2012 | Page 2 of 3 | Franciscan Mission Service

Franciscan Friday: Not The Only Fool In The Square

This past week our missioner candidates and domestic volunteers took a day retreat to reflect on the theme of Simplicity and Authenticity. Domestic Volunteer Anna Robinson shares her take on the group discussions and the “Discipline of Simplicity.” Assisi’s town square – by Peter Gutierrez When you think of St. Francis, what is the first…

Mission Monday: They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

Missioner Nora Pfeiffer is not the only one moving on from their community in Cochabamba, Bolivia. And saying goodbye to neighbors just makes you realize how much you appreciated the company. I find myself recently reminded of the words from the Joni Mitchell song “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t what you got…

Challenged to live as Franciscan “Minority”

For this Franciscan Friday post, missioner candidate Annemarie Barrett answers a question discussed in her formation class, “What does the Franciscan value of “minority” mean to my life and relationships?” Throughout our formation thus far, the value of “minority” in Franciscan spirituality has particularly affected me. During our sessions instructed by Fransican religious, I have…

The Ministry of Presence Found in the Barber’s Chair.

Missioner candidate Paul Heinzen has been volunteering at the Gift of Peace House in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday mornings as part of his formation. For this Wednesday he shares with us a bit of his work and the unusual role that has lead to new friendships. The Sisters of Charity, also known as Mother Theresa’s…

Mission Monday: Passing the Baton

As members of Franciscan Mission Service’s Mission Class XVIII is in D.C. train for mission abroad, members of Mission Class XV prepare to return to the United States this holiday season. Joel Vaughn, who serves in Cochabamba, reflects on this transitional time. Passing the baton. Stock image by Grace Yang. As Lynn and I complete…

San Damiano Cross: Telling the History of Christ’s Passion

The San Damiano cross is the large Romanesque rood cross that hung in the abandoned chapel near Assisi. While still in his early 20’s and seeking his place in the world, Francis of Assisi was praying before this cross when he heard the voice of God commanding him to “rebuild my church.” It is because…

Getting To Know the “Real” St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi by Cimabue Did you know that statues of St. Francis are the second most popular lawn ornament sold every year – right behind pink flamingo? That is an image many people have of St. Francis, certainly one reinforced by Franco Zeffirelli’s film “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” another in a long line…

Bolivia’s Pedestrian Day: Raising Awareness and Having Fun

Kitzi Hendricks, on mission in Cochabamba, shares her experiences from Bolivia’s second annual National Day of the Pedestrian, an event to raise awareness about the environment. Missioner Kitzi Hendricks enjoying a rare traffic-free bike ride on the street of Cochabamba El Día del Peatón is probably one of my favorite days in Bolivia. It is…

Mission Monday: Sharing in Christ’s Fellowship

During their training in D.C., our mission candidates take a morning each week to volunteer in the local community. For this Mission Monday, Annemarie Barrett shares what it’s like to work alongside Christ’s chosen company. Photo: www.fathermckennacenter.org Every Wednesday morning during formation, I visit the Father McKenna Center, a daytime drop-in center for men who…

Hunger Action Month: Needy vs. NIMBY

Why haven’t we found a solution to hunger? Why do so many people differ on the issue? For our last Franciscan Friday post dedicated to Hunger Action Month, St. Francis Inn volunteer Karen Bushaw shares her take on the struggles of neighborhood food pantries. In this election year we are being told by analysts that…

Identifying the Cause: A Candidate’s Reflection on the Caravan for Peace.

Our formation class attended the Caravan for Peace event when it came to D.C. Paul Heinzen shares with us his reflection of the event and how it relates to the greater issues of drug trafficking. Photo taken from http://www.drugwar101.com/blog/archives/199 On September 10th, I attended a presentation by the Caravan for Peace, concerning increased citizen casualties…

Mission Monday: Ready, Set…

For this Mission Monday post, mission candidate Jeff Sved shares the process of slowing down that he’s found challenging during formation. Jeff’s picture of the Franciscan Monastery If asked to describe how formation has been so far, I’d say it has been a walk in the park. Are most of you picturing a lazy, unproductive…

Hunger Action Month: Hungry vs. Hunger

A high school student from New Hampshire reflects on volunteering at St. Francis Inn, a soup kitchen in Philadelphia, for this Hunger Action Month post. “I’m hungry.” This phrase is often spoken by my family, friends and myself. All we have to do is go look through the kitchen for something “good” to eat. The…

Finding and Sharing Perfect Joy

The three members of our 28th Lay Mission Class have begun their training in Washington, D.C. Candidate Jeff Sved reflects on his formation so far. Over these first few weeks with FMS, one theme has continued to demand my attention. It has continued to surface during our various formation sessions and to dominate my personal…

Mission Monday: Realizing one’s humanity is a good place to start.

Finishing up her second week in formation, mission candidate Annemarie Barrett shares her initial thoughts and reflections on preparing for mission. What was the essence of the life of Saint Francis? Following his example, how am I called to live as a lay missioner? As I engage the second week of formation as a lay…

The Face of Hunger : Who is my brother? Who is my sister?

We’re featuring guest posts from fellow Franciscan organizations dealing with hunger in the U.S. as part of Hunger Action Month. Today’s post comes from a St. Francis Inn Ministries in Pennsylvania. On July 19, 393 people came to the doors of St. Francis Inn, a soup kitchen in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, for a…

Mission Monday: Hospice Residents Celebrate Feast Day

Domestic Volunteers who staff the office at our headquarters are taking Wednesday afternoons to serve at various sites around the D.C. area. Each volunteer is partnered with a non-profit and spending a few hours each week there through their service commitment at Franciscan Mission Service. So far, volunteer Chelsea has had a festive experience at…

Hunger Action Month: Welcoming the Nameless is Welcoming Change

As part of Hunger Action Month, we’re featuring guest posts from fellow Franciscan organizations dealing with hunger in the U.S. Today’s post comes from a Franciscan Outreach Volunteer serving at a soup kitchen in Chicago. Franciscan Outreach Association’s Marquard Center serves dinner to roughly 100 guests every night of the year. In addition to that,…

New Mission Candidates get a taste of Bolivia

Over the Labor Day weekend the new mission candidates started arriving from all over the country. And what good timing! It just so happened there was a Bolivian festival going on at the Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas, VA. Many of these candidates are interested in going to Bolivia for their two years, so…

Mission Monday: Welcome Class XXVIII!

They came by plane. They came by car. And now they are all settled into Casa San Salvador. Joining us at Franciscan Mission Service are three generous and faith-filled people from across the country. Representing their native lands, they are: Paul Heinzen: Wisconsin Jeff Sved: Pennsylvania Annemarie Barrett: Minnesota For the next 14 weeks…

Franciscan Friday: Franciscan Education Part 2 – A Professor’s Perspective

As part of our mini-series in recognition of the start of the school year, a professor shares with us her experience working at a Franciscan institution and what is important about an education inspired by Franciscan values. I spent my first 15 years of teaching at state universities all over the country before we settled…

Daring to Dream Anew: Kim Smolik Addresses CMSM Assembly

“Be more of who you are,” Franciscan Mission Service Executive Director Kim Smolik told Conference of Major Superiors of Men. The 200-plus attendees gathered in Texas earlier this month represented more than 17,000 Catholic religious brothers and priests in the United States. Kim Smolik’s well-received talk at the CMSM 2012 Assembly examined young adults In her…

Meet Our New House Manager: Danielle

Danielle Walsh comes to us from the far distant lands of Arizona, where she grew up for most of her childhood before moving to “everywhere.” Since her teenage years she has moved around a lot, domestically and internationally, but now finds a home in D.C. working as our most welcoming hostess and House Manager. Pre…

Franciscan Friday: Franciscan Education Part 1 – A Student’s Perspective

Come August, students and faculty say goodbye to summer vacation and hello to a new school year. Blocks, streets, even towns dedicated as campuses bustle with knowledge seekers. Education becomes the number one priority in superstores and receives headlines come election season. As Claiborne Pell once said, “The strength of the United States is not…

Mission Monday: Ministry of Presence with Prisoners

Missioner Charles currently teaches English at various sites around Cochabamba including El Abra prison. For this “Mission Monday” he shares his experience of ministry of presence with one of the prisoners. El Abra Prison Albert*, from Mali, Africa. was arrested in November, 2011 for carrying two suitcases containing cocaine and then detained at El Abra. His…

Ramadan: “My Lord, forgive me”

Today is the last post in our special Franciscan Friday series on Ramadan by guest blogger Fr. Michael Calabria, OFM. “Asking forgiveness for one’s sins is an essential aspect of Islamic prayer and Ramadan.” The last couple of weeks seem to have been particularly violent in the world and in the U.S. In Egypt, tensions…

Meet Our Newest Volunteer, Anna!

Last week a new face moved into our office. Anna Robinson has joined our communications team after completing a couple of volunteer programs this past year. Calling the Midwest home, Anna grew up in many places, but found herself in Milwaukee, WI in 2007 where she attended Cardinal Stritch University for four years, obtaining a…

Feast Of The Assumption: May We All Be Tabernacles

Photo from flickr user Mr. Ducke On August 15, the Catholic church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption, a day recognizing the Virgin Mary’s completion of her early life and “was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus, Pope Pius XII, 1950). As we reflect on her transition into heaven, we remember that…

Feast of St. Clare: Reflecting on Her Journey

Communications associate Anna Robinson reflects on walking in the footsteps of Clare in Assisi. In one of my speech classes I had heard how St. Clare (Clara) was a leader, an initiator, how she took things upon herself to see them done, and how she was confidant in her faith. This resonated with me and…

Ramadan: Do This in Memory of Me

To celebrate interfaith friendship and St. Francis’ history with Islam, Franciscan Fridays is starting a series on Ramadan. Check back every Friday though August 17 for posts by Fr. Michael Calabria, OFM. A master instructs a scribe. India, ca. 1590 On the stone altar in the church of my parents’ parish in Florida, on the…

FAN’s Commitment to Civility in Discourse

Photo by League of Women Voters of Califorina, via flickr In yesterday’s reading from Ephesians we hear, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God,…

Ramadan: Being Conscious of God

“Fasting is prescribed for you…that you may taqwa.” (Qur’an 2.183) Taqwa. It’s a hard word to pronounce correctly unless you’ve mastered Arabic pronunciation. The q-sound (qaf) is made far back in the throat, not like the more superficial k-sound (kaf). And because of the q-sound, the pronunciation of the preceding ta- is changed. Taqwa is…

Meet Our Newest Volunteer, Chelsea!

Chelsea Tanous recently joined our staff and volunteer community as program associate, jumping in to help with missioner formation and work on the Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trips. No stranger to service, Chelsea just finished a volunteer year in Connecticut with the Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps. She served as a case worker at homeless shelter and as…

Franciscan Friday’s on Ramadan: Preparing for the Light

To celebrate interfaith friendship and St. Francis’ history with Islam, Fr. Michael Calabria, OFM is guest blogging about Ramadan every Friday though August 17. A shop in Cairo displaying Ramadan lanterns for sale. Dates – the sugary sweet fruit of the palm tree. They are the first food traditionally eaten after a day of fasting…

Mission as Peacemaking

How does mission promote peace around the world? Marie Dennis, co-president of Pax Christi International, delved into this topic at our last Souposium event before our summer hiatus. Accompaniment, solidarity, and building bridges of understanding – the hallmarks of mission also help make and promote peace between people, countries and cultures. Check out these two excerpts from…

Franciscan Friday’s on Ramadan: Fasting to Reorient

To celebrate interfaith friendship and St. Francis’ history with Islam, Franciscan Fridays is starting a series on Ramadan. Check back every Friday though August 17 for posts by Fr. Michael Calabria, OFM. A late-medieval Qur’an from Spain, opened to Sura (Chapter) 40 which begins: “The revelation of the Book is from God, the Mighty and…

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Aenean eu leo quam. Pellentesque ornare sem lacinia quam venenatis vestibulum. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Nulla vitae elit libero, a pharetra augue. Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Aenean eu leo quam. Pellentesque ornare…

Amazon Day and the Martyrom of Rainforest Protectors

Yasuní National Park As the most biodiverse place in the world, the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon teems with life. Just one hectacre of of the park has as many species of tree and shrubs as all of Canada and the United States combined. In addition to plants and animals, the rainforest is…

Mission Monday: The impact of the U.S. nuns and their bus

The Nuns on the Bus rolled into Washington, D.C. last week and Executive Director Kim Smolik attended the prayer service and press conference welcoming the sisters home from a nine-state tour against the proposed federal budget. Despite the heat, a crowd of 300 cheered as fourteen nuns climbed off the bus at the end of…

Franciscan Friday: One Body in Solidarity

During our Discernment Days closing prayer this afternoon, we read from 1 Corinthians about the gifts of the spirit, varieties of service and our connection as members of one body. Verse 26 drew us in particular to deeper reflection, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all…

Mission Monday: An Eye-Opening Experience

“How often I still only see the surface in my own life and those I come in contact with,” reflected missioner Michael Redell after learning more about the lives — and homes — of the people he serves in Bolivia. Women and children at a health workshop His ministry with a mobile hospital in rural…

Franciscan Friday: Friar in South Africa Receives Awards

Fr. Stan Brennan, OFM [EDITOR’ NOTE, JULY 6, 2012: We have learned that Fr. Stan passed away today. Last Sunday he joined Tim, Cecilia and other members of St. Francis Care for prayer, and he received communion in his wheelchair from Tim. “It was wonderful to be together in his company with the group,” Cecilia…

Praise for Brother Sun – Happy Aymara New Year!

Thousands of Bolivians gathered this morning on Inka Rakay, a mountain sacred to the Aymara people, to greet the sun rise that marks the winter solstice and their new year. Pilgrims wave the Andean flag, called a wiphala, at the sunrise to greet the new year. Because June 21 is the shortest day of the…

Happy Father’s Day – Ministry of Presence

Richard Nalen encourages nap time with two girls, Noemi and Natalia, that are being treated for burns at Mosoj P’unchay, part of the Franciscan Social Center located in Cochabamba, Bolivia “‘Zeechard, no te vayas,’ whines Marcos, who expresses dissatisfaction as I near the door. He is my two-and-a-half year-old friend, although my wife Kristen once…

St. Anthony of Padua, Friend of the Poor

One of the most recognizable and popular saints of the Church after Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, has captured the imagination of generations for being the “finder of lost items. And with some reason: how often after a saying a prayer to him in desperation we’ve “looked again” for a misplaced set of…

Franciscan Friday: In Right Relation with Creation

With spring ending and summer beginning, it’s the time of year when people start to move outdoors to take advantage of the nice weather. Whether you’re gardening, camping, going to the beach or grilling in the backyard, you’re out enjoying God’s creation. At our April Souposium, Patrick Carolan, executive director of Franciscan Action Network, led a…

Read all about it: June e-newsletter hits in-boxes

You don’t want to miss our latest quarterly newsletter, the Franciscan World Care! In addition to updates from the mission field and an inspiring story from a returned missioner, our June issue contains a very exciting announcement about future mission opportunities with FMS. This issue is the first entirely digital version of the newsletter. The new e-mail…

Finding God in “thin places”

“Thin places,” says New York Times writer Eric Weiner, are “locales where the distance between heaven and earth collapses and we’re able to catch glimpses of the divine, or the transcendent.” These places can confuse, disorient, relax and redirect us. They can be traditionally sacred places like a church, or wild and untamed like a…

Mission and Motherhood: Growing in God

Patty Sollmann, returned missioner and mother of three “I compare my mission experience to motherhood, and the impact that motherhood has on one’s life,” says Patty Sollmann, who served in Guatemala from 1992 to 1994 as part of FMS’ second lay mission class. “Both have stretched me and challenged me to embrace God’s plan of…

Mission Monday: Book signing in Zambia

Fr. Joseph Mutemena, OFM Conv., talks to Sandra Bradford’s English class about his book and becoming a priest. When missioner Sandra Bradford taught the creative writing unit to her St. Francis Secondary School’s 11th grade English class in Zambia, she decided to use an example from the community. “The Beasts of Ghosts Town” is about…

Year: 2012

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