St. Francis of Assisi Newsletter — June 2023

St. Francis of Assisi

Matt Burnett Reflects on Unique Journey to the Catholic Faith

Most Catholics receive the sacraments at consistent intervals throughout life. For Matt Burnett, things went differently — he received four sacraments in four months.

Most Catholics receive the sacraments at consistent intervals throughout life. For Matt Burnett, things went differently — he received four sacraments in four months! His path to the Church was long, but in looking back, Matt can see where God placed the people in his life who helped lead him here.

“After we moved to Castle Rock, my wife was really getting back to her faith,” Matt says. “Since she was going to church, I was trying to go and keep an open mind and heart. It was really her example that helped me.”

Matt and Anna met when they were 5 years old, but Matt’s life went another direction before they reconnected and married. His father was an atheist and although his mother was Catholic, Matt was never baptized. He attended church with his mom, but at 16 years old, he faced the loss of his best friend to leukemia. Angry with God, Matt turned away from his faith and fell into using drugs.

“I don’t think it was a fluke that when I was feeling alone, God put Anna right in front of me,” Matt says.

Sober for five years, Matt started going to church again with Anna. Matt remembers the day he knew he wanted to become Catholic.

St. Francis of Assisi

a letter from our pastor

Remember to Keep the Faith This Summer

Dear Parishioners,

As we enter the month of June and kick off our summer, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of supporting our parish all year long! Everything we have is a gift from God, and we are called to use these gifts for the good of others and the building up of God's kingdom. Here are a few ways in which we can live this out in the month of June:

• Practice gratitude: Take time each day to thank God for the blessings in your life, both big and small. A grateful heart is essential to following Jesus as it helps us to recognize the gifts that God has given us and to use them for the good of others.

• Give generously: Whether it's donating to our parish, serving in one of our ministries, or simply offering a kind word to a neighbor, there are countless ways to give of ourselves to others. Consider making a financial donation to our parish or to a local charity that is doing good work in our community.

• Pray for others: Our Christian life is not just about giving of our material resources, but also about giving of our time and talent. Take time each day to pray for the needs of others, whether it's for the sick, the poor, or those who are struggling in their faith.

• Share your talents: We are all blessed with unique gifts and talents that we can use to serve others. Consider serving as a Hospitality Minister, joining the choir, or using your professional skills to help those in need.

• Take care of our environment: God has entrusted us with the care of His creation, and it is our responsibility to take care of it. Consider ways in which you can serve around our beautiful church, inside and outside.

As we continue to follow Jesus through the challenges of our daily life, let us be generous in using the gifts and talents that God has given us. By living as disciples of Jesus in our daily lives, we can make a difference in the world and build up the kingdom of God here in Castle Rock and throughout Douglas County. May God bless you and your families abundantly this month, this Summer, and always.

May the Lord give you peace!

Reverend Mark Zacker Pastor

una carta de nuestro párroco

Recuerde Mantener la fe Este Verano

Queridos feligreses,

Al entrar en el mes de junio y comenzar el verano, quiero tomar un momentito para reflexionar sobre la importancia de apoyar a nuestra parroquia durante todo el año. Todo lo que tenemos es un don de Dios, y estamos llamados a utilizar estos dones para el bien de los demás y la construcción del Reino de Dios. He aquí algunas maneras en que podemos vivir esto en el mes de junio:

• Practica la gratitud: Dedica un tiempo cada día a dar gracias a Dios por las bendiciones de tu vida, tanto grandes como pequeñas. Un corazón agradecido es esencial para seguir a Jesús, ya que nos ayuda a reconocer los dones que Dios nos ha dado y a utilizarlos para el bien de los demás.

• Da generosamente: Ya sea donando a nuestra parroquia, sirviendo en uno de nuestros ministerios, o simplemente ofreciendo una palabra amable a un vecino, hay innumerables maneras de dar de nosotros mismos a los demás. Considere hacer una donación financiera a nuestra parroquia o a una organización benéfica local que esté haciendo un buen trabajo en nuestra comunidad.

• Rezar por los demás: Nuestra vida cristiana no consiste sólo en dar nuestros recursos materiales, sino también nuestro tiempo y nuestro talento. Dedica tiempo cada día a rezar por las necesidades de los demás, ya sea por los enfermos, los pobres o los que luchan en su fe.

• Comparte tus talentos: Todos hemos sido bendecidos con dones y talentos únicos que podemos utilizar para servir a los demás. Considera la posibilidad de servir como saludador o acomodador, unirte al coro, o utilizar tus habilidades profesionales para ayudar a los necesitados.

• Cuida nuestro entorno: Dios nos ha confiado el cuidado de Su creación, y es nuestra responsabilidad cuidarla. Considera las formas en que puedes servir en torno a nuestra hermosa iglesia, dentro y fuera de ella.

Mientras continuamos siguiendo a Jesús a través de los desafíos de nuestra vida diaria, seamos generosos en el uso de los dones y talentos que Dios nos ha dado. Al vivir como discípulos de Jesús en nuestra vida diaria, podemos hacer una diferencia en el mundo y construir el reino de Dios aquí en Castle Rock y en todo el condado de Douglas. Que Dios los bendiga a ustedes y a sus familias abundantemente este mes, este verano y siempre.

¡Que el Señor les dé paz!

Reverendo Mark Zacker

Párroco

St. Francis of Assisi

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

At Mass, we always see our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion exercising their special call to service — assisting the priest in distributing the Precious Body and Blood of Christ. Here at St. Francis of Assisi, our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) take much devotion and care when administering the Eucharist to their fellow parishioners. They are also able to grow in their faith and grow closer to the Lord through their service.

“I’ve been at the parish for 21 years, and at my previous parish I also served as an EMHC," says ministry leader Bev Shiker.

"I was asked to take over this ministry fourteen years ago. I’ve always liked being a part of the Mass, and it’s become an important part of my Mass routine and has strengthened my love for the Eucharist. I love the ministry, it's absolutely beautiful, and if I could serve every Sunday I would.”

EMHC must be at least 16 years old, and be practicing Catholics who have completed all their Sacraments of Initiation. Ministers undergo initial training through the diocese and then follow up training with re-mandating every three years.

“Training is about a two-anda-half-hour session, and explains

what time to stand on the altar, what time to step forward, things like that,” Bev says. “Each diocese keeps the same patterns but each parish is unique, since each priest we assist is unique. They may have different requests or need to be in different places. So we try to do what they want us to do, but there is also a continuity that goes with it.”

EMHC serve at each of the parish’s six weekend Masses, and ministers may indicate their preference for which Mass they’d like to serve. The ministry also includes a group of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion that serve the homebound, as well as those in nursing

Communion Share in the Joy of the Eucharist

facilities and the hospital.

“I go to the hospital, and the experience of taking the Eucharist to these people and even just going to their rooms to pray with them — I sometimes leave with tears in my eyes,” Bev says. “The connection there is absolutely beautiful.”

Through her experience in the ministry, Bev has been able to further fall in love with the Eucharist, and share that love with her fellow parishioners.

“Throughout your years in the Catholic faith, your understanding of the Eucharist changes from what you learn as a child,” she says. “As we grow in our faith, it becomes more important to us, and we understand what is happening there. It’s a privilege to be able to touch the Body of Christ and to present it to someone else — to look them in the eyes and say, ‘the Body of Christ.’ It’s the same with the chalice — to hold it and to say, ‘the Blood of Christ.’ It’s so special and it touches my heart. It

really allows me to connect in a spiritual way to the Eucharist.”

Training is offered quarterly. Teens 16 and above are encouraged to join this liturgical ministry along with their families!

For more information about Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, contact Bev Shiker at 303-663-5597.

"Throughout your years in the Catholic faith, your understanding of the Eucharist changes from what you learn as a child.

As we grow in our faith, it becomes more important to us, and we understand what is happening there." BEV SHIKER

St. Francis of Assisi

Stewardship: The Four Pillars

You’ve heard about the three Ts of stewardship, but what about the four Ps?

The three Ts – Time, Talent, and Treasure – describe the personal gifts we offer to the Church. The four Ps are the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship described by the renowned pastor Msgr. Thomas McGread. They are the hallmark of a stewardship parish – Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. Let’s take a look at each of them to understand how we can improve in each area.

Hospitality

Christian Kindness

“When I was a stranger, you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). The Gospel teaches that whenever we welcome the least of our brothers or sisters, we welcome Christ Himself. That is why the first mark of a stewardship parish is hospitality. Being friendly is one of the first ways we can be Christ-like toward others.

Modern Catholic parishes are often so large and have so many Masses that many parishioners don’t know one another. To create a sense of community, be sure to smile and greet others as you enter and exit the Church. Let’s try harder than ever to be a welcoming community.

Prayer

Heart-to-Heart with God

“Do not become so involved in the work of the Lord that you forget the Lord of the work,” a seminary professor once taught. In other words, don’t get so caught up with parish projects and outreach efforts that you forget to draw aside to spend time with God in prayer. Every great saint has taught that prayer is the most essential component in the life of the Christian. Through prayer, we nurture our most important relationship – the one that will last for all eternity.

A healthy prayer life should include communal prayer such as Mass, as well as personal prayer and family prayer. The two biggest obstacles to prayer

are lack of time and lack of understanding of how to pray. We have to schedule time for prayer just as we would for an important appointment. And we have to learn how to pray from other people. Many saints have written spiritual books that describe different methods of prayer.

Formation

Continuous Conversion

Pope John Paul II always emphasized ongoing conversion. From childhood through adulthood, our whole life must be a process of drawing closer to God. He never stops calling us forward to learn more and to examine ourselves more deeply.

Very often our society values material things more than interior virtues. But as personal experience shows, when we finally acquire the car or house or “toy” that we wanted so badly, it doesn’t really satisfy. On the other hand, we don’t tend to desire spiritual virtues with the same kind of longing, but when we actually have them, we find them far more rewarding than material things.

Service

Love in Action

“Amen I say to you, whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). This Scripture was one of St. Teresa of Calcutta’s favorites. Each time she picked up a poor and hungry child, she knew she was ministering to Christ. While we may not view ourselves as saints, we too are called to such heroic service right within our own community. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “To be a saint is not the privilege of a few, but the duty of everyone.”

We have many service opportunities right here within our own parish. If you have the willingness to serve and take the initiative to find where you are needed, you’ll find that there is no end to the families and individuals who truly need help. How can you reach out to them in love?

STEPHEN MINISTRY: Serving as Christ's Hands to One Another

When you face trials in life, you might feel like you have to face them alone. But Christ wants to walk with you in your struggles and we are here to be Christ’s hands to one another. In our parish, we have a growing ministry of volunteers who are ready to walk alongside you. The Stephen Ministry ensures that you are not alone.

The Stephen Ministry has been adopted by many churches and was established at St. Francis of Assisi in 2014. Maggie Cingoranelli led this growing ministry for six years before Tracy Brend and Joseph Biancalana stepped into leadership roles.

“The Stephen Ministry was exactly what I needed to fill the void of service created when I left the Army National Guard,” Joseph says. “I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity presented to me by Maggie through, most certainly, the Holy Spirit.”

Joseph and Tracy serve as Stephen Leaders, so their role is primarily training and coordinating the current 13 Stephen Ministers that volunteer to serve our parish. Stephen Ministers undergo extensive training. The initial training consists of 50 hours before a Stephen Minister is ready to serve. Additionally, all Stephen Ministers continue their training with 15 hours throughout the year.

Stephen Ministers work oneon-one and confidentially with a

Care Receiver. A Care Receiver is someone who has reached out for someone to walk alongside them through some difficulty in their life. The unique circumstances that might lead someone to seek out a Stephen Minister are nearly endless. Sometimes it is a short-term need and sometimes it is a longterm need. Dealing with a death in the family, terminal illness, unemployment, any life transition, or spiritual crisis are just a few things that make someone a good candidate to receive care.

It's important to understand that a Stephen Minister is there to listen, to help you know you are not alone, and to convey Christ’s love to you. They are not a therapist or there to solve a problem. They are there to walk beside you, to listen, to pray, and to love.

Tracy served as a Stephen Minister for two years before becoming a Stephen Leader. Although the Stephen Ministry is a ministry of service to others, Tracy found that she received and learned a lot.

“The Stephen Ministry has taught me so much,” Tracy says. “My listening skills and my ability to truly see others as God’s precious children are only a very small piece of the fruits that have

come about from my participation in the Stephen Ministry.”

Training is provided to new volunteers as needed. After the initial 50 hours is complete, Tracy and Joseph provide continued training twice a month from September through May. Parishioners can apply to become Stephen Ministers and go through an interview process.

If you or someone you know would benefit from a Stephen Minister walking beside them through any life difficulty, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

To apply or receive care, contact Tracy Brend at tracybrend@gmail.com or Joseph Biancalana at joseph.biancalana@icloud.com.

St. Francis of Assisi

2746 Fifth Street

Castle Rock, CO 80104

303-688-3025

www.stfranciscr.org

Parishioner Matt Burnett

“It was a Saturday evening Mass and Fr. Mark gave a homily that was exactly what I needed to hear — it felt like he was speaking to me,” Matt says. “Right after Mass, I told my wife that I wanted to be baptized.”

Matt jumped into RCIA classes a month after they began and was able to make up the first four meetings.

“It took me a while to get comfortable speaking in classes,” Matt says. “I went from having no prayer life to trying to pray and learn as much as possible. That helped me go more in-depth into our classes.”

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“I felt kind of nervous, but Fr. Mark is really good at going with the flow. The nerves melted away once I got up front. It was more beautiful and sweeter than anything else.”

“The one thing that really stood out to me was the joyfulness that was in the entire church,” Matt says.

Matt and Anna’s marriage was convalidated. At the Easter Vigil, Matt was baptized, confirmed, and received Communion, while Anna was confirmed at Pentecost.

“The one thing that stood out to me was the joyfulness that was in the entire church,” Matt says.

Matt chose St. Francis of Assisi as his Confirmation saint. Matt was already drawn to St. Francis, but in the chaos of caring for a surprise litter of 11 puppies, Matt felt a deeper connection to the saint.

“I chose him because I have always been an animal lover to the core but I actually think he chose me,” Matt says.

For anyone considering RCIA, Matt offers encouragement to give it a try.

“If someone has questions, RCIA is a great place to talk about the Catholic faith and the basics about God,” Matt says. “It’s a great learning opportunity to find out if this is for you. It’s hard to learn more on your own.”