Month: April 2013
Mission Monday: Saying Yes
New lay missioner Annemarie Barrett shares what her time so far in Cochabamba, Bolivia has taught her about being open to new opportunities and the unknown. I have been reflecting lately on what it means to live as a lay missioner and to constantly be saying “yes,” and on what it takes to be able…
Read MoreFranciscan Friday: Experiencing the Ministry of Presence
One of the hallmarks of Franciscan service is something we often refer to as the “ministry of presence” or “accompaniment.” From community gardens in Cochabamba to the slums of Nairobi to the after-school programs and homeless shelters in Washington, D.C., FMS missioners and volunteers spend their time focusing on being with people rather than doing…
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Meet Our Newest Volunteer, Chanda!
This National Volunteer Week is a special one as we welcome our newest full-time domestic volunteer to the Franciscan Mission Service team. Our volunteers serve in our headquarters doing administrative work for 35 hours a week and then spend five hours doing direct service in the community. From the far lands of Zambia, where she…
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Alternative Spring Break with FMS: Advocating for a New Kind of Service Trip
University of Georgia students in an advocacy workshop with Russell Testa. Five days into their alternative spring break trip to D.C., college students from the University of Georgia ditched the work gloves for a clipboard and a stack of talking points. Franciscan Mission Service’s newly developed Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trips includes a spring…
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Mission Monday: Community Gardens in Bolivia
As a Franciscan organization rooted in the commitment of caring for creation, Earth Day is a very special time for us. We are especially joyous today because our newest lay missioners in Cochabamba, Bolivia have been recently participating in some great ecological endeavors while exploring the ministries in which they’ll serve. From community gardens to…
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Donor Story: The Simple Life and Legacy of Daniel Lynch
Daniel Lynch Franciscan Mission Service is grateful for the support of our donors from around the world and of all walks of life.This is the story of one supporter who has recently inspired us. Daniel Lynch lived a long life of simplicity and service. The New Jersey man refused to let people take him out…
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2013 World Care Benefit: Remaining in the Catholic Church Today
Sr. Pat Farrell, OSF, past-president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious has received numerous awards in the months since the organization’s conflict with the Vatican. FMS Executive Director Kim Smolik presents Sr. Pat Farrell with the Anselm Moons Award. But accepting the 8th Anselm Moons, OFM Award to a standing ovation on April 5…
Read MoreGroup Connects with Youth on Test Trip to South Africa
Video created by Domestic Volunteer Anna about her experience in South Africa as part of a Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trip. While winter weather raged back home in the states, a group from FMS led a gathering of young adults in the Electric Slide in the North-West region of South Africa. The group, piloted…
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Discernment Days – Is Mission for Me?
Perhaps you have just recently graduated from a college that’s cost you your life savings, countless sleepless nights, and many antisocial weekends. Or perhaps you just celebrated your 20th anniversary at a job you’ve kept through thick and thin. Whether you are 22 or 62, discerning a call to mission can be a journey. For…
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2013 Anselm Moons, OFM Award Recipient – Sr. Pat Farrell, OSF
Photo by Jerry Martineau Friday, April 5, we held our World Care Annual Benefit & Celebration where Sr. Pat Farrell, OSF, received the Anselm Moons, OFM Award as part of the evening’s program.We had an inspiring night with Sr. Pat’s stories of mission work abroad and her most recent work with the Leadership Conference of…
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Take the First Step and Don’t Leave a Footprint!
Earth Day is in a couple of weeks and as a Franciscan organization we are looking forward to celebrating! With a new Pope expressing the urgent need of our attention to protecting the earth, a renewed push for environmental sustainability has rattled the religious world. Search “catholic earth day” on Google and you will receive…
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Mission Monday: Reflections from a Spring Breaker
This March marked the first group of students to spend their spring break at our headquarters in Washington, D.C. to participate in our Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness program. Nine students from the University of Georgia learned about poverty in the U.S. from educational workshops to hands-on service. One of the students, Jacob Spaulding, reflects…
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International Recipe: Arroz con Leche
Served warm with canela (cinnamon), arroz con leche is a traditional dessert beverage in Bolivia and many parts of Central and South America. As lay missioner Jeff Sved finished his first Lent in Bolivia, he learned that arroz con leche is usually one of dishes enjoyed on Good Friday. It is customary to fast in…
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