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Year: 2014

Franciscan Friday: Service through Faith: the Ultimate Act of Hope

To honor National Volunteer Month and highlight the service component of the Nonprofit Leadership Program, the next several Fridays will feature reflections from program associates about their experiences with weekly direct service.  In today’s post, communications associate Michael Carlson writes about his weekly service experience as a Reading Partner at DC Prep Elementary, a grade…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Nonprofit Leadership Program!

Update: We have a new title for our domestic service program: Nonprofit Leadership Program!  This is an opportunity for Catholic women and men to gain experience in nonprofit work at Franciscan Mission Service while receiving faith formation through intentional community living and direct service.  Our 13 month program is a distinctive full-time volunteer program combining…

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Poor and Free: “Letting Go of Lent”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Takeaway Wednesday: 8 Characteristics of Discernment

It’s National Volunteer Month with Franciscan Mission Service! Get excited, be inspired, and serve others during April. In today’s post, Program Coordinator Natalie Helfrick writes about the importance of prayerful discernment when considering both service opportunities and life-paths. In the joyful Franciscan spirit, Natalie advises us that the most important aspect of discernment is inviting…

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Forming New Disciples: 2014 World Care Benefit

Franciscan Mission Service recently celebrated the 2014 World Care Benefit! In today’s blog, we share the evening in a post of gratitude for Anselm Moons, OFM award recipient Jack Jezreel, keynote speaker Fr. Dan Horan, OFM, and all of our sponsors and members of the Franciscan family. As part of Friday night’s 2014 World Care…

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Mission Monday: A Helpful Guide on How to Get Lost in a New City

In today’s post, missioner Valerie Ellis proposes a satirical guide to urban navigation. Although new missioner Valerie Ellis was having an awfully hard time adjusting to the new city in January, she is happy to report that she only occasionally gets lost in the Cancha, and might not be the best guide anymore for getting lost…

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Poor and Free: “Beyond Detachment”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Mission Monday: “You’re Going to Have to Wait”

In today’s post, missioner Annemarie Barret reflects on the privilege of time and how waiting on others, on events, and life in general has personally affected her and informed her toward deeper ministry of presence. “You are going to have to wait.” I remember Hermano Ignacio’s warning when he visited during our formation in Washington,…

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Poor and Free: “Faith Keeps Hope Alive”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Jesus the Immigrant

Matthew: 2:13-15Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young…

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Mission Monday: “How Life Prepared Me for Mission”

In today’s post, current missioner Hady Mendez reflects on how the relationships she developed and enjoyed before mission prepared her for her ministry of presence as a Franciscan lay missioner. When I was living in New York, I used to often go to a salon in Jersey City. Mary owned the salon. Lucy did my…

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Poor and Free: Saying “Yes” to Love

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Uncomplicating Ecumenism

In today’s post, Communications Associate Michael Carlson writes about his participation at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2014 as an insightful formation experience. Don’t miss the reflection questions at the end!  “Ecumenism” can be a complicated word when there are connotations of theologians debating doctrinal minutiae that can seem ironic given the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings and…

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Mission Monday: “Living Simplicity”

In today’s post, Nate Mortenson reflects on the freedom he has found in Bolivia to live simply by incorporating a mentality and lifestyle that values recycling. This intentional living has affected his own faith-life to draw closer to Franciscan spirituality. Photo of Cochabamba by Nate Mortenson Recycling came up in class the other day. It…

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Poor and Free with Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Saying “Yes” to the Culture of Encounter

Our Lenten series focuses on the joyful freedom of spiritual poverty. The Good News is that detachment of ownership leads us to greater reliance on God which makes us more available to love and serve the poor. Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: “A Theology of Enough”: Part I, Part II, and Part III. Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s…

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Mission Monday: “Hospitality”

Since they arrived in January early this year, the missioners have been living with host families while engaging language study. In this post, missioner Mary Mortenson describes the joys and graces she has received while living with her host family in Cochabamba, the Mustafa family.  Nate and I have been here for a little under…

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Poor and Free: “Invest in God’s Dream”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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New Board Members: Welcome, Lee Lechtenberg and Fr. Wayne Hellmann (O.F.M. Conv.)!

Franciscan Mission Service welcomes two new board members: returned missioner Lee Lechtenberg and Fr. Wayne Hellmann (O.F.M. Conv.)! Their invitation and acceptance illustrates the balance and richness of Franciscan Mission Service’s board through Lee’s experiences as a missioner in Bolivia as well as Fr. Hellmann’s professional expertise as a historical theologian and his personal commitment…

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Report from Guatemala: Potential New Service Site!

Thirty minutes east of Guatemala City, a Franciscan boarding school called Valley of the Angels lives its motto: “Give the best to the poor.” Their emphasis on restoring dignity through service resonates with Franciscan Mission Service Executive Director Kim Smolik. Executive Director Kim Smolik with girls from Livingstone, Guatemala.  The girls are friends of board member,…

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Visiting Christ the Prisoner: “Council”

Editor’s Note: This is Part III in a series called “Visiting Christ the Prisoner: A Look into Prison Ministry in Bolivia”. Read  Part I and Part II. Each of the six prisons are unique, but in each of them inmates govern themselves with an elected system of delegates who oversee various parts of the prison society.…

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Visiting Christ the Prisoner: “Chess”

Editor’s Note: This is Part II in a series called “Visiting Christ the Prisoner: A Look into Prison Ministry in Bolivia”.  Read Part I  and Part III. In this post, Jeff shares with us a story of his time in El Centro Productivo de San Antonio. Home to 500 men along with their wives and children, San Antonio is…

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Poor and Free: The Shane Claiborne Interview Part III

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Poor and Free: The Shane Claiborne Interview Part II

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Poor and Free: The Shane Claiborne Interview Part I

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Mission Monday: Persistence!

In today’s post, first-year missioner Hady Mendez shares her experience climbing the steep mountain to reach Cochabamba’s famous landmark, Cristo de la Concordia, the largest Jesus statue in the world. WE DID IT! This picture was taken just minutes from reaching the top of the mountain and seeing the beautiful statue. I got up at…

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Franciscan Friday: “The Joy of Love through Commitment”

Casa San Salvador is the intentional faith community where Franciscan Mission Service Domestic Volunteers live along with Katie Miller and James Luisi, who work at NETWORK.  Today we chat with Casa San Salvador House Manager Slavka Brigantova to learn more about her faith and how it inspires her to live in community. Slavka, you are…

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“Poor and Free”: Not an Oxymoron!

Get ready for Lent! This Lent, Franciscan Mission Service presents “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less”! Beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 5, with an interview of social justice activist Shane Claiborne, our weekly series contributors focus on the joyful freedom of spiritual poverty. While Christians are called to value loving relationships over possessions,…

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Visiting Christ the Prisoner: “Plantas”

Editor’s Note: This is Part I a series called “Visiting Christ the Prisoner: A Look into Prison Ministry in Bolivia”. Read Part II and Part III.  Jeff shares a story of his time in El Penal de San Sebastián. Home to 800-900 men along with their wives and children, San Sebastián is one of the six prisons that Jeff regularly…

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Franciscan Friday: On Mission with Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, our blog today features a conversation with Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM, on the Sacrament of Holy Orders and Mission. Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM, has been a Franciscan since 1991 and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds degrees in theology and liturgy…

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Takeaway Wednesday: 3 Questions About Religious Orders

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, our blog today features the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  Franciscan Mission Service defines itself through its dedication to St. Francis. While discernment to serve as a Franciscan missioner is different from discernment to religious life, our organization is inspired by the lives and…

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Franciscan Friday: 5 Questions about Marriage as Mission

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, returned missioners Lorenz and Patty Sollmann write today about their faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Marriage and their call to mission as a married couple.  Patty and Lorenz Sollmann were married in September 1989, and were the first married couple to enter FMS in…

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Celebrate Black Catholics: Tradition, Strength, and Cultural Heritage

Celebrating Black History Month is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich and ancient history of Black Catholics. This history is full of inspiring women and men who dedicated their lives to their faith, but it is also a history of shameful racism and persecution often committed by non-Black Catholics against their sisters and brothers…

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Marriage as Mission: “A Love that Hangs in the Balance”

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Mary Mortenson writes today about her faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Marriage with her husband, Nate Mortenson, and her own call to mission.  Marriage, one year and some months in, continues to be a perfect mystery to me. Each day, I…

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Franciscan Friday: Fulfilling Anointing the Sick through Civil Disobedience

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, Franciscan Mission Service Communications Associate Michael Carlson interviews Jason Miller, Franciscan Action Network (FAN) Director of Campaigns and Development, on his recent act of civil disobedience in opposition to the southern leg of the Keystone Pipeline. Read his reflection on the event at Acting…

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“10 Things I’m Thankful For”

In today’s blog post, current missioner Valerie Ellis writes in gratitude about the blessings she’s experienced during her first month on mission. Photo by Valerie Ellis on a scenic drive with her host family 10. My host family. They have been incredibly hospitable, kind beyond my wildest dreams, and have the patience of saints. 9.…

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On Mission with Hady Mendez: “This is Not Vacation”

Current missioner Hady Mendez writes about the realities of cultural adaptation while on mission and a few successful methods of addressing them. Hady and Caitlin having ice cream This is not vacation. This is my life. Cailtin and I were walking home from language school like we have every day since school started on January…

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Mission Monday: Anointing of the Sick as Mission

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Nate Mortenson writes today about his faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and his call to mission.  Our calling to be present with those around us requires a lot more of me than I often realize. It’s a…

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Returned Missioner Lorraine Kelley on Mission and Reconciliation Pt. III

This is part of a three part series by Lorraine Kelley: “Mission and Reconciliation” Part I Part II Part III Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, returned missioner Lorraine Kelley (Bolivia, 1994-2002) writes about her faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and experiences on mission.  Mission is a very important…

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Lorraine Kelley on Mission and Reconciliation Pt. II

This is part of a three part series by Lorraine Kelley: “Mission and Reconciliation” Part I Part II Part III Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, returned missioner Lorraine Kelley writes about her faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and experiences on mission. Read Part I. Examining my…

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Franciscan Friday: Returned Missioner Lorraine Kelley on Mission and Reconciliation Pt. I

This is part of a three part series by Lorraine Kelley: “Mission and Reconciliation” Part I Part II Part III Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, returned missioner Lorraine Kelley (Bolivia, 1994-2002) writes about her faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and experiences on mission.  My work as a…

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Short-Film: Reconciliation and Mother Earth

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, today we share a short film titled “El litio: La Siguiente Batalla de Bolivia” or (roughly translated) “Lithium: The Next Battle of Bolivia”.  “Care for Creation” is hugely important in Franciscan Spirituality. This film is about concrete political realities, but it also is…

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Mission Monday: Reconciliation as Mission

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Valerie Ellis writes today about her faith’s relationship to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and her call to mission.  Every time I come out of confession, I feel completely cleansed and at peace. What a beautiful gift we have from God to go…

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Franciscan Friday: On Mission with Nora Pfeiffer

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples,  Communications Associate Michael Carlson interviews Nora Pfeiffer about her faith’s relationship to Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, and her response to God through her mission service. Nora served in Bolivia as a Franciscan missioner and subsequently joined the staff of Franciscans International.  1. The sacrament of Confirmation is a…

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Confirmation as Mission: Gifts I Didn’t Ask For

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, full-time volunteer Michael Carlson writes today about his faith’s relationship to Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, and Franciscan mission. . “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from…

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Sacraments and Social Mission: The Holy Spirit at Work

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Hady Mendez writes today about her faith’s relationship to Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, and her response to God through her mission service. When I was sitting in my JustFaith class back in late 2012, the spirit truly moved me to give…

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On Mission with Fr. John Swope

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, full-time volunteer and communications associate Michael Carlson interviews Fr. John Swope, S.J., President of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, MD where Michael used to teach. Fr. Swope has been a Jesuit for 38 years and served in Chile from 1980-1983 and from 1991-2000.  1. During…

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“Necesitamos menos ciencia y más Pachamama”

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Annemarie Barrett writes about her relationship with the Earth, its presence in her life, and her ongoing conversion. When I am in Santa Rosa, time is relative. We spend less energy worrying about what time it is or when we need…

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“Blackberry Picking”: St. Francis would love it

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, full-time volunteer Michael Carlson writes about his experience reading Seamus Heaney’s poetry with St. Francis in mind. Reading Annemarie’s writings this week about the Eucharist and creation (another post is coming tomorrow!) reminded me of one of my favorite poets, Seamus Heaney. Every…

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