Church and Community

The past two Sundays at SFA have reminded me of the strong ties that bind us as a school community and a faith community.  Several of our students, as well as the grandson of one of our teachers, celebrated the sacrament of baptism recently.  In addition, the parish welcomed a large number of new members -- many of them families with children in our school -- after mass on Catechetical Sunday. 

A minister once described to me the importance of a faith community by comparing it to the embers from a campfire.  If you scatter those embers, they eventually burn out ... but if you cluster those embers together, they "enkindle" a new fire through their proximity to each other.  If we live our faith only in solitude, it is more likely to "burn out" than faith that is lived in, and strengthened by, community.  We are very fortunate to have a vibrant church community here at St. Francis to support our school in its work.