Discovering Christ Program
July 26, 2026
Dear Parishioners,
As we move into the height of summer, I pray this letter finds you well. On July 28, 29, and 30, I’d like to invite you to please join us for our annual celebration of 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions. Then, on July 31 – the anniversary of the dedication of our historic church, we are having a parish-wide potluck picnic at the Xavier Center. A full schedule is available on the homepage of our parish homepage: https://www.stfxcc.org/.
Also, I’d like to tell you about an amazing opportunity coming up here at St. Francis. Discovering Christ is a seven- week course that creates a welcoming environment where members of a parish will hear the Good News and personally encounter Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church. Each session includes free food, a video teaching, and table group discussion. The high point of the course is a day retreat to be renewed in the Holy Spirit. Anyone, including non-Catholics, can participate and attend.
Now, I can already hear some people saying, “Well, why do I need to discover Christ? I’ve already discovered Him!” The truth is that although most Catholics have discovered the person of Jesus Christ in the sacraments and catechesis, there is always an ongoing need to discover Him in a deeper, more personal way in our lives. Having a personal relationship with Jesus is essential for all Catholics. Just like a spouse or a friend, so when it comes to Jesus, our relationship grows as we learn more about the other person and spend more time with him or her.
Discovering Christ is for those who’ve been Catholic all their lives. For those who have newly joined the Church. For those who are not Christians. For those who are not even sure where they stand with God at all. In short, Discovering Christ is for everyone! It’s designed to help you answer the deeper questions we all have and desire answers to, like: What’s the Meaning of Life? Why Does Jesus Matter? How Can I Be Truly Happy? And we do this in a way that is relevant, relational, non-threatening, and enjoyable. But what if I need childcare to attend? No worries. There’ll be onsite childcare available for the weekly evening sessions, which will take place 6:30 to 8:30 pm on Thursdays from September 17 through October 29.
Starting August 15, you’ll be able to sign up for Discovering Christ on our parish website. Or you can contact the parish office for other options too. The deadline to register is September 8. For a little taste of what it’ll be like, please check out the Discovering Christ video on our website. If you’d like more info, I invite you to join us for an Information Session on Sunday, August 23, after the 10:30 am Mass right in the church.
Having said all this, I hope you will receive my personal invitation here to join us in September for Discovering Christ. I’ve seen firsthand at two previous parishes how this has helped people grow so much in their faith. And so, I encourage you to join us. It will be well worth your time, and really is something that you won’t want to miss. I expect well over 100 people to join us!
Finally, later this fall, I’ll be sharing with you the State of the Parish. This overview will include a statistical summary of our parish from a sacramental and financial point of view. May God bless you and grant you peace and grace in abundance!