BELIEVE that we are loved by God and need God.

BONDED and EQUAL by virtue of our common BELIEF in Jesus Christ and His teachings,

• WE DESIRE to love God and neighbor by building a community where forgiveness and reaching out to others are evident.

• WE SEE our whole life as a continuous process of growth in our faith.

• WE UNDERSTAND that participation in the sacraments and a welcoming spirit are signs of this faith in action.

• WE RECOGNIZE our need to collaborate with people of other faiths to foster justice within our civic community and the world.

• WE COMMIT OURSELVES to becoming a more prayerful, trusting, and accepting community.

+ + + +

Gatherer of all good memories and future destiny,
we call on the spirits of many ancestors to join us
here in this sacred place of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
We have come to acknowledge our past history; and to share
with each other our present issues, concerns and hopes.

You have been a Companion for each one:
every grandfather and grandmother,
every student and teacher, every single person,
every priest, and every religious siter,
every father and mother, brother and sister.

You have been the Breath of Life
for everyone who has birthed a child,
wedded a lover, or buried a dear one.

You have sown the deep seed of faith
in the waters of countless baptisms,
kept alive since 1962 this parish through
the fidelity of those who prayed here,
and the generosity of those who served here.

While our world is weary and worn with pain,
may we take hope and find courage through
the strong faith of our ancestors,
the friendship of neighbors and relatives,
the generous leadership of our Sacramental Ministers
and Resident Pastoral Ministers,
the goodness of each one willing to reach out
and be there in time of need.

We thank you, Gracious God, for our faith,
and for this place of worship and community,
which has nourished many souls,
and proveded a source of nurturing faith
for all who come seeking spiritual life.

May we leave here today filled with hope,
knowing that this legacy will continue with us...
and future members of this St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
We believe in your constant Presence,
we accept your Grace and share your Love,
and we celebrate your Life with one another. Amen.