Speaking of vocations, please pray for our three transitional deacons: Robain, Angelbert, and Joseph, who will be ordained into the priesthood on Monday, September 7, 2020 at 9:00am at the Cathedral courtyard. Since our current situation does not allow us to gather in big groups I invite you join us via live stream.

Are you are thinking about starting or completing your estate plan? Do you think "I’m not a millionaire, so I don’t need an estate plan"? Is charity part of your legacy? Are your funeral plans in place? Join the Catholic Community Foundation on September 3 at noon for a live webinar entitled "Planning your Legacy in the Middle of a Pandemic" to learn about these topics and more. Bishop Oscar Cantú will open the event with a reflection about legacy. If you can’t attend the event live, it will be recorded and available to view on demand. For more information and registration, visit cfoscc.org/legacy-webinar-2020

Feast of the Assumption of Mary is on Saturday, August 15 – Not a Holy Day of Obligation (this year). A recorded Mass will be available on Saturday morning. Space available for 50 people in the Memorial Garden Patio at 8:30am, August 15. Plan and join us on this very Holy Day honoring our Blessed Mother.

We are now in the phase where we can resume the Sacrament of Reconciliation. For the time being, we will offer the opportunity for Confessions on Saturdays from 11am - 12pm. They will be in the Garden Room (inside the Gathering Hall). Please remember you must wear a face covering at all times while on parish property. Also, please form a line with six-feet of physical distancing.

I am very excited to inform you that Maria Arroyo Ambriz, Jim Otsuka and Kevin Bernaga completed a 3-year program of pastoral, spiritual, and theological studies and graduated this past Tuesday from the Institute for Leadership in Ministry. Congratulations! They join a long list of other ILM alumina from our parish. I want to thank you for all the support that you have given to these leaders at St. Francis of Assisi Parish throughout these years. If you are interested in ILM for the upcoming academic year, please contact Fr. Matt (mstanley@dsj.org) for more information.

The time has arrived for 26th annual Fundraiser Sweepstakes. The proceeds provide crucial support for over forty ministries in our parish. This year we have an online Sweepstakes. Don’t miss out on your chance to win the Grand Prize of $15,000. RallyUp or its representative will choose all winners through a random selection process. You can also stop by the parish office and we will help you. Rest assure that the company "Stripe" that we use to process credit card charges online is safe and secure. Ticket Entries and more details are now available on our parish website, the Sunday Bulletin, our Facebook pager, and in our weekly Constant Contact email.

Thank you to everyone, who continues during this pandemic, to support the mission and ministries of our parish during the month of June. Our average weekly collection was $14,350 (13% increase vs. May 2020). You also generously donated $11,584 ($2,896 a week) to various causes in our June second collections

Outdoor gatherings of up to 60 people are allowed, so long as people are wearing face coverings and maintaining six feet of distance. A person or business must be designated as the host and keep a list with names and contact information for all attendees, and provide hand sanitizer. We will be expanding the seating in the Memorial Garden to accommodate this allowance.

I have the most amazing supporters. I want to thank all of you who sponsored me in this year’s fundraiser for vocations. I am grateful for your passion—especially all of you who canvased the parish for donations for such a good cause. Third place is not bad. I had to outwork and out hustle my brother priests (many who are much younger than I am), the youthful seminarians, and even our Bishop! Next year, is First place. Thank you!

St. Francis reminds us that we should always “start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Last fiscal year, our parishioners donated $50,000 to our St. Francis Fund Collection. In response to the needs of the many less fortunate in our neighborhood— turning to us, when there is nowhere else to turn.

The goal of the Francis Fund is to offer tangible assistance to those in need on a person to person basis and to offer spiritual services. People, who have nowhere else to turn, come to our doors seeking assistance with utility bills, overnight shelter, food and other needs.  Your generosity in this 2nd collection will assist us in helping our neighbors. “For it is in giving that we receive.”  

St. Francis of Assisi Parish operates on a program year which begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. Our annual budget also runs from July to June. We are so very grateful to all who supported the work of our Parish over the past 12 months. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early March, we have taken every conceivable action to reduce our expenses to offset the reduction of our Sunday offertory.

Thank you to everyone, who continue during this pandemic, to support the mission and ministries of our parish during the month of May. Our average weekly collection was $12,669 (17% decrease vs. April 2020). You also generously donated to various important causes in our May (2nd Collections) in the amount of $7,406 ($1,481 a week.)

After much prayer and discussion and out of an abundance of caution, Bishop Cantú asks all Chancery departments, parishes, and schools not to hold in-person non-sacramental events of more than 25 people through June of 2021.

Each person is to maintain proper physical distancing throughout the procession. You must sanitize your hands with the product you brought with you. You will notice that those distributing Holy Communion will be wearing a face covering. This will be the only time you will notice the priest wearing a face covering, as he has, up to this point, maintained a six-foot distance from both the ministers and the assembly.

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?

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

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.  

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.