St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Newsletter — January 2023

SaintFrancis FrancisSaintXavier Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

It’s no coincidence that the central tenet of our Catholic faith is also the most difficult to accept. From the moment Christ taught in the Gospel of John that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you,” his followers began to walk away. Today is no different, as the Pew Research Center found that only thirty-one percent of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Christians of all denominations generally agree that a personal relationship with Christ is crucial. As Catholics, how can this relationship grow if we deny that Christ is physically present with us in the Eucharist? How can this relationship deepen if the Body and Blood of Christ is received without belief in His presence?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has

exists

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

Hospitality

Extends to Our Family at Home and in Our Parish

As Catholics, we are members of two very important family units. First, there are our own families, which consist of our spouses and children. As a parish community, we are members of a larger “family of faith,” along with our clergy and fellow parishioners. Of course, both types of units share in the Catholic faith, as we gather to celebrate Mass each Sunday.

Yet, all does not appear to be well. The modern media unfortunately seems to place a heavy emphasis on the destruction of both types of family units. Indeed, every day, we are bombarded with disconcerting stories about the various issues that threaten the vital bonds of the family — divorce, abuse, gay marriage, and abortion, just to name a few. At the same time, the “families of faith” in our own parishes have also been threatened by several issues, from scandals and mismanagement of resources to drops in Mass attendance and school enrollment.

All of these threats and issues most certainly promote a hostile environment for today’s American Catholics. In turn, we may feel that there is little we can do to counter the negativity that is so pervasive within our country towards those practicing the Catholic faith.

The good news is that finding the solution to such seemingly insurmountable problems often begins in the most simple and basic of places — at home. In this particular case, it begins in two homes — that of our own family, and in the

parish home of our “family of faith.”

Certainly, we would like visitors in our own homes to feel welcome, whether they are extended family, familiar friends, or new acquaintances. Therefore, we do whatever we can to make these visitors feel appreciated — we might prepare a homemade meal for our guests, or serve them a fresh cup of coffee, all while we initiate a friendly and insightful conversation.

Of course, this effort to make visitors to our home feel welcome is a wonderful example of providing Hospitality, the first of the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship.

So, if we consider our other family unit — the “family of faith” in our own parish — the same can be applied to those entering our church for worship and fellowship. Whether we try to get to know some of the familiar faces we see at church each Sunday, reach out to someone new to the community, or extend a warm welcome to those visiting our parish, we are following Jesus’ example of hospitality at its most foundational and engaging level.

Of course, while hospitality serves to enhance worship and fellowship for the entire parish family, it also impacts our community on a day-to-day basis. If we foster a welcoming environment in our parish home and present the many opportunities to minister and serve, involvement will only increase throughout the community! Therefore, if hospitality continues to flourish throughout the parish and its many ministries, so will the stewardship way of life!

If we foster a welcoming environment in our parish home and present the many opportunities to minister and serve, involvement will only increase throughout the community! Therefore, if hospitality continues to flourish throughout the parish and its many ministries, so will the stewardship way of life!

A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR

Drawing Deeper into the Great Mystery of the Eucharist

Dear Parishioners,

In response to survey data saying that many Catholics struggle with our belief that the Eucharist truly is the Body and Blood of Jesus, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have called for a three-year Eucharistic Revival to enkindle, or reenkindle our collective and personal love for Jesus Christ! Our parish is jumping in!

Over the summer, we increased accessibility to daily Mass by adding several during the week. We also added opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration and plan to add more as interest grows in our parish. We are also planning opportunities to publicly profess our belief in the Eucharist including, in conjunction with our friends at St. John Catholic Student Center, a procession through the streets of Stillwater.

It is the responsibility of each of us to take ownership of our faith by drawing deeper into

the great mystery of the Eucharist. The first simple step is to come to Sunday Mass each week. I also encourage you to come to any daily Masses that you can. Frequent Confession also allows us to receive Holy Communion with a pure heart. Finally, would you consider taking an hour of Adoration each week? As interest grows, we can expand our hours so more and more people can spend time with our Lord.

To learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival, go to www.eucharisticrevival.org and stay tuned for more information on other initiatives!

Have a great January and 2023!

In Christ, Very Rev. Brian O’Brien

Pastor, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

A Valuable Opportunity to Draw Closer

With the many daily Mass opportunities here at St. Francis Xavier, Fr. Brian O’Brien hopes parishioners will find an opportunity to attend, especially as we approach the new year and you reflect on your resolutions.

The number-one reason to attend Mass is, of course, the Eucharist. In a 1981 homily, St. John Paul II highlighted the importance of the Eucharist to the daily life of every Catholic. “Each time we are reunited in the Eucharist, we are strengthened in holiness and renewed in happiness, for happiness and holiness are the inevitable consequences of being with God,” he said. “When we are nourished by the Living Bread, we become more like our resurrected Savior, who is the fountain of our joy.”

As Fr. O’Brien notes, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life.” So, why not take the opportunity to receive the Eucharist more than just at a weekend liturgy?

“We can be in the presence of Jesus Christ every day,”

Fr. O’Brien says. “I strongly recommend attending daily Mass. There’s no better way to spend time.”

Sunday Mass can be loud with its share of distractions. Maybe you have small kids who make it hard to pay attention. Daily Mass is often quieter with fewer distractions, and it’s shorter.

“I think it allows some people to pray better because there’s the quiet in and around it that we don’t always get at a weekend Mass,” Fr. O’Brien says. “Every Catholic should go to Holy Mass every Sunday, too.”

Fr. O’Brien credits daily Mass with his discernment and entry into the priesthood. He attended

daily Mass in high school with friends, then throughout college and when he started his first job after college.

“When I got to seminary and began to go to Mass every day, it changed my life for the better and only increased my desire and passion to become a priest,” he says.

In turn, Fr. O’Brien believes that attending daily Mass can make anyone more faithful.

“You’ll be more prayerful, more devoted to the Eucharist, and more charitable to others,” he says. “When we are in His presence, good things happen.”

Find a time that fits in your schedule and make a commitment to attend Mass during the week.

Mass:

Closer

to Christ in the Eucharist and Prayer

“We’ve built the Mass schedule so that just about every person in the parish has the opportunity to go,” Fr. O’Brien says. “I hope that many will take advantage of this beautiful opportunity. Jesus Christ wants to be the center of our lives. We are His disciples, and we’re asked to follow Him every day. Daily Mass can help make you a disciple.”

Tuesday — 12:10 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

ARE:

Wednesday — 12:10 p.m. and 6 p.m. (Spanish) Thursday — 12:10 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Friday — 12:10 p.m. and various times at local nursing homes Saturday — 9 a.m.

National Eucharistic Revival

Christ is the balm for the wounds that have been created in individuals, families, and societies, then the Catholic Church has a gift that must be shared. With this mission in mind, they now offer us a plan for a National Eucharistic Revival that reaches parishes, dioceses, and the Church as a whole in the hope that by renewing our own faith, we will be ready to share it with others in desperate need of Christ’s healing.

What does it mean for us to experience this revival? It’s more than a renewal of faith, or simply accepting Church teaching – it is a real and personal encounter with the love of Christ, waiting for us in the Eucharist. The Church gives us many ways to encounter and share this love. Eucharistic Adoration is an opportunity to cultivate one’s relationship with Christ in the Eucharist through quiet prayer and presence. Eucharistic Processions – which many churches held when the Eucharistic Revival began on the Feast of Corpus Christi this past June – are a public way to show reverence and belief in the healing power of the Eucharist.

continued from front cover

The National Eucharistic Revival will span three years. The first year is focusing on how each diocese can promote love for our Eucharistic Lord. The second year will bring this closer to home as our parishes will evaluate how to deepen our relationship with Christ in the Eucharist. The third year will bring us to the tenth National Eucharistic Congress and the National Year of Mission, when we will be prepared after our own renewal to bring the love of Christ to our families, neighbors, and communities.

The vision for the National Eucharistic Revival is long-term. Beginning with our own hearts, Christ’s love has the power to bring deep and lasting healing to our world. The Catholic Church holds the unique gift of Christ’s Eucharistic Presence, but this gift is for everyone. Join us as we deepen our faith and relationship with Christ individually and as a parish.

For more information and resources to grow in your faith, visit www.eucharisticrevival.org

DAILY MASS TIMES AT ST. FRANCIS XAVIER

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Great Catholic Educator: St. Thomas Aquinas

Before Thomas Aquinas was even born, a holy hermit told his mother he was to be more learned and holy than any other person of his time. As a young boy, he was devoted to prayer and meditation, and his intellectual gifts were quickly recognized. When he was about 11 years old, he was sent to the University of Naples, and about five years later, he became a Dominican friar.

Thomas’ parents were Italian nobility and were not enthusiastic about Thomas’ choice of vocation. They went so far as to have his brothers capture him while he was en route to Rome, and they held him prisoner for two years in an effort to destroy his vocation and his virtue. After the family made one particularly heinous attempt at breaking Thomas’ faith and spirit, he begged God to give him integrity of mind and body, and he was miraculously given the girdle and grace of purity for the rest of his life. This gift almost certainly was essential to the remarkable clarity of his intellect.

After he regained his freedom, Thomas received the best education that was available during a time in human history that arguably represents the best the world has ever offered to scholars and philosophers. His greatest works arise from his total focus on knowing and understanding God, and revealing as clearly as possible the Truth of God to others. He showed that faith and reason are not in conflict, but exist in harmony.

Thomas’ Summa Theologica uses philosophical principles presented in scientific form to systematically explain Christian theology. It was his last work and was left unfinished. Thomas stopped writing after he experienced an unusually long vision on Dec. 6, 1273. When he was urged to finish his Summa, he stated that he could no longer write, for the secrets he had been shown during his vision made all he had written “seem as straw.”

He died three months later.

Thomas composed more than 60 works. His powers of synthesis were truly extraordinary. He was able to sift through all that he read, distill the truth, and summarize his conclusions simply, clearly and briefly. His writing is of such genius that it transcends style and art in the beauty of its truth. His works are as relevant today as they were to the 13th century. His principles offer a remedy to such evils as socialism, communism, nihilism, as well as pantheism and spiritism.

Thomas was canonized in 1323, and was declared a Doctor of the Universal Church in 1567. In 1879, Leo XIII declared Thomas Aquinas “the prince and master of all scholastic doctors,” and in 1880, Thomas was designated as patron of all Catholic universities, colleges and schools throughout the world. We celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas’ feast day on Jan. 28.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Reverently Serving Our Parish and Sharing the Eucharist

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) are instrumental in the setting of the Mass. Made up of lay people in our parish community, the members of the EMHC ministry assist our clergy members in distributing the Eucharist to our congregations at Mass.

Those who take part in this ministry are participating in the call to evangelization as they bring the Body of Jesus to our parish community members. We are blessed by these volunteers who serve our parish in this way.

Marilyn Seiler has been involved with this ministry for many years.

“Currently, I am coordinating the ministry, orienting new ministers and providing ongoing training and formation,” she says.

Distributing the Body and Blood of Christ to our parish community helps bring the ministry members to a closer relationship with God. Marilyn prepares for ministry service

by spending time in prayer and reading about the Eucharist, which naturally helps her grow in her faith.

“It is such a privilege to distribute the Body and Blood of Christ,” she says. “In order to do so, I must be prepared mentally so that I can focus on the ministry and each person as Jesus would.”

Being a part of this ministry, the members

themselves hold great responsibility and a dedication to reverence for the Eucharist. The Norms and Guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) by the Diocese of Tulsa includes important information for those who serve in the ministry:

“In addition to bringing the sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ to the people of God, extraordinary ministers of Holy continued on back cover

“It is such a privilege to distribute the Body and Blood of Christ. In order to do so, I must be prepared mentally so that I can focus on the ministry and each person as Jesus would.”

— M arilyn S eiler

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

711 N. Country Club Rd • Stillwater, OK 74075

Web: www.SFXStillwater.org

Phone: (405) 372-6886

of Holy

Communion witness to faith in the real presence of Christ by their actions and by the dignity and reverence with which they treat the Body of Christ.”

There are a few requirements for becoming an EMHC at our parish. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age, and fully initiated into the Church, having received Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. They must also uphold the teachings of the Church and uphold a certain level of maturity in their faith. There is an annual one-hour training session. Presently, those serving as an EMHC do so once or twice every two months. Our pastor chooses the EMHC ministers, but

anyone interested may put their name forward. Committed members serve for the duration of the liturgy.

“An EMHC is commissioned for three years and may be recommissioned if the pastor sees fit,” Marilyn says.

If you would like more information about this ministry, please contact the Parish Office at 405-372-6886.