St Francis of Assisi - Croatian Parish

Pastor's Message
Fra Jozo Cuic, OFM

"Some years ago, a tiny church in the middle of the business district of Chicago had to be destroyed to make room for a skyscraper. It had stood on the corner for nearly fifty years. It was a landmark. Gradually the roof was taken down and then stone after stone was removed from the walls of this humble church. At last they came to the cornerstone. A little group of the faithful parishioners had gathered. They chose an old man to have the privilege of removing a tin box which was buried beneath the stone. With trembling and respectful fingers the old gentleman performed his task. He opened the box, took out several documents and then several newspapers of the time when the church was completed. He took out a prayer book and other records and then from the very bottom of the box he pulled out a small book which contained the names of all those who had contributed to the building of the church. Very slowly and respectfully he read of the names of those who had helped to build the house of God. Very few were even known to those who were standing about, and yet these people whose names were in that little book had their names recorded forever. Suppose that we were to dig into the cornerstone of St. Francis of Assisi Croatian Parish today.

God's Book

And suppose we were to find there a small book containing the names of those who had helped to build this Croatian church and also the names of everyone who had helped to maintain this house of God through the years. All Windsor's Croatian names would be on that list. Their father's name, their grandfather's name would be there. All who helped to erect and support this magnificent monument to God would be on that list. No doubt there is no such book in the Cornerstone of this Croatian church of St. Francis of Assisi. At any rate my dear friends St. Francis of Assisi Parish, your name's written in God's book, in the book of the recording angel. There a record is kept of every sacrifice that was ever made in the building of this edifice and in keeping it in use and repairs. Certainly in that list we will find the name of everyone of you who has helped in any way to maintain this house of God.

Christ lives here

You all remember the story of Jacob in the Old Testament. He was traveling to Mesopotamia. He stopped to rest on a plain after choosing a stone for a pillow. During the night he had a dream in which he saw a giant ladder reaching up to the sky. Angels were coming down and going up. At the end of the ladder, Almighty God leaned down with a smile and showed His pleasure at this particular spot. God wanted that place to be the sight of an altar. When Jacob arose in the morning, he recalled his dream. That's when he spoke the words of this wonderful text from the book of Genesis: "HOW AWE INSPIRING THIS PLACE! THIS IS NO OTHER BUT THE HOUSE OF GOD AND THE GATE OF HEAVEN." Genesis, 28,17. In a very deep sense, of course, St. Francis of Assisi Croatian Church is the house of God, because it is the earthly home of the Son of God, who lives here in your simple, but beautiful and devotional church. Christ lives here on the altar in the Blessed Sacrament day and night. He lives here, not as a mere remembrance or a souvenir or a keepsake; but Jesus lives here with his Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, as really and truly as when He lived in His little home at Nazareth. Indeed, St. Francis Church is the awe-inspiring dwelling of God. This Croatian church is also the gate of heaven. It is a place where we receive the graces which make it possible for us to enter through the gate of our eternal home. To this church you have brought your babies to be baptized. Here they became the children of God. Here they received, as it were, the key to that gate of heaven. In this church most of you have been confirmed. You have been strengthened for that long and difficult journey through this life towards our home in heaven. Whenever you have offended God, disobeyed His laws and His commands, you have come to this gate of heaven, your parish church, and there in the mercy seat of the confessional have been restored to the friendship of God by God's ambassador-priest.

Spiritual Food

Along the journey to the heavenly gates you need strength which comes from spiritual food. You have come to this table of the Lord to receive the heavenly Food that gives strength to the soul as well as the body, to make the sacrifices necessary to reach your heavenly home. And when one of your dear loved one's is about to depart from this life, you called the priest, and he hurried to this gate of heaven. From here he took the holy oils and the Holy Sacrament, Jesus Himself. He hurried to the bedside of your loved one and there he strengthened him with the oil of Extreme Unction and gave him the heavenly Food for his last journey, so that his soul would be strengthened to appear before the gate, and with that last effort of strength, as it were, to push the golden portals open into the presence of the Lord. When those of you who felt called to marriage, would come up here to the altar of God to pledge your unending love, you received the sacrament of marriage, which gave you the graces and spiritual help to work out your salvation together, to help each other and those committed to your care to walk along the path of life that leads to the gate of heaven. Here at this gate of heaven, your St. Francis of Assisi Croatian parish, you received advice, words of wisdom, corrections and consolations and comforting encouragement of the priest of God, who was especially chosen, trained and ordained to take full charge of this gate to paradise.. In every sense this Croatian Church is truly the gate of heaven. "

Fra Jozo Cuic, OFM