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Year: 2011

Prayers for Christmas: Dreams and Goals

“My hope for the new year is that everyone I love fulfills their dreams and goals.” – Sylvia, a student worker at the pastoral juvenil vocacional in Bolivia where missioner Lynn Myrick teaches English and coordinates a film series. On this New Year’s Eve, Franciscan Mission Service certainly doesn’t believe that “old acquaintances should be forgot and…

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Prayers for Christmas: Generous Heart and Perseverance

Dan McNeil on mission in Novosibirsk, Siberia (1992-1995) Today’s prayer comes from returned missioner Dan McNeil who served in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia from 1992 to 1995. “My prayer for the New Year is what I pray nearly each day: Lord, help me to be good soil; ready to receive you with a generous…

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Deadline for tax-deductible donations: Dec. 31

Original photo by Charles Thompson Don’t miss your chance to make a tax-deductible gift in 2011 and help us promote peace and social justice through Franciscan lay mission! Donations made out to “Franciscan Mission Service” must be postmarked to P.O. Box 29034, Washington, DC 20017 or submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on December 31 to met the…

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Prayers for Christmas: Life and Health

“A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.” – Matthew 2:18/Jeremiah 31:15 Massacre of the Innocents On this Feast of the Holy Innocents, the Church remembers the boys under the age of two near Bethlehem who were killed in Herod’s fury. Two…

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Prayers for Christmas: Renewal

Today’s prayer comes from Lynn Myrick, a missioner currently serving in Bolivia: “I am grateful that God continually renews the human spirit in the midst of suffering and struggle.  In the new year, I bless the efforts of all those who strive to renew the earth: artists, musicians, scientists, teachers, engineers, doctors and nurses —…

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Prayers for Christmas: Wisdom and Strength in the New Year

The Christmas liturgical season is just beginning! Join us through the new year in praying with our missioners and those they serve overseas. Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from Noemi, a teacher at an after-school program in Bolivia where our missioner Catherine serves.“Lord, for the next year I ask you to continue to bless me, and to…

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Prayers for Christmas: Joy to the World!

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.”Share in our joy with our “Prayers for Christmas” video. May you have a happy, healthy, holy day filled with…

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Prayers for Christmas: Why Christmas?

Original photo by Ambuj Saxena “Why Christmas? Our vision, our purpose, our goal: to know, to love, and to serve God. To know God, to know the love between the Trinity, to know the Son, and through Him the Father, and the love that is the Spirit. To know the almighty, the creator, the everlasting,…

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Prayers for Christmas: Witness of Love

“This Christmas I am grateful that the love God showed the world in sending His Incarnate Son has been shown again to me personally in the grace of His sending me to witness to that Love, Jesus Christ, in Africa.” – Sandra Bradford, missioner, Zambia Sandra serves with her husband Bryce through a partnership with the Province…

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Prayers for Christmas: Food and Health

We hear the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat, in today’s Gospel from Luke: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;my spirit rejoices in God my savior.for he has looked upon his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me,and holy is his Name.He has mercy on…

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Prayers for Christmas: Silent Night

Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from Rhegan Hyypio, FMS program director and returned missioner who served in Brazil from 2005 to 2007 and Bolivia from 2007 to 2008. “May we truly hear the cry of the poor, hungry, sick, afflicted and marginalized in our midst this Christmas. And may we respond in love, acting with…

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Prayers for Christmas: More of God, Less of Us

John the Baptist spent his life announcing the coming of Christ. When Jesus was beginning his public ministry, John said “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). John had done his job in baptizing with water, and it was now time to step aside for the one who would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit.…

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Prayers for Christmas: Jesus

“This Christmas I am thankful for the sky, the flowers, the trees, and the people around me — and that Jesus died for us.”  – 90-year-old South African woman to whom FMS missioner Tim Marcy brings communion weekly Photo by Rennet Stowe It might seem strange to talk about Jesus’ death this time of year. Suffering…

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Prayers for Christmas: Family

The Gospel for today looks at Jesus’ family tree. Forty-two generations culminate in the birth of Christ. Generations of our own families gather in celebration of this birth this time of year. “I thank God that for having had one more year of my family being together. At Christmas we reconfirm the unity of our…

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Prayers for Christmas: Art and Sharing

Photo from flickr, localjapantimes Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from Andrew Kaleya, a Zambian artist and friend of missioners Sandra and Bryce Bradford. “My prayer is to support my family through art in this coming year, and also to be able to share with others the little things which we have during Christmas.”   Andrew…

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Prayers for Christmas: Compassion

Happy Feast of Blessed Mary Frances Shervier, member of the Secular Franciscan Third Order and founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor! Frances dedicated herself and her congregation to the healing of all persons, especially the poor and the suffering. “I believed that I saw the Lord himself in the poor and the sick,…

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Prayers for Christmas: Reason for the Season

“My prayer for Christmas is that the REAL reason for the season takes ahold of our hearts and grows us more in God’s unabounding love.”  – Michael Redell, FMS lay mission class 27 Kitzi and Michael at their commissioning. Photo by Gerald Martineau. It is because of God’s love that Michael and fellow missioner Kitzi…

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Prayers for Christmas: The Poor and Tolerance

Fred Cain in Brazil “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” – Responsorial psalm appointed for today. Our prayer for Christmas comes from Fred Cain, one of our returned missioners who served in Brazil from 1999 to 2001. “This Christmas, I am thankful for the reminder that Jesus is among us in the guise…

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Prayers for Christmas: Mothers and Fathers

From flickr user Samuraijohnny “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.” Luke 1:43-44. The gospel for today features two mothers: Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and…

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Prayers for Christmas: Joy

On this Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, we rejoice that Jesus is almost here, that our wait it almost over! Today’s joyful prayer for Christmas comes from Sr. Erika, one of missioner Lynn Myrick’s students in Bolivia. Sr. Erika is a St. Joseph sister studying to become a physical therapist. We’ve included her…

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Prayers for Christmas: Volunteering and Human Rights

FMS Executive Director Kim Smolik offers a reflection as today’s prayer for Christmas: To say I am blessed in the work I do would be an understatement. I think a job like mine is a rare gift — it takes me around the world, to places one does not usually think of visiting, into the…

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Prayers for Christmas: Strength and Hope for Zambia

FMS lay missioners spend much of their time on mission in ministries of presence–cultivating relationships and connections in their host communities that change them as well as the people to whom they minister Through this journey, the prayers of the community can become the prayers of the missioner. Missioner and teacher Bryce Bradford shares his…

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Prayers for Christmas: Mary and God’s plan

Today we give thanks for Mary and her Immaculate Conception. Through her appearances, she has had a powerful impact on the lives of the people with whom we walk overseas, especially those in Latin America. Because God intended for Mary to be the mother of Jesus, God protected her at the first moment of her…

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Prayers for Christmas: Kindness

Paul in Ghana Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from Br. Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, of Holy Name Province, who served as a lay missioner to Jamaica and Africa in the mid-’90s. “This Christmas I am thankful for the many people God has placed in my life the past year. For those people who have loved me,…

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Prayers for Christmas: Children

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas, patron saint of children! Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from our youngest contributors: 6-year-old Bolivians recovering from burns. “We are grateful for airplanes, flowers, dolls, backpacks and shoes.” The children live and heal at the Franciscan burn center in Cochabamba until they are well enough to return home to their…

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Prayers for Christmas: Love and Companionship

Padre David uses a rose and holy water to perform blessings after Mass. Today’s prayer comes from Padre David Cordozo, parish priest of Our Lady of La Salette in Bolivia. “Esta navidad, estoy agradecido por todas las personas que conocí y por las que estan siempre a mi lado. Para el año nuevo, espero que…

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Prayers for Christmas: Unity and Understanding

Kitzi Hendricks, who is being commissioned today as part of our 27th class of lay missioners, shares her prayer for Christmas: “I pray for understanding in our world – a world that is so noticeably divided by individualism and personal gain. I pray that there may be conversion of hearts this holiday season in that…

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Prayers for Christmas: Opportunity and Service

Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Matthew 9: 36-38). FMS missioner Joel Vaughn expresses gratitude for being one of these laborers in his prayer for Christmas. “This Christmas, I am thankful for…

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Prayers for Christmas: Comfort and Hope

Kathy Snider on mission in Guatemala, 1998 to 2000. Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from returned missioner Kathy Snider: “My prayer for Christmas is for those who have experienced loss of a loved one due to death or separation, of home due to natural disasters or foreclosure, of food and due to drought and poverty,…

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Prayers for Christmas: World AIDS Day

Worldwide, 33.4 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS, and more than 67 percent (approximately 22.4 million people) of those infected are in sub-Saharan Africa. On this World AIDS Day, and our thoughts and prayers turn to patients of St. Francis Care Clinic in South Africa where our missioners Cecilia and Tim Marcy serve. FMS…

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Prayers for Christmas: Youth and Inspiration

Our missioner Nora in Bolivia with children at the Franciscan burn center Remember what St. Paul said in his letter to Timothy? “Let no one look down on you because of your youth, be an example of faith, love and purity to all believers.” FMS trains, commissions and supports lay missioners as young as 22…

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Prayers for Christmas: Justice and Peace

In today’s Mass readings, we are reminded of a future where “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.” Our missioner Catherine Giller echoes this hope in her prayer for Christmas. “My prayer in this Christmas season is that the true light of the world will shine for all to see…

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Add to Our Prayer Wall

Each day of Advent, we’re sharing a prayer from one of our missioners, people they serve, volunteers, staff, board members and friends all around the world. Today’s prayer is from Tim Marcy, one of our lay missioners in South Africa who works at an HIV/AIDS clinic and is a practicing deacon. “This Christmas I am…

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FMS’ prayers for Christmas

Join us in preparing for Christmas by giving thanks for all the blessings God has bestowed on us! We’ve gathered prayers from around the world to share with you this Advent, and this video is a collection of some of our favorites: Check our blog each day until Christmas for a new prayer from someone…

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Mark your calendars: Commissioning Mass of Class XXVII

You’re invited to join us for the commissioning of the 27th class on Sunday, December 4 at 11:15 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Arlington. After Mass there will be a reception. After 13 weeks of formation with FMS, Michael Redell and Kitzi Hendricks will be commissioned as our newest lay missioners. In…

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Mission Monday: Learning to listen

Today’s post is taken from the blog of missioner-in-training, Kitzi Hendricks. Kitzi is nearing the end of her 13-week formation in D.C. and will leave for mission in Bolivia in January. One of Kitzi’s photos of the homeless. “The concept of sitting and listening isn’t always easy for me. As I have witnessed over the…

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Mission Monday: What is consecrated time?

Credit: Toni Verdú Carbó, flickr Today we feature an excerpt from the blog of Lynn Myrick, one of our lay missioners in Bolivia, in which she ponders the meaning of “consecrated time.” “Recently, I have been seeking a definition of the term consecrated time. I know that the consecrated life refers to the dedicated lives…

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Sixteen Years of Collaborating on Catholic Missions

For the 16th consecutive year, Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) missioners have just completed an annual training called the “Collaborative Formation Gathering.” First beginning in the autumn of 1996, the annual collaborative training of several Catholic lay missionary organizations in the United States seeks to create new forms of knowledge and praxis for overseas mission. With…

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Mission Monday: A trip to the Apartheid Museum

For our first “Mission Monday,” post, we’d like to share with you excerpts from the blog of our missioners in South Africa, Tim and Cecilia Marcy. “We recently visited the internationally acclaimed Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. Through photos, interactive displays, film clips, two longer films, and hundreds of actual items and displays with aural or…

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More Connected…but More Disconnected?

During formation for Franciscan Mission Service’s (FMS) long-term mission program, mission candidates traditionally participate in multiple simplicity workshops. Within these workshops, future missioners explore the diverse meanings of simplicity within the context of their lives, their culture and society, and their future identities as Catholic lay missioners living among the poor. In turn, this provides…

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A Harvest Gathering at FMS

Twenty-four meal guests dining in the coziness of the dining room at Casa San Salvador. During the late afternoon and evening of Saturday, October 8th, Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) board member Evelyn Mercantini and her husband John hosted a group of their closest friends at FMS for “A Harvest Gathering.” Since joining the board of…

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Transitus 2011: Honoring St. Francis of Assisi

On the evening of Monday, October 3, 2011, mission candidates and staff members of Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) attended the Transitus ceremony at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in Washington, D.C. The Transitus ceremony, which annually commerates the passing of St. Francis from earthly life to eternal life, was attended by…

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The Complexity of Food Simplicity

Even simple food is complex. Ask someone to define “simple food,” and you may get a variety of responses. It may be interpreted as low-salt or flavorless food; food purchased under the constraints of a small budget; food that provides essential nutrients while lacking the excitement of tons of sugar or fat; vegetarian and/or vegan…

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A Dialogue about Vulnerability

On the evening of September 8, 2011, a group from Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) attended Pax Christi USA’s Annual Momentum event at Catholic University. Entitled “Peace & Reconciliation: Spiritual Reflections a Decade After 9/11,” the event encouraged attendees to take into account the variety of responses that were taken as a result of the attacks.…

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Bienvenidos to our New Mission Candidates!

Franciscan Mission Service (FMS) would like to give a big welcome to its two new lay mission candidates, Kitzi Hendricks and Michael Redell! Kitzi is originally from northern California and Michael is orignally from western Michigan. Slated to arrive and begin their two-year service in Cochabamba, Bolivia in January 2012, both of them possess a…

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How to be forgetful…the Franciscan way

In his recent article “The Rugged Altruists,” N.Y. Times op-ed columnist David Brooks discusses three virtues that American individuals must possess in order to better create successful impacts (from the point of view of the recipients) upon communities around the world that are disadvantaged in areas like education, economic prosperity, and health. Brooks extols personal…

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A Year at FMS: One Volunteer’s Reflection

Domestic Volunteer Susie Zagar, who began working at FMS in July 2011, reflects her year of service at Franciscan Mission Service. Planting a prayer in the garden during our Peace Pole Event in August 2010. It is hard to believe that a year could go by so fast, yet it is already August 2011, just…

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Becoming a Sacred Flame: The Franciscan Federation Conference

This past July our Program Director Rhegan Hyypio traveled to Milwaukee, WI to attend the Annual Franciscan Federation Conference, which brought together Franciscans from all over the United States to embrace the Gospel and examine how St. Francis and St. Clare drew specifically on the Gospel of John in how they carried out their daily…

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Mission Trip To Guatemala and El Salvador

We were thankful to our FMS house managers Daena and Eduardo Padilla for sharing their mission trip with the Franciscan Mission Service community. They provided an account of their journey and a picture presentation of the places they traveled to. The simple joy of bubbles – In Guatemala, blowing bubbles with the kids. Every summer…

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An FMS Missioner’s Reflection

We are grateful to be able to share a post written by Tim Marcy, one of our missioners in South Africa. Feel free to print this out and keep it with you, write a journal entry based on what you read, or share with your friends and loved ones. I like to walk, and when…

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