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The Parish of St. Francis, held a ‘Celebration Weekend’, honoring both their patron saint and celebrating the recent completion of their church renovations.

On Saturday, October 4th, A Blessing of the Animals was held inside the church. This event welcomed all sorts of pets and their owners for this special blessing. This Service opened with a warm welcoming by Father Andrew Koterba and followed by a reading from parishioner, Thomas Kompa, on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Andrew than administered a general blessing of all animals and a special blessing for sick animals. In closing each animal was sprinkled and blessed with holy water and all received a St. Francis prayer card and medal, as a keepsake. Each year this blessing increases in attendance, and continued success!

Sunday, October 5th, St. Francis Parish celebrated their 76th Anniversary and Blessing of their newly renovated church, in a Eucharistic Celebration, held at 4 pm. This Mass was celebrated by Most Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich, Prime Bishop and the Rt. Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese. The Mass proved to be both powerful and spiritually moving for all in attendance. The church was full to capacity, with all in attendance, by the clergy of the Diocese, Parishioners and the many friends of St. Francis Parish and many stood beyond the church doors!

A delicious dinner followed, prepared by Monika Koterba and the Parishioners of St. Francis. It remains a grand and memorable event to long remember!

The following is one segment, authored by Thomas P. Kompa, and read at that Celebration Mass

GOD’S DWELLING PLACE … BLESS THIS HOUSE

Today we take time to bless and rededicate our church of St. Francis, which was founded in 1932, and has successfully served our community for 76 years!

Take time to look around you and find this place a special place, a place of Peace and Prayer. God’s dwelling place! In it’s time witnessing, baptisms, communions, confirmations, weddings and funerals. It has held par¬ishioners and friends of St. Francis, priests and bishops and many of God’s creatures … to mention but a few. These walls have heard a Babel of languages, heard laughter and tears. These windows have seen change both inside and out. Once surrounded by farmland and now suburban sprawl. But still sunshine shone through brightly and rain and snow and many a storm beat these glass panes through our prayers.

This church was built with love, hope and faith and hard struggle from many. Parishioners have made this a place to endure. A place to practice their faith and tradition, a holy place for God. Work and struggle is the motto here! Dinners and dances, fairs and sales, blessings of Easter food baskets and blessings of creatures, have all taken place here. All have kept this humble Parish of St. Francis afloat through the years.

This parish has seen both good times and bad! But more recently bad times have tended to stay longer and the struggle was starting to become more than the parishioners could bear. But change was on our horizon! As the Very Rev. Father Wiesław Pietruszka, of Holy Cross Parish, in South Brooklyn, was made our Administrator, for the last several years. He saw how hard we struggled and the promise that was here. In a period of change, the old Holy Cross Church was closing, with a new continuation for that parish, in Commack, Long Island. In part of their change was a gift given to St. Francis Parish, which helped with improvements and new renovations which were badly needed here.

To Father Wes and to the good Parish of Holy Cross, we thank you sincerely for your kindness and generosity. It is more than we dreamed of … as you see all around us change and repairs … brightness abounds us once again!

In thoughtful thankfulness, we quote from the words of our Patron, St. Francis … “That a single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows” and in the recent arrival of Father Andrew Koterba and his dear wife, Monika. They have become our sun-beams, bringing new possibilities and dreams to St. Francis Parish. So to all we say “Thank You”!!!

And we add this blessing of St. Francis – “That the Lord bless you and keep you. May he show his face to you and have mercy. May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace.”

The Lord bless YOU all!