Month: March 2012
“In giving, we receive” – Selfless Sharing in Boliva
Today’s mission story reminds us of the contagion of charity. One person’s giving prompts other people to give, as Emily Ward witnessed while working with poor women in Bolivia (2006-2009).And whenever we give, we receive more in return. While our missioners give two years in service abroad, they receive in abundance from their community the…
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“To be loved as to love” – Saying Goodbye
Part of the journey toward Easter peace is moving away from “me” and toward “thee,” thinking less of myself and more of others — we are trying becoming “Little Christs.” Like Christ, we are called to love. We are to open our hearts with abandon. Our missioners travel abroad to serve with open hearts. Years later,…
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“To be understood, as to understand” – Teacher learns a lesson in Guatemala
Today’s mission story about David LaDuca teaching in Guatemala (2004-2007) illustrates two important characteristics of FMS. The first is that we ask the community what they need — we do not try to force help on them, and we do not want to take their jobs away. The local community knows their needs better than…
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World Water Day 2012 – Water and Food Security
Did you know that it takes 3,000 liters of water to satisfy your daily needs? When you add up the liquids you consume and what goes into making the food you eat, the products you use, the clothes you wear, and the water you use in the bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, that’s about 12,680…
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Annual fundraiser gathers together family of Franciscans
Guests of honor: Cardinal McCarrick, Cardinal Wuerl, Dr. Margaret Melady, Ambassador Thomas Melady Friday night, guests mingled and discussed their common interests of service, peace, justice and care for creation at St. Francis Hall in Washington, DC, for the World Care Benefit and Celebration, which raised more than $25,000 in support of FMS. Guests of…
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“To be consoled as to console” – Leonel and his father
The students of the rural Unidad Académica Campesina – Carmen Pampa overcome many obstacles to receive a college education in Bolivia. The indigenous Quechua and Aymara peoples have little access to health care or education and survive by farming small plots. Students often juggle the stresses of school with those of helping their family. Our missioner…
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“Where the is sadness, joy” – A survivor in Kenya
Some of the people overseas with whom our missioners walk have witnessed and experienced horrible tragedies from natural disasters to genocide. Filled with memories of death and destruction, these people still found things in which to rejoice, living out today’s petition from the peace prayer, “Where there is sadness, joy.” Fr. George Corrigan, OFM, reflects on one of the…
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“Where there is darkness…” God’s light in Africa
May the following reflection by one of our first missioners, Megeen White Testa, help us ponder today’s plea from the peace prayer that we might bring light to the darkness.Megeen served in Zimbabwe and Zambia from 1991 to 1993 as part of our first class of lay missioners. After returning to the U.S., she served…
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“Where there is despair, hope” – The blind teenager in El Salvador
“Where there is despair, hope” asks today’s line of the Franciscan Peace Prayer. The blind teenager whom Maria Fernandez met on mission had such dispair that when they met, he cried, “I just want to die.” May this story from Maria’s time in El Salvador (2002-2005) remind us how we can accompany people through their darkest times. Even…
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International Women’s Day 2012: Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty
FMS missioner Emily Ward (Bolivia, 2006-2009) with women in the Tantakun bakery of Mineros San Juan in Ushpa-Uspha, Bolivia. Happy International Women’s Day! Today, organizations and individuals across the world recognize that securing peace, social progress, freedom and the enjoyment of human rights depends on the participation, equality and development of women. The United Nations…
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“Where there is doubt” – Proclaiming the Gospel in South Africa
Tim Marcy gives most of the Sunday homilies at his church in Johannesburg, South Africa. His other ministries include working at the antri-retroviral treatment center and visiting the local hospital. “Many people here lead somewhat restricted social lives primarily, I believe, because most homes are walled-in and gated-off, and people don’t casually visit each other. Deacon…
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“Where there is injury” – Healing presence in El Salvador
From 2004 to 2007, Pat Clausen was on mission as a nurse practitioner in Chiltiúpan, El Salvador. She recounts below a time when the community there came together to support one of her terminal patients. In today’s peace prayer petition, we ask to that the Lord use us to bring pardon where there is injury. …
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