x302

Each of the 12 months of the year has a Catholic devotional theme. It’s a great way to bring special traditions, symbols, colors and even foods to enrich our faith life at home. During this time that so many of us are self-quarantined and face restrictions in public places, including our churches, the rich traditions and treasures of our faith provide special and reassuring blessings. June is the beautiful month of the Sacred Heart. Here are 8 ways you can make your home come alive with love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

These unprecedented times of pandemic, has made everyone’s condition volatile. Being in quarantine has brought so much stress to our minds and bodies. We all need some creative ways to get some relief, to lose those pounds gained, to make our bodies active once again, to make our minds clear and our spirits up. So, the Vocations office of the Diocese of San Jose is very pleased to bring you “Rev Up the Sems” Fun Run/Walk – Virtually! Yes, Virtual! You can join us run, walk, dance, skip, hop, or jump....your pace, your space. This fun-filled event will run for a month, beginning June 15, 2020 until July 15, 2020. For rules and details, please visit us at https://www.dsj.org/event/rev-up-the-sems-2020/

Beginning at 6pm on June 13 through 8am on June 14, we will continue our parish tradition of an all-night adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in our Chapel. It would be a wonderful time of grace if you could spend at least one hour with our Lord on this great feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Please visit our web page for a google.doc link and sign up for your holy hour or call the parish office.

The ancient Litany to the Holy Spirit gives us a great summary of who he is and his actions in our lives.

The Catholic Health Association of the United States also has some wonderful COVID-19 spiritual resources including prayers, meditations and online masses. It also provides online chapels for prayer and candle lighting where individuals can enter the virtual chapel of their choice and leave an intention. Top

I echo the statement issued today by the US Bishops in the wake of the death of George Floyd: “We are broken-hearted, sickened, and outraged to watch another video of an African American man being killed before our eyes.” The senseless taking of life defies the fundamental principle of justice and respect for human life. We must recognize the fact that all lives are sacred. As Catholics, it is not enough to relegate our concern to only thoughts and prayers. Our church, at every level, must speak out unequivocally and work against the sin of racism.

There is an abundance of hope that the time for re-opening our churches for public worship is near. The Diocese of San Jose’s Task Force in anticipation of the reopening of our churches for worship has given to each parish a set of guidelines that we are required to follow. Our parish staff continues to work at adapting these guidelines to meet the specific needs of our own parish.

Our COVID-19 Resource Page on our website is available to access community services. A list of parishes with dates and times of food distribution is below. If you can give help, please visit our website, send a check or call: catholiccharitiesscc.org/donate. Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, 2625 Zanker Rd., San Jose, CA 95134 (408)325-5191

ADA 2020 Parish Goal: $220,000 - Pledged: $220,220 – Average Gift: $474   You are amazing! Despite the tremendously difficult times we are living in, your outpouring of generosity and support for our local Church of San Jose is a true sign of God’s goodness. We have gone over our goal of $220,000. My thanks to the 465 parishioners who turned in their gifts and pledges towards this year’s ADA. Every dollar from here-on-in (pledged and paid above our goal) will be rebated back to St. Francis of Assisi.  

Thank you to everyone, who continue during this time of quarantine, to support the mission and ministries of our parish during the month of April. Our average weekly collection was $15,299 (20% increase!) Our Easter collection was $33,000. You also generously donated to various important causes in our April (2nd Collections) in the amount of $10,452 ($3,484 a week.) This brings our April total to $18,793 a week.

On May 1st, the Diocese will mark one year since Pope Francis accepted Bishop P.J. McGrath’s retirement, and I succeeded him as Bishop of San Jose. I had served as Coadjutor Bishop of San Jose since the previous summer, allowing for my introduction to the Diocese, while working closely with Bishop McGrath over many months.

Due to the instability of our Internet connection, our Daily Mass & Sunday Mass will be broadcast at 11:00 am each day.

​​​​​​​ The current times are challenging for all of us, including our own parish. We rely on your generous stewardship, in good times and in bad, to meet all of our financial responsibilities. The Sunday collection March 15 ($3,340); March 22 ($4,582) is the principal source of our income that pays for maintaining our facilities, staff salaries, insurance, leases, and loan payments. I assure you that we have already implemented and are prudently planning to drastically reduce our expenses until life gets back to normal.

Many people are understandably experiencing uncertainty and anxiety due to the spread of COVID-19. The severity of the situation has forced our leaders to make significant changes in our daily lives including suspending publicly celebrated Masses.

As you know, the current times are challenging for all us, including our own parish. We rely on your generous stewardship, in good times and in bad, to meet all of our financial responsibilities. The Sunday collection is the principal source of our income that pays for maintenance, salaries, utilities, insurance and the salaries and benefits for our parish staff. I assure you that we are prudently planning to reduce expenses until life gets back to normal. Please consider using our electronic giving program linked on the left side of our parish home page. We also encourage you to mail your Sunday offertory envelopes to the parish office. Thank you for support of the mission and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.

Having been a Pastor for 22 years, the experience we are currently undergoing is indeed uncharted waters. In one sense, for the time being, St. Francis of Assisi Parish will be very different. It will not be business as usual. The celebration of the Eucharist is the heart of our Catholic life. Be assured that the clergy and staff will not abandon you. We will be present to continue our essential mission, although in new and challenging circumstances. Bishop Cantu exercised wisdom and prudence in suspending Sunday Mass for the safety and health of our Catholic Community. We will come out from this with a stronger and more vibrant faith in God's loving concern for all his children. Please visit our webpage often. It is our best way to communicate with you. We are just one click away.

In 2018 the California Bishops wrote Hope and Healing: A Pastoral Letter on Caring for Those Who Suffer from Mental Illness Addressed to All Catholics and People of Goodwill. Within our parish, several gathered in August 2019 to reflect on the letter. One mother said, “I wish I had read this when my son was younger.” A teacher exclaimed, “This is so practical! It’s not flowery!”

A Cursillo (pronounced KER SEE O) is a three-day learning, sharing, experience of living in a Christian Community. The word “Cursillo” is Spanish, meaning “a short course.” Cursillo is an abbreviation of the full title: CURSILLO DE CHRISTIANDAD, which means “A Short Course in Christian Community Living.” During the three-days of a Cursillo Weekend, a person not only hears what it really means to be a Christian but actually gets to experience the joy of building and being a part of a genuine Christian Community.

As good stewards of the treasure you entrust to us, we are taking steps to “clean-up” our envelope mailing and distribution list. For all those who currently are receiving envelopes and did not use them in 2019, we will be removing you from our mailing list. This will reduce our expenses significantly.