Every ten years our country conducts a census to count the number of men, women and children residing in the United States. The federal government uses information from the census to decide how billions of dollars in federal funding will be allocated to communities during the next ten years for services that are essential for our families, and our neighbors. Our Catholic Church also uses this information from the census to effectively serve those in need. Any information that you give to the Census is protected – it can never be shared with any other government agency, employer or landlord. By law, the Census Bureau is not permitted to release responses in a way that could identify a specific person or household. It is also important to know that the Census will NOT ask questions about citizenship or immigration status. I invite every person to participate and be counted!

During times of uncertainty and need, we answer our Gospel call with action, advocacy and prayer. This is an unprecedented time, and the Catholic Community is responding. It is important to remember the most vulnerable among us, as well as the institutions that we normally rely on that are seeing their resources depleted.

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​​​​​​​ 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 of you have begun to watch televised or streamed Masses from the internet and follow along with your MAGNIFICAT. This is a very good option in these circumstances. But even if you cannot do that, I encourage you to continue to pray with your MAGNIFICAT throughout these days, for however long they last, confident that in your prayer and meditation Jesus remains close to you. Please encourage others, especially those who are struggling at this moment, to pray with MAGNIFICAT using the free access online or with the app.

So that all those who suffer because of Covid-19, precisely in the mystery of this suffering, can rediscover "the same redemptive suffering of Christ" ( ibid., 30), this Apostolic Penitentiary, ex auctoritate Summi Pontificis, trusting in the word of Christ the Lord and considering with spirit of faith the epidemic currently underway, to be lived in terms of personal conversion, grants the gift of Indulgences under the following device.

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.

Due to the cancellation of all public Masses, our pastor, Fr. Matt will be offering a daily private Mass for the intentions that have been requested by our parishioners, as well as for the people of the parish. You may still request Mass intentions by visiting the parish office.

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.

All parishes, missions, and chapels in the Diocese of San José suspend all public Masses beginning Saturday, March 14, until further notice. Baptisms, weddings, and funerals may be celebrated but should be limited to immediate family. Faith Formation classes also should be suspended until further notice. All parish gatherings are being suspended until further notice. With the preceding in mind, I have issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass during this time for all Catholics in the Diocese of San José.

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love. Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care. Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another. Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

This pilgrimage has been cancelled. We hope to consider a date in the near future.

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!”

Lent is associated with the idea of giving something up… but why? So that we can create space to let Christ enter into our hearts. When we get rid of what we don’t need, of the distractions that cloud our view, we’re better able to see the beauty of what God wants us to experience. More than just giving something up, we also have to learn three things: how to give up, how to give, and how to receive.

We continue to follow the adapted liturgical practices, which were instituted at all our parishes on December 1 2019, in light of the flu season as precautionary measures, and to which we have added a new precaution. Bishop Oscar Cantú asks that, effective immediately, priests announce the following liturgical adaptations at the beginning of each Mass.

In my latest article about the Mass, I wrote about the significance of the Opening Hymn, the Entrance Procession, the Sign of the Cross and the Greeting of the priest at the start of the Mass. In this article I’d like to share reflections about the Penitential Rite.   After the Greeting, the priest continues with the Penitential Rite with these words or something similar: “Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.” Notice the words “sacred mysteries”.

When a victim of sexual assault enters a SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) facility for an examination, they are often required to surrender their clothing for forensic evidence. This can leave victims with nothing to wear home but a paper hospital gown. The Grateful Garment Project (TGGP) provides NEW clothing, grooming items and snacks to victims of sexual assault of all ages. Our church is hosting a clothing drive to assist TGGP. Outside of church there will be boxes for your donations of NEW clothing, and grooming items.

I have taken into account the recommendations from the Santa Clara County Health Department regarding people at higher risk of exposure to coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. In light of the delicate situation we are facing at this time, I dispense persons falling into the categories of greater risk from attending Mass. These categories would include persons over 50 years of age, those with health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or chronic lung diseases like COPD, as well as those with severely weakened immune systems. May we continue to observe the precautions prescribed by our public health department to protect ourselves and our brothers and sisters.

This event has been cancelled until further notice.