the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
Godspeed Monsignor Michael Clay
Monsignor Michael Clay came to St. Francis Parish at a uniquely challenging time. The Friars had chosen to withdraw in December of 2019, effective in the summer of 2020, and Bishop Zarama assigned Monsignor Clay as pastor. Having been established as a Franciscan-led parish shortly after its founding, the friars’ withdrawal after 32 years of service shocked many in the community. Coming from Catholic University, Michael Clay was an academic and experienced pastor, previously serving as pastor in two local parishes before his tenure at Catholic University. Of course, COVID-19 and the resulting response to the pandemic began in March 2020. All this turmoil would challenge any arriving pastor, but Monsignor Clay was ready.
Volunteer Spotlight: Mary Cockril
You can find Mary Cockril on Wednesdays during the school year “MC’ing” (Master of Ceremony) at the school Mass with her ‘partner in crime’ Joanie Madormo. As usual, the Mass goes off without a hitch, even when Father Jim is saying the Mass. However, that’s only a tiny glimpse into all Mary does at St. Francis.
Mary was at a different parish when she first came to Raleigh. She says, “I couldn’t get my foot in the door as a volunteer.” She often came to St. Francis at that time but felt like she was ‘cheating’ on the other parish where she was a member. When her sister visited, they attended Mass at St. Francis, and she gave her a campus tour. Her sister admonished her, saying, “Mary Catherine, why aren’t you attending Church here regularly? The Holy Spirit is all over this place.” She switched to St. Francis; the parish wasn’t shy about seeking her out to volunteer. Mary is a Eucharistic Minister (EM) for the homebound, a Secular Franciscan, and a co-lead with MaryLou Holloway at the Secular’s apostolate at Oak City Cares, on the RCIA team, and Master of Ceremony for the weekend and weekday masses; that only scratches the surface.
