MASS SCHEDULE
Regular schedule for Mass at St. Francis Church.
- Weekends: Vigil Mass on Saturdays at 5 p.m., Mass on Sundays at 7, 8:30, and 11:30 a.m.
- Weekdays: Mass on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday at 7 a.m., Thursday and Friday at 12 noon, First Saturday at 9 a.m.
In addition, the Sacrament of Reconciliation takes place on Tuesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Check the specific schedule for the current week.
Father Thomas Collins has been part of the life of St. Francis Parish for many years, assisting with celebrating Masses, hearing confessions, and assisting parishioners in innmerable other ways. After 54 years of faithful service in the priesthood, he died on June 8. His funeral has already taken place, but there will be a Requiem Mass at St. Francis for the repose of his soul. The date is Saturday, June 27, at 9 a.m. All are invited.
Ronald Neill Dixon, renowned church artist and designer and owner, with his wife, Annie, of Dixon Studio in Staunton, died on June 17. His funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis on Monday, June 29, at 11 a.m. All are invited.
The photo below shows two windows created by Mr. Dixon, with two angels displaying the titles the Alpha and the Omega, which refer to Christ. The windows are located behind the statue of Christ the King, which is now part of the new baptistry. Dixon Studio refurbished and weatherproofed the stained-glass windows found on the sides of the nave of the church, and the company was the source of the new font located in the baptistry.
FRANCISCAN JUBILEE YEAR
The Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans) has announced a special jubilee year for the 800th anniversary of the transit of St. Francis of Assisi:
It is with joy that we announce the promulgation of the Decree establishing a special Jubilee Year in commemoration of the Eighth Centenary of the passage of St. Francis of Assisi (use this link to read the full text of the decree).
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has arranged that, from the 10th January, 2026, to the 10th January, 2027, this Year of St. Francis will be celebrated, during which all the Christian faithful are invited to follow the example of the Saint of Assisi, becoming models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace. The Apostolic Penitentiary grants the plenary indulgence under the usual conditions to those who participate devoutly in this extraordinary jubilee, which represents an ideal continuation of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025.
INTERESTED IN BECOMING CATHOLIC?
Each year St. Francis Parish welcomes those seeking to become Catholic, as well as those who may not be ready to commit, but who have questions about the faith and the process of joining the Church. The program, called the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), begins in the fall and continues through the Easter Vigil, which occurs in 2027 on March 27. OCIA is for those who have never been baptized as well as those who were baptized in another Christian body and now wish to be members of the Catholic Church.
OCIA instruction is conducted primarily by two trained lay catechists, who themselves previously went through the process of being received into the Catholic Church from another Christian body. The instruction and discussion are based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church’s official document presenting its faith.
In the dramatic liturgy of the Easter Vigil, those being baptized (called “the elect“), led by the priest and the Easter candle (a large candle which symbolizes the risen Christ), process to the baptismal font, located near the entrance to St. Francis Church. There the elect renounce evil, profess their faith in the Creed of the Christian Church, and are baptized by the priest in the name of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The procession then returns to the front of the church, where the newly baptized, along with those being received into full communion with the Church, receive the sacrament of Confirmation, the completion of baptism that commissions them to be apostles of Christ to the world. Afterward the liturgy continues, and the whole group for the first time receives the sacrament of the Eucharist (which the Church believes to be the Body and Blood of Christ). It is an occasion that most of these new Catholics say they will never forget. Select the “Read More” button below to read the testimony of the journey of a previous participant in OCIA.
For more information on OCIA, contact Amanda Hayes in the office of St. Francis Church, 540-886-2262, [email protected].
WELCOME TO ST. FRANCIS
We offer a special welcome to visitors to this site and invite you to learn more about St. Francis Parish. There are several ways to stay in touch with what is going on in the parish:
- Sign up to receive news and notifications via text or email from Flocknote
- Read the weekly bulletin, available online
- Check the news section of this website
- And you can learn more about the long history of the parish by checking the history section of this site and taking the tour of the church section as well.
- All parishioners are encouraged to register with the parish. The registration form is available online.
- To contact the parish staff or find directions to the church, visit the contact page of this site.
UPDATED CHURCH TOUR
The parsh wesite includes a virtual tour of the church. That tour has recently been updated to include the renovation of the church interior. We invite you to take a look at this feature.
ADULT FAITH FORMATION
Adult Faith Formation mees on Sundays at 10 a.m. in Assisi Hall. Refreshments are served, and all ae invited.
MORNING PRAYER
The St. Francis Schola leads the office of Morning Prayer, including beautiful, contemplative psalm melodies, every Monday and Thursday at 7 a.m. in the church. Parishioners are invited to start the day off with the official prayers of the universal Church.
RENOVATION PHOTO GALLERY
A gallery of photos of the renovation of the interior of St. Francis Church has been posted on this website. As of July 11, 2024, two videos from Harman Construction (which carried out the renovation project) have been added. One shows the renovation in progress, the other, the finished project. There is another gallery with photos of the blessing of the font and the dedication of the new altar held on September 1.
CHAMBER ORGAN AT ST. FRANCIS
Soon after the renovation of the St. Francis Church interior began in July 2023, a chamber (or digital) organ, built by a talented and generous parishioner, was installed in Assisi Hall. The instrument was used for Masses held in the hall, and is now in use in the renovated church. For a description of the organ, images of it, and more information on digital organs, visit the music section of the parish website.
“FORMED” SUBSCRIPTION
With a subscription to “Formed,” every St. Francis parishioner has 24/7 access to the best Catholic content on any device, including your computer, smartphone, and tablet with internet access. “Formed” offers video programs that explain the Catholic faith, explore the deepest meaning of marriage, receive Bible studies on a variety of topics, and listen to inspiring audio talks. Presenters include Dr. Tim Gray, Dr. Edward Sri, Dr. Mary Healey, Chris Stefanick, Dr. Scott Hahn, Bishop Robert Barron, and many more.
It is very easy to begin your free subscription to “Formed”: Go to www.formed.org. Under “How would you like to sign up?” select “I belong to a Parish or Organization.” Enter the parish code: VVW3G4. Enter your name and email address, and that’s it.
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
From the Catecheses by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop
The Catholic Church glories in every deed of Christ. Her supreme glory, however, is the cross. Well aware of this, Paul says: God forbid that I glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! At Siloam, there was a sense of wonder, and rightly so. A man born blind recovered his sight. But of what importance is this, when there are so many blind people in the world? Lazarus rose from the dead, but even this affected only Lazarus. What of those countless numbers who have died because of their sins? Those five miraculous loaves fed five thousand people. Yet this is a small number compared to those all over the world who were starved by ignorance. After eighteen years a woman was freed from the bondage of Satan. But are we not all shackled by the chains of our own sins? For us all, however, the cross is the crown of victory! It has brought light to those blinded by ignorance. It has released those enslaved by sin. Indeed, it has redeemed the whole of mankind!
LEGACY GIFTS TO A PARISH...AND A FREE WILL AS WELL
Legacy gifts reveal our faith to our community as a witness of God’s great love for us. The Catholic Community Foundation of the Diocese of Richmond is excited about its partnership with FreeWill and the valuable legacy giving resources they provide for parishes, schools, and campus ministries. Through these resources, including an online Will platform, the Foundation can ensure that all practicing Catholics have an updated Will with a parish, school, and/or ministry named as a beneficiary or beneficiaries.
In August, the CCF raised $1,366,000 in bequests through FreeWill for parishes and schools using FreeWill! Parishioners across the diocese used FreeWill’s platform to create their Will and named their parish and/or a school as a beneficiary. As of December 31, there were $12,000,000 in bequests through FreeWill. No one imagined just how many people would use the FreeWill platform to create their Will. It really is a testament to the statistic that more than 67% of Americans do not have a Will.
Find out more at the website.