Our Ministries
17 Nov

Life Beyond Divorce Ministry

While we do not advocate divorce, we understand the need for pastoral care for families going through the painful experience of separation and divorce.

Please contact Sally T. Gomez-Jung at 210.317.5405 or sallytgomez@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to learn more about this ministry.

19 Sep

To Celebrate a Life of Love: Richard “Rick” David Griffin

October 20, 1922-September 13, 2019

Richard David Griffin, SCPO/USN Retired, was born in 1922 in Evansville, Indiana, to David and Nora Belle Griffin. He was called home to reside with his Lord and Savior on September 13, 2019.

Rick is survived by his daughter, Laura G. Pearson; granddaughter, Kristine Pearson Neff; grandson, David Pearson, his wife Desiree and their five children Nathaniel, Christian, Noah, Paul, and Faith; step-niece Christine Boubel, step-great-nephews and niece Kirk Boubel, his wife Daphne and their three children Samantha, Jordan, and John; Jennifer Przybylski (sch-bil-ski) and husband Jim and their two children Gavin and Madeline Lorraine; Jeffrey Boubel, his wife Tiffany and their three children Dawson, Shelby and Joslyn.

He is preceded in death by his parents, David and Nora Bell Griffin; sister and brother Evelyn and Charles Griffin, sister-in-law, Madelyn Boubel Koepp and brother-in-law Harold “Red” Koepp; step-nephew, Thomas R. Boubel.

Life Legacy
Richard’s mother passed when he was three years old and his family moved to Jackson, Michigan, where he enjoyed life on a farm with a natural lake, wild berries, and a library stocked with many books; it was here that he developed his love for reading. When his father could no longer provide, Richard went to live in an orphanage and with foster care families; the family was later reunited. He graduated from high school in 1940, then he enlisted in the Navy, where he served for over 30 years in aviation maintenance and recruiting. Rick said that once he joined the Navy “he found the perfect home.”

Throughout his Naval Career, Richard completed multiple tours and was never stationed on a ship. He served for 25 years in Naval Aviation, stationed on Air Force Bases and Naval Air Stations, then he served 5 years as Chief Recruiter in the San Francisco area. He retired thereafter, with the intention of staying in the area, and remained there until the sudden death of his late wife, Mary Ann, whom he met after World War II, when he was stationed in Corpus Christi and while on liberty in San Antonio. Later, they were married and had one daughter, Laura. Rick was later stationed at Hickam AFB (he served two tours here) and when he wasn’t flying, he enjoyed playing in the ocean and on the beach with Laura. Rick’s tours also include Basic Training at Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, tech training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL, several islands in the Pacific during World War II, Hutchison Kansas Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (2 tours), McGuire AFB, and recruiting in San Francisco, CA until retirement. After the passing of his late wife, Rick moved to Oregon and Iowa, where he restored two old houses. He eventually moved back to San Antonio and worked in apartment maintenance. It was during this time that he met Lorraine at a cousin’s birthday party. They were married soon after and Rick officially became a “Texas citizen” after marrying two Texas women. They enjoyed celebrating their anniversary each year on St. Patrick’s Day; at their age, they said they needed “the luck of the Irish” for a successful marriage. Rick told everyone that at their first meeting, he drank champagne from her slipper; Lorraine says it was more like “he spilled beer in her sandal!” After retiring for the second time, from apartment maintenance, Rick volunteered for about a year at the Naval Service Center, near Fort Sam Houston. He then volunteered for about 17 years at the Wellness Clinic at Wilford Hall Medical Center and participated in a study of cholesterol medications. One of the things he enjoyed most was attending his grandson David’s football games and plays while he was attending Robert E. Lee High School.

Rick wanted to live until the year 2000 to witness the New Millennium and after that, he set a goal to see his great-grandsons play high school football. His prayers were answered—God blessed him with long life. The oldest great-grandson, Nathaniel, played the position of quarterback at Churchill and the second oldest, Christian, played defense at Churchill and Johnson High Schools. Great-grandpa enjoyed watching their games. Thereafter he was too
uncomfortable in stadium seating to watch his two other great-grandsons Noah and Paul play football.

After traveling to so many different places while in the Navy, Rick developed a love for and was ready to go to anywhere at any time! In fact, Rick told Lorraine she needed to retire so they could travel before they got too old and they enjoyed many journeys to the coast with family. They had many opportunities to travel in their home country and to travel abroad, though they traveled only in the United States after the events of 9-11. Their journeys include travel to Italy, Greece, the British Isles, an Alaskan Cruise, and the Great Northwest and Canada; they also traveled to many of Rick’s annual Navy VRs Squadron Reunions held in the United States.

Rick converted to Catholicism in 1990 and joined the Men’s Club, where he helped on various projects and was one of the first teams who prepared the “world famous” sausage and chicken. He also enjoyed serving as a hospitality minister for several years and four years of membership on Hank and Flo Tripp’s Silver Stars team, where he and Lorraine helped prepare and serve meals and provide the evening’s entertainment one evening a month—Rick and Hank are both remembered for their rendition of “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” as Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias. He also volunteered with Mobile Loaves & Fishes for approximately 8 years, from inception and joined three teams, including delivery, preparation, and egg boiling.

At just shy of 97 years, Rick had a long, blessed life, and was a blessing to all his family and friends.

ROSARY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2019
7:00 P.M.
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH

FUNERAL MASS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
9:45 A.M.
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CATHOLIC CHURCH

Father Tony Vilano will officiate. Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, 4201 De Zavala Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78249, or a charity of your choice.

13 Sep

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lost and Found

One who wanders off, or becomes accidentally lost, or deliberately goes away—it is called being lost. Being lost is often being in a place where we don’t belong—a place unfamiliar to us, frightening or sometimes intimidating. Sometimes it is a condition of being ashamed of something. Or it can be a situation where we don’t go off physically, but we know that our heart is far from where it needs to be. This might be expressed as anger, bitterness or resentment, and a refusal to forgive.

What does it take for us to get back to where we belong? How do we get there? This week’s readings remind us that God is always in search of us. God is doing the searching for the lost, for the sinners, for those with hardened hearts. Do we need to be reminded of God’s immense and bounteous love for us all? That we are God’s delight?

We reflect also on what it means to be found, to be saved, to be restored to a right relationship of belonging? What is our response? The three stories lead us to God’s graciousness and tender mercy and our response of rejoicing and celebrating.

What will our celebration in the liturgy look like this weekend? How will we express our rejoicing? Will it be seen and felt in our gathering to celebrate, our eagerness to greet each other, our joy in receiving the Eucharist? Will it be sent forth into our life with family and friends, with co-workers and the various communities to which we belong? Does God need us to seek out someone who has wandered off, or gotten deliberately lost?

6 Sep

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Whole-hearted Commitment

Discipleship might be described as “whole-hearted commitment.” In Luke’s gospel we read, “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus insists on three conditions for discipleship. Subordinating everything to commitment to him, including the closest of family ties, is the first. Bearing the suffering that comes with following him is the second. And the third is the relinquishment of all possessions.

What keeps us from being able to whole-heartedly follow Jesus? How do we make following Jesus the center of our lives, a priority above all else? What possesses us and what do we need to leave behind to love the Lord fully? When we reflect on our lives, what do we value most? Do we value things or people more than we value the Lord?

I found this song a perfect ending to my own reflection on this week’s readings.

03 Sep

To Celebrate a Life of Love: Marion Moore White

December 7, 1944-August 23, 2019

Marion Moore White, age 74, passed away on Friday, August 23, 2019, at Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio. She was in the presence of her loving family.

Marion was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on December 7, 1944. She graduated from Hillcrest High School in Dallas in 1962 and obtained a degree in sociology from Southern Methodist University. In 1966, she married the love of her life, John C. White, at Christ the King Catholic Church in Dallas.

Marion was a devoted mother and grandmother, wonderful friend, and devout Christian. In her early life, she was a social worker at the Red Cross both in Dallas and San Antonio, during which time she put her husband through law school. She spent many years fulfilling her calling as a mother and homemaker and later worked in the administrative offices of St. Matthew Catholic Church as well as the Methodist Conference in San Antonio.

In 1990, Marion was diagnosed with incurable liver cancer and underwent a liver transplant at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, one of only two transplant hospitals performing what was an experimental surgery at the time. Her unexpected recovery was a medical marvel, and she deeply believed that every day of her life was a gift from God. She was profoundly grateful to her medical team and to her liver donor and became a passionate advocate for organ donation.

Marion served on retreat teams for ACTS Missions for many years, and she continued to be an avid supporter of ACTS until the time of her death. ACTS meant so much to her because she knew it was one of the most powerful ways that people could transform their lives and deepen their relationship with God.

Marion had a boundless and abiding love for God. She spread that love to everyone she knew through her generosity of spirit and her quiet faith. Even though she faced her own ongoing health trials, she constantly provided support to others experiencing illness or hardship. She brought so much beauty to this world. She needlepointed exquisite canvases. She cultivated a lovely garden and made a home for wild birds. She had a special connection to the Frio River in the Texas Hill Country, and she loved to feed the ducks at the family’s ranch. She was inseparable from her dog Masai. Above all, her grandchildren Anne and Curtis were the great joy of her life. She spent many happy hours playing with them, caring for them, and as their special confidant.

Marion is preceded in death by her parents, Franklin and Patricia Moore, and her brother, Scott Moore. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, John C. White; daughter, Lisa White Shirley and her husband, Scott; son, Kevin C. White and his wife, Heidi; beloved grandchildren, Anne and Curtis White; and brother, Michael Moore.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 4, 2019, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 4201 De Zavala Road, with a reception to follow. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Mission Park North. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to ACTS Missions, A Woman’s Haven, or the charity of your choice. The family also encourages registration as an organ donor.

30 Aug

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pride vs. Humility

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” My notion of humility has changed over the years. As I reflect on my life experience, I realize that I used to think that humility was about being submissive and unseen, low key, and lowly. More recently I found a poster illustrating the difference between Pride and Humility. What it said is this:

How do you define humility? Why do you think that humility is such a significant virtue for a Christian?

With faith, effort and the help of God, all of us can grow in humility, in that change of heart that our Scripture readings for this weekend invite us to. Take the time to pray and ask for the “gift” of humility.

30 Oct

St. Francis Running Group

Join St. Francis’ very first and completely free running group! Jesus said that when two or more people come together in his name, he’ll be there, so come and join Jesus, your fellow parishioners, and your friends in this new St. Francis Health & Wellness initiative and share your passion for challenging and improving your running skills. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with parishioners and friends. Guests who are not from our parish are more than welcome to join us!

The runs will be short and sweet, ranging from 2-4 miles. All runners, no matter their level, are welcome to join us! Please bring hydration and snacks, wear sunscreen and a hat, and always dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather.

Our runs are on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 pm.

We will meet in the St. Francis of Assisi parking lot near the back entrance sidewalk by the CYO sports field.

To RSVP or request additional information or an electronic flyer, please email healthsfa@gmail.com.

23 Aug

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Do I Know You?

Limited offer, a narrow opportunity, seize the moment—these are expressions we often hear in marketing, especially when there is pressure to buy something or consume something. In our Gospel this weekend, the limited opportunity referred to is how we make our way into the Kingdom of God. What does it mean that Jesus says we must enter by the “narrow gate?” Will we, like those in this Gospel, hear Jesus say, “I do not know where you are from.” What if he stopped with the words, “I do not know you.”

When I joined the Sisters of Divine Providence by “entering the convent,” my brothers used to brag to their friends that they had it made to get into heaven because their sister was a nun. I would laugh and say, “You’re on your own there, buddy!” Imagine others saying, “You knew me, Jesus, a number of years ago when I made my First Holy Communion,” or, “my grandmother surely prayed me into your loving embrace.” There is no back door. There is no entitlement, but rather a clear, narrow focus on our relationship with Jesus.

So what will it take for us to make time for Jesus in our lives, to have a solid, real relationship? How will we provide opportunities for Jesus to know us?

Perhaps it will take some discipline—a social media sabbatical or a screenless Sunday, as one of my friends whose profession is in mental health suggested in a meeting this week. Turning off cell phones and other electronics gives us the freedom to be more attentive to God, to each other and to nature. We might discover the art of conversation again. We might come to know each other in new ways, see things we didn’t see before. We might re-discover Jesus!

We often sing “Christ be my vision” at Mass. Let this be our mantra this week.

20 Aug

To Celebrate a Life of Love: Rose Marie Cantu Whitehead

June 8, 1952-August 17, 2019

Rose Marie Cantu Whitehead, age 68 of San Antonio, TX, passed away August 17, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. John T. Whitehead, and her parents Alberto and Ernestina Cantu.

Survivors include her beloved son, Marine Corps Major George Anthony Saenz, Jr. and wife Amy Saenz and her adoring grandson, Trey Saenz; her sisters Sonia Cantu Rosenberg and husband Lou Rosenberg, Pattie Cantu Leithead and husband Bruce Leithead, and Sylvia Cantu Stewart and husband Dr. William Stewart; nephews and niece, B.J. Stewart, III and wife Morgan Stewart, Lex Stewart and Sarah Rosenberg; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Rose was a dedicated wife, a devoted and loving mother to her son George, always saying that by far her major accomplishment in life was raising her only son, George, of whom she was enormously proud. Rose loved being a grandmother and loved her grandson Trey dearly. Her spirit, compassion, enthusiasm, and generosity will long be remembered by the many people she touched during her life. Rose enjoyed working with her husband in his chiropractic clinic in Grapevine, Texas, helping heal others. She later earned her certification as a Licensed Massage Therapist with the goal of continuing to help the sick until her health prevented her from doing so.

The family will receive visitors at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2019 for a 6:00 p.m. Rosary at Roy Akers Funeral Home; the address is 515 N Main Ave, San Antonio, TX 78205. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 4201 De Zavala Rd., San Antonio, Texas; The family will receive those attending the church service at 8:45 AM for a final viewing before the Mass begins. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 17501 Nacogdoches Road, San Antonio, Texas 78266. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Semper Fi Fund, www.semperfifund.org.

16 Aug

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lord, Help Us!

Those of us who pray the Liturgy of the Hours are very familiar with the opening dialogue: “O Lord, come to our assistance. O Lord, make haste to help us.” And I am pretty sure that each of us cries out “Lord, help us” quite often these days. In each case, we are acknowledging our dependence on God’s help! Perhaps we are dealing with beginning of school busyness and anxieties. Perhaps we are experiencing divisions at work or in our families. Perhaps we can’t stand to watch the “news” anymore because what we see and hear is so depressing.

And then this weekend we hear the words of Jesus in the Gospel. “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

What? More division? Jesus is reminding us that following him is not easy. When we answer the call to be disciples, to be Christian in word and deed, this sometimes stirs up anger and resentment in family and friends. Sometimes we even wonder how we hear or read the same Gospel and make excuses for our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are really quite different from what we would expect. To do what Jesus would do—to change oppressive structures, norms, expectations, views of women, strangers, lepers—is to follow a very different and difficult path. It led to Jesus’ crucifixion. For us, the change might be the fire, the one that is to set the earth on fire. We may want to take an easy way out—call it political, none of our business, too hard or expect someone else to do it. Most of the persons and communities that have been responsible for real change realized that the sure way to find peace was in God, not in humankind.

When has living the gospel put me at odds with another person or them at odds with me?

What keeps me from speaking the truth in love when I feel called to do so?

And so we pray: Provident and all-powerful God, you share your light of truth and passionately call us to transform our world. Guide our efforts to live our faith zealously, with fiery passion. Through Christ and with Christ our Lord’s assistance and aid. Amen!