For more information on Religious Education for children, Contact Victoria Blackwell at:
For more information on OCIA and Adult Education and for locations where it is being offered, Contact Deacon Tom Healy at: deacontom@stfrancisyulee.org
Children:
Religious Education at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission Church is provided for registered families with children in grades 1-8. These Faith Formation classes are designed to supplement and support the role of parents as the primary educators of their children. As a growing mission church, we are unique in our ability to provide this support for our families. Our small classes afford the children not only the opportunity to participate fully in their faith formation, but also extensive personal attention from our team of highly dedicated catechists.
Thursday, August 11 was the first day of school for students and their families attending Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Augustine. And even more Catholic students attending public schools and parish religious education programs head back to classes this month.
Currently, our Catholic schools are experiencing record numbers in enrollment. One of the reasons is the many scholarship opportunities that exist in Florida making Catholic education more affordable for families. The state program now allows a family of four to earn up to $111,000 and earn a scholarship that could be worth up to $7,500 per student each academic year. And families with a mother or father who is active in law enforcement, or the military automatically qualify for scholarships because of their service, regardless of income. For more information regarding Florida scholarships, visit https://www.stepupforstudents.org/catholic2.
The Catholic Student Assistance Fund (CSAF), established by Bishop Felipe Estévez and now supported by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, has awarded nearly $100,000 this year to middle-class families that need assistance in paying for their children to attend a Catholic school. To learn more and to financially support the scholarship program, visit https://www.dosafl.com/studentassistance.
If you need help locating a Catholic school and to learn more about available scholarships, call the Office of the Superintendent at (904) 262-0668. Please keep our faculty, staff, students and families in your prayers for a successful school year!
By Katie Camario
After years of academic hard work and dedication, 18-year-old Elena Rudaitis is embarking on a new journey. She is packing up her car and heading off to the University of Florida to start her freshman year in college. Moving will also include finding a new faith community as Rudaitis leaves her home parish of St. Paul Catholic Church in Tampa where she has been an active member for years.
“I think it is highly important to keep one’s spirituality alive by setting it as a priority ahead of time and having some non-negotiables, with regards to scheduling work, school and a social life,” she said.
According to Father Tom Morgan, finding a balance will help young adults who are leaving home for the first time continue to grow in their relationship with Jesus.
“Most of us get that being in a relationship with someone else means being present to them. The call is the same in our relationship with Jesus as a Catholic Christian disciple,” said Father Morgan, pastor, St. Jerome Parish in Largo.
While it’s easy for students to solely focus on educational goals, Father Morgan says this is a “step up to the plate moment,” especially the first weekend away, when they ask themselves if they will attend Mass. To help young adults maintain and grow their faith, Father Morgan says they should consider the following ten tips:
Decide the kind of person you want to be before you go and stick to it. Stand firm. College will test your faith. Don’t believe the phrase “everyone is doing it.” Because it’s not true.
Make friends who have the same values as you do, even if that means not settling for the first group of friends you meet.
Get regularly involved with at least one good Catholic organization.
Don’t believe that everyone has pre-marital sex and that it’s no big deal if you’re a good person.
Call your parents and siblings at least once a week.
You cannot party all the time and get good grades.
Go to Mass every Sunday, no matter what.
Go to confession once a month and look for an opportunity to go to a Catholic retreat.
Pray, read Scripture, look for a good Catholic spiritual book to read, and seek a way to serve the needy. REMEMBER YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PARISH ARE PRAYING FOR YOU!
It’s also important for young people to know they are never alone.
“They come from a family both of blood and faith. We all meet challenges along the way, but we must remember the promise of Jesus in Matthew 28:20; I am with you always,” said Father Morgan.
Rudaitis says this is solid advice she plans to follow as she takes advantage of her newfound freedom, all the while leaning on her faith and all it has taught her.
The Dedication and Blessing of the new St. Clare Learning Center at Wildlight was on Saturday, August 22nd . Many thanks to Wayne Munson for the photographs of the event.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES
GOD BLESS YOU!
“OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process that begins now and formally concludes at the Easter Vigil with full membership into the Roman Catholic Church. OCIA is for those adults who have never been baptized, or were baptized in another Christian tradition, or were baptized Roman Catholic, but did not receive the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation. Please join us for an hour which may change your life forever.”
Deacon Tom
OCIA (Adult Education) Deacon Tom
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is a process developed by the Catholic Church for prospective converts to Catholicism who are above the age of infant baptism. Candidates are gradually introduced to aspects of Catholic beliefs and practices. There is the inquiry stage, where we are just finding out about Jesus, Christianity, and the Catholic Church. In the catechumenate, the faith has begun to develop. We are learning and growing more. There is a focus on catechesis where we are learning about the faith, how to live as a Christian, and developing the interior life. The period of purification and enlightenment is the final stage before receiving the Easter sacraments of initiation into the Church: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. (Those already baptized with a valid baptism in another Christian church aren’t baptized again.)
This stage of intense reflection calls us to a deeper conversion in preparation for the renewal at Easter. This is what the season of Lent is for, but it has a special intensity for those attending as they enter the Church and receive the sacraments of initiation. The final stage of mystagogy during Easter is for continued reflection on the sacraments received at Easter, especially the Eucharist. Specific catechesis on the Mass, the Sacraments, and especially the Eucharist are the focus of this stage. The Mass and the Eucharist are the “source and summit” of the Christian life in the Catholic Church, and this period is designed to help to understand, appreciate, and live more deeply in this center of Catholicism. For more information, email Deacon Tom at deacontom@stfrancisyulee.org
OCIA 2024 - ORDER OF ELECTION
OCIA 2016 – 2024
PREP Student Luminaries
This year the PREP Class made beautiful luminaries that they decorated with prayers and hopes for the New Year. Ms. Victoria and Andrew placed 114 of them around the church for the Epiphany! The bags were weighted with students’ canned good donations, which were delivered to the food bank by Joe D. They had planned to place them on Christmas Eve, but the winds were too high, so they became a wonderful addition to their Epiphany lesson!
PREP KIDS GRADES 4, 5, 6 & 7
CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR OUR TROOPS
ANNUAL RESPECT LIFE CONTEST
The Respect Life Contest provides an opportunity for teachers and students to discuss the need to respect human life in all forms and for elementary and middle school students to use art and essays to demonstrate the value of all human life. The coordinators of our Respect Life Ministry provided the judging for the submissions from our Parish Religious Education Program and presented the winners with their certificates at the 9:30 Family Mass.
October 27 – Representatives of the Respect Life and Spirituality ministries, Roseanne Kennedy and Marcella Claridge, present certificates of accomplishment to the winners of the 2018-2019 Respect Life art contest! From front: Megan O. (2nd row) Yarid R., Emma N., (3rd row) Charlie N., Roseanne Kennedy and Marcella Claridge. These students, from the Parish Religious Education Program (PREP), were recognized by the Diocese of St. Augustine for their original art and prose in support of choosing life.
The contest is part of the larger observance of Respect Life Month in October, and extends into the Advent season. The theme of the contest is “Christ Our Hope – in every season of life” and emphasizes the value of life in all stages – including the unborn, newborn, sick and disabled, special needs, elderly, and incarcerated. All human life has dignity, regardless of the circumstances.
St. Francis PREP student, Emma G., is recognized for completing her Respect Life contest entry.
Our program had 100% participation in 2018. The Overall Winner was chosen for his real-life based essay that accurately conveyed the “Be Not Afraid” theme. Here is a copy of the beautiful essay for the Respect Life Contest written by James. He was the overall winner of the contest as his real-life based essay accurately conveyed the ‘Be Not Afraid” theme.
BE NOT AFRAID, BY JAMES
Five years ago, I had a personal experience of not being afraid. My dad picked me up from school one day after he and my mom had gone to the doctor for an ultrasound of my soon-to-be sibling. “Your mom and I found out if the baby is a boy or a girl,” Dad said. “Do you think it is a boy or a girl?”
“Girl,” I said.
“Nope, it is a boy!” Dad replied.
I was so excited that I was going to have a baby brother. What I did not know, is that my brother would have some challenges.
The doctors diagnosed my brother with Dandy-Walker Malformation, a cyst that was taking the place of brain matter that controlled coordination and speaking. A specialist recommended that my parents terminate the baby. Aborting one of God’s creations was not an option for my parents. They were very sad and worried. So many people prayed to God to take care of this baby; my parents, friends at church, and even a group of nuns at a convent in Wisconsin. My dad had a dream that God was saying my brother would be alright. He dreamed that Jesus’ hands were lovingly holding my brother’s head and told him not to be afraid.
My family started to come up with names for my brother. Finally, my parents chose the name David, because he would have some “Goliaths” to face. When my brother was born, we could tell that he was strong. He was already pushing himself up a little, but he still needed some physical therapy. David and my parents conquered every “Goliath” thrown in their direction. We were learning to not be afraid, but to trust God.
My family started attending a special needs support group called Planting Hope. The group gave my parents support and helped increase their faith, even in hard times. There was a daycare for all of the children while parents were talking to other parents. I learned how to interact with special needs children. It was a great experience. Now I am not afraid to talk to people who may be different than me.
By the time David was two years old, he had already proved the doctors wrong. My family is glad that they did not terminate the pregnancy. David has been a miracle. With God’s help, we have learned how to not be afraid.
ST. FRANCIS CCD STUDENTS FOR SOLDIERS
PREP STUDENTS CHRISTMAS PARTY – 2019
PREP STUDENTS CHRISTMAS PARTY – 2017
Bridges One First Holy Communion 2021
FIRST COMMUNION 2021
FIRST COMMUNION 2020
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION RETREAT 2018
Today was a special day! Our children who are preparing for the Sacrament of First Communion have chosen Prayer Partners for spiritual support during their preparation. Today during the Family Mass, these willing members of our community were offered bread by the children as a reminder to pray for them. Please feel free to join us in praying for these young people as well!
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2018
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2017
CONFIRMATION RETREAT 2021
CONFIRMATION 2021
CONFIRMATION 2020
CONFIRMATION CLASS 2019
CONFIRMATION CLASS 2018
CONFIRMATION CLASS 2016
