Enjoy these reflections during this season of Advent.

St. Francis Xavier is seeking an Engagement Coordinator to oversee fundraising activities and lead in organizing special events. This position will assist the Parish Business Manager with yearly Stewardship renewals and will coordinate new member outreach. The Engagement Coordinator will also be responsible for communications to parishioners through Evangelus, social media and website updates. This is a part-time position, 20hrs per week.

Qualifications: Excellent organizational, interpersonal, collaborative and leadership skills necessary.
Self-motivated and flexibility in working on multiple projects with office staff and volunteers. Project management and/or event planning experience helpful. High computer literacy and technical aptitude, with experience using various computer software applications. Familiarity with social media platforms.

Contact Jennifer Sweeney in the parish office for more information.  Interested candidates should send cover letter and resume to jennifer.sweeney@sfxmw.com .

Dear Friends of SFX,
Thank you for being a part of our first ever #iGiveCatholic Campaign! The support and generosity from the SFX community never ceases to amaze me! We raised $7,695 during Giving Tuesday. Gifts made will be used to make updates in our religious education building for Children’s Faith Formation. We will report back to you the on these improvements in 2024. 

If you missed out on the opportunity to give, donations sent to the parish office by Monday, December 4th will be added to this campaign. Wishing you and your family peace and blessings as we enter this season of Advent. Be sure to watch the special Thank You video below from Children’s Faith Formation.

In Gratitude,
Jennifer Sweeney

SFX Business Manager

Are you searching for that perfect Christmas present! Purchase a leaf to acknowledge or in remembrance of a special person. We have only 9 leaves remaining to fill the Tree of Life that is displayed in the foyer of the Xavier Center. The cost is $200. Complete the form below and return to the parish office while supplies last! If you have not seen the beautiful Tree of Life on display in the Xavier Center, stop by and check it out! Contact Cara Blake or Jennifer Sweeney in the parish office with questions.

Saint Francis Xavier Parish will be participating in a program entitled #iGiveCatholic on Tuesday, November 28^th from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM.  During this 24-hour crowd-funding event, all the Catholic parishes will be celebrating our Catholic faith and supporting all the Catholic formation programs that shape our souls.  Funds from our parishioners will be used for purchasing new furniture, classroom rugs and bulletin boards for the Religious Education building foyer.  In addition, we will make technology updates, purchasing Smart TV’s for each classroom and making the necessary upgrades to improve Wi-Fi while increasing our streaming capability.  Most importantly, we will make better security upgrades to ensure safety and security of our students.  An Advanced Giving Phase will run from Monday, November 13^th through Monday, November 27^th where online and offline gifts will be welcomed and appreciated.

Make no mistake, your gift will make an impact!  Please embrace the invitation to invest in our Children’s Religious Formation and Education; visit #iGiveCatholic and search for our parish… (remember, there are 2 SFX’s in the archdiocese).  I know your generosity will inspire others to also give. For more information, please contact our parish office for direct donations or the parish website if you are electronically inclined to do so.

Thanks for your consideration and support.  God bless!

Join us on Tuesday evenings at 7:00PM and Saturday mornings at 9:00AM for Fusion Fitness Classes starting November 11th. $5 per class, all are welcome!

Deacon Earl’s funeral homily for Wrenlow Ainsworth

On behalf of the parish family here at SFX, Fr. Dale Cieslik and the whole staff, we wish to express our sincere condolences to Ashley and Luke, Theresa and Robert, Mandy & Graham and the whole family gathered here today.  We gather to remember the life of Wrenlow Rhode Ainsworth, a precious child of God. 

Wherever our hearts may be this day, know that Jesus knows exactly where they are, and so, we can bring him our confusion, doubts, struggles, and difficulties because this is not an easy thing.

There is something inside us that rebels against death.  This rebellion in us is from the Lord, because God made us to live His abundant life, not this, and that brings us to our confusion.  Wherever your heart is today, the Lord wants to tend to it.

It’s not hard to feel the pain and sorrow at the loss of Wrenlow, but as follower’s of Christ, we know that there is more for us.  When we recall Christ suffering, death and rising, we see God’s plan of salvation being offered to us.  Something so great— out of something so horrible.  Like the dawn of a new day, in the very midst of our grief and sadness, an experience of His goodness can and will come to us.  His goodness is like rays of light that penetrate the darkness of grief and sorrow. 

When we think about “life”, what does it strike up in us?

Many define a “successful” life with wealth, comfort, happiness, and the joy of living to be maybe 80 or 90 years of age.  And so, to compare that sense of life, to the life of Wrenlow, who was in her mother’s womb for nearly 6 months, and only 7 days outside, her life would seem short of that definition.  But as believers, we don’t measure life by a number of years.  We understand the big difference between earthly life and eternal life.  The number of days, or months in a womb, or even 100 years of life really becomes very small when considered against the reality of all eternity, and the immortal nature of our souls.

I will always consider August 26^th as one of the greatest days of my life.   It was the day that Wrenlow was born and baptized.  Ashley, Luke, Theresa and Robert, it is a real testament to your faith and discipleship, that you wanted to have Wrenlow baptized when she was born.  It was a great privilege to baptize her, and your faith in Christ spoke for Wrenlow.  In that precious moment, Jesus poured out his salvation into her soul, freeing her from original sin, incorporating her into the family of God, and He placed an indelible mark on her soul.  It was from God’s hand that she came to you, and to God’s hand that she has returned.  Wrenlow lives eternally with God the Father.

Sometimes we forget the purpose of life.  We forget that God wants us to be in heaven with him eternally.  He created us for heaven.  Jesus told us, on the night before he died, that he would go and prepare a place for us, because He wants us with him eternally.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them.  For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. How much more hope do we need if we trust in those words?  The creator of the universe, the creator of all things, bent down to touch and to bless the little children.  We can imagine how much he delights in inviting Wrenlow into eternity.

In her few days here with you Ashley and Luke, she brought you a deep love, a love you have never known before.  In her short life, she touched the hearts of her parents, grandparents, nurses, aids, doctors, a deacon and many more.  On this side of heaven, we may never know all those she has touched.  It’s very possible, that Wrenlow unleashed a love greater than some people do in a long life.  The sole purpose of this earthly life is to love and to be loved.  And so, in this regard, Wrenlow’s short life was immensely successful.  

Today, let us entrust our grief and sorrow to the One who knows it very well.  The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.  She knew the great joy of carrying her child within.  But she also knew the most profound sorrow and grief, as she held her beloved son on Calvary’s hill.  We can cry out in our grief and sorrow today.  Let it have a voice within you.  Give it all to him.  Let it perhaps… be your offering, surrender it to him, because he is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

We do not know or understand the plan, but we do know God is trustworthy, because a God that suffers and dies for us is worthy of our trust. You held your daughter in your arms, you sang to her, and your  eyes gazed in love and wonderment upon her.  We give Wrenlow back to God today, into his loving arms, and there is no safer for her.  His loving eyes are upon her now and forever.

CSA 2023 officially kicks-off next weekend! Our SFX goal for 2023 is $24,100 with 105 families participating. There are Matching Gift Opportunities; click HERE for more details. Watch the bulletin for CSA updates beginning September 24th.

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

A message from SFX parishioners, the Brand Family, and an update on their childhood cancer journey. Check out ways for our community to get involved with awareness and fundraising efforts.

The Communion Minister training scheduled for Tuesday, July 25th at SFX has been cancelled. A training though the Archdiocese will be offered at St. Bernard on July 25th at 6:30PM. Click HERE to view the schedule of Communion Minister trainings offered through the Archdiocese of Louisville.

Are you interested in learning more about the Holy Mother and spending time with your sisters at SFX? We hope you will join us for Margaritas with Mary! All ladies are welcome, drinking margaritas not required. Grab your buddy and join us! Scan the QR code below or click HERE to vote for the day, book, and drink. The book study will be led by parishioner, Lisa Reed. Call the parish office with questions.

The Patricia French Honorary Scholarship was established in 2017 and was awarded for the first time.  Those who qualify for the scholarship are parishioners in their senior year of high school.  The purpose of the scholarship is to assist a Saint Francis Xavier parishioner in her or his college or trade school tuition in the coming year.  Past recipients are Abbigale Guy, Lauren Ruess, Sierra Hayes, Macy Martin, Aeron Adams and Macy Waddle.

The qualifications for the $2,500.00 award seeks a “service-oriented person of high Christian moral values and a dedicated student demonstrating a good work ethic… preference should be given to the one with greatest financial need”…

For 2023, these qualifications can be found best in the person of Jordan Baird. 

Congratulations Jordan!

We have added Jordan’s name to the plaque that hangs in the RE building foyer for all to see and remember.

All SFX parishioners enjoy a free subscription to FORMED. Click HERE to check out the pick of the week.

On Monday, June 5^th, nine high school youth of our parish, along with four adults, left on a retreat to Sheltowee Trace Adventure Resort near Cumberland Falls. The group had an action packed three days, accompanied by prayer,
fellowship, Catholic trivia, and faith sharing.

             Staying in a cabin and covered wagon, the group cooked out, hiked, went white water rafting, swam, rode the rapids, jumped off rocks (think life preservers), and enjoyed eating out! Fun was had by all. In addition, the youth rescued a dog and found an owner when they got home. The adults were impressed with the comradery, care and concern they gave the dog. The owner of the resort property commented that our kids were the “best group of kids she’d ever seen”!

We thank SFX parishioners for their purchase of youth fundraiser raffle tickets and donations that in large part paid for this trip. We also thank Dave Richardson for his time and leadership with the Youth.