Parish bulletin
St. Francis Parish Bulletin – August 16, 2026
In this week’s bulletin
- Reminder: new daily Mass schedule Daily Mass is 6:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. Saturday, with no 5:30 p.m. Mass on Tuesdays or Thursdays; Wednesday keeps 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. with confession at 4:00 p.m., and the weekend schedule is unchanged.
- Tuesday and Thursday Mass intentions move to QND Beginning Tuesday, August 18, intentions scheduled for the former 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday Masses will be read at the 7:00 a.m. Mass at QND; intentions dated before August 18 are being rescheduled to the nearest available date.
- Blessing of the Backpacks Backpack blessing and school supply drop-off are Sunday, August 16 at 4:00 p.m.
- School starts Tuesday, August 18 Preschool through eighth grade begin with an 11:30 a.m. dismissal; the first full day is Wednesday, August 19, and there will be no school Mass that morning.
- League of St. Clare Worship Pillar evening Sunday, August 16 from 7:00-8:15 p.m. in the parish hall; the program is “Martha and Mary: Meeting Jesus in All of It.” Contact Karen Weiman at 217-242-5513.
- Francis Fraternity August events Service Pillar is Thursday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. finishing school projects – meet near the west door of the school – and Social Pillar is pickleball at the Madison Park courts Thursday, August 27 at 7:00 p.m. Questions: John McDowell, 217-440-8187.
- QND cheer camp registration closes August 31 The 5th-8th grade clinic is August 29 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the CAC and the Pre-K-4th grade camp is September 4 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at QND; cost is $35, register at tinyurl.com/qndcheer.
- PSR registration is open Parish School of Religion is open to grades 1-5; classes begin Monday, September 14 and meet weekly from 4:45-6:00 p.m. in the parish hall. Register at tinyurl.com/stfrancispsr or call Grant at 217-602-9293.
- Card party moved to September 10 The St. Francis card party has shifted off its usual first-Thursday date because the Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention is at St. Anthony Parish that day.
- Divorce and Beyond begins September 9 Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Parish Center through the first week of November, facilitated by Russ and Terri Rohrer; registration required with a $10 materials donation. Call Russ at 217-617-3573.
- Fall meetings resume Holy Name meets Wednesday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m. in the parish center, and the Ladies of St. Francis dinner meeting is Tuesday, September 15 at 5:30 p.m. – $10 for dinner, $10 annual dues; reserve with Helen Zimmerman at 217-242-6692.
- 50th anniversary Mass registration closes September 21 Couples married 50 years or more are invited to a Mass with Bishop Paprocki on October 4 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, with a reception following. Register at dio.org/events; questions to Ruth Staab, 217-698-8500.
Also inside
- Father Arisman’s column on the Church as a house of prayer for all peoples, plus Doris Karhoff’s Woman of Distinction Award from Bishop Paprocki and thanks for the summer school projects.
- Mass intentions, parish calendar, and minister schedule for August 17-23, with the liturgical minister assignments for the weekend of August 22-23.
- Stewardship report for the week of August 9, including Annual School Fund totals.
- Parish notices including the death of Jim Waterkotte, the baptism of Teegon Gilmore, and where to find low-gluten hosts and accessible parking.
- School staff and volunteer needs three new part-time staff members, the cafeteria coordinator opening, adult funeral servers, a CYO board representative, and clothing donation requests.
- Area and diocesan notices GriefShare Thursdays at St. Anthony’s, adoration and Benediction at St. Joseph in Palmyra, and the Knights of Columbus Thursday raffle.