Saint Francis Xavier Church — The Oratory

What are services like?
We seek to celebrate the sacraments reverently, as a sign of our unity in Christ and our duty to worship Him. Following the inspiration of our founder, Saint Philip Neri, we seek to proclaim the Word of God faithfully, with preaching that is familiar and accessible to contemporary men and women.

What is the community like?
We serve a diverse population that includes families, single and married young adults, and seniors. "The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity." [Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 814] We strive to follow the exhortation of Saint Paul to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3), especially as we gather together for worship.

What if I'm not a Christian?
"'The Church, in Christ, is like a sacrament — a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men' (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 1). The Church's first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God. Because men's communion with one another is rooted in that union with God, the Church is also the sacrament of the unity of the human race. In her, this unity is already begun, since she gathers men 'from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues' (Rev 7:9); at the same time, the Church is the 'sign and instrument' of the full realization of the unity yet to come." [Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 775] All are welcome to join us for worship at Saint Francis Xavier Church — The Oratory. Because our faith teaches that Holy Communion is the real presence of Jesus Christ under the appearance of bread and wine, it is the most central and intimate sign of our unity in Him. For this reason we are not able to share Holy Communion with those who do not share our Catholic faith, until we share all the visible signs of unity: "profession of one faith received from the Apostles; common celebration of divine worship, especially of the sacraments; and apostolic succession through the sacrament of Holy Orders, maintaining the fraternal concord of God's family" [Catechism, 815] If you have any questions regarding our worship or preaching, please ask one of the priests after Mass. Those who are interested in becoming Catholic do so through a program called the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).