the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
Jubilee Year of St. Francis
Welcome to a sacred year of reflection, renewal, and joyful celebration as we honor the Jubilee Year of Saint Francis of Assisi. Rooted in the spirit of humility, peace, and deep reverence for all creation, this Jubilee invites our community to rediscover the timeless wisdom of St. Francis and live more intentionally in harmony with God, one another, and the world around us.
Throughout this year, we will come together as a community in prayer, service, and celebration, embracing the Franciscan call to simplicity, compassion, and care for all living things.
It Takes A Village
Have you ever wondered what keeps The Franciscan School campus functioning and beautiful? The answer isn’t fancy equipment or curated systems, although those do help. The answer is the people.
Director of Facility Operations Joseph Leone leads the team and shares about who makes the engine run. “At the heart of our facilities team are some truly dedicated people: John Pietrzak, Lead Maintenance Technician, who brings incredible skill and reliability to everything he touches; Kyle Petersen, who works alongside John in Maintenance and never shies away from a challenge; Marc Kielty, who keeps so much running quietly in the background; and Paul Koch, who generously volunteers his time in our Maintenance office, something we are very grateful for. Together with me, this is the team that helps keep TFS going.”
Now that you know who is operating behind the scenes every day, we want to bring you along to get an insider’s look at what they do each day.
Family Promise
In the Gospel of Mark, the Sadducees are questioning Jesus as a test. One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)
In the Catholic Community of St. Francis, our ministries serve our neighbors every day in many ways. One of these ministries is The Family Promise Ministry. Jim Packard, the coordinator of this ministry at our parish, explains: “Family Promise is one of the ways St. Francis helps families in our community who are experiencing temporary homelessness. We partner with ‘Family Promise of the Triangle’ to provide groceries as a little extra support while families work toward securing permanent housing. It may seem like a simple gesture, but a week’s worth of groceries can make such a big difference during a stressful time and let families know they have a community that cares.”
2026 Bishop’s Annual Appeal
As a diocesan family, we are invited to join together in supporting the ministries, programs, and outreach efforts that bring Christ’s love into our parishes and communities. Your prayers and participation help strengthen Catholic education, support parish vitality, and extend care to those in need.
Please take time to reflect on how you can contribute to this mission of faith and service.