Changes for January 23-24 Masses
For the Mass on Saturday, January 23, 5 p.m., there will be seating in the church only (none in Assisi Hall). For the 8 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 24, there will be overflow seating in Assisi Hall, and this Mass will be livestreamed. For the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, there will not be overflow seating in Assisi Hall available.
2021 March for Life activities
This year there will be no buses traveling to Washington from St. Francis for the annual March for Life, but there will be activities in the parish all day to mark this event:
9 a.m.: Mass (note change of time from previous announcement) to pray for the success of the March, to pray for an end to abortion, and to pray for the safety of all participants in all March activities across the country.
11 a.m.: outdoor Rosary for Life. And in Assisi Hall: livestream of the Pre-Rally Concert, with Matthew West, Dove Award-winning artist/songwriter.
12 noon: March for Life speakers will be livestreamed in Assisi Hall.
1-3 p.m.: Holy Hours dedicated to personal prayer for the protection of unborn children.
3 p.m.: Divine Mercy Chaplet.
The Rose Dinner, with speakers Tim Tebow, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and others livestreamed in Assisi Hall.
Masses livestreamed on parish Facebook page
For those unable to attend Mass in person, the liturgy from St. Francis is livestreamed on the parish Facebook page on Sundays at 8 a.m. and also on weekdays (Tuesday at 5:30, Wednesday-Friday at 12 noon). The videos remain posted after the Mass.
Recent homilies posted
Recent homilies given by pastor Joseph Wamala are now posted: Fourth Sunday of Advent, Feast of the Holy Family, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
“Formed” content of the week
Follow this link to see the pick of the week from “Formed,” a collection of Catholic web content from many sources.
Procedures for attending weekend Masses
There are three Masses on weekends: Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 8 and 11:30 a.m. Because of mandated social distancing, the church’s capacity has been drastically reduced. Signup forms will be open to all parishioners (no more restriction by last name) on Wednesday at noon. Links to these forms will be announced through Flocknote only. The signup forms are made available to everyone (all parishioners and guests as well) on Friday at 12 noon. The links to signing up will show up on the homepage beneath the slideshow at that time. Signups for the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass end on Saturday at 3 p.m., but the deadline for the two Sunday Masses is 7 p.m. If more people sign up for a Mass than the church can accommodate within pandemic restrictions, Assisi Hall will be available as an overflow space. Summary: signing up is required, and, as of Friday at noon, no restriction on who can sign up to attend. If there are any questions, call the parish office (540-886-2262) Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
News of weekday Masses
Weekday Masses (celebrated Tuesday-Friday and on First Saturdays) are held in the church, and are open to those wishing to attend—without the necessity of signing up in advance. The Wednesday liturgy is for those in “vulnerable populations” who may wish to avoid larger groups of people. Note that other restrictions continue to apply, such as the requirement that face masks be worn and worshippers maintain social distancing.
Formed: Catholic content on the web
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.