Saint Francis F rancis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH Longtime Parishioners and Our Youngest Families
All Have Unique Gifts to Share
Contents: 2 Stewardship
Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime
3 This Summer,
Opportunities for Stewardship and Formation Abound
4 Natural Family
Planning: Knowledge, Communication and Empowerment for Catholic Couples
6 A Catholic’s Guide to Good Summer Reading
7 Camp Xavier
Offers a Summer Program of Faith and Fun for Older Parish Youth
JUNE 2021
O
ne of the most beautiful things about our Catholic Church is that it is truly universal. In fact, the word Catholic itself comes from the Latin adjective for “universal.” While we may typically think about this universality as an indication that the Catholic faith is practiced all over the world, it’s also worth considering another aspect of the word “universal,” which is “of, affecting, or done by all people.” Viewed in this light, the universality of the Church emphasizes the valuable role of all the faithful here at St. Francis Xavier, from our youngest to our oldest parishioners. Many of our longtime parishioners — like Doris St. Francis Xavier parishioners Bastion, Lawrence and Jolene Roy, David Lambert, and appreciate opportunities to Joe Pierce — have a long history of parish involvement gather in fellowship. at St. Francis Xavier. Their commitment to a life of discipleship over the years has helped our parish become the inspiring faith community it is today. “Our older families definitely bring a strong faith through the ups and downs of life,” says Fr. Brian O’Brien. “They have seen our Catholic community through periods of struggle and through our current time where we are growing and thriving. Their institutional memory and dedication to the sacraments are what stand out for me the most.” continued on page 5
Saint
Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH
Stewardship
Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime
T
he kids are out of school and our fast-paced lives centered on school and youth sports activities have slowed down. Our own internal clocks are now on summer time. We’re ready for a break from our hectic lives. And while we take vacations and enjoy the leisurely pace of the season, we need to remember that summer is not the time to take a vacation from God. In fact, summer can serve as the perfect opportunity to grow in our relationship with God, especially since most of us have considerably more free time. So, instead of neglecting our faith due to busy days and late nights, try these simple steps to embrace God during the quieter summer months and during your vacation. Get More Active in a Parish Ministry The summer is actually a perfect time to get more involved in a parish ministry. Because we no longer have to get the kids to and from school, or get them to sporting events or other activities that normally occur during the school year, our schedules are a bit less cluttered. Summer is indeed a perfect time to fill some downtime with service to God through ministry and giving of your talents. Take a look through the parish ministries to find something that suits your particular interest or talent. 2
Vacation Bible School, for Kids and Adults Vacation Bible School is a great way for younger children to learn about God through songs, activities and fellowship. The fun-filled lessons build upon Gospel teachings while keeping kids’ attention. For older children, it is a great opportunity to offer service by being a team leader or assistant. Adults can also help plan, decorate, organize and teach during the week. It’s a wonderful activity for the entire family! Give Thanks for the Sun Praise God for the sun, time off from school and easygoing days by visiting the adoration chapel to say a quick prayer. Bring a journal or rosary along to help stay focused. Little children can even bring a religious coloring book to give thanks to God on their terms. Or, before heading to the pool, why not attend daily Mass with the kids? It’s a perfect way to start the day and set the tone that — vacation or not — God is still an important part of your family life. Don’t Take a Vacation from Mass Often while on a vacation away from our parish family, we are not familiar with where to attend Mass. Don’t let that be an obstacle for you. Check out masstimes.org in order to find out where and when to go to Mass. In addition, if you are lodging at
a hotel, the concierge will assist you with directions to the nearest Catholic Church. Summertime Stewardship of Treasure The prime reason for keeping up our pledge all summer is that God doesn’t go on vacation. He continues to sustain us throughout the summer months. He persists in pouring out blessings on us, even during the hottest weather. He keeps on meeting us in His sacramental presence when we go to Mass wherever we travel. As God remains faithful to us during the summer, we are called to be faithful in our commitments to Him and our parish family, even during our vacation time. So, enjoy the warmer temperatures and the relaxed atmosphere. Just don’t forget Who provides the sun and the sand! And most importantly, remember to take God with you wherever you go on vacation!
A Letter From Our Pastor:
This Summer,
Opportunities for
Stewardship and Formation
Abound
Dear Parishioners,
S
ummer is upon us and this is no time to take a step back from your faith! Coming out of COVID, we have been shaken, but our strength is in Christ and He will see us through. Our stewardship way of life has been on display over the last year and this newsletter shows the beauty and diversity of our parish. We usually feature specific ministries, but we wanted to start this newsletter with a look at our oldest and youngest parishioners. We are a young parish with lots of babies and young families. Our Early Childhood Development Center is strong! Xavier Kids and Xavier Teens are growing. Even our young adults are thriving! Alongside these younger parishioners, we have the beauty and wisdom of those who are older. These parishioners have seen the parish through the ups and downs, and they have much to teach us all. This summer we are offering SO MANY opportunities for our young people. From Vacation Bible School, to the Steubenville Youth Conference, Mission Trip, Xavier Family Nights, and Camp Xavier. Camp Xavier is a week-long mission for our teenagers. Each night features talks, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We’ll have good food and t-shirts too! I hope all our teenagers will join us in July. Finally, we’re featuring the wonderful ministry of teaching Natural Family Planning. NFP is a beautiful way of life for married couples to plan their families safely, cheaply, morally and responsibly. Parishioners Rose and Matt Cabeen
teach NFP to our engaged couples and for any married couples who want to learn. There’s great science behind it too! Let’s keep living a life of stewardship, serving Christ and His Church! In Christ,
Very Rev. Brian O’Brien Pastor, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church
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Saint
Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH
Natural Fam
Knowledge, Communication and E
T
he Catholic Church’s teachings often don’t align with what society teaches. One topic over which society and the Catholic Church are at odds is contraception. But for Catholic couples, Natural Family Planning — or NFP — stands as a natural and moral way to either achieve or postpone pregnancy. As the United Conference of Catholic Bishops says, “Since the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God’s design for married love!” Matt and Rose Cabeen teach the SymptoThermal method of NFP through the Couple to Couple League — and we are blessed to have Matt and Rose teaching NFP for St. Francis Xavier. “Our favorite part is meeting young couples and empowering them to observe and understand their own fertility and then to make responsible decisions using that power,” Matt says. NFP has been a gift to Matt and Rose’s marriage and they love having the opportunity to share that gift with other couples. The groundwork was laid for them to teach when they gave an informal NFP introduction as an engaged couple at their marriage preparation weekend. Then a few years later, after meeting another teaching couple at a Baptism, they went on to begin training to teach. They started classes in Boston and continued the training when they moved to Stillwater. The method uses daily temperature and symptom observation to determine fertile times in a woman’s cycle. Matt and Rose like this method because of the multiple signs, which makes tracking fertility a bit easier. “It’s very pro-woman,” Matt says. “It empowers
Matt and Rose Cabeen with their children — the couple feels blessed to teach Natural Family Planning classes.
a woman and her husband with knowledge to understand and appreciate her fertility, rather than treating fertility like a disease to be avoided.” The couple feels blessed to have the opportunity to teach NFP to others. “We are blessed by seeing faithful young couples whose marriages and future families will be the future of the Church and a beautiful witness to the world,” Matt says. Matt and Rose often open their own home for the classes, which are typically offered in a threepart series with one class per month. They enjoy welcoming people to their home to see what life is like for a Catholic family, as a powerful form of evangelization. They want to share what a blessing practicing NFP has been to their marriage. “NFP includes a lot of communication about intimate things,” Matt says. “We find that it has really impacted our ability and desire to continued on page 5
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mily
Planning:
Empowerment for Catholic Couples communicate about anything! We can solve problems, strategize about making our marriage and family life a faithful and attractive witness, and reveal our intimate feelings to one another.” In addition to the regular NFP classes, offered about three times per year, they also teach premenopause and postpartum classes, which are designed for couples who have already completed the main class series. These times include
unique fertility signs, which are covered in class. These classes are offered about once per year or by request. The NFP classes not only cover the science of the Sympto-Thermal method, but also the theology behind it. “The theology teaches us why practicing NFP is important and is consistent with authentic, Christlike, life-giving love,” Matt says.
If you would like to learn more about Natural Family Planning, please visit www.ccli.org and click “find a class.”
All Have Unique Gifts to Share As the country continues to emerge from the pandemic restrictions of last year, Fr. O’Brien is hopeful that our OWLS group — Older, Wiser, Livelier Saints — which serves parishioners 55 and older, will be able to resume their regular meetings and activities soon. Another way that some of our oldest parishioners continue to serve is through the new Intercessors of St. Francis Xavier Ministry. By praying for the mission of our parish, homebound and older parishioners are able to stay connected to our faith community. Worshipping alongside our more “seasoned” parishioners at each Mass are the many young families of our parish. Just last year, 30 infants were baptized right here at St. Francis Xavier! For Fr. O’Brien, this number is an encouraging sign of a vibrant and growing parish community. “Younger families bring hope,” Fr. O’Brien says. “The adage goes, ‘If your church isn’t crying, it’s dying.’ To have young families coming to Mass and participating in the life of the parish tells everyone that we’re here to stay! Young families can also be a great support to one another.”
continued from front cover
While life can often be hectic for families with children and teens, parents are welcome to serve in any way they can. Certainly, the growth of the domestic church within the family is a big priority at this stage in life. If time allows, there are many ministries and discipleship growth programs at St. Francis Xavier that young parishioners may prayerfully consider joining. Often, serving during the liturgy as an usher, lector or Eucharistic Minister is a good fit for busy families who are committed to attending Mass. From our newly baptized infants to our parishioners in their 90s, every member of St. Francis Xavier is a treasured part of our faith family. “The Church is universal,” Fr. O’Brien says. “We’re in every country in the world, and we ought to also cover every generation. The parish is a microcosm of the larger Church in our region. All are welcome, and that includes people of all ages. Pope Francis is fond of saying that the young have energy and optimism, and the older folks have the wisdom. The Church needs all of this in great supply.”
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A Catholic’s Guide to:
Good Reading summer
H
ave you been wondering what to read during vacation this year? Why not give spiritual reading a try? There are thousands of titles out there — too many for any one person — just waiting to make a positive impact on your faith life. Reading is a fantastic opportunity for general spiritual direction and good practice for every searching soul. Choose a title from “you can’t go wrong” authors such as Louis de Wohl, G.K. Chesterton, Peter Kreeft, Francis de Sales, C.S. Lewis, and Scott Hahn. Their works alone should take you well into the summer, and possibly through to the next decade. Or, choose from this list of great Christian books, in no particular order: The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux In this autobiography and all-time favorite Catholic book, St. Therese teaches her “little way” of spiritual childhood. Millions of copies have been sold worldwide. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis One of the most popular introductions to the Christian faith ever published, this series of broadcast talks has been collected into book fashion. Mere Christianity sets out to “explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.” Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism by Scott and Kimberly Hahn This offers a conversion story of a brilliant,
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anti-Catholic Scripture scholar and his wife to the Catholic faith. Now well-known speakers and Catholic apologists, Scott and Kimberly recount their story with simplicity and love. The Good News about Sex & Marriage: Answers to Your Honest Questions about Catholic Teaching by Christopher West This down-to-earth application of Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body is an easyto-read, yet insightful account of the Church’s teaching on sex and marriage. What Catholics Really Believe by Karl Keating Addressing 52 of the greatest misconceptions of the Catholic faith, Keating draws upon Scripture and Tradition to dispel errors and explain the rationale behind Church teaching. No Greater Love by Mother Teresa This anthology collects the teachings and sayings of St. Teresa of Calcutta. Founder of the Missionaries of Charity and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, St. Teresa of Calcutta speaks joyfully about her work with the poor and God’s call in our lives. Surprised by Truth edited by Patrick Madrid Eleven converts give their Biblical and historical reasons for becoming Catholic. These unique personal testimonies continue to transform hearts throughout the world in an insightful read for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Happy summer! Happy reading!
Camp Xavier
Offers a Summer Program of Faith and Fun for Older Parish Youth
W
hat can our older parish youth do for summer fun when they have aged out of Vacation Bible School? They can have an outstanding time at Camp Xavier! The camp theme this summer is “Walk as Children of Light,” based on Ephesians 5:8. The campers will focus on what it means to live a life for Christ — and what can be better than that? This will be the third year for Camp Xavier, which was first organized by Fr. O’Brien. While Vacation Bible School serves youngsters from kindergarten through fifth grade, there was nothing held during the summer to reach our older youth. Fr. O’Brien and Ashleigh Martin, youth minister, realized that our older youth from sixth grade through high school needed opportunities in the summer to grow in their faith. Camp Xavier was the result.
Social distancing was observed, but the embrace of a loving community in Christ remained in place during Camp Xavier.
“We wanted to give them the opportunity in the summer to get together and still strengthen their faith,” Ashleigh says. “So, Fr. O’Brien came up with it. We love it!” This year, Camp Xavier will be held from July 18-22 in the Youth Center. The hours are 6-9 p.m. The fee is $10, which covers snacks and a t-shirt. The program sessions include snacks, games and a speaker.
In addition, there is adoration, praise and worship time, and an opportunity to go to confession. When the youth have completed the week of Camp Xavier, they will be equipped to better share their faith and evangelize to others. “We will talk about how we are called for relationship, how our relationship is broken and restored through Jesus, how we are called to radiate Christ’s love continued on back cover
“We will talk about how we are called for relationship, how our relationship is broken and restored through Jesus, how we are called to radiate Christ’s love to others and accept Jesus as the center of our lives. It’s really going to be great!” — Ashleigh Martin
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Saint
Francis Xavier CATHOLIC CHURCH
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church 711 N. Country Club Rd • Stillwater, OK 74075 Web: www.SFXStillwater.org Phone: (405) 372-6886
Camp Xavier
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to others and accept Jesus as the center of our lives,” Ashleigh says. “It’s really going to be great!” During the sessions, a particular topic is highlighted for discussion and study. Last year, the youth delved into the saints, and had a night of apologetics, when they could ask questions about their faith. The Nicene Creed was examined, with its elements broken down for discussion and greater understanding. A format of smaller groups allows a more informal atmosphere. “In the past two years, Fr. O’Brien has been the speaker,” Ashleigh says. “When he is the speaker, the material is always interesting.” Camp Xavier and its objectives fall under the mission of our Youth Ministry. According to our parish
website, “St. Francis Xavier Youth Ministry’s mission is to respond to the social and spiritual needs of the teens in our parish by providing spiritfilled programs, activities and events that will allow them to express their faith as they encounter Christ and deepen their love for the Church and sacraments. Through our programs, events and outreach, we seek to draw young people into responsible participation in the life, work and mission of the parish community.” Volunteers are welcome, and teachers are encouraged to sign on at this time. Registration for Camp Xavier also is slated to begin at this time. For information, please call the parish office at 405-372-6886.
ONLINE GIVING:
PARISH REGISTRATION: