Worship & Prayer

School-wide Eucharistic liturgies and prayer services mark key moments in the liturgical and school year. The Mass is the source and summit of our Christian life. Our Eucharistic celebrations call together the whole community to give thanks for God’s works in creation, redemption and saving grace.

All are welcome to approach the table at Communion, in lieu of the Eucharist, non-Catholic students and guests are encouraged to receive a blessing so that we as a community may share in our call to be a community. We also offer low gluten Altar breads for members of our community who require them.

Parents are welcome to attend Mass (sign-in at the front office).

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is available by appointment with our Chaplain.

Low Gluten Option for Masses

The concern… Celiac disease affects as many as one out of every 133 people. Those suffering from this condition cannot ingest any gluten, a protein found in wheat. For these people eating gluten causes intestinal damage and can lead to many secondary illnesses. Celiacs have to maintain strict gluten-free diets to protect their health. Hence, the concern among Catholic celiac sufferers was how they could continue to receive the Body of Christ at Eucharist when it is made with wheat.

The prayer… The Catholic Church is firmly rooted in Scripture and Tradition. In keeping with the belief that Jesus used a wheat bread at the Last Supper, the Church has required that breads used for communion be made with wheat and contain gluten.

As stated before, the celiac community needed non-gluten bread.

The facts… The low gluten bread used at St. Francis High School is made by the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration with wheat starch and water. The gluten content is less than 0.01%. It is made, stored, and shipped in a designated area free from all other wheat products. At St. Francis is stored separately from the wheat hosts and is consecrated on the altar in its own Pyx and distributed in a special communion line.

The response…  If you would like to receive these consecrated hosts at our school-wide liturgies please e-mail Mr. Tholcke with and let him know of your need. At each Mass a specific number of low-gluten hosts are consecrated for those who have requested them.

For more information about these hosts please visit the website for the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

USCCB – Having reviewed the laboratory reports provided, which set the amount of gluten in these altar breads at less than 0.01%, The USCCB is pleased to state that these special hosts are indeed made according to the requirements of both the Code of Canon Law (c.924) and the special considerations set out by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, in his July 24, 2003 letter to the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences (Prot. N. 89/78-17498) and may be validly used at Mass in the diocese of the United States with appropriate permission.