Young Adults of St Francis

“Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you’re up to.”

Hello everyone! 🙂 We hope that all is well and that you’re having a great week! Soon to be a great weekend! That’s right, you read correctly ladies and gentleman; SFYA’s “Casino Night” is tomorrow! The leadership team along with staff members of St. Francis of Assisi, have been working tediously and expeditiously to make this event possible. We hope your just as excited as we are, to make this “postponed” event a reality! In case you weren’t aware, the original set date for this event was February 4th, but due to inclement weather we had to reschedule. Your safety comes first…then of course the FUN!! 😀

Father Larry and Father Vincent have a “special eye” on this event, so keep an eye out for white collars, and no we don’t mean the dealers 😛

The SFYA Leadership Team along with the parish, look forward to seeing each and every one of you tomorrow night (February 26th, 2011) for CASINO NIGHT at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church! See you then! 😉

Yours truly,

SFYA Leadership Team

P.S. Thank you all for your interest in this ministry’s event and for RSVP.

CHECK OUT OUR FLYER!!!

SFYA Casino Night Flyer 2011 (PDF)

SFYA Casino Night is approaching Feb 26th!!!  Tell your friends!  FREE Event and Childcare!…so RSVP to sfyainfo@yahoo.com if you haven’t done so already!

**Space is limited for Childcare**

Valentine’s Day is traditionally a day in which people express their love to one another by presenting gifts, such as cards, candy, flowers and other symbols of love or affection. So our question to you is: How do YOU spend your Valentine’s Day?…meanwhile, here are some fun facts about Valentine’s Day 🙂

• More than 200 million roses were produced for Valentine’s Day 2011, according to Organic Bouquet.
• Nearly 200 million cards are exchanged each year on February 14, and that doesn’t include card packs exchanged by millions of schoolchildren each year, according to the Hallmark Corp.
• Men spend nearly twice the amount women spend on the holiday, reports the National Retails Federation. Men plan to shell out $159 and women $76.
• People will spend about $116 on Valentine’s Day items this year, up 12.8 percent over last year’s $103. Total holiday spending is expected to reach $15.7 billion.
• Consumers will spend $3.5 billion on jewelry, up from an estimated $3 billion last year, according to the federation. Clothing – $1.6 billion vs. $1.5 billion in 2010 – and dining out – $3.4 billion vs. $3.3 billion in 2010 – will also be popular gift options.

In addition, celebrants will spend $1.7 billion on flowers, $1.5 billion on candy, and $1.1 billion on greeting cards.

Patron of Love, Young People, Happy Marriages 269

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to he memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, several zealous pastors substituted the names of saints in billets given on this day.

The Origin of St. Valentine

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner — until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor — whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn’t do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].

Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they’re expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer’s blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer’s daughter, signing it, “From your Valentine.”

St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

Prayer to St. Valentine

O glorious advocate and protector, St Valentine, look with pity upon our wants, hear our requests, attend to our prayers, relieve by your intercession the miseries under which we labour, and obtain for us the divine blessing, that we may be found worthy to join you in praising the Almighty for all eternity: through the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Young Adults of St Francis,

The past inclement weather conditions that led into SFYA’s Casino Night on Feb 4th, had the SFYA Leadership Team decide in rescheduling this event. After working expeditiously, we are pleased to announce that the SFYA Leadership Team has set a New Date for SFYA’s Casino Night!

SAVE THE DATE!
* * * February 26, 2011 * * *

We thank you for your patience while the SFYA Leadership Team determined a reschedule date. We had previously anticipated 50 RSVP attendees for the evening of Feb 4th, but that number increased rapidly to 100 RSVP attendees! We hope the same energy and excitement remains for Feb 26th!!!

St Francis Young Adults Casino Night
2/26/11 – Saturday evening (Time:TBA…stay tuned!)
St Francis (Great Hall)

FREE EVENT!
Casino Games (Poker, Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Roulette), Food, Music all night, Free Salsa Lessons, Chance to Win Prizes, and Dancing! ***Please RSVP via Email sfyainfo@yahoo.com OR Facebook (see below for link)***

FREE CHILDCARE!
Available if you would like to take advantage of it! There will be a limit. ***Please RSVP sfyainfo@yahoo.com***

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The SFYA Leadership Team looks forward to seeing you all there for a GREAT night of FUN! Have a wonderful SUNNY weekend!

In 1858, on this day, in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young peasant girl.

She revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to drink from a fountain in the grotto.

No fountain was to be seen, but when Bernadette dug at a spot designated by the apparition, a spring began to flow. The water from this still flowing spring has shown remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify.

Lourdes has become the most famous modern shrine of Our Lady.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY: Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we turn to you, O Virgins of virgins, our Mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not despise our petitions, but in your mercy hear us and answer us. Amen.

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

The weather conditions of Thursday night that led into Friday, had the SFYA Leadership team decide, for the Casino “Kick-Off” Event to be “rescheduled”. Believe us when we say we didn’t want to reschedule; however, because of the number of attendees, SFYA didn’t want to put anyone at risk. As you all know, it’s not that “you” aren’t a good driver, it’s the rest of the vehicles out there with drivers who aren’t assertive/cautious, during inclement weather days.  But not to worry!! 🙂  because we’re working expeditiously to have everything set up again and ready for YOU!

We’re hoping that all the energy and attendance we would’ve had today will still be there at the rescheduling date of this event-and guess what? Due to the great turn out we would’ve had tonight and everyone including us, being excited and anxious for this event, SFYA as well as St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, are doing everything we can to make sure you have this event this month! 🙂

So we’ll keep you posted and be sure to STAY TUNED for specifics!!

God Bless!

*** STILL ON ! ***

SFYA Casino Night this Friday, Feb 4th @ 7:30pm has NOT been cancelled.

Despite recent inclement weather, our RSVP numbers keep increasing!

We are looking forward to a GREAT night of FUN!!

The SFYA Leadership Team hopes you have a warm and safe Wednesday.

Stay tuned in…