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Month: May 2014

Community 101: Prayer

For the next four weeks, we will feature a four part series on faith in community every Franciscan Friday: “Community 101: An Introduction to Intentional Living”! It will feature weekly contributors highlighting specific features of intentional-living in faith communities: Prayer, Listening, Sharing, and Learning to Love. Today’s post about prayer is by Paola Piscitelli, President…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Supporting Urban Chickens!

Today’s post is about a unique organization promoting active living, friendship, and charity: Urban Chicken Race! Spread the word: Urban Chicken races will be held in Tampa on June 7. The Urban Chicken Race was co-founded by current lay missioner Valerie Ellis. Franciscan Mission Service is considered an international charity partner and receive proceeds from…

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Welcome, Mary!

Franciscan Mission Service extends a warm welcome to a new summer volunteer: Mary Unverferth!During her bi-weekly volunteer experience this summer, Mary will work on a variety of administrative and maintenance tasks at the FMS office, as well as at Casa San Salvador, the community house for associates and guests. Hailing from Cypress, Texas, Mary is a graduate…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Torture Awareness Month

Join Franciscan Mission Service in support for Torture Awareness Month in June! The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is an inspiring organization of women and men united in faith advocating dignity for all people and an end to torture. Their message is clear: So, what can YOU do for Torture Awareness Month? Read the…

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OFM Congress: Discussing Mission and Evangelization in the Franciscan Tradition

Communications Manager Bridget Higginbotham kicks-off a special blog series live from Rome, Italy.  It’s a historic week for the Orders of Friars Minor. Their first-ever international congress on mission and evangelization has drawn to Sassone (Rome), Italy, about 200 brothers from around the world – Madagascar, the Philippines, South Africa, Australia, Colombia, Pakistan, Brazil, Canada,…

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Mission Monday: A Third Year of Service for Annemarie and Jeff!

Today’s post features an exciting update about two current missioners in Cochabamba! Great news: second-year missioners Annemarie Barrett and Jeff Sved have each decided to stay in Bolivia for a third year of mission! When our lay missioners are commissioned, they agree to a minimum of two years of service, but they can renew their…

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Franciscan Friday: Welcome, Shenelle!

We extend a warm welcome to our summer intern: Shenelle Sanoir! After joining our office this week, Shenelle Sanoir will be working at Franciscan Mission Service throughout the summer and gaining first-hand experience in nonprofit leadership. A Maryland resident, Shenelle is a rising senior at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia where she studies International Business. A student…

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Takeway Wednesday: Jack Jezreel’s Anselm Moons, OFM Award Acceptance Speech!

Earlier this Spring, Franciscan Mission Service celebrated the 2014 World Care Benefit! In today’s blog, we share the inspiring acceptance speech of Anselm Moons, OFM award recipient Jack Jezreel. Enjoy the full text of his speech. Originator of the JustFaith program, a faith formation program for adults, Jack Jezreel also contributed to our Lenten blog…

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Mission Monday: Arroz By Any Other Name

Editor’s Note: This is Part IV in a series called “Visiting Christ the Prisoner: A Look into Prison Ministry in Bolivia”.  Enjoy previous posts in the series:   Part I: Plantas Part II: Chess Part III: Council “Christ of Maryknoll” by Br. Robert Lentz, OFM In this post, missioner Jeff shares with us a little about how…

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Franciscan Friday: The Necessity of Presence

To highlight the service component of the Nonprofit Leadership Program (positions are currently available), Franciscan Fridays are currently featuring reflections from program associates about their experiences with weekly direct service.  Enjoy other entries in this series: “Service through Faith: The Ultimate Act of Hope” by communications associate Michael Carlson “A Lesson in Perspective” by development associate…

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Takeaway Wednesday: National Bike Challenge!

It’s National Bike Month!  Celebrate care for creation and start a new habit: bicycling! Many of our current missioners are cycling enthusiasts and eager for more people to share their joy. The League of American Bicyclists has a friendly challenge for you to get active and connect with bike-friendly or bike-curious communities: The National Bike Challenge…

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Mission Monday: Community in the Candlelight

Currently serving her third year on mission in Bolivia, Kitzi Hendricks will be sharing her experiences of community in a multi-part series that begins today as she recalls her participation in a formative faith group before she became a lay Franciscan missioner: Creighton University’s Candlelight Choir! “The world is so empty if one thinks only…

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Franciscan Friday: A Lesson in Perspective

To highlight the service component of the Nonprofit Leadership Program (positions are currently available), the next several Franciscan Fridays will feature reflections from program associates about their experiences with weekly direct service. Today’s post is by development associate Sarah Hoffeditz.  During the recent heavy rains in Washington, I came home from my service at Miriam’s Kitchen…

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