The Men and Women of St. Francis

The Women of St. Francis

The Woman’s Activities Ministry, The Women of St. Francis,  is a welcoming group of women who are involved in most of the activities of the Parish and lend support to the other ministries. All women are welcome. If you are interested in joining this group (and all women of the parish are invited), contact Mary Flanagan at  womensactivities

The Men of St. Francis

The Men of St. Francis meet on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. They support the YUM food pantry by making monthly runs to pick up food at Feeding Northeast Florida and delivering it to the food pantry. They also deliver food contributions from our parish on a weekly basis and organize St. Francis’s participation in the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign.  There are no meetings in July or August. For More Information on this ministry, email Tony Velucci at mensactivities


If you missed the meeting, you missed two very interesting & important presentations! The first was by Dr. Arthur Bert, (retired, Anesthesiologist-in-Chief Rhode Island Hospital/ Hasbro Children’s Hospital & Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI. Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University.) After retiring to Fernandina, he joined the Nassau County Medical Reserve Corps. As a member, he is very involved with Nassau County’s The Lifesavers Initiative, which empowers everyday citizens to be life savers by providing Hands-Only CPR, AED, and NARCON administration training. The training will be on May 25th from 10:30 am – 12:00 noon and on May 29th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Click HERE for information.

Upcoming Events — Nassau County Medical Reserve Corps (nassaucountyflmrc.com) 

The second presentation was given by Denise Kiernan on the administration and use of the EpiPen, also a life-saving tool. Many schools & daycare centers have these pens to use in emergencies. It would be a good idea for St. Francis to couple also. Here’s the link for information on how to use an EpiPen:

howtouseepipenautoinjector.pdf


 

Items needed are snacks/coffee, ground or K-cups, sunscreen, and individually wrapped hard candy. There is also a great need for feminine hygiene products for the women military members. Please do not drop off donations in the Narthex. You can give them directly to Jo-Ann at the 9:30 a.m. Mass or feel free to contact her at  dadpimentel@comcast.net to make drop-off arrangements. Thank you for your support!

It is in giving that we receive!

Our parish has a variety of opportunities for those wishing to share their time, talents, and treasures with those less fortunate. Volunteering with one of our charity ministries is a way to be grateful for our blessings and improve the community in which we are so fortunate to live.

 If you are interested, please contact Barbara Strang at charities@stfrancisyulee.org

The first ever SFA Not So Newlywed Game was held Friday evening, September 15th thanks to Walt and Vivian

Paskowski who did a great job as the emcees, to Ken Risberg who provided audio support, to Bob Bell, and Mike and Mary Flanagan, who helped with a host of tasks including set up.

Ands of course, thanks to our game contestants and studio audience. In all, about 35 parishioners attended. The Huddaks—Gene and Sandy— won the first game, and after a tie, David and Genny Barker won the second. The game followed the same format as the 1960’s game show including a “sound-proof booth” – the quiet room.

Given its success and popularity, we’ll look at doing another one sometime afer the holidays in January 2024.

Instead of taking orders – as we did last year both for the church and for private use, we’ve made a single order to Powell’s Nursery in Callahan for 40 large, and 20 small poinsettias.  They are all for the church and will be picked up in Callahan at Powell’s Nursery on 18th December between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.  The flowers will be stored in the chapel until used for decorating the church after the 9:30 mass on 24th December. If you would like to support the effort, please see a MOSF member in the narthex after mass. We’re asking $20.00, and donations can be made in memory of a family member or friend.

MOSF Firepit

Many thanks to Tony Vellucci, Ish Hernandez, Walt Paskowski, Gene Hudak, Mike Flanagan, and Don Kirk for their efforts in building a firepit. Construction went smoothly until they discovered an underground plastic pipe right where the pit was going to be, prompting a move of about three feet to the side.  Of course, they then needed to build up the area that had just been cleared away before construction could continue. All this under the watchful eye of Jean Stanley who gave the firepit the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. There’s nothing like sitting around the campfire with a beer and a stogie telling or listening to a good story. 

Have You Noticed the Beautiful Planters as You Enter the Church?

They were donated by the Men of St. Francis as part of their effort to enhance the beauty of the entrance to our church. They purchased the two flower planters and arranged for a landscaper to install the pots and watering system and plant the arrangements. Each arrangement consists of Apostle Iris, Gold Dust and Mystic Spires Salvia flowers. Many Thanks to the Men of St. Francis for this beautiful addition to our entranceway!

The Men of St. Francis take on most of the behind the scenes operations of the parish. They undertake setting up the hall for various activities and ensuring the Hall is ready for Masses. Until our Church is built, the Parish Hall is used for our Masses and all our events. There is A LOT of unseen activity that goes into the support of all that SFA offers.

The Mission of Men of St. Francis (MSF) is to provide a means for men of the parish who desire a greater involvement in our Church community in a social and fraternal atmosphere.  In support of our mission, our objectives are:


a. To perpetuate the spirit of “giving back” to our church, to the community and to our parish family.

b. To foster and grow our MSF as a place for fellowship, friendship, spiritual growth, service and recreation among Catholic men of our parish, now and into the future.

c. To establish physical, spiritual and monetary support to individuals, organizations and groups identified by the MSF members that is in keeping with our mission and ideals.

d. Sponsor and assist with Parish social functions to promote a sense of community within the Parish.

e. To set a positive example to our Parish and community by supporting our belief in the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

f. To serve the religious, social, and civic dimensions of the community through support of our youth, other parish ministries, and the needs of the parish and local community in general.

Men’s Retreats

Men’s Tune-Up 2020

Doug's Flag