St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Newsletter — June 2023

SaintFrancis FrancisSaintXavier Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

MEET THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

A Fraternity Centered on Faith, Service, and Charity Contents:

The Knights of Columbus is a national brotherhood of Catholic men who live out the principles of charity, unity, and fraternity by serving the Church and local community. The brotherhood is organized into councils around the world. Our St. Francis Xavier council is 5266, which currently has 144 registered members and 40 who are active.

Parishioner Pedro Velasco is this year’s Grand Knight who oversees Council 5266. As a Knight, he has seen great growth in himself.

“It has allowed me to grow in my faith and to practice it frequently,” Pedro says. “Before I would just go to Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation, but now I pray the Rosary frequently, participate in adoration, and attend daily Mass when I can.”

Donation drop-off for the pro-life charity of Birth Choice

“The main purpose of the Knights of Columbus was to protect the widow and the orphans of the Catholic men in the parish, and to help men stay true to the Catholic faith,” he adds. “Today the Knights of Columbus has grown to more than

continued on page 2

SaintFrancis Xavier

CATHOLIC CHURCH

MEET THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

continued from front cover

two million brothers in over 16,000 councils throughout the world.”

Council 5266 continues the original work of helping those in need by serving St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and the greater community. They raise money for many different organizations and host numerous events that bring the community together. To make all of this happen, the brothers meet every second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

“All of our meetings start with prayer, which is usually led by one of our chaplains or deacons,” Pedro says. “Then we proceed with a report by our Pastor, Fr. O’Brien, Grand Knight, treasurer, financial secretary, and the rest of the committee chairs. At the end, we have a lecture presentation with readings or discussions on matters of faith, charity, unity, or fraternity.”

The St. Francis Xavier Knights are widely known for hosting their monthly breakfasts and Lenten fish frys at the parish. However, their work and generosity extend much further.

“We carry out programs that directly support our Youth Ministry, and we raise funds and volunteer at local charities such as Our Daily Bread and Pioneer Pantry,” Pedro says.

The Knights are dedicated to raising money for local charities to be a light to the world and continue the initial ministry providing for those who are in need. Currently, the money raised by their monthly breakfasts and Game Day parking fundraisers is given to many local charities including Catholic Charities of Stillwater, Birthright of Stillwater, and many more.

In addition to their service and fundraising campaigns, the Knights are devoted to growing spiritually.

“Now we promote Rosaries for men and the community,” Pedro says. “We host special events such as the Prayer Service for St. Joseph and Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

The Knights of Columbus encourage men to be true sons of God and spiritual leaders within their homes.

“Men benefit from the fellowship with other men, especially in matters of faith and family life,” Pedro says. “The Knights help us to be successful men in our spiritual, family, and social life. All this is offered through the fraternity with other Catholic men to help our community and those in need.”

All men over the age of 18 are welcome to join the fraternity of Knights of Columbus.

For more information, email Pedro Velasco at grandknight.kofc5266@gmail.com. You can also register at www.kofc.org.

The Chili Cookoff

Serving at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry

Coats for Kids at Pioneer Pantry

The Men’s Retreat

We Can Make This a Great Stewardship Summer

Dear Parishioners,

Summer 2023 is underway and we have a ton of activities planned for you and your family. Summer is not a time to step back from your faith — it’s a time to engage in a deeper way. A life of stewardship (time, talent, and treasure) is a way of life! This newsletter highlights three of dozens of ministries in our parish. Pray about whether any of these strikes you as something you could get involved in, in order to deepen your faith and the faith of others.

“Pre-Cana” is the word often used to describe preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage. Couples come to our parish and want to get married. They meet with Wedding Coordinator Lori Wieder to iron out the date and other details and then, for these past five years, meet with priests or deacons in addition to taking advantage of retreats at the diocesan level. This summer we plan to involve couples in the process. Is that something that interests you? Let me know.

The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization for men founded in the United States in the 1880s. Around the world, the Knights are on the front lines of charitable work and doing a ton in parishes and dioceses around the world to make Christ’s merciful love a reality. In our parish, Knights of Columbus Council #5266 (of which I’m a proud member) meets on a monthly basis and does amazing things to build the faith of men and contribute to the life of the parish. All men of the parish should consider joining!

Finally, we are blessed with a strong and

active young adult community. Meeting mostly on Monday to grow in faith and to build friendships, the Catholic Young Adults offers a great opportunity for those in their 20s and 30s to meet others. The group has a Flocknote and a GroupMe. Get signed up for more information!

Let’s have a great summer ahead! In Christ,

Very Rev. Brian O’Brien Pastor, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church

Catholic Young Adults of Stillwater A Place for Community, Faith and Fellowship

The theme for the Catholic Young Adults of Stillwater is to “Say ‘Yes’ to New Adventures.” This is based on a quote from Pope St. John Paul II, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure. He alone can give full meaning to life. He alone is the center of history. Live by Him!”

Our pastor, Fr. O’Brien, and our Young Adult Ministry team invite any young adult, 21 to 39, to get involved on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Center. People don’t need to be

Catholic to attend.

As Fr. O’Brien points out, there are consistent efforts to educate children and youth, but that drops off after high school. This group exists to help one another grow in holiness.

“Young adults in the parish are a vital part of who we are,” Fr. O’Brien says. “Right out of college or heading into the workforce, many young people struggle to fit into the life of the parish. We want to change that.”

The group meets weekly and shares in social events throughout the year. The group attends local Trivia Nights, goes out to eat, hangs out at the rectory, does Bible studies, attends Adoration, and prays the Rosary.

In the future, the ministry hopes to plan some service activities and host a retreat. The group has taken part in Our Daily Bread and is looking at ways to serve in other ministries in the parish.

With the college students coming and going, ministry leaders have been pleased with how

“We are spiritual beings who need each other. We also need to give of ourselves to be happy. We try to incorporate all these things into the Catholic Young Adults.” — Fr. O’Brien

The Young Adults group gathered to celebrate the Baptism of their fellow members’ child.

Members forge essential bonds at the Young Adult gatherings.

Stillwater Fellowship

cohesive the group has been.

“People are looking for community — they want to belong, and they also want to grow in their faith,” Fr. O’Brien says. “It’s social and an opportunity to grow in faith. We just share life and look closely at the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church to see how we can become better disciples.”

Why are spiritual, service, and social activities integral to effective Catholic young adult ministry?

“It’s who we are,” Fr. O’Brien says. “We are spiritual beings who need each other. We also need to give of ourselves to be happy. We try to incorporate all these things into the Catholic

Young Adults.”

All summer long, the Young Adults will be meeting, and a trip to Oklahoma City to visit the new Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine is in the works.

The parish invites all young adults to become part of this ministry. Whether single, married, discerning, a college graduate, or not, you are welcome here.

Members enjoy fellowship at a Young Adult gathering. Members share in a meal and great conversation.

Young Adult members helped at a Trunk or Treat event.

Food, fellowship and fun were the highlights of a recent gathering.

Summer Stewardship for Children

School is out! We hear many children say, “I’m bored!” or “there’s nothing to do!” Here are a few ideas to help children grow in their understanding of Stewardship as a Way of Life.

“Bean” a Good Steward: Give children several bean seeds and a small pot or plot of ground. Have them prepare the soil, plant the seed, and give it water. Make sure it is in the sunshine! Talk to them about the importance of taking care of God’s seed. (The seeds will sprout quickly in the summer heat!)

Have a neighborhood talent show: Talk to your children about how everyone has been given a talent from God, and they could plan a special show to entertain the neighbors, family members, and friends. Encourage them to recruit participants with a variety of talents such as: singing, dancing, showing an art project, telling a story, reading a poem, showing an athletic skill. Decide on a place, date, and time. They should create invitations and handle all the work.

Plan and carry out a neighborhood clean-up and recycle day: Make one day each week your stewardship of your neighborhood day. Give each child a garbage bag and latex gloves. Make one garbage bag for recyclables and the other for garbage. Go for a walk, picking up the trash and putting it in the proper bag. When you get back to your house, put the material collected in the proper receptacle.

Write a Litany of Gratitude: Give your children a special notepad and pencil for recording a Litany of Gratitude. Ask them to write down things for which they are grateful all during the day. Some examples might be a kind word from a friend, a beautiful flower, the softness of a puppy, some help with chores, a favorite song, a refreshing swim, cold lemonade, etc. At the end of the day make the litany part of your night prayer. Have as a response, “Thank you, God, and help us to care for all you have given us.”

Marriage Preparation Ministry

Fostering Faith Formation and Healthy Communication for Engaged Couples

Planning a wedding is undoubtedly an exciting time. Yet, in the busyness of wedding planning, it’s critical not to overlook what is most important — the Sacrament of Marriage. Marriage Prep is key to entering this lifelong commitment with a solid foundation.

“The statistics bear out that those who marry in the Church and those who participate in the Catholic marriage preparation process have happier marriages and fewer divorces,” says Fr. Brian O’Brien. “Marriage preparation allows a couple to talk through various issues, whether they be financial, communication, family history, sexuality, or whatever. These are important things that need to be discussed before a wedding.”

At St. Francis Xavier, Marriage Prep has three basic requirements. Each couple will meet with the priest or deacon. These meetings will cover various topics and will include identifying any obstacles to the marriage, such as a previous marriage that has not been annulled. The meetings will also cover the FOCCUS test which helps couples identify areas of strength and topics they should discuss further. After witnessing over 200 weddings, Fr. O’Brien can say with certainty that these discussions are necessary.

“Marriage preparation makes a big difference,” Fr. O’Brien says. “It creates a culture within the marriage where opinions can be expressed and where the couple plays to their specific strengths.”

Before the wedding, couples will attend a Catholic Engaged Encounter retreat. This retreat is offered by the Diocese of Tulsa and similar options are available in neighboring dioceses. The retreat gives the couple one-on-one time to discuss topics such as communication, intimacy, and their family backgrounds.

The last major component of Marriage Prep is a Natural Family Planning class. NFP gives a couple the moral and scientific tools they need to approach their marriage with an openness to life and strong communication.

“Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman,” Fr. O’Brien says. “Just that basic definition flies in the face of cultural conventions. When a couple gets married in the Catholic Church, they need to commit to being open to the possibility of children, to be married until death, and to ‘love and honor each other’ for the rest of their lives. Culturally, marriage has become an institution that seems pliable and temporary. The Catholic Church wants it to be the opposite.”

Bree and JD Rosman

Marisa and Nick Norman

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

facebook.com/SFX.Stillwater

@sfx_stillwater

twitter.com/SFX_Stillwater

Marriage Preparation

continued from page 7

These three steps will mark the time between a couple’s engagement and their wedding, helping them approach the muchanticipated wedding day prepared for the many years to come. From the engagement to the wedding and beyond, our parish is here to support you and your family through hardships and blessings.

“Families are the fundamental cell of human society,” Fr. O’Brien says. “If our families are strong, our parish will be strong. Families are also the primary place of evangelization and so if marriages are strong, then our mission of evangelization will be lived out in a fuller way.”

The first step to Marriage Prep is to contact the parish at 405-372-6886 and meet with the priest. More details can be found at www.sfxstillwater.org/marriage.

Allison and Curtis Coltharp