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Year: 2017

Meatless Meals for Lent: Dutch Babies (Oven Pancakes)

Editor’s Note: Missioner Anna Klonowski shares a family recipe traditionally made on Fridays during Lent. Note: This recipe calls for an oven safe pan 3-4 quart capacity with sides at least 3 inches high. Ingredients 4 eggs 1 cup milk ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup flour 1/3 cup butter Instructions Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt…

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Were You There: Ministry of Presence in the Little Things

Editor’s Note: DC Service Corps member Ali Sentmanat reflects on an encounter with a man at the Father McKenna Center which changed her perspective and approach to “being there” for other people. The Father McKenna Center has a large gathering area for meetings that is often called “the chapel.” As I was walked through it…

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Were You There: Lightening the Load

Editor’s Note: Missioner Amanda Ceraldi reflects on the painful reality of child abuse experienced by her students at Valley of the Angels and other children in Guatemala. After two years on mission, I have come to the harsh realization that one of the most difficult things I face is the abuse of children. When I…

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Were You There: Are We Also Innocent Bystanders?

Editor’s Note: Paula Scraba, OSF and Associate Professor at St. Bonaventure University, reflects on when she attended a live reenactment of the Stations of the Cross which made Christ’s Passion a very real and present reality. The first thought that came to mind in reading the theme of “Were You There?” was my experience on…

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Were You There: He Consoles Us

Editor’s note: Contemplating the Eighth Station of the Cross, Missioner Aubrey Kimble reflects on the power of following Jesus’ example in being present to those who are suffering. “Were You There?” This is a question that I frequently find myself reflecting on. One of the things I strive for on mission is to be present…

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Meatless Meals for Lent: A Taste of Home – Maryland Cream of Crab Soup

Editor’s Note: Missioner Amanda Ceraldi shares some local flavor from her Maryland upbringing in a meatless meal for Lent. Above is a picture of the river near the house where she spent her summers and first enjoyed Maryland Cream of Crab soup. Anyone who knows me can attest that I have a slight obsession with my home…

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Were You There: What Did You Do?

Editor’s Note: NSLP alumna Bridget Higginbotham shares about attending the Mass at the White House for Muslim Refugees, and reflects on how the next step after being present is taking action. Sometimes I imagine that 50 years from now, future generations will ask me about something they learned about in history class. The conversation might…

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Were You There?

Lent is a time for reflections and questions. What will we offer up during Lent? How can we change our daily habits to grow in our relationship with God and each other? How can we serve and walk in the footsteps of Christ right now in our own lives? “Were You There?” is a beautiful…

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Meatless Meals for Lent: Lentils with Spinach and Ginger

Editor’s Note: Missioner Janice Smullen offers the first simple, meatless meal for this Lenten season. Her recipe is adaptable for whatever ingredients you might have handy. I prefer to eat meatless, so Lent is never a dietary problem for me. When I was in the US, I would use the recipes sent out to my…

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Once Latina, Always Latina: A Returned Missioner Talks Race

Editor’s Note: FMS alumna Hady Mendez—recently returned from two years of service in Cochabamba, Bolivia—reflects on the role that race plays in her reintegration back from mission and in daily life in the United States. Hi again. It’s been a little over a year since my return from Cochabamba. So much has changed since then!…

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Home is Where the Hugs Are

Editor’s Note: Before returning to the United States for a holiday visit, Missioner Amanda Ceraldi recalls a conversation she had with a Valley student and how it made her return to Guatemala all the sweeter. Nearly three months ago, I prepared to leave Guatemala and return to the United States for the first time in…

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Only in Bolivia…

Editor’s Note: Missioner Allison Dethlefs reflects on some of the cultural practices in Bolivia, both those that cause her frustration as well as those that she has been deeply touched by. Nearly once a day, I find myself uttering the phrase, “Only in Bolivia…” For my line of ministry work, I volunteer with a rural…

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Learning to Receive

Editor’s Note: Missioner Erin McHugh reflects on the blessings and graces to be found in giving as well as allowing others to give. After December’s season of giving, I have found myself reflecting on the beauty that can come from receiving. I am not trying to sound selfish or greedy, but I have begun to…

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Oatmeal and Tomatoes

Editor’s Note: Missioner Catherine Sullivan relates how sharing a Christmas party with two of the Bolivian women who work at the Cochabamba market has brought her to a deeper recognition of the blessings of their friendship. Every Saturday in Cochabamba is market day. In the outdoor markets of the city, things are cheaper, more vendors…

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Mis Hijos – My Sons

Editor’s note: As four students from Valley of the Angels prepare to graduate, Missioner Amanda Ceraldi shares how her friendship with them over the last two years has impacted her and her time on mission. I must have said goodbye to George* at least ten times.  Every time I saw him I would squeeze him…

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Sharing Culture

Editor’s Note: After sharing about US culture with Jamaican preschoolers, Missioner Janice Smullen reflects on the differences and similarities between the cultures. I was invited by the guidance counselor of the St. Aloysius Infant School (preschool) to give a presentation about the United States. The children were learning about world cultures and had hosted visitors…

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A Merry “Little Christmas”

Editor’s note: Communications Manager Kim Puchir explores the many sacred days that fall in this part of the Church calendar. Sunday’s celebration of the Epiphany may seem like a footnote to a Christmas season that is already a fading memory. Not so in certain parts of the world, including a branch of the Catholic Church. In fact,…

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