We are excited to bring the Vocation Chalice Ministry to St. Francis Parish. This ministry invites a family, couple, or individual each week to take home a consecrated chalice as a focal point for daily prayers dedicated to vocations. The Vocation Chalice Ministry aims to foster a supportive, prayerful community at St. Francis, lifting up those called to serve as priests, deacons, religious, and lay ministers. Each participating family, couple, or individual will receive the Vocation Chalice and a special blessing at the Mass of their choice, along with prayer materials to guide them through the week. This is a wonderful opportunity to place the chalice in a place of honor at home, praying together for those discerning a call to serve. At the end of the week, please return the chalice to the Parish Office by Thursday at noon, allowing the next family to share in this special prayer tradition.If you’re interested in participating or learning more, please contact John Neuman at jneuman@sfxmissoula.org. 

Let’s join together to build a foundation of prayer for vocations within our parish community!

Women’s Scripture Study –  Spring 2025 Session lead by Fr. Pat Conroy, SJ Women’s scripture class starts March 13th – April 10th at 10:00 – 11:30 meeting in the Dave Thomas room in the Loyola Center.  We will be learning about Heroic Women in Scripture. All are welcome, no prior registration or materials needed. Bring your Bible!

Lenten Prayer Breakfast -All are invited to join us at the annual Lenten Prayer Breakfasts that will take place on three successive Wednesdays, March 12, 19, and 26 in Reidy Hall from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.  Join in some fellowship and in making lunches for the Poverello Center.  All are welcome!

CHALLENGE –  Noon to 1:30 pm in the Parish Office. Challenge is an adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, which was developed by Father Mark Link, S.J.  Participants pray with a short daily reflection, keep a journal of their prayer, and meet with fellow retreatants for an hour each week for support and faith sharing.  There is no cost to participate. Meeting September thru May  If you have questions about Challenge,  contact Facilitators: Beverly Frohlich 406.240.2704 and Patricia Baker 307.851.8339

Martha’s Ministry  Do you love to knit or crochet? Please join the Martha’s Ministry group on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Parish Office to make prayer shawls. This is a fun social time and you are welcome to bring other sewing projects to work on as well. Meets at 11am in the Parish Office. Questions? Call 406.542.0321

Catholic Men’s Spirituality Group –Every first Wednesday of the month Meets in the parish office building. Questions: Eric Reiber 406. 370.1777

Men’s Groups –When: Option #1 Weekly, Friday Morning, 6:30am, Upstairs Meeting Room of Parish Center  Option #2 Monthly, First Wednesday of Every Month, 7pm, Parish Office & Sanctuary Come to one or both! What: An opportunity for Catholic men, and men interested in Catholic faith, to gather and explore faith, masculinity, fatherhood, being a man, husband, servant, leader, and follower of Jesus. Prayer, discussion, learning, fun.

LGBTQ Outreach Ministry

When: Variable meetings and special events; watch for announcements. Contact Fr. Hightower hightowersj@sfxmissoula.org

What: Our parish LGBTQ+ ministry, a work for, with and increasingly led by LGBTQ+ Catholics, is inspired by the Catechism of the Catholic Church 2358:
“They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives…”

Scout Troop 1960 was chartered 1921, which makes the Troop one hundred and four years old in 2025.

Troop 1960 and St Francis Xavier Catholic Church have helped young men with ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law: to help other people at all times: to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.”

Scout Troop 1960 has had hundreds of Scouts move through the Scout ranks.  The Eagle Scout rank is the highest rank attainable in the Scouting Program.  Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process.  Scout Troop 1960 has mentored 99 Eagle Scouts over the last 104 years.  Many of the Scouts from this troop have remained in the Missoula community, and their sons have become members as well, now even some of their grandsons are members of the troop. Some of these families call St Francis Xavier Catholic Church home as well.

Troop 1960 looks forward to continuing this long tradition through our collaborative relationship with St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

Find out more about Troop 1960 or register your son by following the QR Codes Below.

Troop 1960 is accepting Boys starting at age 11 or 5^th grade

(If you know a girl or a younger boy interested in Scouting, contact us, we can provide you with information.)

Click here for more information on Troop 1960

Click here for Troop 1960 Registration

Troop 1960 Scoutmaster Don Fields

troop1960missoula@gmail.com       /      (253) 365-9619

Troop 1960 meets Wednesdays 7:00-8:30pm

in the St. Francis Xavier parish office basement (420 W. Pine)

Ministers of Care – Visit & bring Eucharist to fellow parishioners. Members of SFX regularly minister to those who are unable to leave their residence by providing regular pastoral visits and the reception of Holy Communion. If you or a loved one are in need of pastoral care in your place of residence, or if you would like to know more about participating in this valuable ministry, please contact the parish office.

Mary Martha Ministry – Knit Prayer shawls for the sick or hospitalized.  Do you love to knit or crochet? Please join the Martha’s Ministry group on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Parish Office to make prayer shawls. This is a fun social time and you are welcome to bring other sewing projects to work on as well.Meets at 11am in the Parish Office. Questions? Call 406.542.0321

Funeral Hospitality – provide a side dish or dessert or assist in facilitating luncheons. Contact Katy 406.542.0321

Knights of Columbus – contact Mark Thonnings mthonnings@icloud.com

RCIA Sponsor – Consider being a team member or sponsor for someone seeking full communion with the Catholic Church through RCIA – Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Contact Shai 406.541.6044

CGS Assistants & Catechists – Share your faith with the youth of this parish as a Catechist or Children’s Liturgy of the Word Minister. Contact Michele 406.541.6040

Vacation Bible School – June and July 2025 TBA

Marriage Ministry – Just as Mary was invited to bring light into the world and she offered a resounding yes, you are invited to do the same. If you are a married couple and interested in journeying with couples preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage, we invite you to join our Marriage Ministry. You needn’t be the “perfect couple”…simply a couple who believes in the Sacrament and is willing to help engaged couples begin their life together. The time commitment is flexible, the ministry team is a welcoming community and the enrichment for your own marriage is priceless. To offer your “Yes” or for more information, please contact Susan Standley sstandley@sfxmissoula.org

Our parish has a long history of beautiful and rich liturgies due to the incredible volunteer help you, as parishioners, have given over the years.
The pandemic reduced a number of our regular volunteers and we are in need of new volunteers to support our wonderful liturgies!
Whether you are a seasoned minister or have never helped at mass before, we need YOU! We will provide all the training necessary to make you feel comfortable!

Here are ways you can help….
-Lector (reading at mass)
-Cantor or any musical instrument (sing, playing piano or anything else. These ministers receive a stipend))
-Eucharistic Minister (administering Eucharist at mass or to home bound)
-Ushers (greeting parishioners and assisting in getting them seated) *greatly needed
-Altar Servers (2nd grade and up….all ages welcome)
-Sacristan-(Assist in setting up before mass) *greatly needed*
-Tech minister (live-streaming mass. This position receives a stipend. Ideal job for a young teen or young adult but anyone is invited)

None of these roles appeal to you? We also need people to wash and iron altar robes, take vestments to cleaners, help decorate the church, polish chalices and other mass items, and more behind the scenes jobs!

We hope you consider helping breathe new life into our liturgies by helping out in any way you can!
All are welcome!

Please contact Erin Turner, Director of Liturgy at eturner@sfxmissoula.org

Might you enjoy recording our 10:00 am Mass?

Training and support on the sanctuary livestream system is provided.

This ministry is extremely important to those parishioners who can not attend in person. They rely on our livestream every Sunday to stay connected to our community. We are losing some of our longtime tech ministers to college. So, we need some new help! Anyone 13 yrs or older are encouraged to consider joining this ministry! The parish will pay you $40 for each mass you livestream. We will provide as much training as you need. It’s not complicated but you will want to be comfortable with operating a computer. This is a great ministry for middle school. high school or college students who want to earn some money! Please contact Erin Turner at eturner@sfxmissoula.org for more information or to sign up!

Our Virtual viewers Thank you!

Contact Erin eturner@sfxmissoula.org

In this Jubilee Year and Lenten Season our theme of this year’s Lenten Project is ‘Renew Your Faith and Spread Your Wings’ in our community. Instead of donating money to a particular
Charity or organization, we are challenging each of you to donate your gift of time during Lent. Live the message – “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them” ( Ez. 11:19) . In doing so you will lift not only your spirit but the spirit of others. There will be and information sheet and purple pledge cards located in the entryways of the church. Please grab a few and fill them out with your completed volunteer hours or pledged hours for the week. Simply drop them in the offering basket each week as your gift of time! Or, feel free to email Katy at kmckinnon@sfxmissoula.org with pledged or completed hours.

Family Promise Volunteers Needed

Family Promise is a volunteer organization that helps homeless families with food and assistance at the Meadowlark Housing Center 1800 S. 3 rd St. W.

Family Promise Giving Day April 22nd (but available now) Log on to : fpgives.org/organizations/missoula-interfaith-collaborative Or you can send a check “MIC” (memo Family Promise)  2205 34th St., Missoula, MT 59801

For our “Welcome Baskets” which go to families when they move from the Family Center into a home, we are now giving the children a bag of games/books/coloring.  If you would like to donate any of these items new or gently used, contact Anette Blaskovich at 916-747-7427.

Won’t you consider volunteering? St. Francis has been part of the Family Promise since it began in Missoula ten years ago. Help us serve the homeless families of Missoula by volunteering with Family Promise at the Meadowlark/YWCA building. Directions are written out for each position on the Signup Genius and training is provided. Volunteer options include providing store bought salads, fruits, or desserts to go with dinner (You would drop your donation at the Meadowlark building for that night’s dinner between 9:00am-5:00pm. Specify it is for Family Promise.); serving dinner 5:50-7:30pm; serving as an evening host from 8:00pm-10:00pm; laundry, when needed.

Be sure to check our St. Francis Xavier emailed bulletin for your invitation to signup. If. you give me your email address, we will get the signup to you personally. (Michelle Bedard Smith of St. Anthony’s Church pairs up with me and sends out the Signup Genius)

Anette Blaskovich is our Family Promise Coordinator. Contact me at any time: 916-747-7427 or ablaskovich@sfxmissoula.org

(Besides our regular four (4) weeks during the year, if you would like to help other churches or organizations fill their signup, contact Anette. Notifications can then be emailed to you.)

Spare a blanket for Family Promise? Clean, gently used twin, full, and queen size blankets are welcome. King size is too big – sorry. Bath towels are also welcome. Again, contact Anette at 916-747-7427 or ablaskovich@sfxmissoula.org for her to pick up or you drop off.

Giving Tree 

Each year at Christmas, St. Francis Xavier has put Family Promise on our Giving Tree. It is through your very generous donations that we are able to contribute 2 – $50 gift cards to Walmart and 2 – $50 gift cards for gas, and the needs of the Welcome Baskets. The gift cards are given during each of the four (4) weeks we serve. These gift cards are given to new residents entering without much, and to those needing gas to get to work.

The Poverello Lunch team – is seeking volunteers to help prepare and assemble sack lunches each Wednesday & Thursday from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. 1110 West Broadway Street No sign up necessary, just show up. Thank you!

If you would like, Anette Blaskovich will meet up and accompany you.  Call 916-747-7427 or email her tweetytoo14@gmail.com

Fr. Hightower is our representitive

A reflection on Hope by our parishioner Alan Noonan, a project organizer with Common Good

Growing up Irish and Catholic, as I did, is practically a kind of word association, like people might link beef and stew, or baseball and hot dogs. But what is the association when people use the word hope? When I read the Gospel that word resonates strongly. As a word, you might think that the word that would be linked in my mind is perhaps “faith” or “salvation”, and certainly the “Good News” gives us the hope of salvation from our faith. But for me, the word associated with hope is obligation. Within our Christian hope is a challenge to do something, to participate in the world, to act.

For me, this call to action echoes the loudest from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew’s Gospel. In ancient times, a talent was a measure of a precious metal, but its modern meaning of a skill or a gift gets closer to what Jesus was trying to tell us in the story. We are all given talents or gifts that we can share with others. The question posed to each of us by Jesus is this, what will you do with the myriad gifts that God has given you? Whatever those are, the parable tells us that we share an obligation to push ourselves and to share those gifts, for the sake of helping others, fulfilling our lives, and as a spiritual offering to God. We must try. It is not enough to bury our talents and hide. We must participate.

Best,
Alan

Looking to get involved?  Join us Saturday March 1st and Sunday March 2nd, 2025  9am – 4pm here at St. Francis Xavier This event will be an immersive, hands-on experience designed to give you the skills and confidence to lead, organize, and make change that truly matters. Through Catholic Social teaching, learn how to put your faith in action and gain the tools to make an impact! Sign up at https://www.commongoodmissoula.org/catholic_social_teaching

About Common Good Missoula https://www.commongoodmissoula.org/

Common Good Missoula unites everyday Missoulians to work together across traditional divides like race, class, and ideologies. We listen. We plan. We organize. We act. We celebrate.

Common Good Missoula is an affiliate of IAF (Industrial Areas Foundation) Northwest and has 19 member organizations based in Missoula – All Nations Health Center, labor unions, faith communities, neighborhoods, and other non-profits. In our tradition, organizing is led by the people most directly affected by the issues the organization is working on.

Well-being throughout our community requires everyday citizens, particularly the most impacted to be meaningfully involved in creating the solutions shaping our community. Recognizing this, we continually build leadership from within our community, working to understand and address the root causes of the issues, not just the symptoms. When everyday folks realize they have the agency to create change and that they aren’t alone in their struggles, their human dignity shines and they are motivated to make change and become leaders in the community.

We bring these leaders together to build power they wouldn’t have individually and use that power to create systemic change. We see ourselves as part of a larger movement for social change and work towards strengthening that movement.

Common Good addresses inequity by creating a large and racially/socially diverse network of everyday leaders working to address local challenges such as structural racism, lack of affordable housing, and community safety.

Common Good Missoula and Catholic Social Teaching 

Habit for Humanity –  Habitat helps create stability and self-reliance through shelter for our local families.  Katrina at impact@habitatmsla.org.

Learn more – https://habitatmissoula.org/about-us/

Donations to ReStore  The sales from ReSore help fund Habitat for Humanity of Missoula afforable homeownership program

3655 Highway 200 East, East Missoula Hours to drop off/shop Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sunday 11am – 5pm    406.549.8215 You may schedule a pickup.

We accept new and used furniture, building materials, appliances and home fixtures in working condition.

Please note, we cannot accept:
– mattresses, box springs or linens
– clothing
– used carpeting
– used florescent fixtures or bulbs
– picture tube TV’s

Baskets are located in the rear of the church for donations of non perishables for your neighbors in need.

Christmas Giving Tree

Thank you for your generosity!

Mountain Home – Mountain Home Montana provides shelter for young mothers who need a place to live, and a network of support as they create safe, stable, and nurturing homes of their own. Your donation would allow mothers to buy a gift for their child this Christmas.

Council Groves – Council Groves Apartments is a low income housing community. Council Groves provide high-quality housing and offer residents events and classes to support residents’ educational and professional goals. Your donation would allow low income families to buy gifts this Christmas.

Essential Eats Distributors – Established in 2017, Essential Eats Distributors, Inc. is an all – volunteer, virtual based non-profit dedicated to serving hard-to-reach populations facing food-insecurity. Your donation would help to provide food to families in Heart Butte, Blackfoot, Seville, Babb, and East Glacier during this holiday season.

International Rescue Committee – The international Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Locally, the IRC supports refugee families who have been resettled to Montana. Your donation would go to buy toys for newly resettled children during their first Christmas in their new home.

Family Promise – Family Promise helps families experiencing homelessness and low – income families achieve sustainable independence through a community – based response. Your donation would help but gas cards for the families staying at the Meadowlark housing center.