Ash Wednesday - This Wednesday
Pick These Up on Ash Wednesday
Again this year, we will be providing the Magnificat Lenten Companion for anyone who would like one. These small booklets are beautifully done and normally retail for $4.99, but we are making them available to you as a gift to help you pray more intentionally during Lent.
The companion follows you from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday and includes short daily reflections from gifted Catholic writers, simple prayers, essays, poetry, and meditations for the Way of the Cross. It’s designed to be used in just a few quiet minutes each day and can help bring focus and structure to your prayer throughout the season.
The companion follows you from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday and includes short daily reflections from gifted Catholic writers, simple prayers, essays, poetry, and meditations for the Way of the Cross. It’s designed to be used in just a few quiet minutes each day and can help bring focus and structure to your prayer throughout the season.
We will also be providing our parish Lenten Offering Boxes. I invite you to take one home and place it somewhere visible. Throughout Lent, you might fill it with loose change or a small offering connected to a sacrifice you are making. It becomes a reminder that our prayer and fasting are always meant to lead to generosity.
This year, our parish Lenten charity will be our Parish Seminarian Fund. Many years ago, Monsignor O’Connor established this fund to support young men from our parish who enter the seminary. Thanks to the generosity of past fundraisers, the fund has sustained our seminarians for well over a decade. Now it is time to replenish it once again.
Your Lenten sacrifices will directly support vocations from right here in our parish, including Lucas daCosta and Noah Pollard, helping provide the practical support they receive each semester as they continue their formation for the priesthood.
Please return your offering boxes by the end of Lent. Together, as a parish family, we can help raise up the next generation of priests.
This year, our parish Lenten charity will be our Parish Seminarian Fund. Many years ago, Monsignor O’Connor established this fund to support young men from our parish who enter the seminary. Thanks to the generosity of past fundraisers, the fund has sustained our seminarians for well over a decade. Now it is time to replenish it once again.
Your Lenten sacrifices will directly support vocations from right here in our parish, including Lucas daCosta and Noah Pollard, helping provide the practical support they receive each semester as they continue their formation for the priesthood.
Please return your offering boxes by the end of Lent. Together, as a parish family, we can help raise up the next generation of priests.
Parish Lenten Mission Starts Monday Feb 23
We are just one week away from our Parish Lenten Mission, and I’m really looking forward to it.
Beginning a week from this coming Monday, we will welcome Father James Sullivan, OP, to St. Francis Xavier. Father James is traveling all the way from Washington, D.C., to be with us, and we are blessed to have him. He will be preaching at all of the Masses next weekend, so you’ll have a chance to meet him and hear him before the mission begins.
Please mark your calendars now for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, February 23, 24, and 25. Each night will begin at 6:00pm with a mission talk, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and the opportunity for Confession.
Beginning a week from this coming Monday, we will welcome Father James Sullivan, OP, to St. Francis Xavier. Father James is traveling all the way from Washington, D.C., to be with us, and we are blessed to have him. He will be preaching at all of the Masses next weekend, so you’ll have a chance to meet him and hear him before the mission begins.
Please mark your calendars now for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings, February 23, 24, and 25. Each night will begin at 6:00pm with a mission talk, followed by Eucharistic Adoration and the opportunity for Confession.
For those who may not be able to attend each evening, I do plan to try to record the mission talks and make them available on our parish website afterward. Of course, there is something special about being present in the church for the talk, adoration, and confessions, but I hope the recordings will be a helpful option for those who are unable to join us in person.
Lent is always an invitation to go a little deeper, to make a little more room for the Lord. I hope you’ll consider setting aside these three evenings to be here. It will be a beautiful way for our parish family to begin this holy season together.
Lent is always an invitation to go a little deeper, to make a little more room for the Lord. I hope you’ll consider setting aside these three evenings to be here. It will be a beautiful way for our parish family to begin this holy season together.
*Please note: Stations of the Cross will begin at 6:30pm (not 7:00pm as listed in this weekend’s bulletin). Thank you for your understanding.*
This Week at St. Francis Xavier School
It has been a full week at our school.
On Tuesday, we were blessed to welcome our Maronite sister friends, Sister Therese and Sister Emily, who led our students in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and helped them begin thinking about preparing their hearts for Lent.
There were also a few funny exchanges. As one of the girls was leaving, she looked at me very seriously and said, “Father… those nuns are good!” I shared that with the sisters, who laughed. Earlier, one of our very youngest students walked up to a sister, looked her up and down, and asked, “What are you?” The sister smiled and said, “I’m a nun.” 😂
On Tuesday, we were blessed to welcome our Maronite sister friends, Sister Therese and Sister Emily, who led our students in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and helped them begin thinking about preparing their hearts for Lent.
There were also a few funny exchanges. As one of the girls was leaving, she looked at me very seriously and said, “Father… those nuns are good!” I shared that with the sisters, who laughed. Earlier, one of our very youngest students walked up to a sister, looked her up and down, and asked, “What are you?” The sister smiled and said, “I’m a nun.” 😂
On Wednesday, we also celebrated our "VIP Breakfast" for students who were champion fundraisers in our Fun Run. I was personally assigned to maple syrup duty, moving down the line and pouring syrup onto pancakes with what I believe was impressive precision. A special thank you to Tia Maria’s for so generously donating the delicious food!
This afternoon, students and teachers headed off for a well deserved vacation, from Caribbean cruises to Arctic expeditions (or perhaps just some quiet time at home). We wish all of our families a safe and restful break and look forward to returning ready to enter into the Lenten season.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Rogers and Mr. Shaughnessy have been very busy during this admission season, welcoming many prospective families who are exploring enrollment at St. Francis Xavier School. If you know someone who may be interested, please encourage them to reach out soon so they can secure their place in our growing school community.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Rogers and Mr. Shaughnessy have been very busy during this admission season, welcoming many prospective families who are exploring enrollment at St. Francis Xavier School. If you know someone who may be interested, please encourage them to reach out soon so they can secure their place in our growing school community.
St. Francis Xavier School - Enroll Now!
A Homily for this Sunday from Fr. Mike Schmitz (homily starts at 10:40)
Women of Grace Paint Night Recap
The Women of Grace enjoyed a wonderful evening together last week at their Paint Night held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Mattapoisett. A special thank you to Amy Plante for organizing such a lovely event and for all the time and care that went into making the evening possible.
We’re Now on Instagram!
I’m very happy to share that, as of today, St. Francis Xavier Church is now on Instagram.
This has been a goal of mine for some time. So many people, especially young people, receive their information through social media, and it’s important that we are present there as well, not only to share what is happening in our parish, but also to invite others to discover the life of faith here at St. Francis Xavier.
One of my goals this year is to be more intentional about our social media presence and posting. I invite you to follow us on both Facebook and Instagram and to help spread the word.
This has been a goal of mine for some time. So many people, especially young people, receive their information through social media, and it’s important that we are present there as well, not only to share what is happening in our parish, but also to invite others to discover the life of faith here at St. Francis Xavier.
One of my goals this year is to be more intentional about our social media presence and posting. I invite you to follow us on both Facebook and Instagram and to help spread the word.
Spiritual Reading for Adoration
Our Adoration bookshelf is finally set up in the hallway to the right of the sanctuary, near the confessional. During your visits before the Blessed Sacrament, please feel free to step into the hallway and take a book to read. I just ask that you return it to the shelf when you are finished so that others may use it as well.
Recently, I received a letter from a Dominican priest, Fr. Ignatius John, OP, who serves at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York. He reached out specifically because we have a Eucharistic Adoration chapel and generously sent two complimentary books for our parish to use.
Recently, I received a letter from a Dominican priest, Fr. Ignatius John, OP, who serves at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York. He reached out specifically because we have a Eucharistic Adoration chapel and generously sent two complimentary books for our parish to use.
One of the books, How to Be His: A 33-Day Dedication to Our Eucharistic Jesus, is a series of short meditations designed for use during Eucharistic Adoration. It can be followed as a 33-day consecration or simply read in small sections during prayer before the Lord.
The second, Named for Glory: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s Identity and Mission, draws from the spirituality of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and focuses on growing deeper in prayer and interior silence — something especially fitting for time spent before the Blessed Sacrament.
I will be placing both books on the Adoration shelf. You are welcome to make use of them during your time with the Lord.
The second, Named for Glory: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s Identity and Mission, draws from the spirituality of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and focuses on growing deeper in prayer and interior silence — something especially fitting for time spent before the Blessed Sacrament.
I will be placing both books on the Adoration shelf. You are welcome to make use of them during your time with the Lord.
This Weekend’s Second Collection
This weekend’s second collection supports two important ministries of the Church: the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA and The Catholic University of America. In accordance with the diocese’s three-year cycle, the collection is shared evenly between these two institutions.
For our parish, this has a special connection. The Archdiocese for the Military Services supports 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, who serves as a Navy chaplain in Sicily. Although military chaplains are members of the Armed Forces, the Archdiocese receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the faithful.
Thank you for your support of this important work.
For our parish, this has a special connection. The Archdiocese for the Military Services supports 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, who serves as a Navy chaplain in Sicily. Although military chaplains are members of the Armed Forces, the Archdiocese receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the faithful.
Thank you for your support of this important work.
Pray40: The Return – Hallow’s Lent Community Prayer Challenge for 2026
Monday Schedule Reminder
A reminder that this Monday is a holiday. The parish office will be closed, and there will be no 5:30pm confessions. Eucharistic Adoration will take place as usual. Confessions will instead be available after the 9:00am Mass. Thank you for planning accordingly.
Lost and Found
A number of items have accumulated in our parish Lost and Found over the past several months. To make it easier for everyone to check, we have placed the items on a table in the church entryway. Please take a moment before or after Mass this weekend to see if anything belongs to you or your family.
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-7:30pm
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-7:30pm
Wednesday
6:30am-7:30pm
Saturday
6:30am-8:45am, 9:30am-2:45pm
6:30am-7:30pm
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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