Welcome to our February 10, 2019

St. Francis of Assisi Parish Family Sharing the love of Jesus in the north Georgia mountains, and beyond…….

Archdiocese of Atlanta Father Gaurav Shroff, Parish Administrator Deacon Larry Casey Deacon Paul Dietz Deacon John Barone Deacon John Paul McGuire Pastoral Assistant Mary Smith Office Manager Jim Gioia Finance Assistant Joan Furst Dir. of Religious Education Joe Kwiatkowski

Mass Times: Sat: 4:30 pm Sun: 8:30 am, 11:00 am & 1:00 pm (Spanish)

Weekday Mass: Mon – Thurs: 9:00 am Communion Svc: Fri: 9:00 am _____________________________________________

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday: 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm (or by appt.) Eucharistic Adoration: Mon. – Fri: 9:45 am – 12:00 noon

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Office Phone: (706) 745-6400

Adult Faith Formation Colleen Orchanian Music Director Marianne Engelmann

Church & Office Location: 3717 Highway 515 E. Blairsville, GA. 30512 Office Hours: Mon – Thurs: 10:00 am – 4:30 pm E-mail: office@stfrancisblairsville.com Website: www.stfrancisblairsville.com

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 10, 2019

Mass Intentions 2/9 – 2/14 Sat 4:30: Michael Tigue by Jerry & Cricket Aull

Sun 8:30 + Cecile Paul by The Murphys

Sun 11:00 +Sawyer Elizabeth Cown by Clorinda Roache

========================================== Mon Spiritually Adopted Babies of the Parish by Ralph & Yoli Cory

Tue Papa Joe Meneghelli by Mary Ann Fitkin

Wed Michael Tigue by Jerry & Cricket Aull

Thu + Andy Denny by Pat Denny

WEEKLY CALENDAR Sunday

9:45 am Catechism Marian Hall Lower Rm 9:45am Bible Chat Room 11 12:15 pm R.C.I.A. Conference Room 6:00 pm Youth Group Marian Hall – upper

Monday 10:00 am Discipleship Conf. Room 12 Noon Prison Ministry Room 6

Tuesday 9:45 am Vocations Rosary Room 6 10:00 am Light Weigh Room 11 12:30 pm Disciples of Jesus/Mary Conf. Room 1:00 pm Bible Timeline Conf. Room

Wednesday 9:00 am Deceased Knights Mass Church 10:00 am Prayer Group Room 11 6:00 pm Young Adults Room 7 6:30 pm R.C.I.A. Conf. Room 6:30 pm Knights of Columbus Marian Hall 7:00 pm Sp. Prayer Group Church

Thursday 10:00 am St . VdP Meeting Conf. Room 4:00 pm Choir practice Church 6:30 pm Men’s Group Conf. Room

Offertory: February 2 & 3 First Collection: $7,837.63 Second Collection: $5,080.00 (St.Vincent de Paul)

Readings for the Week 2/10-2/16 Sunday

Is 6:1-8 1 Cor15:1-11 Lk 5:1-11 Monday:

Gen 1:20-2:4 Mk 7:1-13 Our Lady of Lourdes Tuesday

Gen 1:20-2:4 Mk 7:1-13 ] Wednesday

Gen 2:4-9,15-17 Mk 7:14-23 Thursday

Gen 2:18-25 Mk 7:24-30 Sts. Cyril&Methodius Friday

Gen 3:1-8 Mk 7:31-37 Saturday

Gen 3:9-24 Mk 8:1-10

Prayer Requests Joanne Barron David Shumway Fr. Gary Burkart Barbara Lewis Jean Hiler Marie Urreiztietta Betty Mendenhall Fr. G’s mom Bruce Miller Stephanie Miller Pam Terranova Jay Carbonaro John Grenier Jacqueline Poirer Names will be removed after 30 days unless requested to remain.

Prayer for Healing

Almighty and merciful Father, by the power of your command, drive away from them all forms of sickness and disease. Restore strength to their bodies and joy to their spirit, so that in renewed health, they may bless and serve you, now and forevermore.

33 Days to Morning Glory Join us for a 33 Day Retreat with Mary! As we prepare to consecrate ourselves to Jesus, through Mary. Also known as

Marian Consecration.

What is Marian Consecration? Marian consecration flows from the grace of our Baptism, through which we were originally consecrated, or “set apart,” for Jesus Christ and grafted into His life in the Church. A Marian consecration is a further act of entrustment particularly to the heart of Mary. In this gesture, we ask Mary to dispose us to the will of God as she herself was perfectly disposed.

Who is this Retreat For? All who are looking to deepen their relationship with Jesus, through a deeper walk with our Mother Mary, the first

disciple, and perfect example for us to follow. When: February 21st – March 28th (THURSDAY) Consecration: March 25th - Feast of the Annunciation

Morning & evening sessions offered. Cost: $25 (scholarships available)

10 am & 6 pm Sign up: Call the office to register – (706) 745-6400

The Importance of Online Giving

We would like to take this time to thank all of you participating in online giving with WeShare, and

encourage those who have yet to sign up! Online giving has provided St. Francis of Assisi with more consistent contributions, the ability to accept credit and debit cards, the ability to make automatic withdrawals from checking and savings accounts, and saves the administrative staff much needed valuable time. If you have not made the switch from envelopes to online giving, we graciously ask that you take the time to consider doing so. We believe that online giving offers our parish a better future. Go to our website and click Give Online. No matter how you give, your gifts are always appreciated.

MINISTRIES AT ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

BIBLE STUDIES Sunday Bible Chat * Light Weigh * Bible Timeline

SMALL FAITH GROUPS Catholic Book Club * Catholic Mom’s Group

Fire of the Spirit Prayer Group * Spanish Prayer Group Bereavement Breakfast * Young Adults Catechism

Sisters in Faith * Catholic Dinner Circles San Damiano Men’s Group * Vocation Prayer Team

SPIRITUAL FORMATION Divine Mercy Cenacle * R.C.I.A. – Faith Journey Discipleship Group * Secular Franciscan Order

Marian Consecration – 33 Days to Morning Glory Disciples of Jesus and Mary

MINISTRY OF SERVICE Women’s Guild * Knights of Columbus *

St. Vincent de Paul * Pro-Life Ministry * Prison Ministry LITURGICAL MINISTRY

Altar servers * Sacristans * Lectors * Eucharistic Ministers

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The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France is the most visited pilgrimage site in the world — principally because of the apparent healing properties of the waters of the spring that appeared during the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a poor, fourteen-year-old girl, Bernadette Soubiroux.

The first apparition occurred February 11, 1858. There were eighteen in all; the last took place July 16, of the same year. Bernadette often fell into an ecstasy during these apparitions, as was witnessed by the hundreds who attended the later visions, though no one except Bernadette ever saw or heard the apparition. The mysterious vision Bernadette saw in the hollow of the rock Massabielle, where she and friends had gone to gather firewood, was that of a young and beautiful lady. "Lovelier than I have ever seen" said the child. She described the Lady as clothed in white, with a blue ribbon sash and a Rosary handing from her right arm. Now and then the apparition spoke to Bernadette.

One day, the Lady told the girl to drink of a mysterious fountain within the grotto itself, the existence of which was unknown, and of which there was no sign. But Bernadette scratched at the ground, and a spring immediately bubbled up and soon gushed forth.

On another occasion the apparition bade Bernadette go and tell the priests she wished a chapel to be built on the spot and processions to be made to the grotto. At first the clergy were incredulous. The priest said he would not believe it unless the apparition gave Bernadette her name.

After another apparition, Bernadette reported that the Lady told her, "I am the Immaculate Conception". Though the girl was unfamiliar with the term, the Pope had declared the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary in 1854. Four years after Bernadette's visions, in 1862, the bishop of the diocese declared the faithful "justified in believing the reality of the apparition" of Our Lady.

A basilica was built upon the rock of Massabielle by M. Peyramale, the parish priest. In 1873 the great "national" French pilgrimages were inaugurated. Three years later the basilica was consecrated and the statue solemnly crowned. In 1883 the foundation stone of another church was laid, as the first was no longer large enough. It was built at the foot of the basilica and was consecrated in 1901 and called the Church of the Rosary. Pope Leo XIII authorized a special office and a Mass, in commemoration of the apparition, and in 1907 Pius X extended the observance of this feast to the entire Church; it is now observed on February 11.

If you have never seen the movie "The Song of Bernadette" from the 1940s, I recommend you do so. It can be rented. It was made by a Jewish man who made a promise to Our Lady at Lourdes that if he would survive and escape the horrors of WWII Europe, he would tell the story of St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes. He did survive and he kept his promise and the Oscar winning movie was made. This is a movie that you will never forget.

Into the Deep: Scott Hahn reflects on the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Simon Peter, the fisherman, is the first to be called personally by Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. His calling resembles Isaiah’s commissioning in the First Reading: Confronted with the holiness of the Lord, both Peter and Isaiah are overwhelmed by a sense of their own sinfulness and inadequacy. Yet each experiences the Lord’s forgiveness and is sent to preach the good news of His mercy to the world. No one is “fit to be called an apostle,” Paul recognizes in today’s Epistle. But by “the grace of God,” even a persecutor of the Church—as Paul once was—can be lifted up for the Lord’s service. In the Old Testament, humanity was unfit for the divine—no man could stand in God’s presence and live (see

Exodus 33:20). But in Jesus, we’re made able to speak with Him face-to-face, to taste His Word on our tongue. Today’s scene from Isaiah is recalled in every Mass. Before reading the Gospel, the priest silently asks God to cleanse his lips that he might worthily proclaim His Word. God’s Word comes to us as it came to Peter, Paul, Isaiah, and today’s Psalmist—as a personal call to leave everything and follow Him, to surrender our weaknesses in order to be filled with His strength. Simon put out into deep waters even though, as a professional fisherman, he knew it would be foolhardy to expect to catch anything. In humbling himself before the Lord’s command, he was exalted—his nets filled to overflowing; later, as Paul tells us, he will become the first to see the risen Lord. Jesus has made us worthy to receive Him in the company of angels in God’s holy Temple. On our knees like Peter, with the humility of David in today’s Psalm, we thank Him with all our hearts and join in the unending hymn that Isaiah heard around God’s altar: “Holy, holy, holy . . .” (see also Revelation 4:8).

En lo profundo: Scott Hahn reflexiona sobre el quinto domingo del tiempo ordinario

Simón Pedro, el pescador, es el primero en ser llamado personalmente por Jesús en el Evangelio de Lucas. Su

llamamiento se asemeja a la comisión de Isaías en la primera lectura: Enfrentados con la santidad del Señor,

tanto Pedro como Isaías se sienten abrumados por el sentido de su propia maldad e insuficiencia. Sin embargo,

cada uno experimenta el perdón del Señor y es enviado a predicar las buenas nuevas de Su misericordia al

mundo.

Nadie es "digno de ser llamado apóstol", reconoce Pablo en la epístola de hoy. Pero por "la gracia de Dios",

incluso un perseguidor de la Iglesia, como alguna vez fue Pablo, puede ser levantado para el servicio del Señor.

En el Antiguo Testamento, la humanidad no era apta para lo divino; ningún hombre podía pararse en la

presencia de Dios y vivir (véase Éxodo 33:20). Pero en Jesús, somos capaces de hablar con Él cara a cara, para

probar Su Palabra en nuestra lengua.

La escena de hoy de Isaías se recuerda en cada misa. Antes de leer el Evangelio, el sacerdote le pide a Dios en

silencio que limpie sus labios para que pueda proclamar dignamente Su Palabra.

La Palabra de Dios nos llega a Pedro, a Pablo, a Isaías y al salmista de hoy, como un llamado personal para

dejarlo todo y seguirlo, para rendir nuestras debilidades a fin de estar llenos de su fuerza.

Simon se lanzó a aguas profundas aunque, como pescador profesional, sabía que sería imprudente esperar

atrapar algo. Al humillarse a sí mismo ante el mandato del Señor, fue exaltado: sus redes se llenaron hasta

desbordarse; más tarde, como Pablo nos dice, él será el primero en ver al Señor resucitado.

Jesús nos ha hecho dignos de recibirlo en compañía de los ángeles en el santo templo de Dios. De rodillas como

Pedro, con la humildad de David en el Salmo de hoy, le agradecemos con todo nuestro corazón y nos unimos al

himno interminable que Isaías escuchó en el altar de Dios: “Santo, santo, santo. . . ”(Ver también Apocalipsis 4:

8).

KNIGHTS NOTES

In Service to One, In Service to All – The Knights of Columbus

February means it is time for a Knights parish

breakfast. Join us on Sunday, Feb. 17, from 9:00 am

until 1:00 pm in Marian Hall. It really IS the best

breakfast in town and the cost remains the same at

$5 per person and $15 per family. Join us for great

food and fellowship.

____________________________________

February also

means it is time for

Trivia Knight and

Chili Cook-off on

Saturday, Feb 23.

This year our event

is special. Our

Council is raising funds for procurement of an

ultrasound machine to be placed in a women’s

pregnancy center. Your attendance at this event

will help us raise the funds to achieve our goal.

So, are you smarter than a fifth grader? Form a

team and test your wits as DJ Dan leads us in

friendly trivia competition. We begin the evening

in Marian Hall at 6:00 pm with a variety of delicious

homemade chili. Cost is $10 per person, but if you

bring a pot of homemade chili to share there is no

cost to you. The winner of the cook-off as

determined by our expert judges wins a prize!

Oh yes…….Bring a dessert!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS….

For achieving Star Council status for the fiscal year 2017-2018.

The Star Council Award recognizes outstanding achievement in membership, insurance and service program activities. In order to earn the Star Council Award,

a council must qualify for the Father McGivney, Founder’s, and Columbian Awards.

Exemplifying outstanding service to parish and community, we are proud of our Knights for all of their efforts on behalf of our parish, and community. Congratulations!

Speaking of SERVICE…

One of the projects that our council is actively involved with is the raising of funds to help purchase an ultra-sound machine to be placed at a women’s clinic locally. These machines are invaluable in the fight for life, and to date we’ve raised $4,000. The machines cost is $36,000, but if we can raise half that amount ($18,000), the Knights Supreme Council will provide matching funds. Any help is greatly appreciated. And attending our events helps this effort as well.

CALL TO ARMS! Are you a Catholic gentleman over 18 years of age? And not yet a member of the Knights? Why not help us in our efforts. Find out how by calling our Grand Knight, Ron Chmiel, at (352) 328-9240

The Greek missionaries Saints Cyril (827-869) and Methodius (825-885), brothers, were the apostles of the Slavic peoples. Preaching Christianity in the native language, they brought the Slavic countries firmly into the sphere of the Christian Church. We celebrate their Feast Day on February 14

th .

ARTS AND ENVIRONMENT IN NEED OF A GOOD STEWARD…..or TWO!!

After 16 years of dedicated service to the ministry……Mary Mike is looking to retire as head of Arts and Environment. She will work with those who accept the ministry to see that they are fully familiar with

the tasks at hand and assist them as needed. The needs within the ministry can be handled in total, or divided among several individuals. The ministry is tasked with: -Covering the statues for Lent, (Which involves covering the statues and removing the covers once a year.) - Decorating for Christmas - and removing the decorations. (It takes about 1-2 hours to put them up with the aid of volunteers.) - Weekly preparation of floral arrangements

If you are interested or just have questions call Mary Mike at (706) 896-1899.