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Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors: God’s Welcoming Presence Abroad

Editor’s note: Christopher Unger is a service member in the United States Air Force and engaged to FMS Graphic Design Associate, Alessia Catena. As a guest blogger for FMS’ Advent blog series, Chris shares his experience finding God overseas in the welcoming outreach of others. My story begins upon arriving to my new duty station…

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Faith Call Us to be Neighbors: “Hospes,” the True Root of Hospitality

Editor’s note: Patrick McKenzie is the Director of Campus Ministry at Neumann University, a Franciscan school in Aston, PA. As a guest blogger for FMS’ 2017 Advent blog series, Patrick shares a “shining moment of true hospitality” and reflects on the true meaning of the word. “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the…

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Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors: Welcoming God in My Grief

Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ 2017 Advent blog series, missioner Cindy Mizes recognizes God’s welcoming presence in the midst of grief and anguish. The photo is from the top of Blue Mountain (Highest peak in Jamaica) which she climbed with others last month. I would never have imagined that I would enter into a world…

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Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors: Open Wide the Doors of Your Heart

Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ 2017 Advent blog series, missioner Erin McHugh reflects on the meaning and application of true hospitality and shares what happens as a result. It is such a beautiful God thing to me that our Advent theme for us this year is hospitality and welcoming the stranger, as I have…

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Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors: Welcome to the Advent Blog Series!

Editor’s note: Associate Director Meghan Meros introduces FMS’ Advent blog series, “Faith Calls Us to be Neighbors,” with a welcome story from Egypt. Tired. Hungry. Disoriented. In need of a shower. After traveling for nearly 24 hours to Cairo, Egypt, I was so ready to sleep, so ready to eat and to stop being in…

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God Sent Me a Telegram

Editor’s note: missioner Tim Shelgren recounts a divine experience in a Jamaican restaurant in Washington, DC. Since last winter, when I first applied to participate as an overseas missioner with FMS, I have been asked numerous times to “think about and explain why and where it is I feel called to serve.” This question has…

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Take Us Out to the Ball Game

Editor’s note: Missioner Stephanie Ashley Caban shares her community bonding experience at the Nationals’ game, thanks to Liz Hughes and Board President Patrick Martin, OFS. In preparation for our tailgate party, SarahJane, Sam, PJ, and Anne-Marie spent the morning heating up hot dogs and buns, excitedly chattering before walking to the Metro. Alessia and I…

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Advent 2016: Be Not Afraid

Throughout the Christmas narrative, God presents people with a challenging invitation while simultaneously reminding them, “Do not be afraid.” Although these words in themselves can be daunting, it’s important to look at what becomes possible when we move past fear. These words are an assurance that, though the fear is justified, it is worth pushing…

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Hidden Treasures

Editor’s Note: After a recent geocaching adventure, missioner Patrick Montine reflects on how placing God at the center of our lives compels us to persevere and find the treasure in any given situation. Recently, my fellow missioner Brandon and I went on a geocaching adventure. For those who don’t know, geocaching is a kind of…

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Letting Go and Following the Risen Christ

Editor’s Note: On this joyous day of salvation, we are reminded of the promise that lies behind Jesus’ invitation to follow him and walk in his footsteps.  Alleluia, He has risen! After these 40 days of sacrifice and waiting, today is one of the most joyous days in the Church year. On this day, we…

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Letting Go and Waiting

Editor’s Note: Holy Saturday teaches us to let go of past hurts and look ahead with hope, even in times of greatest uncertainty. Holy Saturday is a unique day in the Church year. There is no celebration of daily Mass. Until the celebration of the Easter vigil tonight, this day acts as a kind of…

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Letting Go of the Need to Understand

Editor’s Note: On this Holy Thursday, the recounting of the Last Supper reminds us that, like the disciples, we typically do not understand God’s plan at the time of its unfolding. These times of uncertainty offer incredible invitations to trust.  If asked to summarize the way that God usually works in our lives in one sentence…

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Letting Go and Seeking the Truth

Editor’s Note: The image of the cross is incredibly unique in that it simultaneously offers one of the most powerful symbols of suffering but also love and salvation.  In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the people, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you…

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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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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Light! Love! Joy!

Editor’s Note: The following is the final installment of our Millennial Lenten Reflections blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. We thank you for sharing your faith journey this Lent with us and all who contributed. Peace and all Good.  Just as those first rays of sun illuminated the empty tomb…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: That We All Might Be One

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Perhaps the most radical Christian belief is that of the equal dignity and…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Why focus on the cross?

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent. This reflection ​is partially excerpted from an essay the author wrote​ for TIME on April 18, 201​4​.​ Today Christians around…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The Supper of the Lamb

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Tonight we begin the Triduum. Tonight we gather to in remembrance of Christ.…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Seraphic courage

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: A Holy Challenge

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation.” (Psalm 71:…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Which role will you play?

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Jesus’ hour has almost come: the actors are ready to play their roles…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Do all that you can

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The anointing of Jesus at the house of Simon the Leper causes quite…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Divine Forgiveness

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel we hear Caiaphas explain to the Pharisees why he wants…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Keep Calm

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.” Today’s gospel tells us about…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Reflect on your actions

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The image presented to us in today’s Gospel is stark. Jesus, having publicly…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The greatest gift

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For the past few years, I’ve felt especially lucky to have been born…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Stay the course

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  We’re well into Lent. Perhaps what we gave up (or promised ourselves to…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Have Mercy

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today in the Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees present Jesus with an adulterous…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Go forth

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” What a powerful way…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Judge not

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel, Nicodemus questions the Pharisees by asking, “Does our law condemn…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: He is close to me, and to you

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Jesus knew His purpose in life would require intense suffering and the ultimate…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Actions speak louder than words

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Actions speak louder than words, they say. But aren’t some words helpful? Today…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: He lives in you

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today’s Gospel speaks of the intimate union between the Son and the Father…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Calling all servants

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  I’m writing this on a Sunday, and as I lay resting after guiding…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: A call to action

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The second reading from St. Paul to the Ephesians doesn’t always strike me…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Let go of control, embrace God

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  It is tempting to measure the health of our faith—and that of others—by…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The Commandments for Dummies

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Today’s Gospel is a simple, straightforward exchange between Jesus and a scribe—you could…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Harden not your Heart

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The first reading and the reading from today’s Holy Gospel strike a similar…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The Bigger Picture

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For much of Lent, our attention is turned inward as we examine our…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Time to Double Down

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  The question posed to Jesus in today’s Gospel speaks to our Lenten journey.…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Building Anticipation

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  For Christians all over the world, Lent is a season of prayer, almsgiving,…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: The House the Father Built

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s Gospel, I hear loud voices of men bartering in the temple…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Lost and Found

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “‘My son, you are with me always; everything I have is yours. But…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: All you need is love

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Joseph in his beautiful tunic is a familiar image from the Bible and…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Don’t Worry, Act Faithfully

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…Is not life more than…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: A Break from Distractions

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  What is it about our constant desire to be the best? To be…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Confronting Fear

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Fear is an emotion I know well. I feel afraid daily living as…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Godly Compassion

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s gospel, we are challenged to stop judging one another. Instead, we…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: God Knows Best

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  In today’s readings, we read two seemingly competing stories of God speaking of…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Put your Faith in Him

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  Why do bad things happen to good people? This question is repeated time…

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