2026 Parish Partner: St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, in West Des Moines, IA, has supported the mission of Catholic Charities for many years. From parish-run collections to active parishioner involvement in programs, St. Francis brings help and hope to those in need.
For St. Francis, putting faith into action through service is a cornerstone of parish life. Through its many outreach ministries, parishioners of all ages are given opportunities to make a difference in the community.
“Catholic Charities provides parishes and parishioners a variety of ways to put the charity of Christ into action,” said Fr. Alex Kramer, Parochial Vicar of St. Francis of Assisi Parish. “We would be missing out on a great and local opportunity to live out our baptismal promises if we were to ignore those in need in our local community who are served by Catholic Charities.”
Parishioners of St. Francis support Catholic Charities in many ways. More than 1,200 hours of service have been given by parishioners at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry, and 111 meals were donated by the parish to guests at the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter. For more than 25 years, St. Francis has also supported Catholic Charities through their angel tree during the Advent season. In 2025, 71 items were generously donated to help shelter guests as they transition out of shelter services into permanent housing.
“We have a very generous parish,” said Montse Madden, St. Francis parishioner. “It makes me feel proud that people in our parish are stepping up and realizing there is a need, taking from what we all have and sharing that with others.”
Montse serves on the parish’s Social Concerns Committee and helps organize the parish angel tree. She is grateful for the opportunity to support Catholic Charities clients through parish involvement.
St. Francis Parish will be honored at the 10th Annual Shamrocks and Shenanigans event on Saturday, March 7, 2026, for its partnership and support of Catholic Charities. Guests attending the event will have the opportunity to celebrate St. Francis and other dedicated parish partners who make this work possible.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for the contributions which St. Francis has made in the area of charity,” said Fr. Kramer. “This year, Pope Leo has declared a Jubilee Year of St. Francis and encouraged the whole Church to follow the example of St. Francis. A tangible way of following the example of our patron this year is continuing our support for many of the ways in which Catholic Charities serves those in need.”
“In a certain sense, recognizing the parish of St. Francis gives greater honor to our patron and ultimately God, who has blessed us with so many resources that to not tend to the needs of our neighbors would certainly be an issue,” Fr. Kramer continued.
“I think it’s wonderful that these efforts and actions are being recognized,” said Montse. “The social concerns projects we support at St. Francis encourage us all to look beyond our own lives and realize that there is a great need in the community around us.
Through service rooted in faith, St. Francis Parish continues to be a shining example of the Gospel in action, showing the powerful difference a parish community can make through its partnership with Catholic Charities.