Ed Scott

Stewardship Renewal 2023

Posted on by Ed Scott

Stewardship renewal packets will be placed in the gathering space of church beginning January 21st and will be available for pickup through the weekend February 5th. The stewardship renewal forms have been updated with new categories, new opportunities to get involved and a brand new theme; Love and Serve Generously. Make plans to pick up your family packet and help us save on postage. Contribution statements for tax filing will also be included in your packet. Completed 2023 Stewardship Renewal Forms are due back to the parish office by February 28th.

You can renew online here: Stewardship 2023.

Pastor’s Pen

Posted on by Ed Scott

August 25, 2022

Dear Parishioners and friends of SFX,

In August of this year, our parish received two (NQ4 Retail Malt Beverage and Quota Retail Drink) licenses to serve alcohol (i.e. beer and wine only; not distilled spirits) at only certain functions in our parish and on our campus.  Any and all requests to have/offer alcohol at an event on the SFX campus must be approved by me personally through a parish office request.  With the coming of The Xavier Center (and all its’ possibilities for events), it is an opportunity to officially introduce alcohol as an option for those who know how to use it wisely and safely.  We have taken every measure to be compliant with the archdiocese in training selected individuals (who have now been certified) as servers for certain events involving alcohol.  Receiving a license also places certain restrictions on all alcohol (except sacramental wine) on our campus.  One of the major rules is only beer and wine that is provided thru our chosen distributors may be served.  Again, this is the only acceptable and permissible way of acquiring and ingesting any alcohol on the SFX campus.   As has been the custom of all of our Catholic parishes who hold alcohol licenses, bringing any alcoholic beverages from the outside is absolutely prohibitive.  The implementation of our new license is effective immediately.  As a parish and as individuals in the parish, we all are called to follow rules (without exception) that are required by the license (granted by the Alcoholic Beverage Control of the Commonwealth of Kentucky) as well as the guidelines set by the archdiocese for all functions involving alcohol-based beverages.

Let us continue to be and act responsibly when it comes to following rules and guidelines which are given for our own guidance and protection.  Thanks for your attention in this matter. 

In Christ the Cornerstone,

Father Dale Cieslik, Pastor

Tree of Life

Posted on by Ed Scott

As our story continues and we celebrate our 175th anniversary as a parish, we can honor and remember our loved ones in a very special way. You now have the opportunity to purchase a leaf for the “Tree of Life” that will be displayed in a prominent place in our new Parish Activity Center. The cost to acknowledge the special people in your life in this meaningful way is $200 per leaf. Leaves can be purchased in the back of church after Masses or you may pick up an order form in the back of church and drop it off with payment at the church office or in the collection basket. This is the perfect way to make a lasting memory so order yours today!

Furnishing Our House…

Posted on by Ed Scott

The Parish Activity Center, a new addition to our parish family home, will be completed soon. It’s time to start thinking about how we are going to furnish our home. Just like when you bought your first home and had to figure out how to furnish it, we are planning now on what we need for interior finishings, what they will cost and how we will pay for them.

To start, we know we will need things like tables and chairs, kitchenware, recreational equipment as well as IT, security and audio equipment. In addition, we’d like to make improvements to the old church and parish hall, including flooring, painting and new windows.

Now we need our parish family to help furnish our new parish home. Our estimates put the total cost around $160,000. You can find a list of items needed located on a table in the main church entrance. Monies that continue to be donated to the Expanding Our Embrace campaign will be used to help fund the furnishing of the Parish Activity Center and improvements to the Parish Hall and old church.

Please consider donating in one of the following ways.  You can visit the St. Francis Xavier website and click on the Giving tab and choose the Capital Campaign option (click here). You can continue to use your Expanding Our Embrace envelopes or write in the “For” section of your check “Expanding Our Embrace” or “Capital Campaign.” You can put these in the church collection baskets or drop them by the church office. Feel free to contact the church office if you have any questions. 

Thank you for your prayerful consideration!

Guidelines for Mass

Posted on by Ed Scott

Guidelines for Mass at St. Francis Xavier Church 2020

First and foremost, Archbishop Kurtz has issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend MASS on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation for the Archdiocese of Louisville until further notice.  Anyone over the age of 65 is encouraged to continue attending MASS as found at www.archlou.org/COVID-19 and ease into your return at your convenience at a later time.   

You are encouraged to take your own temperature before coming to MASS. If you are sick you need to stay home at this time.  As we have been doing, one can share Spiritual Communion at a virtual MASS.  It is strongly encouraged to protect one another and follow the guidelines of the Commonwealth and wear a mask or face covering at all times (and gloves if you choose).  Masks are available at the exits; homemade and bought.   

Doors will be propped open upon your arrival.  In order to fulfill ‘social distancing’, our church seating is that families are directed to sit together in one pew.  Every second/third pew is reserved for that purpose.  All individuals are asked to sit at least 6 feet apart at Mass.  Since our church officially seats 750, we are allowed to use approximately 200 seats per MASS in keeping with Commonwealth guidelines.  In order to comply, a third mass of 11:00 AM is being added to the schedule (until at least the end of September).  Seating will be first come, first served.  

Please take and use an Order of Worship found at all entrances.  Please discard them after the MASS in trash receptacles at the exits.  All song books are in storage.

Hand sanitizer is made available at all three exits (Foamy IQ which is a foam disinfectant). 

The collection of tithing and donations will be taken during Communion.  Please place your donations in the basket provided by the usher.  Thank you for sharing.

Please ‘stagger’ your exit from the church so as to keep ‘social distance’ when leaving.  For those who wish to visit at the end of mass, please do so outside… for now. 

Thank you for complying with these rules and guidelines.  They come from four sources: the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Archbishop and Archdiocese of Louisville, the faith-family of SFX and Father Dale Cieslik, pastor.  

God bless!  Pray unceasingly for a vaccine to COVID-19.