In May, the kneelers, pews, and flooring in the church will be refurbished! Due to this work, please be aware of these changes to locations for worship in May:
- Daily Mass will take place in the Memorare Center from May 6-18.
- Weekend Mass will take place in the Gym the weekends of May 11 and 12 as well as May 18 and 19.
- There will be no adoration May 6-10 in the Church due to staining.
- Confessions will most likely be outside by the side exits of the confessional unless otherwise noted.
Thank you ahead of time for your patience while we make these improvements to our parish home!
Mark your calendars for the St. Francis de Sales Golf Outing on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Mayfair Country Club. This year, proceeds will support CYO athletics at our parish. Registration and sponsorship information is coming soon.
The Agape Meal returns!
Holy Thursday, March 28 at 5:00 pm in the gym
Before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 pm, join us for an Agape Meal, a gathering of Christian fellowship, in the gym. RSVP to the Parish Office or via this link by Monday, March 25. Please bring a side dish to share. Chicken will be provided as the entree. Want to volunteer? Sign up here or call the parish office, 330-644-2225.
The photo above is the Hapii family who we are bringing to Akron in April as refugees and parolees from Ukraine. Sadly, the family has experienced the horrors of the ongoing war firsthand. We are a Welcome Circle, a group of parishioners from St. Francis de Sales, St. Paul’s, and Holy Ghost parishes. Welcome Circles are authorized by the USCCB and the federal government.
As sponsors our job is to provide housing, household furnishings, furniture, appliances, clothing, internet, food, transportation, household tools, legal aid, English lessons, driver’s training, many types of orientation, find employment, and all basic needs of life. This is quite a list, and it will take some time, but our Welcome Circle is 100% committed to accomplishing all of it! Our goal is to have them self-sufficient within 12 months. The family is eager to work hard to accomplish this.
So far, we have accomplished the following: arranged housing, acquired a full inventory of household goods and furniture, bikes for the family, a washer and dryer, and have raised $15,000. But to make this all happen successfully we need to raise at least $40,000-$50,000 plus acquire a reasonably priced, dependable used vehicle for a family of five. We receive no government funding. This is a daunting task, and we are working very hard, but we and the family need your help and prayers.
This weekend, raffle baskets will be displayed in the Memorare Center after the Masses on March 2nd and 3rd.Stop by to see the prizes and buy your tickets. The proceeds will go to the Hapii family’s needs. The raffle will take place at a spaghetti dinner at St. Paul’s parish, 1580 Brown St, Akron, OH 44301 on March 9th from 4:30-7:00 pm in Boeke Hall. $12 for adults, $8 kids 12 and under.
Next weekend, there will be a second collection for the family during the Masses on March 9th and 10th.
We have set up a GoFundMe page. Go to GoFundMe.com, click the magnifying glass icon to search, type in Akron Ohio for Ukraine, then do NOT click “done”, but click on the search tab. Please share the GoFundMe page with all your family and friends—this is very important!
Mother Teresa said, “If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
Jesus said, “Whatsoever you do to the least of My people, that you do unto Me.”
We thank you for all prayers and support of any amount you can give!
Any questions, please contact Fr. Jeremy or Chris Ross at 330-620-8108
Register here for our 2024 Women's Retreat, "Prayer Changes Things" http://tinyurl.com/bdbzz789
This Wednesday, February 14, is Ash Wednesday. Join us for Mass at 7:30 am, 9:00 am (School), or 6:30 pm to begin the season of Lent and turn our hearts back to the Lord who saves us.
Click here to register for Spring Sports!
CYO Falcons Spring Sports Information
It’s that time of year again to register for our spring sports! All registrations will be open on January 17th, 2024. If your child is interested in playing any of our sports offered, please sign up as soon as possible. This year, we will be offering the following sports at St Francis de Sales for the Spring.
Track and Field - Girls and Boys Grades 1-8
We are currently seeking coaches for both Track teams for the following positions, Hurdles, Shot Put, Discuss, and High Jump. If you or anyone you know would be interested in helping this amazing program, please reach out to our Athletic Director.
Volleyball - Girls and Boys Grades 3-8
For our spring teams we will need coaches. If anyone is interested, please reach out to the Athletic Director for more information.
Practice times and game days are TBD, depending on coach availability. The sooner we have coaches lined up, the faster we can create a practice schedule. Most practices will be in the evenings Monday through Friday.
New This Year
Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball, Coach Pitch (grades 1 & 2), Tennis (3-8)
We are opening registration for the following sports offered by CYO. However, St Francis does not normally offer these sports. It can be difficult to form full teams for these sports. There is the obstacle of a field or faculty to be able to practice in. If you are interested in one of these sports we would be merging with other local CYO teams to form full teams. Please reach out to your Athletic Director for more information or any questions you might have.
Katie Kinsinger, Athletic Director, athleticdirector@stfparish.com
This Lent, experience deeper peace and healing as The Ascension Lenten Companion by Fr. Mark Toups immerses you in Christ’s final journey to Jerusalem, inviting you to reflect on Jesus' suffering and death, and inspiring you to celebrate His resurrection. The book will guide you, day by day, to an encounter with the person of Christ and help you arrive at Easter transformed by God’s love. It will lead you inward to experience deeper prayer and renewed focus in this powerful season. The Lenten Companion is a study program that begins Ash Wednesday and ends the week of March 24th, 2024. (Holy Week). Meeting days and times will vary. Small groups meet once a week during Lent. Weekly meetings 1-1.5 hrs. per week. Cost is $10.00. This includes the workbook. Signups will be available in the narthex starting January 20th. For more information contact Frank Noffsinger at 330-990-0139, or email franknoffsinger@gmail.com or lindahetson@gmail.com. Please consider facilitating a small group. The day of the week and time would be up to you. Contact Frank or Linda to start a sign-up sheet.
No matter how long one has been away or for whatever reason, we invite you to consider renewing your relationship with the Catholic Church. Our faith community misses you and is incomplete without you. Please join us for informal sessions and an update of the Catholic faith. The six-session series will be conducted in a group format:
January 10 Sharing our Stories
January 17 Sharing Stories of Faith
January 24 The Creed: What Catholics Really Believe
January 31 All About the Mass
February 7 Reconciliation & Prayer
Come for all or part of the Wednesday evening series. Explore the way home! You will find an open door and a warm welcome!
Here are several testimonies from Catholics wo have returned to the Church and found peace in the Lord's love.
Catholics Returning Home
Wednesdays 7:00 – 8:30 pm
January 10 – February 14, 2024
St. Francis de Sales Parish, Memorare Center
4009 Manchester Road, Akron 44319
Our parish is eagerly preparing to celebrate the birth of Our Savior! This year, the Fourth Sunday of Advent happens to be Christmas Eve. Because we rejoice in both the final Sunday of Advent and the feast of the Nativity, there are separate obligations for the Fourth Sunday and for Christmas. See the schedule below to find a Mass for the Fourth Sunday and a Mass for Christmas that will suit your family’s schedule.
