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Year: 2013

The Light of One: How It Starts

Continuing our reflection series “The Light of One”, Community of Sant’Egidio member Charlie Gardner writes about a graced insight toward gratitude. On one morning commute, I detoured to a grocery store to pick up a few items, but somehow ending up grabbed a blueberry muffin from the bakery. Then I spotted a chocolate pastry. In…

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The Light of One: Owen

Continuing our reflection series “The Light of One”, Susan Burke (OFS) writes about the amazing gift of her grandson, Owen. The person who sent me on a different way will be three years old in January. If he had been born as scheduled, he would be three in May. Owen, my grandson, arrived four months…

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The Light of One: Preparing to be Overwhelmed

Continuing our reflection series, “The Light of One”, Communications Associate Michael Carlson writes about the spiritual strength of facing the reality of our own limitations. As a former high school teacher, the students I remember most clearly are the ones I still worry about. I’ll refer to this former student as “Hannah”, after the mother…

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The Light of One: A Father’s Love

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned Missioner Catherine Giller writes about a man whose service for his family exemplified the commitment of selfless love. During my first mission experience for FMS in Sacaba, Bolivia, I met Eulalio. Fortunately for their family, Eulalio’s wife had steady work selling food staples. In their relationship, the care…

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The Light of One: In Gratitude

Continuing our daily Christmas reflection series, Valerie Ellis writes about how her faith has been shaped through the caring presence of her pastor, Fr. Len Plazewski. As my family and friends will tell you, I have never been much for seeking advice. In fact, I have prided myself for many years on self-sufficiency. Even more…

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The Light of One: From Tourist to Traveler

On the Feast of St. Stephen, Fr. Jason Welle, OFM, continues our reflection series today writing about how his faith grew stronger after a gentle challenge. As we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us be open to the gentle challenge of Christ who constantly makes Himself present to us. I traveled to…

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The Light of One: The Gift of a Mentor

Merry Christmas! Continuing our daily reflection series “The Light of One”, Casa San Salvador community member and NETWORK Lobby Associate James Luisi writes about the impact a mentor’s faith had on him. As I ponder the blessings of Advent, I want to reflect on how grateful I am for the guidance of one mentor in…

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The Light of One: God’s Presence

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned missioner and former board member, Doug Garofalo, writes about a woman named Sonia who led him to a deeper faith by example. Upon my return to Uberlandia from Brasilia after completing a language and culture course for foreign missionaries, I still felt inept speaking Brazilian-Portuguese. Fortunately for me,…

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The Light of One: Diary of a Young Southern Catholic

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Secular Franciscan and Franciscan Mission Service Board Member Patrick Martin writes about the impact meeting Franciscans had on his faith as an impressionable Catholic college student in the South. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, southern Catholics were not part of the national Catholic culture. We didn’t talk like the…

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The Light of One: An Angel’s Message

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Communications Coordinator Bridget Higginbotham shares how her life has been shaped through the message of her grandmother’s life. This time of year brings about a host of angel decorations, and each time I see one I am reminded of my grandmother who loved angels. The word “angel” is derived…

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The Light of One: The Common Denominator is Hope

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, former Domestic Volunteer Susan Zagar highlights the foundation of relationships in faith: hope. A person who touched my life in a positive way was Thelma, a woman who traveled the halls of the Baltimore City Adult Learning Center in a magenta electric wheel chair. I had just begun tutoring…

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The Light of One: What Our Friends Teach Us

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, current missioner Nate Mortenson reflects on the simple gifts of friendship. A few years back, I was looking for a roommate so I could afford rent. Several of my friends kept telling me I should ask Colin, the guy who runs the tea shop in Eau Claire, because he…

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The Light of One: The Mother Teresa of El Salvador

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned missioner Beth Riehle writes about a woman whose tireless service brings love and comfort to El Salvador. SOWING LOVE I had always wanted to go to India to work with Mother Teresa, but God had something else in mind. I was called to El Salvador where I met…

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The Light of One: “My Abuelito”

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, current missioner Kitzi Hendricks writes about the nourishing kindness of a man she calls “abuelito”. “A smile is the shortest distance between two people” –Victor Borge Abuelito is the type-writer mechanic I used to pass by every day on my way to work at my old service site, Madre…

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The Light of One: Overflowing Joy

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned missioner Nora Pfeiffer writes about the simple gift of a child’s love. While in mission with FMS in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the place I lived was not exactly a private place. People always knew when I went from one room to the next, when I washed my clothes, and…

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The Light of One: The Wire Man

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Katherine Menezes writes about a humbling encounter with a man and how whose memory continues to inspire her. I was blessed to take part in an FMS trip to South Africa this past summer where I met someone known as “The Wire Man” in a craftsmen complex, a lure…

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The Light of One: A True Missionary

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Fr. John Ullrich, OFM, writes about a woman whose generosity showed him the spirit of a true missionary. I met Lee D’Amico about ten years ago. She was about 75 years old then. The first thing that struck me about her was that she was happy – and shared…

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The Light of One: Bridge to Forgiveness

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. John of the Cross, Bree Haler writes about man named John Sage whose radical forgiveness inspired her toward greater appreciation of God’s grace. When I was living in Houston, Texas I volunteered for a restorative justice program called Bridges to Life. The mission of…

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The Light of One: Witness to Friendship

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Lucy, Fr. Joe Nangle, OFM, writes about his relationship with a woman named Olga whose accepting friendship challenged him toward greater understanding of Christ in poverty. My relationship with Olga was improbable. She was a desperately poor Peruvian indigenous woman while I was a…

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The Light of One: Choosing to See the Gift

On the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Kate Ackert continues our daily Advent reflection series by writing about the power of a simple encounter with optimism. This past summer, I had the privilege of embarking on a two-week journey to South Africa with the Franciscan Mission Service and the Franciscan Center for Service and…

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The Light of One: Both/And Is Possible

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Franciscan Missioner Jeff Sved reflects on how a relationship demonstrated an alternate approach to rehabilitative prison systems. From the time I spent working in the US prison system, I learned that a choice is necessary. If I want to continue working in rehabilitative justice, I can help in one…

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The Light of One: To Be and Not To Do

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Associate Director Mariam Kaldas writes about discipleship as presence, not accomplishments. I hadn’t heard the phrase “ministry of presence” before I came to Franciscan Mission Service. It seemed like a revolutionary concept, until I realized that it had already been modeled for me during my own mission in Zambia.…

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The Light of One: Franciscan Friendship

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Franciscan Missioner Mary Mortenson writes about how a friendship provided her an inspiring model for the ministry of presence she will provide in Bolivia. I have a dear friend, named Briana, whom I met my first year at UW-Eau Claire. Almost immediately,…

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The Light of One: Confessions of a Bad Listener

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Nonprofit Servant Leadership Associate Sarah Hoffeditz writes about how an individual encounter challenged her to listen to others more deeply. I’m a bad listener. Anyone who knows me knows how much I like to talk. I often spend most of my non-talking time in a conversation thinking about what I’m…

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The Light of One: The Gift of Levity

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Ambrose, Br. Tony LoGalbo, OFM, writes about a formative experience of a lesson learned through humor. It was the beginning of July, 1983. I had completed the Portuguese language program for new missionaries in Brasilia, and I had arrived at my new assignment in…

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The Light of One: Welcomed Through Music

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Nicholas, Audrey Sabatini, current undergraduate at Siena College, writes about a woman who positively influenced her life through the gift of welcoming. As a freshman commuting student at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, I preferred to be off-campus rather than having to figure…

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The Light of One: Mother. Administrator. Agronomist. Jefa. Friend.

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Missioner Annemarie Barrett writes about a woman who continues to greatly influence her life in more ways than one. Mother. Administrator. Agronomist. Jefa. Friend. Working with Casta, our parish administrator and jefa in the parish garden, has been one of the many transformative relationships that I have encountered in…

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The Light of One: Proof of Edified Youth

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. John Damascene, Domestic Volunteer Chanda Ikachana writes about an experience at her volunteer site, Mary House. I love working with kids! Their innocence is refreshing, their joy infectious, and their potential for growth astounding. I was most recently reminded of this at my weekly…

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The Light of One: Have a Blessed Day!

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Missionaries. Natalie reminds us that we are all called to witness our faith through mission. Her reflection today focuses on one person’s mission of consecrating simplicity. “Have a blessed day, Ma’am!” It’s a sentence I look forward to hearing every…

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The Light of One: The Gift of Your Self

Continuing our Advent reflection series today on International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, we keep in mind that all relationships must be founded in dignity. Current Missioner Hady Mendez reflects on the affirming dignity she received during her relationship with her spiritual director. “I love my spiritual director!” Everyone has heard me say this…

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Advent 2013: The Light of One

Today’s beginning of Advent coincides with World AIDS Day. The 2013 World AIDS Day theme is “Shared Responsibility”. As we learn the facts about HIV and put that knowledge into compassionate action, we also recommit to our shared responsibility this Advent. We return to the very source of our compassion: the Incarnation. “I want to…

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Franciscan Friday: Former Volunteer Releases Album

During Anna Robinson’s time as a volunteer communications associate with Franciscan Mission Service, her community and coworkers were blessed by her many gifts. From dining room jam sessions, to music for Mass, to recordings of original arrangements for our YouTube videos, it was her musical talent in particular that blew us away. Suffice it to say…

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“This, my friends, is Ministry of Presence”

ME: I’m going to be Audrey Hepburn for Halloween. You know who she is, right? MAC: Nah, never heard of her. ME: Let me show you a picture. You’ll probably recognize her. SHOW HIM PIC. MAC: Nah, I don’t know who that is. Hady serving coffee to the men at Fr. McKenna Center I had…

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29th FMS Commissioning: Sent Forth!

“This is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.” –Archbishop Oscar Romero As their formation program drew to a close, the Franciscan missioners were all aware that the Commissioning Mass was actually a celebration of beginnings. On Sunday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m.,…

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St. Elizabeth of Hungary: Not One To Love Without Acting

Board member and Secular Franciscan Patrick Martin shares some thoughts for the feast of the Secular Order’s patroness, St. Elizabeth of Hungary.  Sometimes the lives of the saints can seem a bit dry, especially those who lived centuries ago. It’s so much easier to get excited about a Maximilian Kolbe, or an Edith Stein (Teresa…

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I…ummm….I’m a Missioner.

Franciscan missioner Hady Mendez reflects on embracing her new identity as a lay missioner. We did collaborative training this past week with three other mission organizations: Maryknoll Lay Missioners , Society of African Lay Missioners , and Comboni Lay Missionary Program . In all, there were 16 missioners preparing for life on mission. It was…

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A Window into a Soul

Mateusz Stachowski Missioner-in-training Valerie Ellis reflects on the powerful effect love’s presence has made on her in her relationship with a woman at her volunteer site. I was offered a window into Angela’s* life. I saw a woman who looked much younger than ninety-seven. I heard of a life, just the inklings of understanding about…

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Sermon Junkie

Missioner-in-training Mary Mortenson reflects on the influence of sermons on her faith. Photo by ADG Lab I’m going to be honest. I am a sucker for a good sermon. I love going to church, sitting down in a pew, folding chair, or even on a couch, and hearing a man or a woman share their…

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Feasting the Franciscan Way: Dinner with the Board of Directors

Three things make a Franciscan celebration complete: a Mass, a meal, and renewed relationships. On the evening of Saturday, November 2, Casa San Salvador hosted the Franciscan Mission Service Board Committee by sharing those exact things. After a day of meetings, the Board Committee and guests visited Casa San Salvador at the invitation of its…

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Welcome, Michael! New Communications Associate

Last week we welcomed a fourth domestic volunteer and third member of the communications team.  Michael Carlson had been warned that there is nowhere he could go where God wouldn’t already be waiting. When he went to Bolivia, he found out just how true that is. Michael first met Franciscan Mission Service in Cochabama as…

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Running Our Own Courses

The 13 weeks of our mission formation program is a time of discernment. Candidates come to formation intending that, at the end, they will embark on at least two years of overseas service. But sometimes, during the course of those 13 weeks of prayer, reflection, and discussion, things come to light that make candidates reevaluate…

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When My Story and Your Story Becomes Our Story

Lay missioner Annemarie Barrett reflects on what she’s learned about solidarity in the past few months of serving in Bolivia.  I once heard solidarity defined as, “When my story and your story becomes our story.” That definition touched my very core. It resonated with my experiences of accompanying families in El Salvador and my time…

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Welcome Back, Kotter — I mean, Hady

Photo by flickr user Olivier de Sedona Missioner-in-training Hady Mendez reflects on her past and future.  You ever heard of the hit TV show “Welcome Back Kotter,” which aired back in the ’70s? It’s a story of a teacher who graduates from a high school in Brooklyn and ends up going back to the same…

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Welcome our new House Manager, Slavka!

One of our residents at Casa San Salvador, Slavka Brigantova, will be starting as our new house manager on November 1. Read on to learn more about her fascinating story. A self-described “simple girl from Slovakia,” Slavka Brigantova’s modesty hides a very interesting history that has taken her across the world and seen her working…

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Conversations on Faith

Missioner-in-training Nate Mortenson talks about journeying through mission formation together with his wife Mary. The couple is preparing to go to Bolivia in January.  Mary Mortenson, as photographed by Nate Mortenson Mary and I got away for our weekly date-night on Tuesday. They’ve become pretty important for us living in the residential community with other…

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Feria en Cochabamba de la Democracia Intercultural

Second year missioner Kitzi Hendricks shares photos from a recent Exposition Fair in which her service site, Instituto de Terapia e Investigación (ITEI), and its clients set up tents with information for the public.   ITEI is a human rights organization, and the clients participating in the fair had all been affected directly by torture during the dictatorships…

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Friendship on the Street: Take Two

Missioner-in-training Valerie Ellis reflects on one of her experiences with those living on the streets of Washington, D.C.  Yesterday, I met Brad.* When we first met, he thanked us for the food that we gave and asked if we would like to pray. He joined hands with us and we prayed the Our Father. Brad…

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A Poem for Bolivia (and more)

Franciscan Mission Service file photo A few thoughts from missioner-in-training Hady Mendez on Bolivia, her recent retreat, and scripture.   Bolivia I do not know you YET Will you welcome me with a warm embrace? Show me your people — I know how they suffer. Injustice and racism take their toll. Tears and sadness. Doesn’t…

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Midterm Retreat: Out of the City into the Country

Missioner-in-training Mary Mortenson shares about the midterm retreat she and her formation classmates took.  We went on retreat this past week. Fr. Ed Shea, a Franciscan priest from Chicago, came to lead it. It was a blessing. A blessing to get out into the countryside and be surrounded by farmland. The farm girl in me…

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Mission Monday: A Look Into Bolivia’s Prison System

Each week, lay missioner Jeff Sved visits six prisons in Cochabamba, Bolivia, through his ministry with Pastoral Penitenciaria, an organization looking out for the basic needs of those in Bolivian prisons. Here is something he has observed during his visits. “Lo único que pedimos es que cumplan lo que manda la ley” “All that we…

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