My apologies for getting this newsletter out a bit later than usual. First Friday and First Saturday tend to be full days around the parish, and this weekend was no exception.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, the weather is being unpredictable once again. We do plan to have the 4:00pm Mass today, but please use good judgment and take your time if you are heading out. If conditions feel uncomfortable, tomorrow may be the better option.
After several weekends of encouraging folks to consider Saturday Mass because of Sunday weather, it now looks like I may be doing the opposite. This winter has kept us guessing. 😅
We do plan to hold Religious Education classes tomorrow morning as scheduled.
At this time, Adoration is also planned to take place on its regular schedule on Monday.
And finally, tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday! While the game will be played in sunny San Francisco, we’ll be cheering from much colder New England as the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks. Below, you’ll see a lighthearted segment from EWTN News involving a friendly Super Bowl wager between the two Archbishops of the competing teams.
As always, thank you for staying connected, and please stay safe this weekend. I’m about to head over for the 3:00pm confessions, so wish me luck on my commute!
As you’ve no doubt noticed, the weather is being unpredictable once again. We do plan to have the 4:00pm Mass today, but please use good judgment and take your time if you are heading out. If conditions feel uncomfortable, tomorrow may be the better option.
After several weekends of encouraging folks to consider Saturday Mass because of Sunday weather, it now looks like I may be doing the opposite. This winter has kept us guessing. 😅
We do plan to hold Religious Education classes tomorrow morning as scheduled.
At this time, Adoration is also planned to take place on its regular schedule on Monday.
And finally, tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday! While the game will be played in sunny San Francisco, we’ll be cheering from much colder New England as the Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks. Below, you’ll see a lighthearted segment from EWTN News involving a friendly Super Bowl wager between the two Archbishops of the competing teams.
As always, thank you for staying connected, and please stay safe this weekend. I’m about to head over for the 3:00pm confessions, so wish me luck on my commute!
Thank You for Your Prayers for Our School
Thank you so much for your prayers for our St. Francis Xavier School Open House last Sunday. We were grateful for those families who were able to attend, especially given the winter weather. It was an encouraging afternoon and a good opportunity to share the heart of our school.
I ask you again to please help us by spreading the word about our school. Personal, word of mouth recommendations continue to be one of the most effective ways families learn about St. Francis.
I ask you again to please help us by spreading the word about our school. Personal, word of mouth recommendations continue to be one of the most effective ways families learn about St. Francis.
A few important notes for those considering enrollment:
- Pre-K spaces are filling quickly. Families interested in Pre-K should submit an application as soon as possible in order to secure a spot.
- Families considering grades beyond Pre-K are also encouraged to begin the application process now.
- The FACE scholarship deadline is March 31. Families who are thinking about making a switch from public school to Catholic school should apply for FACE assistance soon so they can learn about financial aid eligibility before the deadline.
Below is a graphic showing tuition for the coming school year, including our Pre-K program. Many are surprised to see how it compares with typical local daycare costs.
We have already welcomed several prospective students for “spend-a-day” visits, giving families the chance to experience St. Francis School firsthand. Reach out to the school to schedule one for your prospective student.
Finally, I want to remind parish families that practicing members of St. Francis Xavier Parish are eligible for a parish tuition subsidy for Kindergarten and above, a small way our parish supports Catholic education.
Thank you for continuing to support our school with your prayers, encouragement, and advocacy.
Finally, I want to remind parish families that practicing members of St. Francis Xavier Parish are eligible for a parish tuition subsidy for Kindergarten and above, a small way our parish supports Catholic education.
Thank you for continuing to support our school with your prayers, encouragement, and advocacy.
Enhancing Safety at St. Francis Xavier
This past Monday, we completed another important safety improvement to our church building. As recommended by our parish safety committee, a clear security film has now been installed on the five glass entryways around the building to help strengthen and protect our exterior doors.
This protective film adds a thick, nearly invisible layer to the glass that is designed to greatly resist shattering and delay forced entry, giving additional time and protection in the unlikely event someone attempted to enter the building through a glass door.
The work was completed by American Window Film, a company with extensive experience installing security film in houses of worship and schools.
The film has been installed on the main front doors, the cry room entry, the elevator entry, the parish office entrance, and the rear door of the building. This upgrade is one of several steps we continue to take to keep our parish community as safe as possible.
This project was made possible through your generous donations to the Building Fund, and I am very grateful for your continued support of these practical improvements.
As a reminder, exterior doors are locked approximately 10 minutes after Mass begins on weekends. Ushers are always available to assist anyone who arrives late.
Please note: you may notice small air bubbles in the film for a short time. We were told this is normal and should resolve on its own over the next couple of weeks as moisture evaporates.
This protective film adds a thick, nearly invisible layer to the glass that is designed to greatly resist shattering and delay forced entry, giving additional time and protection in the unlikely event someone attempted to enter the building through a glass door.
The work was completed by American Window Film, a company with extensive experience installing security film in houses of worship and schools.
The film has been installed on the main front doors, the cry room entry, the elevator entry, the parish office entrance, and the rear door of the building. This upgrade is one of several steps we continue to take to keep our parish community as safe as possible.
This project was made possible through your generous donations to the Building Fund, and I am very grateful for your continued support of these practical improvements.
As a reminder, exterior doors are locked approximately 10 minutes after Mass begins on weekends. Ushers are always available to assist anyone who arrives late.
Please note: you may notice small air bubbles in the film for a short time. We were told this is normal and should resolve on its own over the next couple of weeks as moisture evaporates.
A Homily for this Sunday from Fr. Mike Schmitz
A Candlelit Mass for Candlemas
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the candlelit Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas) this past Monday. It was a joy to celebrate this beautiful liturgy by candlelight in our newly renovated church.
Many shared afterward how prayerful and striking the Mass felt, and how meaningful it was to experience the church in that way. I’m grateful to all who came and helped make the evening so reverent.
Thank you as well to Jono and Allison for the beautiful music that accompanied the liturgy.
Included below are a few photos from the evening.
Many shared afterward how prayerful and striking the Mass felt, and how meaningful it was to experience the church in that way. I’m grateful to all who came and helped make the evening so reverent.
Thank you as well to Jono and Allison for the beautiful music that accompanied the liturgy.
Included below are a few photos from the evening.
Next Weekend’s Second Collection
Nextweekend’s second collection will support two important ministries of the Church: the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA and Catholic University of America.
This collection follows a tri-annual cycle established by the diocese. Every third year, the collection is shared between these two institutions and is split evenly. This weekend’s collection will be divided 50/50 between the Military Archdiocese and The Catholic University of America.
This collection follows a tri-annual cycle established by the diocese. Every third year, the collection is shared between these two institutions and is split evenly. This weekend’s collection will be divided 50/50 between the Military Archdiocese and The Catholic University of America.
For our parish, this collection has a personal connection. Support for the Archdiocese for the Military Services helps sustain Catholic ministry to service members and their families around the world, including the work of Father Steven Booth, a son of St. Francis Xavier Parish. We are very proud of Fr. Booth as he continues his service as a Navy chaplain stationed in Sicily.
While military chaplains are paid by the U.S. Government as members of the Armed Forces, the Archdiocese for the Military Services receives no government funding for its pastoral work and relies entirely on the generosity of the faithful. Donations to this collection support sacramental ministry, pastoral outreach, formation and support for chaplains, and care for service members, veterans, and their families, often in places where no parish is nearby.
Please know that your generosity this weekend helps sustain Catholic ministry both here and abroad, and in a special way supports the important work Fr. Booth and other chaplains carry out on behalf of the Church.
While military chaplains are paid by the U.S. Government as members of the Armed Forces, the Archdiocese for the Military Services receives no government funding for its pastoral work and relies entirely on the generosity of the faithful. Donations to this collection support sacramental ministry, pastoral outreach, formation and support for chaplains, and care for service members, veterans, and their families, often in places where no parish is nearby.
Please know that your generosity this weekend helps sustain Catholic ministry both here and abroad, and in a special way supports the important work Fr. Booth and other chaplains carry out on behalf of the Church.
Please Pray for Our First Communion Class
Please keep our First Communion class in your prayers this weekend. This Sunday, February 8th, our children will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. This is an important moment in their formation, as they encounter God’s mercy in a personal and concrete way. Thank you for supporting these children and their families with your prayer as they continue preparing to receive First Holy Communion.
Marian Antiphon at the End of Mass
This weekend, you may notice that we will be singing a different Marian antiphon at the end of Mass: Ave Regina Caelorum (12th century).
Since Advent, we have been singing Alma Redemptoris Mater. We began this practice back in October as a way of continuing a very old Catholic custom: ending Mass, or lingering briefly after Mass, with a prayerful expression of devotion to the Blessed Mother. For centuries, the Church has turned to Mary at the close of the liturgy, asking for her intercession and motherly care as we go forth from the church.
Over time, the Church has handed down four Marian antiphons, poetic hymns written in the Middle Ages and assigned to different seasons of the liturgical year. With the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas) now behind us, we transition to the Marian antiphon traditionally sung during the weeks leading into Lent and through the Lenten season.
We sing these antiphons in Latin because they are part of the Church’s shared musical and spiritual heritage. These melodies and texts have been known by generations of Catholics, prayed and sung long before us. In the seminary, we sang them daily, and they became prayers many of us knew by heart. Learning them is a beautiful way of entering more deeply into the Church’s sacred music patrimony.
This is not meant to be “one more thing” added onto Mass. Rather, before the recessional, we pause to thank the Blessed Mother for her care and intercession and to ask that she continue to guide and watch over us as we leave the church and return to our daily lives.
Below, you’ll find the Latin text with an English translation, along with a short video you can listen to and pray with as you become familiar with this beautiful prayer of the Church.
Since Advent, we have been singing Alma Redemptoris Mater. We began this practice back in October as a way of continuing a very old Catholic custom: ending Mass, or lingering briefly after Mass, with a prayerful expression of devotion to the Blessed Mother. For centuries, the Church has turned to Mary at the close of the liturgy, asking for her intercession and motherly care as we go forth from the church.
Over time, the Church has handed down four Marian antiphons, poetic hymns written in the Middle Ages and assigned to different seasons of the liturgical year. With the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas) now behind us, we transition to the Marian antiphon traditionally sung during the weeks leading into Lent and through the Lenten season.
We sing these antiphons in Latin because they are part of the Church’s shared musical and spiritual heritage. These melodies and texts have been known by generations of Catholics, prayed and sung long before us. In the seminary, we sang them daily, and they became prayers many of us knew by heart. Learning them is a beautiful way of entering more deeply into the Church’s sacred music patrimony.
This is not meant to be “one more thing” added onto Mass. Rather, before the recessional, we pause to thank the Blessed Mother for her care and intercession and to ask that she continue to guide and watch over us as we leave the church and return to our daily lives.
Below, you’ll find the Latin text with an English translation, along with a short video you can listen to and pray with as you become familiar with this beautiful prayer of the Church.
An Update on the Portuguese Tile Scene
The Portuguese tile scene which I shared about last weekend, has been generously donated by a parishioner. I am very grateful for this gift, which will add both beauty and meaning to the Baptistry area. More details will be shared soon.
Ash Wednesday - Feb 18th 2026
Start Preparing for Lent
Pray40: The Return – Hallow’s Lent Community Prayer Challenge for 2026
St. Paul Center
Join Bible Across America: Lent
Save the Date: 2026 SFX Lenten Mission
Please mark your calendar for February 22–25, 2026, and plan to join us for our Parish Lenten Mission with Father James Sullivan, OP, of the Dominican Fathers of the Province of St. Joseph.
MCFL Webinar Thursday
More Than a Renovation
Over the past several months, it has been very encouraging to hear so much positive feedback about the church, and I wanted to share a couple of recent moments.
Recently, a family who had come into the Church here years ago returned to the area for a visit. They had moved out of state and had no idea about the renovation at all. When they looked up Mass times online, they were genuinely confused. The church they saw on the website didn’t look like the one they remembered and loved. When they walked in for Mass that weekend and saw it in person, they were brought to tears. This parish had been part of their conversion story, and to see it renewed in this way meant a great deal to them.
Around the same time, another couple said something to me that made me smile. They mentioned that every time they walk into the church now, it feels like Italy!
Moments like these are reminders that what we have been working toward is not just a renovation, but a space that helps people pray, remember, and encounter the Lord more deeply. I’m very grateful to all of you who have supported this work in so many ways and who continue to make this parish a place that feels like home, even for those who return after many years away.
Recently, a family who had come into the Church here years ago returned to the area for a visit. They had moved out of state and had no idea about the renovation at all. When they looked up Mass times online, they were genuinely confused. The church they saw on the website didn’t look like the one they remembered and loved. When they walked in for Mass that weekend and saw it in person, they were brought to tears. This parish had been part of their conversion story, and to see it renewed in this way meant a great deal to them.
Around the same time, another couple said something to me that made me smile. They mentioned that every time they walk into the church now, it feels like Italy!
Moments like these are reminders that what we have been working toward is not just a renovation, but a space that helps people pray, remember, and encounter the Lord more deeply. I’m very grateful to all of you who have supported this work in so many ways and who continue to make this parish a place that feels like home, even for those who return after many years away.
Mass Times
Sunday: 8:00 AM | 10:30 AM
Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
M, T, Th, F, S: 9:00 AM
Sunday: 8:00 AM | 10:30 AM
Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
M, T, Th, F, S: 9:00 AM
First Friday: 9:00 AM | 6:00 PM
Adoration Times
Monday-Friday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-8:30pm
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-8:30pm
Wednesday
6:30am-8:30pm
Saturday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-2:45pm
6:30am-8:30pm
Saturday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-2:45pm
Confession Times
Monday: 5:30–6:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30–10:00 AM | 3:00–3:45 PM
Monday: 5:30–6:30 PM
Saturday: 9:30–10:00 AM | 3:00–3:45 PM
First Friday: 6:45–7:15 PM
Anytime by Appointment
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