XAVIER NEWS News Fall 2015.pdf · para esta importante celebración eucarística de la parroquia....

Volume 10, Issue 3 Fall 2015

XAVIER NEWS

There are no strangers here. ¡Aquí no hay extranjeros!

y El Migrante

Very soon Pope Francis

will arrive in the United

States and participate in

the World Meeting of

Families in Philadelphia.

This has been the focus of

much of our Year of the

Family preparation, and

we will celebrate our Holy

Father’s first visit to the

United States as a parish

family. You are invited to

watch the Holy Father’s

Mass LIVE on the “big

screen” at the Xavier Center on Sunday, Sept. 27. Mass begins

at 4 p.m. (Xavier Center opens at 3 p.m.)

It is a wonderful moment in the life of the Church in the United

States—and a moment of grace for our parish family of St. Francis

Xavier—to be able to welcome and celebrate Pope Francis’ visit to

Philadelphia, especially in the context of the World Meeting of

Families. Several of our parishioners are either participating in the

World Meeting of Families events or attending the Pope’s Mass on

Sunday afternoon on the Franklin Parkway. We’ll be asking them

to share with us their reflections and experiences of this wonderful

event.

As a member of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, I have been

“activated” and will be involved in a military role during the Holy

Father’s visit to the United States. We will be serving a supporting

role to ensure the safety of everyone (including the Holy Father),

and offering any needed assistance and support to local and state

officials. It’s a unique opportunity for me to be a part of this event

both as a priest and a member of the United States Armed Forces.

I, too, will be sure to share with you my experiences of the event.

(Continued on page 2)

‘Year of the Family’ draws to a close with Pope Francis’ U.S. visit Muy pronto el Papa Francisco

visitará a Cuba y también a los

Estados Unidos, donde participa-

rá en el Encuentro Mundial de

las Familias en Philadelphia. Es-

to es un gran parte del foco du-

rante nuestro Año de familia ... y

vamos a celebrar la primera visi-

ta del Santo Padre a los Estados

Unidos como una familia parro-

quial. Usted está invitado a ver

la Misa del Santo Padre en vi-

vo Domingo, 27 de septiembre

en la "pantalla grande." La

Misa comienza a las 4 p.m. (el Centro Xavier abre a las 3 p.m.) Es un

momento maravilloso en la vida de la Iglesia en Cuba y en los Estados

Unidos, y un momento de gracia para nuestra familia parroquial de San

Francisco Xavier.

Ya habrán varios eventos parroquiales durante nuestra Año de la Familia

Tiempo & Talento: Durante octubre se invitará a todos los feligre-

ses a participar en nuestra familia parroquial tomando un papel activo

en algún tipo de ministerio parroquial. Dios a dado a cada persona

dones y talentos particulares: como educadores o los que pueden or-

ganizar, como ministros o jardineros.

40 Horas de Adoración Eucarística: Domingo-Martes, 1, 2 & 3 de

noviembre, con la adoración del Santísimo Sacramento durante todo

el día hasta que el servicio empieza a las 7 pm cada noche. Padre

Timothy Marcoe, párroco de la Parroquia del Inmaculado Corazón

de María en Abbottstown predicará durante las tres noches. El domin-

go 1 de noviembre vamos a recordar de una manera muy especial a

todos los miembros de nuestra parroquia que han muerto durante el

último año. Durante el servicio de la tarde vamos a mencionar, por

nombre, todos nuestros feligreses que han muerto y encenderemos

una vela en memoria de ellos. El martes, 3 de noviembre será nuestro

servicio de cierre. La parroquia invitará a sacerdotes, a las hermanas

religiosas y a las seminaristas a unirse a nuestra familia parroquial

para esta importante celebración eucarística de la parroquia.

Servicio Penitencial de Adviento: El 20 de diciembre será la con-

clusión del Año de la Familia donde tendremos la oportunidad de re-

unirnos para nuestra anual Servicio Penitencial de Adviento—

después tendremos otra cena de “pot-luck.” El Rito de la Penitencia

sugiere que al celebrar un Servicio Penitencia Comunitaria, los fieles

(después de las confesiones individuales) se reúnen en la oración de

acción de gracias a Dios por el don de la reconciliación. También

sugiere que una comunidad parroquial también podría continuar esa

(Continued on page 2)

Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church

455 Table Rock Road

Gettysburg, PA 17325

Non-Profit Org.

US Postage

PAID

Lancaster, PA

Permit #299

Saint Francis Xavier Church - Gettysburg, PA

Saint Francis Xavier Church

25 West High Street


Rev. John Bateman, Pastor

Rev. Daniel Richards, Parochial Vicar

Mr. Harry Holt, Business Manager

Ms. Rachel Greene, Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Marcy Marquez, Secretary for Hispanic Ministry

Church office:

455 Table Rock Road


Xavier Center

465 Table Rock Road


717-334-3919

www.stfxcc.org

[email protected]

Mass, Confession, Adoration, and Morning Prayer

Saturday:

5:30 p.m. Vigil (English) - Historic Church

Sunday:

7 a.m. (English) - Historic Church

8:30 a.m. (Español) - Centro Xavier

10 a.m. (English) - Historic Church

11 a.m. (English) - Xavier Center

12:30 p.m. (Español) - Iglesia Histórica

5 p.m. (English) - Gettysburg College chapel (when college is in session)

Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. - Historic Church

Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. (Español) - Iglesia Histórica

Saturday: 8 a.m. - Historic Church

Confession:

Saturday, 4-5 p.m. - Historic Church

Primer Domingo del Mes, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (Español) - Iglesia Histórica

Adoration: Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (evening prayer at 4:45 p.m.), St. John

Paul II Adoration Chapel, Church Offices, Table Rock Road

Morning Prayer: Monday through Friday after 7:30 a.m. Mass

St. Francis Xavier School Mrs. Rebecca Sieg, Principal

465 Table Rock Road [email protected]

Gettysburg, PA 17325 717-334-4221

sfxs.org

“Educate them in the

Christian Way of Life”

- St. Francis Xavier

There are several more big parish events during our parish Year of

the Family:

Parish Time and Talent Survey: During October, every parish-

ioner will be invited to get involved in our parish family by tak-

ing an active role in some type of parish ministry. We all have

particular gifts and talents, whether they be for teaching or organ-

izing, ministering or gardening.

40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions: Sunday-Tuesday,

Nov. 1, 2 & 3 with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament all day

until the closing service at 7 p.m. each evening. Fr. Timothy

Marcoe, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Abbotts-

town, will be our guest homilist for the three evenings. On Sun-

day, Nov. 1 we will remember in a very special way all the mem-

bers of our parish who have died in the past year (since last Nov.

1). During the evening service we will mention, by name, all our

beloved parishioners who have died and light a candle in remem-

brance of them. Tuesday, Nov. 3 will be our closing service.

Priests, local religious sisters and seminarians will be invited to

join our parish family for this important parish Eucharistic cele-

bration.

Advent Penance Service: Dec. 20 will see the closing of our

Year of the Family as we have the opportunity to gather for our

annual Advent Penance Service, followed by a final pot-luck sup-

per. The Rite of Penance suggests that when celebrating a Com-

munal Penance Service, the faithful (after individual confessions)

rightly gather in prayer in thanksgiving to God for the gift of rec-

onciliation. It also suggests that a parish community might also

continue that celebration through a reception or refreshments.

What a great way to end our Year of the Family—celebrating the

members of our family being reconciled to God and prepared to

celebrate His Nativity at Christmas.

Even before the end of our Year of the Family, we will open the Ju-

bilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis. Dec. 8, the Solem-

nity of the Immaculate Conception—and Holy Day of Obligation—

will open this special Year of Mercy. While plans are just in the be-

ginning stages for this year-long celebration, we have already made

arrangements for a June Parish Pilgrimage to Poland (and the Shrine

(Continued from page 1)

Fr. John Bateman

celebración a través de una recepción o refrescos. ¡Qué gran mane-

ra de terminar nuestro Año de la Familia—celebrando con los

miembros de nuestra familia la reconciliación con Dios en prepara-

ción de la celebración de la Navidad.

Todavía no terminará nuestro Año de la Familia cuando abrimos el

Año Jubilar de la Misericordia proclamado por el Papa Francisco. El 8

de diciembre, La Solemnidad de la Inmaculada Concepción, se abrirá

este año especial de la Misericordia. Mientras seguimos haciendo los

planes, ya hemos preparado una Peregrinación a Polonia (y el Santua-

rio de la Divina Misericordia), Florencia, Asís y Roma (a caminar a

través de la Puerta Santa) en julio de 2016.

Me siento muy honrado y humilde de estar aquí en la Parroquia San

Francisco Xavier y ofrecer a cada uno de ustedes mi profundo agrade-

cimiento y la certeza de mis oraciones constantes. Que nuestra familia

parroquial de San Francisco Xavier sea ricamente bendecida por nues-

tro amoroso y misericordioso Dios.

(Continued from page 1)

of Divine Mercy), Florence, Assisi and Rome (to walk through the Holy

Door). More details are on Page 11 of this newsletter.

I am so honored and humbled to be here at St. Francis Xavier Parish

and offer to each of you my profound thanks and assurance of my con-

stant prayers. May our Parish Family of St. Francis Xavier be richly

blessed by our loving and Merciful God.

Fr. John Bateman

Fall 2015

By Joanne Garnett

Newcomers to St. Francis Xavier Parish may not know Ed Lucken-

baugh by name, but if they often attend the 7 a.m. Sunday Mass, they

will recognize his resonant voice as that of one of the regular lectors.

He is also one of the principal enthusiasts and organizers for evange-

lism programs in the parish.

Ed has been a part of the parish since birth, with forays further afield

as he reached his adult years before returning permanently to Gettys-

burg. As a young altar boy, he delighted in memorizing not only his

responses in Latin but also the entire Mass. He chuckles that he would

try to see if he could “beat” a visiting priest in saying all the Mass

parts. More seriously, he recalls that his way of honoring the Lord dur-

ing Adoration in those years was to say the entire Mass in his head – in

Latin – while before the Blessed Sacrament. Perhaps that closeness to

the Lord owes to an experience when he was 10 or 11 years old. Sent

on an errand one night to the streets around the old Annie Warner Hos-

pital (now the modernized and expanded Gettysburg Hospital), unlit

then by streetlights, the young Ed was startled to see a vivid point of

light in front of him. It grew until he was enveloped in a vision of the

Crucified Christ, so vivid that it has remained with him through all

these years. A tearful and confused Ed rushed home, where his equally

astonished family urged him to keep silent about his experience, wor-

ried about ridicule, outrage, or disbelief. So for many years Ed locked

that deeply affecting moment away in his heart.

Though his family was very poor, Catholic schools then were staffed

chiefly by nuns and tuition fees were minimal. Memories of his grade

school years in the old St. Francis Xavier School on High Street, be-

fore the 1950s addition, prompts the image of the wooden desks with

their inkwells and a comment by one of the nuns that he never forgot.

She said, “We teach you lots of facts, but the blessing of Catholic edu-

cation is that we teach you how to think and reason.” Those skills fol-

lowed him to Delone Catholic High School. He fondly recalls the ride

on the bus to McSherrystown, or sometimes in the station wagon his

father would drive, with St. Francis classmates Bob Kenworthy, the

Hemler boys, and “Kenny” Cole.

When Ed graduated from high school in 1954, he had the opportunity

to attend Gettysburg College, as his father was then employed in the

college heating plant, allowing Ed free tuition. However, there were

always incidental costs that were beyond the family’s limited re-

sources, and after the first year, he opted instead for the Navy. While

stationed in Morocco, he was chosen to participate in a journalism

course and later received training in broadcasting for Navy recruiting

programs. All of that communications experience led to a post-military

job with the Harrisburg Patriot and eventually he became bureau chief

of the Carlisle

Sentinel news-

paper. Next

came five inter-

esting years at

Dickinson Col-

lege, first in

public relations

and finally with

the Sports Infor-

mation depart-

ment.

In the midst of

these adven-

tures, Ed’s sister

-in-law set up a

blind date for

him and he met

Nancy. The date

was a success;

this November

they will celebrate 55 years of marriage. With four little children “and

one in heaven,” Nancy and Ed bought a farm west of Gettysburg. Ed

had begun his career in sales by now, his enthusiasm and imagination

alight with plans. But when the cookware company for which he oper-

ated a franchise ran into serious difficulties, Ed was left adrift, the

family’s finances shattered.

One night during that dark time, Ed, drenched to the skin in a down-

pour, wandered into a Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship dinner

where Father Mike Bennett was the speaker. Father Bennett was a

charismatic priest who ended his talk that evening by urging those in

the packed audience to accept Jesus into the void in their lives. Ed felt

his arm irresistibly raised, asking for that blessing. It was an electrify-

ing and pivotal moment in his spiritual life. The problems he and Nan-

cy faced didn’t go away, but steadfastly, securely grounded in the

Lord, they worked their way through them and triumphantly honored

every debt they owed.

For 30 years, Ed has worked in car sales and, after a recent operation

meant a month-long recovery, his current employer, Renn Kirby, rec-

ognized his long-time service and arranged more limited hours to al-

low him to continue working. While that work is still very important,

Ed would probably agree that these days his “real” work is using those

salesmanship skills and interest in his fellow man to bring Jesus into

the lives of all those he encounters: at St. Francis, through the Full

Gospel Fellowship, or anywhere he meets and talks with people. He is

a jubilant salesman for the Lord.

Family Spotlight

Luckenbaugh a ‘jubilant salesman for the Lord’

Ed Luckenbaugh and wife Nancy.

O God, who in your inscrutable providence will that the Church be united to the

sufferings of your Son, grant, we pray, to your faithful who suffer for your name’s

sake a spirit of patience and charity, that they may be found true and faithful

witnesses to the promises you have made. Through Christ our Lord.

Dios nuestro, que en tu misteriosa providencia has querido asociar tu Iglesia a los

sufrimientos de tu Hijo, concede a los fieles que sufren persecución a causa de tu

nombre el don de la paciencia y de la caridad, para que puedan dar testimonio fiel

y creíble de tus promesas. Por Jesucristo nuestro Señor. Amen.

Prayer for persecuted Christians/

Oración para los Cristianos perseguidos


Escuela de Educación Religiosa

School of Religious Education Juntas Importantes 9/13: Junta de Padres (bilingüe) 9:30am en el Centro Xavier

9/27: Junta de Padres OBLIGATORIA - CONFIRMACIÓN (bilingüe) 7:00pm en el Centro Xavier

10/25: Grado 2 - Programa para Padres e Hijos de Educación acerca de la Virtud 9:30—10:45am en el Centro Xavier

11/1: Junta de Padres OBLIGATORIA - Primera Confesión (bilingüe) 9:30am en el Centro Xavier

11/15: Grado 4 Programa para Padres e Hijos de Educación acerca de la Virtud 9:30—10:45am en el Centro Xavier

11/22: Grado 6 Programa para Padres e Hijos de Educación acerca de la Virtud 9:30—10:45am en el Centro Xavier

12/13: Clase de Confirmación Programa para Padres e Hijos

de Educación acerca de la Virtud 6:00—8:00pm en el

Centro Xavier

La Escuela de Educación Religiosa (SRE) mejor conocida

como Continuing Catholic Development (CCD) o La Doctrina

es un programa de educación formal disponible para los niños

y jóvenes de nuestra parroquia. A través de este programa,

nuestra iglesia ofrece educación en la fe a aquellos que no

pueden beneficiarse del sistema de la escuela católica. El

programa está a cargo de catequistas voluntarios (profesores,

compañeros de maestros y ayudantes) buscados de nuestra

congregación y organizado por la directora del programa.

Los catequistas deben ser confirmadas católicos, por lo menos

18 años de edad. Los ayudantes pueden ser menores de 18

años y estar todavía en la escuela. Debido a estas personas

dedicadas se puede llevar a cabo el programa cada año. Si le

gustaría ser catequista y trabajar con los niños y jóvenes de la

parroquia, por favor comuníquese con nosotros.

Actualmente se están aceptando las inscripciones. Puede

obtener la hoja de inscripción en la oficia del Centro Xavier

durante la semana o a través de la página web www.sfxs.org

bajo la sección de Educación Religiosa. Daremos inicio al año

con una junta de padres el domingo, 13 de septiembre.

Yo empecé a pensar en el sacerdocio cuando estaba en el 2º grado cuando una hermana

religiosa hizo un gran trabajo en prepararnos para recibir los sacramentos. Cuando yo estaba en el

grupo de jóvenes en la parroquia en que crecí, San José en York, había muchas pláticas y retiros

acerca del discernimiento y las personas ahí siempre me decían que debería entrar al seminario.

Pero no sabía cómo estar seguro de que Dios me estaba llamando, y además yo tenía otros intereses.

Así que fui a la Universidad de Millersville para estudiar bioquímica, y me involucré en el

Ministerio Católico del Campus. Con el tiempo, mientras mi trabajo y responsabilidades crecían, yo

notaba un cambio en como veía las responsabilidades diferentes que tenía – empecé a ver mi trabajo

en la escuela como si fuera un obstáculo a lo que yo quería hacer de verdad y a lo que quería dedicar

mi tiempo, lo cual fue el ministerio. Descubrí que era mi amor por la Iglesia y mi deseo por ayudar

crecer el mensaje de nuestro Señor seria mi trabajo “real.” Un día, cuando caminaba después de

Misa, estaba reflexionando sobre la gran oportunidad de ser un sacerdote algún día y que yo podría

dedicar todo mi tiempo al ministerio en la Iglesia. De repente me di cuenta que realmente no había

nada que me detendría de investigar, y ahí es cuando decidí hablar con nuestro director de

vocaciones.

Cuando hablamos acerca de vocación, usamos el término “un llamado,” porque vocación

viene de la palabra latina “vocare” que significa llamar. Sin embargo, si hay una cosa que he

aprendido de todas las variedades diferentes de hombres con quienes he estudiado a través de los

años, es que cada quien tiene una histórica única de como Dios les

estaba llamando. Pero todos siempre tenían algo en común – cuando

encontraban a Dios en la oración y los sacramentos y mientras se

esfuerzan en vivir una vida de santidad no importa la situación en que se

encontraban, ahí es cuando su llamado hacia una vocación final se hizo

más claro. Como dice en Santiago 4:8, “Acérquense a Dios y él se

acercará a ustedes”. Dios siempre nos está llamando, no importa en

donde nos encontramos en esta vida. Cuando empezamos a escuchar

activamente y responder a Su invitación, ahí es cuando se hace todavía

más claro a donde nos está llamando Dios en la vida. Las historias de

cómo cada quien llega a su vocación final es diferente, pero el origen

siempre es lo mismo: el deseo de levantar su cruz diariamente y seguirlo

a Él. Todo lo demás se trata de solo trabajar en los detalles.

Diácono Brian Olkowski

Año de la Miserocordia

Cambio del horario de

Misas a partir del

13 de septiembre

A partir del 13 de septiembre regresaremos al horario regular de

las Misas pero con un pequeño cambio. La Misa de 12:30p.m.,

en español, se celebrará en la iglesia histórica. Este cambio dará

a cada familia la oportunidad de asistir a Misa en el Centro

Xavier (donde hay mucho estacionamiento) o en la iglesia

histórica (donde se puede estacionar en la cancha de baloncesto

que está encercada, detrás de la antigua casa de los sacerdotes.

No se permite el estacionamiento en la iglesia metodista).

El horario regular de Misas en español será:

Domingo: 8:30 a.m. (Centro Xavier)

12:30 p.m. (Iglesia Histórica)

También, deseamos ofrecerle la oportunidad de confesarse. El

primer domingo de cada mes, de 11:30 a.m. hasta las 12:15 p.m.

uno de los sacerdotes estará en el confesionario para celebrar el

sacramento de reconciliación.

NOTA: Si desea celebrar la confesión debe llegar temprano. Es

necesario que las confesiones terminen a las 12:15 p.m. para que

el sacerdote puede prepararse para la Misa.

Diocesan Hispanic Heritage Mass

Misa Diocesana de la Herencia Hispana

Celebrante/Celebrant: Reverendísimo Ronald W. Gainer

Obispo de Harrisburg Most Reverend Ronald W. Gainer

Bishop of Harrisburg

Dónde/Where: Parroquia de Santo Nombre de Jesús

Holy Name of Jesus Parish 6150 Allentown Boulevard

Harrisburg, PA 17101

Cuándo/When: Domingo 13 de septiembre de 2015

Sunday, September 13, 2015 3:30 p.m.

Para más información/For more information: www.hbgdiocese.org/hispanicministry

& (717) 657-4804

Argentina México Brazil Colombia Costa Rica

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Perú Puerto Rico Uruguay Venezuela Chile Perú Bolivia

“APRENDIENDO A ORAR PARA APRENDER A VIVIR"

Paso a Paso desarrolla una relación cercana con Dios.

Invitamos a todos los jóvenes de 15 a 22 años al Taller

de Oración, que se va a impartir en nuestra parroquia;

comenzando el viernes 4 de SEPTIEMBRE.

Habrá 10 sesiones, una cada semana en el Centro

Xavier de 7:00pm a 8:40pm.

Para mayor información comuníquese con:

Lety Sánchez - (717) 885-3936

Carlos Pichardo - (717) 521-1134


The faces of St. Francis Xavier

Clockwise from top left:

The St. Francis Xavier Class of 2016 on their first day as eighth graders; seventh graders relax and catch up with friends before on the first

day of school; and third graders get acquainted with their new classroom and teachers.

Opposite page, top three photos:

Participants enjoy this year’s Vacation Bible School’s “Everest” theme.

Opposite page, bottom three photos:

Parishioners gather at various events this summer.

Back to School

Fall 2015

The faces of St. Francis Xavier


By George Gelles

Finance Committee Chair

Our parish is blessed with many loving families and individuals who

have been very generous in giving back to God a portion of the gifts

God has given them. Thanks to each of you for the gifts of time, talent

and treasure that you have given this past year in support of our family

community.

The pie charts below give you an illustration of the parish’s income and

expenses for the church, rectory, religious ed program, youth ministry

and school subsidies. The charts do not include the parish cemetery or

parish school. The school’s financial report is shown separately (see

opposite page). The approved operating budget for the year was

$1,094,028. It did not include the purchase of the new rectory which

was purchased for $194,160 and totally paid for by two large bequests

the parish received this past year. The charts show that the operating

expenses were greater than the income received. After depleting our

savings account, we had to borrow $57,757 from the diocese in order to

balance the budget for the year. The main reasons for the difference

were an increase of $22,592 to the school subsidy and a shortfall in the

Sunday collections. The subsidies for religious ed and youth ministry

were both less than the amount budgeted. The cemetery operation had a

savings of $3,089.

In November 2014, our parish became a tithing parish. As our tithing

witnesses shared with us, tithing is “God’s Plan for Giving.” It is an in-

vitation from God to approach parish support from a spiritual, not fi-

nancial, point of view – trusting in God by giving 10 percent of our in-

come to God (5 percent to the parish and 5 percent to your favorite

charities). Pope Francis continues to call us to be ever mindful and gen-

erous to the poor, and by becoming a tithing parish, St. Francis Xavier

puts the needs of others before her own – giving to others from our own

need, rather than our surplus. In keeping with “God’s Plan for Giving,”

the Parish Council and Finance Committee agreed that the parish would

also tithe 10 percent of each Sunday offering to a charitable organiza-

tion. Our parish can be proud that from Nov. 2 to June 28, the parish

has donated $108,748 (tithed collection $69,197 plus $39,551 individu-

al donations) to 35 organizations including our parish debt and the dioc-

esan collections. In addition, through other parishioner donations of

$106,783, the Xavier building debt balance has been reduced to

$102,090 as of June 30.

Thank you for being good stewards of the parish and for helping to

make Saint Francis Xavier Parish a very active, caring family commu-

nity. If you have any questions about the finances, please give me a call

at 717-334-0333.

Finance Committee: Year-end report

StFX Church

Total Operating Income:$1,197,096July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015

Sunday/Holy Day Offerings: $902,689

Christmas: $43,856

Easter: $28,019

Diocesan Subsidy: $18,223

Misc: Votives/LA Refund $11,514

Gifts/ Bequests: $192,795

SFX School Subsidy: $294,417

SFX Religious Ed. Subsidy: $74,944

Delone High School Subsidy:$135,691

Youth Ministry Subsidy; $21,875

Rectory Expense: $32,079

Salaries/Benefits: $330,967

Repairs/Maintenance: $35,507

Purchased Services: $93,620

Travel: $6,690

Conferences/Dues: $2,284

Supplies: $54,352

Other/ Interst: $16,136

Purchase of New Rectory: $194,160

StFX Church

Total Operating Expenses: $1,292,722July 1, 2014- June 30, 2015

K-6 Religious Ed.

Sundays, 9:30-10:45 a.m.

Sept. 20, 27

Oct. 4, 18, 25

Nov. 1, 15, 22

Dec. 6, 13, 20

Jan. 10, 24, 31

Feb. 7, 21,28

March 6, 13

April 3, 10, 17, 24

May 1

Religious Education Parent Meetings

Sept. 13: SRE parent meeting (bilingual)

9:30 a.m. @ Xavier Center multipurpose room

Sept. 27: Mandatory Confirmation (8th grade)

parent meeting (bilingual) 7 p.m. @ Xavier

Center multipurpose room

Oct. 25: Grade 2 parent/child chastity education program

9:30-10:45 a.m. @ Xavier Center multipurpose room

Nov. 1: Mandatory First Penance parent meeting (bilingual)

9:30 a.m. @ Xavier Center multipurpose room

Nov. 15: Grade 4 parent/child chastity education program


Nov. 22: Grade 6 parent/child chastity education program


Dec. 13: Confirmation (Grade 8) parent/child chastity education

program 6-8 p.m. @ Xavier Center multipurpose room

Visit sfxs.org

under Religious Ed for

registration forms, updates,

sacrament information and

weather cancellations

Confirmation classes

Sundays, 6-8 p.m.

Sept. 20, 27

Oct. 4, 18

Nov. 15

Dec. 6, 13

Jan. 24, 31

Feb. 21,28

March 6, 13

April 10, 24

May 1

Fall 2015

2014-2015 S c hool Inc omeOther non-operating income,

$15,214

Other parish subs idy, $22,260

Other income, $31,552

Sa le of food, $49,453

Fundrais ing Activi ties , $99,219

SFX Parish Subs idy, $294,417

Tuition and fees , $562,021

2014-2015 S c hool E x pens esDepos it to savings , $16,600

Other expenses , $17,114

Suppl ies , $24,181

Payment on debt principal

and interest, $27,042

Food expense, $28,829

Purchased services , $56,312

Employee benefi ts ,

$202,243

Sa laries and wages ,

$701,815

I first began thinking about the priesthood when I was in second

grade, when a religious sister did a great job in preparing us to receive

the sacraments. When I was in youth group at my home parish, St. Jo-

seph in York, we had many talks and retreats about discernment and

people there always told me that I should enter the seminary. But I

didn´t know how to be sure that God was calling me, and I had many

other interests too. So I went to Millersville University to study bio-

chemistry, and became involved in our Catholic Campus Ministry.

Over time, as my work and responsibilities grew, I noticed a change in

how I looked at the various responsibilities I had—I started looking at

my work in school as an obstacle to what I really wanted to do and

spend my time with, which was ministry. I discovered that it was my

love for the Church and a desire to help the message of our Lord grow

that was my “real” work. One day, when walking back from Mass, I

was reflecting on what a great opportunity it would be to be a priest

some day and I could dedicate my whole time to ministry in the

Church. Suddenly I realized that technically there was nothing stopping

me from inquiring, and that was when I decided to talk with our voca-

tions director. When we talk about vocation, we use the term “a call-

ing,” because vocation comes from the Latin word “vocare” which

does mean to call. However, if there is one thing I´ve learned from all

the different varieties of men I´ve studied with over the last several

years, its that everyone has a unique story of how God was calling

them. But they always had one thing in common: the more they en-

countered God in prayer and the sacraments and the more they strove to

live out a life of holiness in whatever situation they were in, that is

when their calling toward a final vocation became more and more clear.

As it says in James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to

you.” God is always beckoning to us, no mat-

ter where we find ourselves in life. When we

begin to actively listen and respond to His

invitation, that is when it becomes more clear

where God is calling us in life. Everyone´s

story in how they arrived at their final voca-

tion is different, but the starting point is al-

ways the same: the desire to pick up one’s

cross daily and follow Him. Everything else

is just working out the details.

This article is also in Spanish on Page 4.

Finance Committee: Year-end report (cont.)

Meet Deacon Brian Olkowski


By Michele Behan

They descend by the hun-

dreds on the small town of

Gettysburg, drawn by its

bucolic atmosphere and

stimulating sights, ready to

plunge headlong into inter-

esting things they didn’t

know before.

Summer tourists? Not quite

… I’m talking about Gettysburg College stu-

dents who, for nine months out of each year,

populate the historic campus located in the

middle of town.

Those of us who were once students ourselves

can recall those college years of early inde-

pendence – a time when hazy high school

dreams coalesce into the buds of tentative ca-

reer paths. The college years can be an im-

portant milestone both in the personal growth

of an individual and developing a lifelong atti-

tude toward one’s faith.

According to Father Daniel Richards, Parochi-

al Vicar at St. Francis Xavier Parish and part-

time chaplain at Gettysburg College, “For

many Catholic students, college is the first

time they are really asked to take ownership of

their faith: whether to attend Mass or not,

standing up for their faith when it is ques-

tioned or even attacked, or kind of falling in

with the pack. It's a challenging time, in many

ways, but of course challenge is very often the

impetus for growth. My hope is that we can

help our Catholic students to meet those chal-

lenges and learn from them, in order to be-

come the men and women God calls them to

be.”

However, the practice of one’s Catholic faith

can take a back burner to the rigors of academ-

ia. Father Richards knows this from personal

experience. In his college years, he found him-

self drifting slowly away from the foundation

laid by years of Catholic education in grade

school and high school. He didn’t have time to

pray and even began missing Mass on occa-

sion.

Then, something happened in the course of his

college life that changed everything. Two col-

lege professors were instrumental in helping

Father Richards scrutinize his Catholic faith as

a young man. One was an English Literature

professor. This man had a strong faith himself,

and in the course of his teaching, he almost

“evangelized” to his students by choos-

ing spiritually oriented literature for them to

study. The other professor taught a course on

Western Civilization. She was strongly atheist

and challenged everything that Christianity

offered.

Oddly, but consistent with the peculiar way in

which God’s grace often works, the yin and

yang of their teaching approaches

caused Father Richards to examine his own

Catholic faith more closely. He began to slow-

ly develop a personal relationship with Jesus

Christ, likening it to a love relationship in

which you want to learn more and more about

the Beloved.

Father Richards explains, “The first step is re-

ally out of our control – it’s God working

within us. It began at our Baptism, and contin-

ues through His grace at work in us. We don't

cause it, but it's important to recognize it, be-

cause it will take us down a bad path if we

think it's all about how much we do – God has

already done more for us than we can ever do

in return!”

When asked how he would advise college stu-

dents to ignite that spark, Father Richards an-

swered, “We can open ourselves up to God's

grace by receiving the Sacraments, especially

the Eucharist each Sunday and Confession fre-

quently, and developing a life of prayer. It's

that prayer which, I believe, college students

especially need help developing, because often

their idea of prayer hasn't changed much since

they first learned to pray. What I mean is: the

idea of ‘prayer’ is limited to saying certain

words, in a certain order, at a certain time, etc.

Those prayers are good, for instance the ro-

sary, but they aren't everything. A much deep-

er prayer takes place in silence, when we stop

talking and let God start talking. It's hard at

first, it can be awkward and uncomfortable to

sit in silence, but it's a much more mature way

of turning to, and listening to, our God who

wants to be with us in a real relationship.”

To help fill the college students’ spiritual

needs, an active Catholic campus ministry has

existed at Gettysburg College for at least sev-

eral decades. This includes a full-time lay

minister, currently Mrs. Susan Collinge, and a

part-time priest chaplain, Father Richards.

The position is assigned by the diocese and is

not necessarily drawn from St. Francis Xavier

parish. Before Father Richards filled the posi-

tion – in the days when Father Pistone was our

parish’s only priest – the chaplain’s role was

occupied by Father Steve Fauser, pastor of Im-

maculate Conception in New Oxford.

While school is in session, Catholic Mass is

offered each Sunday at 5 p.m. at Christ Chap-

el, located on the Gettysburg College campus.

The college Mass provides an ideal opportuni-

ty for college students to maintain their Catho-

lic faith, even in the insular environment of

their college experience.

Father Richards notes, “The students are tre-

mendously appreciative of Catholic campus

ministry, and in particular for Sunday Mass on

campus. We have a strong, committed group

of students who come to Mass every Sunday,

and as they leave almost every one of them

says, ‘Thank you’ each and every week. I can

see that they recognize the importance of God

and His Church in their lives, and are striving

to not simply take their Catholicism for grant-

ed.”

Homilies contain universal truths, but audienc-

es can be very different. When asked if Father

Richards prepares a unique homily for the stu-

dents’ college Mass, he answered, “Generally

speaking, the main ‘point’ of the homily will

be the same at the parish and the college, espe-

cially since they're based on the same read-

ings. However, if you came to Mass at the par-

ish and then Mass at the college on the same

day, you wouldn't hear the exact same homily.

I don't read my homilies, except on rare occa-

sion, and though I have the homily prepared

and planned out, it does allow me a certain

amount of freedom to adapt as I'm going. I

find that the audience to whom I'm preaching

affects me a great deal, not only in preparation

but in the moment. Perhaps it's the Holy Spirit,

or perhaps it's just my intuition of what will or

will not be impactful, but I'm sometimes even

surprised at what I end up saying. It isn't that

the point changes or that I say something I did-

n't plan or want to say, but the reality is that

the same thing can be said in a number of dif-

ferent ways. Preaching has always been one of

my favorite parts of the Priesthood, and I real-

ly enjoy preaching at the college each week.”

I recently attended a college Mass at Christ

Chapel for the first time. The Chapel is very

attractive, bright and inviting. Sunlight flowed

through beautiful stained glass from the many

arched windows. Three young smiling women

in white robes cheerfully prepared the altar

before Mass.

Attendance was lighter than at the other Cath-

olic Masses in Gettysburg. There was a lively

mix of young men and women present, inter-

spersed with older attendees, and even some

families, who obviously prefer the time of that

particular Mass. A pianist played music and a

cantor led the singing. Father Richards’

preaching was in fine form.

Probably due to the lighter attendance, the

Mass was over in record time: 45 minutes!

Midway through the celebration of the Mass, a

delicious smell began wafting through the

church. The enticing fragrance only grew

stronger and stronger as the Mass drew to a

close. Then came the announcement: All col-

lege students are invited downstairs after Mass

for pizza! Of course, pizza – could there even

be college without pizza?

Ministering to the campus community

Fall 2015

By Alex J. Hayes

Young Catholics without children often have a hard

time finding their place.

Parents make us go to church when we are in elemen-

tary, middle and high school. Some of us wander off

during our college years and don’t instantly come back

when we become young professionals.

A few years ago, I discussed this with our pastor at the

time, Father Bernardo Pistone. We tossed around the

idea of forming a young Catholics discussion group but

it never took off. I brought the idea back up when Fa-

ther John Bateman became our pastor. He, like Father

Pistone, was very enthusiastic about it and informed

me that a group already existed for young Catholics

from Adams, Franklin, and lower Cumberland counties.

The first meeting my wife and I attended was very con-

veniently held at Garryowen Irish Pub on Chambers-

burg Street in Gettysburg. Father Bateman led a discus-

sion on Catholic views on immigration. About 20 peo-

ple from different churches sipped on a beer while ask-

ing Father Bateman questions and sharing their own

views.

The unfortunate part was that even though the discus-

sion was held in Gettysburg, my wife and I were the on-

ly ones from Saint Francis (except for Father Bateman).

Tri-County Theology on Tap is planning its fall events.

Father Luis Rodriguez will lead a discussion about the

World Meeting of Families on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at

Roy Pitz Brewing Company, 140 N. Third Street,

Chambersburg. Father Rodriguez is the pastor of Corpus

Christi Parish in Chambersburg.

October’s event is still being planned but on Tuesday,

Nov. 3, Dr. Joseph Zume, assistant geophysics professor

at Shippensburg University will lead a discussion on

Pope Francis' new Encyclical on the environment. The

gathering will most likely be held at Garryowen.

In December, the group plans to do a service project.

Last year, they made Christmas cards and sang carols

with residents at South Mountain Restoration Center.

Check the Catholic Witness, Saint Francis Xavier’s par-

ish Facebook page and Theology on Tap – Tri County

for more details.

I will be on vacation during the Sept. 9 event in Chambersburg, but

it would be great if someone from Saint Francis took the lead on

arranging a carpool to Chambersburg.

Calling all young Catholics: Join Theology on Tap!

Parish Pilgrimage to Poland and Italy

Spend 11 days on pilgrimage with daily Mass, 4- & 5-star hotels in downtown areas, and certified lo-

cal tour guides. Cost of $3,999 is all-inclusive (except lunch, personal purchases—single supplement

and trip insurance are optional). For more information or to get a brochure, email [email protected]

or visit ProximoTravel.com (choose “your trip” and scroll down to the June 13, 2016 date). There you

can review the full itinerary, get general information and sign up by clicking on the dates.

Se le invita en esta peregrinación durante el Año de la Divina Misericordia a Polonia (el Santuario de

la Divina Misericordia), Florencia, Asís y Roma (una Audiencia General Miércoles Papal y la oportu-

nidad de pasar a través de la Puerta Santa). El costo es $3,999: todo incluido (excepto el almuerzo

y un suplemento se desea tener un cuarto solo. Seguro de viaje es opcional). Para más información

mande un email [email protected] o ProximoTravel.com / y elige "Choose Your Trip" y busque la

fecha de 13 de junio 2016. Allí se puede revisar el itinerario completo, obtener información general

y registrarse (haciendo un clic en la fecha).

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ProximoTravel.com

http://www.ProximoTravel.com


After months of planning, “That Man Is You,” a dynamic Catholic men’s fellowship that has received accolades everywhere it has been held,

has become a reality with a weekly meeting every Saturday morning beginning Sept. 19, from 6 to 7:30, at Xavier Center.

Kevin Kelly, local coordinator, announced that 23 sessions will be held until Dec. 12. Another 23 meetings will take place next Spring from

Jan. 16 to April 23. Because of its anticipated popular acceptance, Kelly said a similar pattern would be scheduled every year.

Highly endorsed by Father Bateman and Bishop Gainer and a host of clergy and laity throughout the country, TMIY operates with the motto

“Becoming a Man After God’s Own Heart.”

“This program is desperately needed in the Roman Catholic Church today,” said John Williamson, of Houston, Tex. “It is the most eye-opening

and rewarding program that I have ever attended! I honestly believe this course will make Catholic men better leaders of their families, which

will renew the Church and change the world.”

Ed Luckenbaugh, Evangelization Chair at the church, indicated that was just a small sample of the testimonials. “I’m told that men who take a

ho-hum approach to attending the meeting are the ones who really get on fire for them once they start and can hardly wait for the next one.”

Each session consists of a continental breakfast, a teaching video, personal testimony and prayer. To honor men’s busy family schedules, meet-

ings begin and end on time.

Here are the main discussion points of the program:

The Scriptural vision of man, including the four leadership roles entrusted to him

The five personal leadership traits necessary to fulfill authentic male leadership

The overwhelming scientific evidence in support of the Scriptural vision of man

How Jesus perfectly fulfilled the role of man and offers every man the opportunity to

participate in His life

Modern society’s attack on authentic manhood and consequences of failed male leadership

The three major obstacles to fulfilling this vision of man and the means for conquering

these obstacles

The three means of discovering God’s presence in your life

The wonderful renewal God has in store for men, their families and society

Steve Bollman, of Houston, Tex., founder and president of Paradisus Dei, developed the program in 2004. It has quickly moved across the

country transforming men, marriages and families. He is currently developing additional programs to bring his “message of hope” to other

members of the family. His other writings have appeared in national publications, including The National Catholic Register, Inside The Vati-

can, and Catholic Answers. Bollman describes his TMIY work as “an interactive men’s program focused on the development of men in the

modern world. It combines the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the

vision of authentic men capable of transforming themselves, their families and greater society.”

Adult Education Opportunities this Fall

All adults are invited to an education series on St. John Paul II’s

“Theology of the Body” as part of St. Francis Xavier Parish’s Year of

the Family celebration. Ann Marie Kalloz, Sexuality Education In-

structor and Consultant since 1984 and certification student with the

Theology of the Body Institute, will lead participants through an over-

view of “Theology of the Body” as it presents insights regarding the

human person, relationships, sexuality, married life, and the family.

Come discover why “Theology of the Body” has been called a

“theological time bomb” and “one of the boldest reconfigurations of

Catholic theology in centuries.” Take advantage of this opportunity,

here in our local community, to examine issues that will be addressed

at the World Meeting of Families and the Synod of Bishops on the

Family. Topics are as follows:

Sept. 9 & 16: Matter Matters

Sept. 23: Does Evil Exist?

Sept. 30: Eternal Communion

Oct. 7: The Language of the Body

Oct. 14: All of Me

Parishioners Duane and Lindsay Whitlock shared their reflections on

the series:

“As we reflect back on the first seven years of our marriage, there

is little doubt that our decision to attend Christopher West’s all-day

seminar on St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” is among the

most life-altering choices that we made…Even Lindsay’s conver-

sion to Catholicism can be at least partially attributed to that mon-

umental moment.”

Participants can choose to attend either on Wednesday mornings (Sept.

9, 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14) from 8:30 to 10 a.m., or on Wednesday evenings

(Sept. 16, 23, 30, Oct. 7, 14) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Xavier Center.

Babysitting will be provided free of charge. Religious certification

credits from the Diocese of Harrisburg are available. If you have any

questions you are welcome to call Ann Marie Kalloz at 717-334-4501.

‘That Man is You’ kicks off Sept. 19

Series explores St. John Paul II’s ‘Theology of the Body’

St. Francis Xavier is on Facebook! Search for us, or type facebook.com/StFrancisGettysburg directly into your browser. If you are involved in a parish mission and

would like to see your event posted, or share pictures of past events, please send the page a private message and we will be

happy to spread the word!

XAVIER NEWS News Fall 2015.pdf · para esta importante celebración eucarística de la parroquia....

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