Photos of Parish Life

September 14, 2019
On Saturday morning, September 14, the St. Francis Borgia cemetery was the setting for a solemn gathering to commemorate the more than 60 million children lost to legal abortion since Roe v Wade in 1973. In addition, the newly installed infants' memorial was dedicated. Recent research using ground-penetrating radar at the cemetery revealed 197 unmarked graves, including 46 graves of stillborn and very young infants, born to poor parents unable to afford proper burial. Those graves are marked by crosses. The infants’ memorial and crosses are thanks to the generosity of our parish members and the Knights of Columbus. The service and dedication were led by Fr. Patrick Burns. The event was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and our Respect Life Committee.

June 15, 2019
On Saturday, June 15, Fr. Patrick Burns was formally installed as the pastor of St. Francis Borgia Parish. The ceremony was held during the 4:30 p.m. Mass at the North Church, with Archbishop Jerome Listecki presiding. On this special occasion, the Knights of Columbus served as an honor guard during the entrance procession. Fr. Patrick concelebrated the Mass along with former pastor Fr. Tom Eichenberger and several other priests. During the installation, the archbishop spoke about the importance and role of the pastor in the life of the parish. Then he "introduced" Fr. Patrick to his parish staff, the members of the finance and pastoral councils, and the trustees, as if they were meeting for the first time. Upon their introduction, each one proceeded to the altar and shook Fr. Patrick's hand. After Mass, parishioners congratulated Fr. Patrick in the gathering space and in the church hall where a reception was held in his honor.

October 2-3, 2019
As part of our 175th anniversary celebration, St. Francis Borgia hosted a well-attended parish mission called “Life to the Full: The Transformation of Suffering into Glory.” It was held the evenings of Wednesday, Oct. 2 and Thursday, Oct.3 at the North Church. The focus of this two-night mission was to explore what it means to be human, God’s incredible plan for our humanity, and how Jesus comes into our lives to heal us and free us from all that keeps us hiding in sin, shame, and sorrow. The speakers were Father John Burns and Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT.