The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
Monday; December 9, 2024
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Today we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. In 1854, Pope Pius IX made the infallible statement: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savor of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of Original Sin.”

We focus on the two women in today’s readings and see how their choices have impacted our lives.

To illustrate the difference between Eve and Mary, picture an eye dropper filled with water. I am putting one drop of water in my hand. The makeup of this water is the same as any other drop of water – H2O. It is no more water or less water than any other drop. If I would put this drop of water into the ocean, it would be a part of the ocean. However, although it is part of the ocean and the ocean is a part of it, the drop is NOT the ocean. The difference between Eve and Mary is that Eve wanted to BE the ocean. Mary was content to be the drop in the ocean.

Both Eve and Mary were created without original sin. In the beginning, it was original goodness. In Genesis, we read that “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them, and God looked at everything he had made and he found it very good.” Mary was created without Original Sin from the moment of HER conception (through her parents; Joachim and Anne), by a special grace in her role in God’s plan for humankind.

Eve wanted to be like God. Mary was content to be God’s servant. Eve (and Adam) thought God was being selfish by forbidding them to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve was not content to be a drop of water. She wanted to be the ocean. She saw God as selfish, wanting to keep special knowledge to Himself. She did not realize that God sets limits… to protect her.

Mary knew that she was not more than a servant, a handmaid of God. His Will was her command. When the angel Gabriel announced to her that she was to conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit and bear a son that would be called Son of God, Mary must have been confused and puzzled. While she did not understand fully what was being asked, Mary did not rebel. She simply spoke, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary was content to be drop of water.

Eve rebelled, Mary submitted. Eve gave in to temptation. In the story, Eve eats the forbidden fruit. She sins and then invited Adam to sin, too. Eve, by trying to be more like God and rejecting her rightful relationship with Him, was separated from God through sin.
She became less and less “in His image”.
Mary never went against God’s Will. Mary, by embracing her humanness and knowing her place before God as servant, became more and more like God.

We are all born with Original Sin. We believe, that at baptism, Original Sin is eradicated. We believe that we start off with a clean slate. At that point, we have the same opportunity, as Mary, to make right choices throughout our lives…

However, like Eve (and Adam) we rebel.

The second reading makes it clear what God wants for us… to be holy and blameless in His sight…

As Mary is the “new Eve”, so Jesus is the “new Adam”. What Eve and Adam lost for us, Jesus regained. He stays in intimate contact with us through His Gift of Eucharist. It is through Christ that we have become daughters and sons of the Father and heirs of the Kingdom. With this in mind, let us approach the altar with humility and gratitude that we are that drop in the ocean.

As of Friday, December 6th, St. Francis Xavier is leading the Archdiocese of Louisville in Donor Participation Percentage! Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far. There is still time to contribute if you’d like to see your name in the basket of loaves and fishes!

The annual Catholic Services Appeal invites area Catholics to join together in supporting the more than 100 ministries, services, and programs offered by the archdiocese. Over the last year CSA donations:

• helped to deliver Safe Environment Training to over 3100 people who work with children or youth.
• provided training and formation opportunities to those who minister to, with, and for adolescents and young adults.
• provided days of reflection, weekend retreats, and other faith sharing events to college students.
• offered 63 catechist certification classes for over 900 attendees.
• assisted parishes across the archdiocese with facility maintenance and planning.
• supported the many publications and media communications that are made available to all Catholics in the archdiocese.

In addition to these services for parishioners, the Catholic Services Appeal supports the Seminarian Education Fund, which allows seminarians to focus on their education and spiritual growth as they prepare for a life of service to God.

Last year St. Francis Xavier Parish raised over $24,000 for CSA with 105 families participating. Our goal for 2024 is $26,500. While the monetary goal is important, our focus this year is on participation. With over 800 families registered with our parish, even the smallest of donations can make an impact. To help visualize participation, each family that donates any amount to Catholic Services Appeal in 2024 will be represented by a fish or loaf image and added to the CSA poster on display in the gathering space in church. Help us to fill the basket with loaves and fishes and support the many great works of CSA.

Use the buttons below to make an on-line donation or to see full listing of works supported by CSA.

All donations made to the Seminarian Education Fund will be matched up to $65,000. Any donations by donors who did not make a gift last year and any Salt & Light donor that increases their donation will each be matched up to $50,000.

View the video from Archbishop Shelton regarding this year’s appeal HERE.

Thursday, November 28, 2024

In 1789 (only 235 years ago); President George Washington, the second greatest president we will ever have, was the first to proclaim this a day for which to be thankful.  President Franklin Roosevelt, the third greatest president we will ever have, gave us the current calculations in 1939, so people bought their turkeys and stuffed them, or else they went to somebody else’ home, where somebody else stuffed the turkeys.  But there is something more important than stuffing turkeys on Thanksgiving Day, if we are going to give thanks by the calendar in November!  Think about that!  Isn’t that calendar date a kind of “Let’s Be Nice Back to God” Day?

Gratitude Attitude by The Ten Lepers

Human need always laid a claim on the sensitive Spirit of Jesus.  The healing of the 10 lepers is clear evidence of this.  The healing also showed the FORGIVENESS of Jesus. 

Gratitude Attitude on the Personal Level

+ Persistent ingratitude can poison human relationships.  We instinctively feel there is something missing (and draining) in the person who finds it impossible ever to say “Thank You”.  It is very easy for ingratitude to become a fixed response. 

Gratitude Attitude on the Social Level

+ Thanksgiving Day on a calendar is a very appropriate time to be grateful for the blessings of being an American citizen.  But we must be careful of the dangers here: (A) hyper-patriotism [that is to say; giving thanks that we are not like others] (B) not always easy to live IN the world of freedom with a clear conscious.  Freedom can easily be abused.

God, the source of all good gifts

+ No “worthy” Thanksgiving can be celebrated which does not finally express Gratitude to God.

A beautiful card was sent to me this holiday.  It reads:

“It has seemed to me, fit and proper, that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.”

President Abraham Lincoln, THE greatest president we will ever have, wrote that for the National Day of Thanksgiving Proclamation back in 1863… some 161 years ago. 

Still, genuine gratitude has no date, no month, no year. 

It is an attitude that ought to be expressed 24/7…    

The Parish Offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov 28th & 29th. There will be No Walking Fellowship in the Xavier Center either day.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Advanced Giving is Now OPEN! Click below to donate on-line or pick up an envelope in the Gathering Space at Church.

Donations made during the Advanced Giving window (Nov 18th – Dec 2nd) will be matched up to $600 please consider making an early contribution.

Contributions made to this 2024 campaign will benefit our Children’s Faith Formation program (Religious Education). Our CFF program serves grades K-8 and aims to help our youth encounter God and prepare them for the sacraments through catechism, scripture, music, liturgy, prayer, and community.  Our program is currently serving more than 140 children from Bullitt County and surrounding areas. Funds raised will be used to update the office in the Religious Education Building, creating a collaborative meeting space for catechists and others in the parish community.  We plan to continue with safety improvements in the building, installing new classroom door locks that may be locked from inside the classroom. In addition, we plan to purchase additional Smart TVs and carts for use in each classroom and to be used by other groups during campus meeting. 
Please consider making a donation through #iGiveCatholic to support our mission and youth of the parish! NO donation is too small!  Contact the parish office if you wish to make a donation directly through the office. (502) 538-4933. Donations made directly through the office will count toward our total goal.

Saint Francis Xavier Parish will once again be participating in #iGiveCatholic to continue making improvements to our Religious Education Building. This crowd-funding event is a national initiative dedicated to Catholic philanthropy and is conducted each year on Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday is December 3rd but donations can be made during the Advanced Giving Phase beginning Monday, November 18th.

Watch for more information in coming weeks and check out the plans for a new shared space in the RE Building.

The Archdiocese of Louisville has established a Relief Fund for the communities in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Funds will be used to support emergency response, and the pastoral and reconstruction efforts needed for the civic and faith communities affected. If you wish to support this effort, please send donations directly to the following:

Archdiocese of Louisville
ATTN: Hurricane Helene Relief
3940 Poplar Level Rd
Louisville, KY 40213-1463

St. Francis Xavier Church was once again recognized for our participation in the Premier Blood Partners Program. In 2023 the American Red Cross collected 235 Units through SFX sponsored blood drives. This is up from 193 units in 2022 (22% increase). The next opportunity to donate here at St. Francis is Sunday, October 20th.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word (aka “Children’s Church”) will resume on August 25 at both 9:00 and 11:00 mass!   During Mass, kids ages preK through grade 3 are invited to a special liturgy that simplifies the Sunday readings and includes interactive discussions for kids!   We are so grateful for the existing volunteers that make Children’s Church possible and are seeking a few more volunteers for the 2024-25 year. If you’d like to volunteer for this important ministry, please contact Lauren Battcher at lauren.battcher@sfxmw.com.

Starting the week of August 19th, Volleyball and Pickleball sessions will move to 6:30 – 8:30PM to make room for a new Yoga class being offered in the Xavier Center those same evenings.

If you are interested in joining a group of friendly, spirited ladies who enjoy working together for the good of the parish, the SFX Women’s Club is the place for you!

With events such as Bunco and the Christmas Bazaar, the Women’s Club helps fund various parish ministries and community programs and causes. The ladies participate in a variety of parish activities across the SFX campus.

General Meetings are held the first Monday of August through May at 6:30PM in the Lower Parish Hall. All women, age 18 and over, are welcome to join. Contact Ann S at (502) 777-1576 for more information.

The SFX Music Ministry is looking for additional members for any and all masses. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to worship through song.

Adult Choir/Musician rehearsals begin Wednesday, August 14th at 6:45 in the church.

Children/Youth Choir practice starts Wednesday, September 4th from 6:15-6:45 in the church.

Contact Carrie Gary with questions or for more information: carrie.gary@sfxmw.com / (502) 931-2193.

We would like to welcome Lisa Pence as our new High School Youth Group Minister! Lisa has been a member of SFX for more than 20 years. She has served as a catechist with the Children’s Faith Formation program for 5 years and been involved with the HSYG for 4 years. Lisa and her husband Darren have 4 adult children: Chas, Bethany, Dylan and Sami. They have been blessed with 3 grandchildren and have 1 on the way! Lisa recently retired from Ford Motor Company and served in the military for 4 years. She loves to travel and outdoor adventures. Lisa believes that she was called to Youth Ministry by the Holy Spirit. She is passionate about being a catechist and working with our youth because they are the future of our church. Lisa would like to extend an invitation to our 8^th grade and high school age students to join HYSG. Meeting resume on August 25^th. Contact lisa.pence@sfxmw.com for more information.

This summer we hope to provide Flat Francis with many adventures as he gets to know our young (and young at heart) parishioners. Through Flat Francis’ travels, our parishioners will learn what makes each of us special.

Personalize Flat Francis: Color Flat Francis to make him recognizable (or use the color version if you prefer)

1. Take Flat Francis on Adventures: Take Flat Francis with you wherever you go. Whether it’s to the park, the grocery store, or on vacation, bring Flat Francis along and take photos of him in different locations and doing various activities.
2. Document the Adventures: Take photos of Flat Francis in different places and situations. Be creative and have fun with it! You can take photos of Flat Francis with landmarks, with interesting people, or participating in fun activities.
3. Share the Photos: Share the photos of Flat Francis’ adventures with us. Tag St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church (@sfxmw ) on Facebook; or you can submit a single photo, create a scrapbook, photo album, or digital slideshow to document all of Flat Francis’ travels (Paula.Silliman@sfxmw.com) Note: By submitting your photos, you grant St. Francis Xavier Church permission to post images across all social media and print platforms.

Optional: Send Flat Francis on a Journey: If you want to make it even more exciting, you can send Flat Francis to friends or family who live far away and ask them to take photos of him in their hometowns. Reflect and Share: After the challenge is complete, reflect on Flat Francis adventures and share your favorite photos and memories with others. It’s a great way to learn about different places and cultures while having fun!

• Click here to access the Flat Francis Outline for printing and personalizing.
• Click here to access the Color version of Flat Francis.
• Stop by the office for a copy if you are unable to print your own.