A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, 7/24 at 10:30 am for Linda K. Franks. Our regularly scheduled 9 am Mass has been cancelled. Please keep Linda, her family and friends and all the faithfully departed in your prayers.

While Ohio is seeing an increase in the number of people reporting COVID 19, we want to thank everyone for wearing masks, social distancing, and helping with sanitizing while worshiping with us at Mass. Currently about 400 people are attending Mass each weekend, across our four Mass times, which means that less than ¼ of our available seats are being occupied, which also means there is plenty of room for you.  We miss seeing so many of you here and pray you will return to us soon if you are able. We say this simply to remind you that you are loved and missed, and to re-invite you to experience the great grace and hope that comes to all of us when we receive our Lord in the Eucharist and in His Word. We all can use a little more hope in these days of anxiousness and divisiveness in our country. 

Many of us initially welcomed the laid-back in-home atmosphere of live stream Mass and, although many are healthy and able, it is tempting to continue to celebrate Mass digitally, with a coffee in hand, or not attend Mass at all because we are dispensed and not obligated, and it is summertime. However, nothing can replace kneeling before our Lord as He becomes present to us in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, being able to worship Him as a community and receive Him like no other place on Earth. We are grateful we have been allowed to return to Mass and we welcome you to return: come to the table, where heaven meets Earth in the Eucharist. Our world needs Jesus, we need Jesus in this time isolation and fear. However if you don’t feel safe venturing out to Mass, or the hardware or grocery stores, for sports or a vacation, or you have health or age related concerns, then please know that we will continue to offer the live stream Mass for you to join us digitally. 

We live in a strange age. It is an age marked by contention, strife and factionalism. There’s no doubt that the news and politics have the potential to ruin our mood, throw us into despair, negatively affect relationships and ultimately destroy our soul, but there is something you can do about it. Consuming too much media is as bad for our emotional health as junk food is to our body. Please stay informed, but please be careful to look to reliable sources and limit your daily consumption of media and social media. Start with prayer each day and throughout the day when you are feeling uneasy (consider trying Hallow for free), follow us on Facebook and Instagram for uplifting and good news and help us build each other up In the hope of Christ during these uncertain times. 

We have good news about COVID 19 and St. Francis Parish that we want to tell everyone. Since COVID 19 hit us way back in March, we know of just one Mass attendee who has experienced COVID 19. The parishioner experienced mild symptoms, got medical attention, was quarantined, contacted persons with whom they had close contact and each of them subsequently tested negative. They will not return to public life until the negative test protocol is met. Compared to other churches, this is incredible and it means we’re doing all the right things as a parish community, such as keeping social distance, wearing masks, dutifully sanitizing the entire church after each gathering, and folks are staying home if they have underlying health issues, etc. This is indeed good news!

Catholic Outreach Ministries is excited to kick off a brand new event in support of our community members in spiritual, material and financial need. Pedal with Padre is on Saturday, 8/8 and offers three biking routes ranging from 4 - 23.5 mile rides, making it perfect for riders of all ages and fitness levels. Cost is just $5 per person or $20 per family and includes a t-shirt and post-ride refreshments. Register to ride or donate to a rider today!

Hallow is a new Catholic meditation app that combines the peace and stillness of mindful mediation with the spiritual growth of Catholic prayer. From meditations on the daily Gospel or the mysteries of the Rosary, to “praylists” on themes ranging from joy, hope, calm, and letting go, to multi-day “challenges” that focus on digging deeper into the Our Father, the Rosary, the psalms and more.  When you click here to create a Hallow account online for the first time, you’ll see their 20% off Hallow Plus and 1 month free trial promotion applied automatically. If you choose to start a free trial, Hallow will donate $10 to our parish!

We're thrilled to announce our new designation as a Jon Peterson provider through the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program. This scholarship enables parents the opportunity to keep their children in Catholic education by providing additional funding for service providers who can work with classroom teachers to collaborate in learning and providing intervention. Funding awards are based on each child’s needs, typically outlined in the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) plan. This is a very exciting advancement for our Licking County Catholic Schools. We want to allow students the opportunity to learn in their faith as they learn for their future, encountering Christ in themselves and others along the way. Our capability to support students with diverse learning needs through the scholarship will compliment SPICE (Special People in Catholic Education) and enhances the services that we can provide to our students. For more information, please contact Sally Mummey at 740-345-4049. We would love to talk with you about your child!

Our weekend Mass schedule beginning September 1 to the following: 

Saturdays at 4:45 pm: Featuring a variety of musical styles, led by piano and an ensemble of instruments and voices. Confessions will move to 3:45 – 4:15 pm. Confessions will also be offered at 5:30 to 6:15 pm on Wednesdays.  

Sundays at 8:30 am: Featuring the parish choir with organ music and a more traditional-style liturgy.

Sundays at 11 am: Also the live streamed Mass, featuring a blend of familiar favorites and worship/praise, led by an ensemble of instruments and voices.

We really need everyone to make an ongoing pledge to support our mission. Electronic giving is currently the most consistent way to give, safest and most reliable. Will you consider how you can help us during this time?