Franciscanism
A Prayer for Letting Go
Editor’s Note: Franciscan Sister of the Allegany Sr. Cathy Cahill, OSF, reflects on letting go of difficult decisions and situations and placing them into God’s hands. A number of years ago I was faced with a very important DECISION. I had the freedom to choose between two equally good opportunities that I will call X…
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Letting Go of Our Independence
Editor’s Note: Transitional Deacon and Capuchin Franciscan Friar Br. Albert Carver reflects on his first trip to Papa New Guinea where he was struck by the importance of community and by the the strength that often comes from admitting our own limitations. As someone who was born and raised in the United States the biggest obstacle…
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Letting Go as St. Francis Taught Us
Editor’s Note: In the well known Franciscan Peace Prayer, each line contains an invitation to let go of a particular stumbling block in order to receive the grace offered in its absence. For Franciscans and non-Franciscans alike, the Peace Prayer is often a source of comfort. It’s a prayer for the strength to become an…
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Letting Go of the Race
Editor’s Note: Franciscan Friar Fr. Jason Welle, OFM, reflects on the idea of Lent as a race in which God is running towards us and we must not lose sight of God in the midst of all the other factors that we often focus on. I run as a hobby. Eleven years ago, my brother…
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Letting Go of Material Possessions
Editor’s Note: Programs associate Katie Rotterman shares how a commitment to pass along unused possessions led to a deeper sense of simplicity and intentionality in all areas of her life. I’ve been on a mission to simplify my life for about a year and a half now. A key factor of simplifying my life has been the challenge…
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Letting Go of the Past
Editor’s Note: President of the FMS Board of Directors Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM, reflects on the temptation to become so fixated and caught up in the past that we lose sight of the present and cannot move forward in our lives. Every now and then, you come across a quotation, a thought, or a statement that…
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Letting Go For Lent
Editor’s Note: Franciscan priest Fr. Greg Friedman reflects on approaching Lent without pride in order to allow God to direct us towards the most beneficial practice during these 40 days. “Doing something” for Lent? Even though we are midway through Lent, it’s a valid question. Some years ago I marched in to see my spiritual…
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Letting Go of Being Thought Good
Editor’s Note: Missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on how her views of lay mission have changed since she first arrived in Bolivia and how the friendships she’s formed there have challenged and inspired her. Francis of Assisi was known to say, “We must bear patiently not being good and not being thought good.” The first time…
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The Little Things: The Power of Shared Experience
Editor’s Note: In the conclusion of “The Little Things” series, communications associate Maria Beben reflects on the communal nature of the human person and the power behind this shared experience of humanity. Recently, the phrase “Make me a channel of your peace” has been stuck in my head (Franciscan problems…) Without fully realizing it though, I’ve started to adopt…
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The Little Things: Openness
Editor’s Note: In the latest installment of “The Little Things” series, communications associate Maria Beben explores the power of openness and the importance of recognizing that we don’t always know what’s best in any given situation. It’s often in the moments when we throw up our hands and admit “Okay, fine. I don’t know anything and…
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Comfort and Joy: By Hand
Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, Secular Franciscan Susan Burke shares how a reassuring presence can bring the greatest of comfort. The first time I met Richard at the door of his hospital room, it went like this: “Hi, I’m Susan, one of the chaplains, and I stopped by to see…
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Comfort and Joy: Prayer and Thanks
Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, Br. Thomas Piolata, an O. F. M. Capuchin, shares how he sees the face of Christ in the people that he serves. Every Sunday morning, I have the great privilege of serving food to those experiencing homelessness with the Missionaries of Charity and some of my Capuchin colleagues. We…
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A Unique Approach to Mission
Editor’s Note: Missioner-in-training Erin McHugh looks back on the past three months of formation in Washington, DC and looks ahead to how she will apply her experiences to her time on mission. Wow, it is hard to believe our formation in DC is coming to an end, but I will never be completely formed. While…
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The Many Pieces of Support
Editor’s Note: Franciscan Mission Service overseas missioners are asked to fundraise in support of their training and service. Missioner-in-training Janice Smullen reflects on a recent support-raising class and shares her experiences inviting others to join in her mission journey through financial contributions. “Some give by going. Some go by giving.” -Fr. Anselm Moons (Franciscan Mission Service founder.) There are…
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The Power of Presence
Editor’s Note: Missioner Amanda Ceraldi reflects on an experience of ministry of presence during her time at Valley of the Angels orphanage in Guatemala. St. Francis got a lot of things right. He understood the reason for radical poverty and simplicity and lived it out. He understood that stepping out of your comfort zone is…
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Through the Eye of the Needle, Part 3: Acknowledging Affluence and Structural Racism
Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett continues the special five-part series, “Through the Eye of the Needle: Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation” on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege. For much of my life, I was not aware that I was being…
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Through the Eye of the Needle, Part 2: I Am Not A Saint
Editor’s Note: Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett continues the special five-part series, “Through the Eye of the Needle: Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation” on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege. One part of my reality as a white person that I took for…
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Seeing Pope Francis in Bolivia
First-year missioner Tom Little shares about seeing the pontiff during the recent papal visit to Bolivia. Last month, I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to attend the papal visit in Santa Cruz. All of Bolivia has been abuzz about Pope Francis’ visit since I arrived in January. Everywhere you turned you would see his face. Since…
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THE RADICAL SAINT FROM ASSISI (NO, NOT *THAT* ONE)
Operations Manager Sarah Hoffeditz offers a reflection on Clare of Assisi in honor of the saint’s Aug. 11 feast day. When I set out on my pilgrimage to Assisi this past May, I expected to learn a lot about St. Francis of Assisi while I was there. After all, he is certainly the most famous resident…
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NEW SERIES – Through the Eye of the Needle: Unpacking White Privilege in the Journey Towards Racial Reconciliation
Editor’s Note: Today lay missioner Annemarie Barrett kicks off a special five-part series on how her time in mission in Latin America is shaping her understanding of racism and privilege. Learn about the significance of the title. Every day I am learning more about what I do not know, my own ignorance. In choosing to…
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Tapping into Potential at the Portiuncula
As the Feast of the Portiuncula approaches, I find myself reflecting on my own visit there this past May. It was my fourth day in Assisi, and I finally felt like I was through the worst of the jet lag and fogginess that comes with it. The day before had been mostly spent in silent…
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An Unsettling Reality
I often forget where the students at Valley of the Angels come from. I forget the lifestyles they face at home. I forget that they are at Valley for a reason. I forget this because, more often than not, the kids are full of love and smiles. I see them laughing, studying, and playing games.…
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Throwback Thursday in honor of Laudato Sii: Mother Earth Teaches
Today Pope Francis releases his environmental encyclical “Laudato Sii,” whose name comes from Saint Francis’ of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation. In celebration, we reshare last summer’s series “Earth Mother Teaches: Digging Deeper into Faith, Community and Justice” in which Franciscan lay missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on what she has learned from working with communities in Cochabamba, Bolivia,…
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“Something’s lost that must be found” – Celebrating St. Anthony of Padua
Editor’s Note: The following post was written by Br. Brian Stacy, OFM Cap. in honor of the June 13 feast of St. Anthony of Padua. “Tony, Tony, turn around! Something’s lost that must be found!” It’s probably one of the most widely known Catholic prayers alongside the Our Father and Hail Mary. St. Anthony of…
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Lent and Larry
As we are still in the Easter season, we remember the many opportunities to reflect on one’s self and determine how to grow as a person beyond the 40 days of preparation during Lent. The sacrifices Jesus made so many years ago afforded the human race a second chance for redemption and the convenience to…
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“The Challenge of Lay Missioners” by Fr. Anselm Moons
Editor’s Note: In celebration of our 25th year of preparing and supporting lay missioners, we look back to our archives at a World Care newsletter from 1990 in which our founder, Fr. Anselm Moons, OFM, describes the importance of lay missioners and the challenges they face. On 22 September 1990, after many months of paperwork…
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“I thirst…”
As Jesus hung on the cross, he proclaimed the words “I thirst.” Jesus called out in need of something to drink, but these two words encompassed more than the desire for a drink of water. Jesus was thirsting for a world filled with peace, joy, hope, and most of all a world filled with love.…
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Eternal fulfillment
Last week we celebrated a funeral for one of the parishioners here in Jamaica. The woman had been sick for a long time, so she was now free from the pain and in God’s loving embrace. The Jamaicans have interesting traditions for funerals. Since most people in Jamaica are not Catholic, the mass is separate…
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Are you hungry?
From time to time, my ministry site CUBE has short term volunteers from the United States. They come to share their time, learn more about Bolivia, and learn more about the fight against sexual violence. Although they bring the best of intentions, at times they struggle to understand the populations with which they are spending time.…
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Rooted in Mother Earth
Life as a Franciscan missioner is full of transition and change. We learn to expect the unexpected and that we are never in control. And the more I reflect on it, the more I realize that these are all just parts of being an adult, the challenging process of learning to embrace change. The Bolivian…
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All that glitters
“Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.”— 1 Peter 3:3-4 I have always loved the world of fashion. Some of…
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Making the Comfortable Uncomfortable
In July, 2009 I attended a social justice immersion summer camp with the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The week long camp challenged high school students from different parts of Maryland to learn about the injustices that were affecting Baltimore City and how we could be advocates for justice and change. During the week we visited many…
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San Damiano Servant Leadership Award Winner Announced
Editor’s Note: Award winner Emma Laut pictured on far left of featured image. Franciscan Mission Service is proud to present the first-ever San Damiano Servant Leadership Award to Emma Laut of Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Through her extensive work with several social justice-minded organizations and her dedication to her faith in Christ, Laut embodies…
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Seeds of Progress
I did not miss clean air or water until I did not have access to them. I did not miss trees, plants, or grass until I could not see them. And I did not know that my upper class background could buy clean air, access to water, and preservation of nature. I grew up in…
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Happy two year anniversary to Jeff!
Editor’s Note: Also pictured in the featured photo is fellow FMS class 28 lay missioner Annemarie Barrett. Jeff Sved is beginning his third year serving in Bolivia this January. Working with many prisons in the Cochabamba area to ensure the inmates are receiving spiritual guidance and materials to make goods to sell for an income,…
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Happy one year anniversary to Hady!
Editor’s Note: Also pictured in featured image is Maryknoll lay missioner Caitlin. One year ago this moth, Hady Mendez, of FMS’ 29th class of missioners, arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Since then, Hady had used her time work with Manos Con Libertad to help women in prison to better their spiritual life and their financial situation,…
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Happy two year anniversary to Annemarie!
Editor’s Note: The following was written by FMS. Also pictured in feature image is former FMS lay missioner Kitzi Hendricks. 2015 is the beginning of Annemarie’s third year as a FMS lay missioner, and we could not be more proud. The work that she has done with the agriculture of the community in Cochabambato to…
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Missioners begin language school
As we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord this past Sunday, signifying Christ beginning his ministry, several of our 30th class of missioners have left for their respective countries this weekend to begin their own ministries. While Jesus went to the desert for 40 days and 40 nights to reflect and pray in preparation for…
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What Does it Mean to be Sent?
After 13 weeks of formation filled with classes, early mornings at service sites, and plenty of community time, the 30th mission class of Franciscan Mission Service walked into the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the Franciscan Monastery filled with our family and friends for our Commissioning Mass to celebrate our being sent out on mission. During…
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Pope Francis gives Address on World Day of Peace
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” As we welcome in the new year, His Holiness Pope Francis is focusing on slavery as the theme for the World Day of Peace on New Years Day 2015. “Tragically,” the Pope writes, “the growing scourge of man’s exploitation by man…
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2014: Year in Review
As 2014 draws to a close, we reflect with gratitude on the past year and those who make our ministries possible. Here are a few organizational highlights from another fruitful year of encouraging the laity to follow the Franciscan mission tradition of sharing in the lives with those on the margins. Thank you for supporting us as…
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The Best Shoes I Ever Had
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” Anusia Dickow is a good friend to FMS. In college I volunteered in an emergency women’s shelter in North Saint Louis. One night, there was only one woman at the shelter, Deborah. This twenty-year-old, Caucasian, college student did not know how to…
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Reality Strikes
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” As part of his ministry, Jeff works alongside the work delegates in the different prisons to coordinate material purchases and machinery upkeep for the inmates’ workshops. Through his relationships with the artisans and leather workers, he also works as one of their…
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Making a Fashion Statement
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” On a recent weekday afternoon, I was reviewing my Quechua homework while waiting to process some of my immigration paperwork in the local immigration office. Quechua is one of the two most widely spoken indigenous languages in Bolivia and is commonly…
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A Shared World at Home
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” I can still remember how nervous I was my first night hosting at Claremont Homeless Advocacy Program (CHAP); I laugh when I think about it now. I started volunteering at CHAP in preparation for formation with FMS in Washington, DC. CHAP…
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An FMS Night Before Christmas
Trying to find a simple and fun way to celebrate the holidays with your community, Secular fraternity, or office? This year, the Franciscan Mission Service staff played the following game at our annual Christmas party and it was a big hit. We sat in a circle and each person had in front of him or…
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God’s Surprises
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” I know now that the squeals were not the finish line. I recently brought flowers to a woman in a nursing home that I visit regularly, and they were received with squeals of delight. I’d met Gladys* the week before at…
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Brother Santa
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” Fr. Tom Washburn, OFM, is the newly elected board president of FMS. My first real experience of ministry took place the very first year that I entered into religious life as a Franciscan. It was 1991, and finally entering religious life was…
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A Special Connection
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” Fr. Michael Della Penna, OFM, is the Director at Valley of the Angels school in Guatemala. I am sharing one of the most touching letters I have ever received here at Valley and perhaps in my 15 years as a priest.…
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Building Bridges
Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” Fr. John Ullrich, OFM, is a close friend of FMS. As a Franciscan friar who’s been professed for more than forty years, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to reach out and serve people in serious need, be it physically, economically, socially…
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