From our Parish Administrator- Father Jeremy Merzweiler

The 10 Commandments of Fr. Byrider

August 5, 2020

Growing up in Canal Fulton, my mother would take us to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Francis de Sales. In doing so, we would often go to Fr. Byrider for confession. It served to be a beautiful time of encounter with our Lord. Oftentimes I would leave the [...]

Novena Prayer for St. John Marie Baptiste Vianney

August 3, 2020

Click this link for the Novena Prayer An excerpt from Fr. Jeremy’s July 26th bulletin reflection and an invitation to prayer: Just the other day, I was talking with Fr. Bline about the seminary and all things parish. After the phone conversation, the thought came to me that we [...]

All Are Welcome!

July 29, 2020

A message from Fr. Jeremy below says! [...]

Ask Something of Me and I Will Give It To You

July 22, 2020

When you pray, what do you ask for? How confident are you in the Lord when you pray? Do you believe God hears you and desires to bless you in your ways? In the first reading today, God appears to Solomon in a dream and invites him to “Ask something [...]

What Do You Love Most About St. Francis de Sales Parish?

July 16, 2020

Last week I had the joy of meeting with our Parish Staff and our Parish Finance Council. It truly is an honor to minister with such good, holy, hard-working people of God. I look forward to meeting with more groups in our parish in the months ahead. As I sat [...]

The Seed That Falls on Good Ground Will Yield a Fruitful Harvest

July 10, 2020

After many months of prayer, meetings, planning, fundraising, etc., the Memorare Center is beginning the construction phase! Like a seed that needs time to germinate before it sprouts, all of you have been waiting and waiting for this ‘sprouting’ day to come. While I was not here during this germination [...]

Coming Home

July 1, 2020

“Be who you are and be that well” Rejoice heartily…shout for joy! These words from the prophet Zechariah resonated deeply within me when I received the call that I would be coming to serve at St. Francis de Sales! What a reason to rejoice! What a cause for joy! …to [...]

Father Gerald David Michael Bernard Kieran Bline… shares his final thoughts as pastor

June 12, 2020

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Previous Bulletin Columns

Weekday and Sunday Liturgies can be accessed at our Parish YouTube Channel “St. Francis de Sales Parish”

Sitting with Scriptures for Sunday

Fr. Jeremy’s Weekly Gospel Reflection

Reflections

I Do, With the Help of God
Alexander Clark

Opus Sanctorum Angelorum July 29
Therese Holderbaum

A Heartfelt Thank You to St. Francis de Sales Parish
July 25
Colleen McVicker

My First Year in the Priesthood…
Fr. David Stavarz

Staying at home during Holy Week
April 9, 2020
Deacon Butz

Reflections from Fr. Bearer

An Opportunity for Healing

July 22, 2020

This upcoming Sunday, July 26th, there will be a chance to be prayed over for healing, especially physical healing, after the 9:00AM and after the 11:00AM Masses. You won’t need to attend the Mass to join in that time of prayer. This is a time and opportunity to see the [...]

We Live in a New Apostolic Time: Daily Mass Homily July 8, 2020

July 8, 2020

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Explaining the Picture of Saint Germaine Cousin

July 2, 2020

The picture of St. Germaine Cousin at the top of this blogpost contains elements of many stories about her life. In the following, I’ll try and draw out some information about those elements. The sheep: In previous posts about St. Germaine, I mentioned that her family made her a shepherdess [...]

Saint Germaine Cousin and Her Barn

June 29, 2020

Because of a skin infection she bore, her family made St. Germaine Cousin live in the barn away from the family. She grew up isolated and away from those who were supposed to care for her. My heart breaks when I think of this little girl, in the country of [...]

Meet Saint Germaine Cousin

June 25, 2020

On June 15th the Church celebrates a hidden saint: Saint Germaine Cousin. Born in Pibrac, France in 1579, she grew acquainted with suffering from an early age. To read the story of her life rends the heart. Germaine lost her birth mother at an early age. She grew up with [...]

Critique of a Movement, Care for the Person

June 20, 2020

DISCLAIMER What follows is an article about a very sensitive topic in our culture today. With this, I invite you into my own thoughts and questions about this topic. I hope this article can offer something new, thought provoking, and helpful in a much needed debate. In this, I [...]

Thank You, Fr. Bline

June 11, 2020

This Solemnity that honors the Body and Blood of Jesus will also be the final weekend Fr. Bline celebrates Mass as a pastor of St. Francis de Sales. We thank God for Fr. Bline and for the way he has shepherded our parish. Through the many ups and downs of [...]

Trinity Sunday Homily 6-7-2020

June 7, 2020

In the face of our current distress, it might seem out of place to preach on the Trinity. This, especially when, no matter what I say, some will believe I used the wrong words, that I didn’t say enough, was too indirect, or missed proper buzzwords. The danger of not [...]

See More from Fr. Bearer

Reflections from our parishioners

Reflections on 1 Peter 1:17-21

April 29, 2020

The second reading from the 3rd Sunday of Easter is a short one from 1 Peter 1:17-21, but very meaningful. In the first sentence Peter says that God the Father judges us according to our deeds. Then no further explanation. The Greek word for deeds is ergon which is usually [...]

A Call to His Divine Mercy (Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19)

April 16, 2020

Anyone else in need of a little rest, time to regain your strength, and some CONSOLATION right now? We have, just a few short days ago, celebrated RESURRECTION DAY, the amazing triumph of Jesus over the grave, the gift of ETERNAL LIFE. Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection are the pinnacle [...]

Erin

April 12, 2020

He has risen, Hallelujah! May your Easter season be one of renewal and many blessings! As special as Easter Vigil is for us, oddly the absence of and the forced silence has allowed for new meaning to the Triduum through quiet reflection. There is something to be said about simplicity; [...]

Holy Saturday

April 10, 2020

Holy Saturday What did Jesus do on Holy Saturday which was the Sabbath? As a devout Jew, even in death his body rested on the Sabbath; his Soul, however was very busy doing something else. Jesus’ Descent into Hades Why did Jesus descend into hell? I thought that hell was [...]

The Blood and Water from the Side of Jesus: Good Friday

April 8, 2020

Although we could spend a week on examining Good Friday because there is so much there, lets focus on one aspect of the Day. The Gospel on Good Friday is always from the writing of John. After all, John was there. And only John tells us of the Blood and [...]

The Jewish Roots of the Triduum: Holy Thursday

April 7, 2020

We all know that Easter (Pasca) is the most important Liturgy of the year for the Church. Fr Bline has always reminded us that our Celebration actually begins with the Sign of the Cross on Holy Thursday at the Mass of the Last Supper (there is no, “Go forth, the [...]

Thoughts on Holy Week – Palm Sunday

April 4, 2020

The excitement of the people of faith on Palm Sunday can be felt by everyone. We are going to get palms! It was an ancient tradition to honor kings by spreading our garments on the ground like a royal carpet; see 2 Kings 9-13, and branches; see Psalm 118:27. Palm [...]

Anne

March 21, 2020

I am devastated. But as I wept over losing daily Mass, Jesus showed me that it was a share in His pain over those who do not see the value of Mass, who do not regularly attend even Sunday Mass. My longing for Him, aching to be with Him and [...]

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REST IN PEACE

Please remember in your prayers the soul of Virginia Anne Peterson.

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Her O Lord And Let Perpetual Light Shine. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen..