Women of St. Francis
Contact: Mary Georgopolos, President
Scheduled Meetings: Come join us for an afternoon of fellowship, information, and fun at the Monday, January 13, 2020 General Membership Meeting at 1 p.m. in the Family Center with a program about the Pregnancy Center and Clinic of the Lowcountry.
Our guest speaker will be Janet Dobbs. She will be discussing the important work this wonderful organization is doing and how we can help to reach out and support their efforts as a Christian organization.
Mission Statement: This women’s group was formed in 2004 to promote the spirit of unity among the members of the group and the parish as a whole and to foster the spiritual, cultural, educational, social and service oriented life of the parish.
Current Activities: Rosary Makers make rosaries for the First Communicants, RCIA Candidates, sick & homebound parishioners, and Chaplets for the Confirmandi. Blanket Makers make blankets for homeless children, who are being helped by Family Promise. Spiritual events include Annual Advent Day of Reflection, Retreat for the women of the parish, and “Mary’s Way of the Cross” – Lenten Stations of the Cross. We participate in the Parish Ministries Fair, host Fellowship Sunday in September, and co-sponsor the Notre Dame Hesburgh Lecture. Members distribute pillows to patients and hold parties for the residents at the Life Care Center. The Women of St. Francis are active in the Beaufort Deanery and South Carolina Council of Catholic Women, which includes choosing a member for our Catholic Women of the Year. Fundraising through our Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon and Soup for Scholarship Dinner provides money to support the Church, Community, and school as well as international charities.
Beaufort Deanery Meeting - January 11th, 2020
All women of the parish are invited to attend our annual Beaufort Deanery meeting. We will be honoring all of the Catholic Women of the Year nominated by each affiliate. We will start with mass at 10:30 a.m. at St. Andrew's Chapel, Pinckney Colony Road. The luncheon and meeting will follow starting at noon at the Belfair Clubhouse, Bluffton, SC. The luncheon entree choices are chicken scallopini or sesame soy glazed salmon and the cost is $30. The reserve a place, send a check payable to the Beaufort Deanery Council for Women in the amount of $30 with your choice of entree on the memo line. Please mail to Rosemarie Kovarcik, 91 Meridian Point Drive, Bluffton, SC 29910. Deadline for reservations is January 6th. If you have any questions, please e-mail Rosemarie at [email protected]
First Saturdays
Beginning on Saturday, January 4th, after the 8 a.m. Mass, the Women of St. Francis will be sponsoring First Saturday Devotions to Our Blessed Mother. They will be praying the Fatima Prayers as well as reciting the Rosary. They will be offering these prayers for religious liberty in our country and around the world and for the personal intentions of the participants. The rosary at 7:30 a.m. on First Saturdays will be deferred to be included in this new devotion.
More Like Christ
Presenter: Jack Rabbitt
Saturday, January 25th, 2020
Family Center
In a world that has become more and more contentious, wouldn't it e wonderful if we could approach one another with the love of Christ? Jesus challenges us to put our faith into action through selfless service to others. St. James emphasizes that Faith without works is nothing (James 2:14-17). Yes in today's hi-tech world, the forces distracting us from this focus are becoming more and more intense.
Catholic author and speaker, John (Jack) Rabbitt, offers fresh insights and inspiring reflections on familiar passages, and presents practical parallels drawn from contemporary society to help Christians respond decisively to Jesus' call to evangelization and holiness.
Registrations are due by January 20th, 2020 and can be turned in at the Parish Office or in the box located in the Narthex. There will be a free-will offering taken up a the event to support future Women of St. Francis programs and reflections days.
2018 Advent Retreat Deacon Vernon Dobelmann, Director of Religious Education at St. Francis, led a wonderful Advent Retreat on Saturday, December 15th with 40 ++ parishioners and friends attending. Thank you to the Women of St. Francis for hosting this event.
Rosary Makers: The Rosary Makers are comprised of a small group of ladies affiliated with the Women of St. Francis. They make Rosaries for the First Communicants and the RCIA Candidates each year. Also, they make Chaplets for the Confirmandi. More recently, they have begun making rosaries for sick and homebound parishioners. We also make and sell specialty rosaries and these proceeds help pay for the supplies needed to make the rosaries that are given away. The Rosary Makers meet in the Sacristy behind the Main Altar in the Church on the 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Anyone interested in additional information about our group can call Audrey McGovern at 843-682-8280.
"Cell Phone for Soldiers"
The Women of St. Francis is collecting Cell Phone for Soldiers. All donated cell phones are either:
- Repurposed - Repaired, wiped of data and given to the vets and active military members or sold
- Recycled - If too old or broken, are recycled down to parts and sold for remaining value
- Proceeds - Provide international calling cards and domestic wireless minutes for vets and active military members. Proceeds also provide emergency financial assistance to veterans.
When Donating:
- Remove -your SIM card (instructions in the Narthex) and then see your type of phone below
- IPhone - Click on "Settings", "General", "Reset", and "Erase all content & Settings"
- Anroid - Click on "Settings, Type "Reset" in Search Bar, Click "Factory Data Reset"
- Flip Phone - Remove back of the phone; remove batteries; check model number. Online, go to manufacturing (Samsung, etc.) type in the model number and follow the instructions.
If all else fails, your providers (AT & T, Sprint, etc.) will help you terminate your data.
Please place your phone and chargers in the box in the church's narthex or bring them to a Women of St. Francis' General Meeting. Any questions, please contact Kathy Struna (843)682-4045. Thank you for your support of our military!
Current Volunteer Opportunities: We promote volunteerism amongst our members and have been a resource for other ministries and non-profit organizations locally.
WOSF Presidents Letter & Donations