elcome to our Parish Website!
We are a Roman Catholic community of believers in Jesus Christ located in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, part of the Archdiocese of Newark.
This website is a reflection of our wonderful ministries that serve not only our members but embrace the needs of our community as well. It is our hope that you will find what you need on this website. You may view our church calendar for event’s or see the “What’s Happening” section below to find out what is currently going on.
It’s important to remember that ultimately we are about the people: the people we serve, the people we are, and the people we strive to be.
It is our privilege to invite you to be part of our Parish Family. You'll find a diverse group of individuals with a common greeting for you.
“Welcome Home!”
If you are thinking about moving to the Ridgefield Park area, we cordially invite you to make St. Francis your parish home.
St. Francis Church invites you to consider our new electronic giving program as a way to automate your regular weekly offering. Electronic giving offers convenience for individual parishioners and provides much-needed donation consistency for our parish. We anticipate that electronic giving will appeal to many church members — from longtime parishioners who will appreciate an alternative to frequent check writing to younger members and others who prefer to pay or donate by electronic means whenever possible.
As you contemplate your future contributions, please consider electronic giving. Use the button to the left to donate now.
New Parishioners
Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Parish! Please register at the parish Center
Celebration of the Eucharist
Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
1:00PM Celebration in Spanish
Weekday Liturgy Masses
Monday thru Friday 7:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8:00 a.m. Holy Days: Schedule noted in bulletin
Eucharistic Adoration – Every First Friday from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
First Saturday Novena Mass – Every First Saturday at 8:00am
Sacrament of Baptism
Baptisms are celebrated the Third Sunday of the month at 3:00pm in English, and the Second Sunday of the Month at 2:30pm in Spanish. Call the Parish Center for an appointment.
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday Confessions are at 4:00 P.M. and on request.
Sacrament of the Sick
The Sacrament of the Sick will be administered in an emergency at anytime. Call the Parish Center when someone is ill or admitted to the hospital.
Ushers
Ushers play an important role in greeting and welcoming parishioners, guests and visitors, directing and seating them, assisting the disabled, providing emergency care, distributing bulletins and collecting the Offertory donations. If you enjoy interacting with people, are flexible and at ease in handling situations and care to minister in this way, please contact FR. Viktor at 201-641-6464.
Choir
Adult Choir and Hispanic Choir
The Holy Spirit remains with the parishioners of St. Francis as we continue our Journey to God through the Ministry of Music.
The volunteer members of all the Adult Choirs rejoice and praise God through songs of faith, inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The choir members along with Victoria Hernandez our Director of Music and Cantor, rehearse on one evening a week and sing at one Mass each weekend. We are not trained singers but come together each week to learn and worship God. So if you like to sing, please “won’t you join us?” For further information, please see Victoria or a member of the choir.
The Children’s Choir provides a place for the younger members of our parish to develop and expand their own musical gifts and to grow in faith as they learn to lead our congregation in singing God’s praise. The children’s choir rehearses on Tuesday Evenings and sings at one Mass each month, as well as at the Christmas and Easter Masses.
The future of our music ministry lies with our children.
All children are encouraged to come and share their voices in joyful song!
Lectors
Lectors are called to proclaim with clarity and grace the Word of God. Through their gifts and talents of preparing the readings in advance, learning proper pronunciation of names and places, articulating well with good tone and pacing, they bring to life the stories of Scripture and give meaning to the General Intercessions. Proudly they carry in procession the Book of God’s Word.
There is always a need for good Lectors.
Some training is required. If interested, please call FR. Viktor at 201-641-6464
Eucharistic Ministers
What more wonderful way is there to serve God than to share the Body and Blood of Christ with your parish community during Mass or at the home of the elderly, infirm or ill? Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion more commonly referred to as Eucharistic Ministers, clearly identifies a person as one who desires to serve God’s people and continue the mission of Christ to His disciples. If you are interested in becoming a Eucharistic Minister, training will be provided; please contact FR. Viktor at 201-641-6464
Altar Servers
Altar Servers play an important role in enhancing and enriching our liturgical and sacramental functions. They provide for a smooth flow of the services by holding the book of the presider, preparing the altar and assisting in the gifts of bread and wine. Boys and girls who have received First Communion may be altar servers and may contact FR. Viktor at 201-641-6464
Adults who wish to serve in this ministry should contact FR. Viktor at 201-641-6464
“THIS IS MY PARISH”
It is composed of people like me.
We make it what it is.
It will be friendly, if I am.
Its pews will be filled, if I help to fill them.
It will make generous gifts to many causes
if I am a generous giver.
It will bring other people to worship and fellowship
if I bring them.
It will be a church of loyalty and love,
of fearlessness and faith,
and a church with a noble spirit.
if I, who make it what it is,
am filled with these qualities.
Therefore, with the help of God
I shall dedicate myself
to the task of being all things that I want my parish to be.
Calendar Meeting
May 23rd
The Yearly Calendar meeting will be
held on Friday, May 23rd At 7PM
In the Parish Center
Please either e-mail me (pacosta722@msn.com)
Or drop off your Completed 2014 - 2015
TYPED yearly calendar No later than
Friday, April 25, 2014 So the yearly
calendar can be put Together prior to the meeting.
Please also include a list of people in your organization and their contact information.
Alleluia! Alleluia, He is Risen!
his is the phrase that brings joy and happiness to all of us. The resurrection of
Christ is the cornerstone of our faith and the most extraordinary event in all of human history. As our psalm tells us, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.” All that we believe and all that we hope for began that first Easter Sunday morning at the empty tomb outside of Jerusalem.
The world changed, and nothing will ever be the same again.
We celebrate a new beginning of our journey to our Father’s heavenly home.
Jesus has triumphed over death! His triumph means that death is not the end of our lives, nor is human existence limited to pain and suffering and having lives that are without meaning or purpose. Jesus has changed all of this, and He has now replaced that sad and miserable understanding with a new one that has been founded on hope, trust, faith, happiness, and a new definition of love that extends to every man, woman and child for all of eternity. God has made his love for us absolutely clear: there is nothing that ever will come between Him and us. God has forgiven us and He has shown us His love. How can we not rejoice and be glad?
The gospel captures the excitement of that first Easter morning. Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb and in her joy she rushes tell the Good News to the disciples, who then race to the tomb to see firsthand the aftermath of the great event. Their joy and excitement should be our joy and excitement. Like the first disciples, we need to be joyful and excited about the empty tomb. Seeing this, they realized that Jesus had fulfilled all the promises he made to them. Jesus promised that He would always be with them. They now fully understood and believed this to be true. They were not alone;
Christ was with them, and He would always remain with them.
Christ is also with us, and we must believe that he remains with us always.
Easter is all about newness of life in Christ. The risen life of Christ is ours for the taking. The power of loving with the very love of God dwells within each of us and we can be assured that His love is with us forever. We have been redeemed and we have been given a new start on life. This message is not only something we need to believe and embrace; it is something that needs to be lived and something that needs to be shared by everyone. Today’s feast is perfect time to ask if we are living in the light of the resurrection or are we still remaining in the dark? Is Christ alive with in us or have we kept Him buried in the tomb? Easter will mean nothing to us unless we are excited to see Christ and gratefully thanking God that He is present within our lives. If we are still looking for Christ we must first look within our hearts. Christ is present there with an abundance of Happiness and Peace. Jesus is Risen! Alleluia!
On behalf of: Fr. Larry, Fr. Viktor, Fr. Fernando, Fr. Anthony, and Our Parish Staff,
We wish you all a Most Joyful and Blessed Easter.
