Year: 2020
Day 32: Wonder & Awe
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer and Programs Associate, Fatima Godfrey, reflects on this gift of the Holy Spirit in this Christmas time. She shares how wonder and awe are ever-present should we actively choose to accept their call. Sitting around the dinner table on Christmas day with the Casa Christmas crew, I mentioned to my housemates,…
Read More
Day 31: Courage
Editor’s Note: Former DCSC volunteer Nayeli Garcia reflects on having the courage to recognize your full self, the sum of all that makes up who you are in this moment, and being able to grow in your faith through it. As individuals, we strive to be our true selves. We want to feel invincible, undefeated,…
Read More
Day 30: Knowledge
Editor’s Note: Former DCSC volunteer Julia Pinto reexamines the gift of repeated and applied knowledge to her faith life, especially during this yearly season of Advent. She shares this through her lens as a teacher, while conversely contemplating and reflecting as a student who still has much to learn. There is a common phrase about there being a vast…
Read More
Day 29: Right Judgement
Editor’s Note: Newly-commissioned Lay Missioner Jenny Tsui shares her journey of acquainting herself with the gift of Right Judgement. With being one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, she continues to see how He has been using this gift and working through her. To preface this, I had to do a little research to…
Read More
Day 28: Call to Holiness
Editor’s Note: Fr. Brad Milunski, OFM Conv. serves as Chair of the FMS Board of Directors and as Postulancy Director for the Our Lady of the Angels Province in Chicago. Reflecting on the meaning of holiness, Fr. Brad considers how Jesus’ life serves as a roadmap for our own lives and how baptism helps us…
Read More
Day 27: Gifts
Editor’s Note: Communications Associate Bekah Galucki dives into what “gifts” and how we can offer them back to God by recalling the Presentation of the Gifts within the context of Mass. She shares how her own personal experience of bringing gifts to the altar has been transformed. When I think of gifts, my mind immediately…
Read More
Day 26: Light
Editor’s Note: Executive Director Elizabeth Hughes discusses the light that has contrasted the darkness of this past year. On this Christmas Day, she reflects on the power of Christ’s light within us. One of my favorite websites is NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Each day, NASA features a different image of the cosmos, along…
Read More
Day 25: Truth
Editor’s Note: Margaret Carney, OSF, is a member of the FMS Board of Directors and served as the 20th President of St. Bonaventure University, a position she held from 2004 until 2016. Speaking to the difficult realities of a pandemic Christmastide, Sr. Margaret invites readers to find truth and goodness in the heroic acts of…
Read More
Day 24: Gather
Editor’s Note: Fr. Jim Gardiner, SA is a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Based in Washington, DC at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, Fr. Jim has served on the FMS Board of the Directors and is a friend of the FMS community. In this blog, Fr. Jim encourages readers to…
Read More
Day 23: Movement
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Emily Dold shares her experience with learning yoga and the meaning of “peace” within movement. I would like to begin this blog by saying how wonderfully sneaky the Lord is in how He has led me to reflect on movement and has helped me connect it to His Divine plan. I…
Read More
Day 22: Preparation
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Airianna Beitler reflects on the impact of preparation, in its many forms. She invites us into introspection as we prepare ourselves in this time of Advent. The big day is almost here and I can’t wait to spend Christmas morning with my family. We have been prepping for dinner all day,…
Read More
Day 21: Pilgrimage
Editor’s Note: Overseas Lay Missioner Anna Metzger reflects on the meaning of “pilgrimage” and how it has been lived during this new transition of returning to mission in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Many often think of a journey to a new place with a religious purpose when they think of a pilgrimage. In one way, that…
Read More
Day 20: Humility
Editor’s Note: Second-year missioner Megan Hamilton writes from the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany convent in Kingston, Jamaica. One of her current ministries–with elderly sisters–becomes a springboard for looking back at a life-changing process of embracing humility. Drunks, Dentures & Humility My recent thoughts on humility started with Sister Goretti’s dentures, which didn’t return from the…
Read More
Day 19: Accompaniment
Editor’s Note: Missioner Hannah Hagarty, serving in Kingston, Jamaica, reflects on the the various meanings of “accompaniment” and how her own understanding of the word has grown during her time in mission. Accompaniment is the reason I was drawn to FMS. When choosing which organization to serve abroad with, I came across FMS and read…
Read More
Day 18: Transition
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Rhonda Eckerman reflects on the impact of trust amidst transition. She walks us through the process of transitioning from one familiar identity to a calling for another new identity serving with FMS at the US-Mexico border. The loss of my mom was a difficult time and a major transition in my…
Read More
Day 17: Process
Editor’s Note: Darleen Pryds is a professor history and spirituality at the Franciscan School of Theology in San Diego. She researches and writes on the role of lay women and men in the Franciscan tradition. In this blog, Darleen reflects on the prayerful process of preparing for the Incarnation and how it often nudges us…
Read More
Day 16: Dwelling
Editor’s Note: Communications Associate Bekah Galucki reflects on spiritually dwelling in the Lord, despite where you may find yourself. In an overarching metaphor, she relates this idea of dwelling to the workings of nourishing a plant to its fullness of life. When thinking about life’s major themes, especially in reflecting on what it means to…
Read More
Day 15: Open/Closed Doors
Editor’s Note: Development and Operations Associate Madeline McKissick reflects on accepting Jesus’ invitation to walk a path of trust. Looking back on doors that God closed to different opportunities, Madeline shares the sense of purpose she found in the door that opened to join DC Service Corps. I’ve always heard that when God closes a…
Read More
Day 14: Joy
Editor’s Note: Sister Cathy Cahill, OSF, shares in excitement for this great joy that comes with the season. She reflects on the truth of His joy, how we can encounter it, and offers a prayer for us to each share the joy we’ve received with others, as joy itself only multiplies. Joy to This World!…
Read More
Day 13: Family
Editor’s note: Erin Brown, DCSC volunteer in ministry with the Father McKenna Center, discusses the Holy Family in all their extraordinary qualities and more-relatably ordinary ways. As Catholics, Joseph and Mary and Jesus are the family we look up to. Although they are the extraordinary Holy Family, they were also just an ordinary family. In…
Read More
Day 12: Walk
Editor’s Note: Former DCSC volunteer, Matthew Fichter, reflects on the gift of a walk, taking a moment to pause and slow down. He shares of the simple, yet often overlooked, act of walking can help us to grow closer to the Lord in slowing down and trusting His steady guiding hand. Perhaps for some, life…
Read More
Day 11: Food
Editor’s Note: Domonique Thompson, Lay Missioner and new DCSC volunteer, shares her relationship with food and how it’s encompassing nature blends so naturally into community for her. During quarantine many people picked up new hobbies or skills to fill those endless hours in their homes. Some took up an instrument, challenge, or even a language.…
Read More
Day 10: Tradition
Editor’s note: Teresa Redder is a Secular Franciscan and a member of the FMS Board of Directors. She also serves as the secretary for St. Katharine Drexel Region (OFS) and her local fraternity’s formation director. She is married and has four children and six grandchildren. In this blog, Teresa reflects on the richness of Polish…
Read More
Day 9: Music
Editor’s Note: DCSC Volunteer Airianna Beitler shares the power of music this time of year and the uniting joy it brings. This Advent is very different than we all expected it to be due to COVID-19. As I am reflecting on everything that brings me joy during this season, I can’t help but remember all…
Read More
Day 8: Community
Editor’s Note: Newly commissioned lay missioner, Domonique Thompson, reflects on her experience living within the intentional community of Casa San Salvador. In her brief hiatus between Formation this fall and returning as a DCSC volunteer in January, she highlights some of the best parts of community life in anticipation for coming back to the Casa…
Read More
Day 7: Journey
Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ Advent blog series, Nora McMahon, a recently-commissioned missioner, reflects on what it means to prayerfully journey through life in a world that values destinations. A journey is a funny thing, one I am quite sure that few people do nowadays. Yes, people take trips, travel, and go on adventures,…
Read More
Day 6: “Carrying that too”
Editor’s Note: Former DCSC volunteer and House Manager, Amanda Saunders, takes part in FMS’ Advent blog series by looking introspectively into the question, “What am I carrying?” and how to bear the weight of those answers. Throughout the Bible, we are given many images of carrying. We see in the Old Testament with the carrying…
Read More
Day 5: Brotherhood
Editor’s note: Guest blogger Jeff Redder is a Secular Franciscan who currently serves as the minister of his local fraternity and as the JPIC Animator for St. Katharine Drexel Region. He is married, has four adult children, and six grandchildren. As part of our FMS’ Advent blog series, Jeff reflects on different faces of brotherhood,…
Read More
Day 4: Wandering
Editor’s note: Newly-commissioned missioner, Joleen Johnson, shares some insight with societal connotations with wandering and getting lost as part of FMS’ Advent blog series. “Not all those who wander are lost.” This quote, as recited in Lord of the Rings, brings to light a distinction between those who wander and those who are lost. I…
Read More
Day 3: “Fiat”
Editor’s Note: On Day 3 of FMS’ Advent blog series., DCSC volunteer, Madeline McKissick, reflects on Mary’s fiat and how she can aspire to that great act of trust in the Lord. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38 I learned the meaning…
Read More
Day 2: Unknown
Editor’s Note: In the second day of our Advent blog series, DCSC Volunteer Fede Wettstein embraces the Unknown, contemplating the beauty of God’s grace beyond our sight or knowledge. We find comfort in knowledge. As the saying goes, “knowledge is power.” There are things that we are aware that we know, the known knowns, and…
Read More
Day 1: Invitation
Editor’s note: During Advent, we invite you to join the FMS family as we journey toward Christmas with a new blog series: “¡Miren cuántas luces! Look at all the lights!” In this first post of the series, Associate Director Meghan Meros invites readers to try a kind of spiritual stargazing that views darkness–rather than light–as…
Read More
Pulled to Prayer
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer, Madeline McKissick, leads the reader through an all too common ordinary afternoon practice. She reflects on the idea of prioritizing time in prayer amidst busy and chaotic schedules. It was another whirlwind of a day. I worked at the FMS office from 9-5, came home for spiritual direction at 5:30, worked…
Read More
A November Hush
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer, Bekah Galucki, invites the reader into her relationship with the Lord through a series of photographs. Emphasizing the transcendentals, she encourages a moment of relief and rest in hearing His whispers of the heart. We, in the FMS community, are gifted with the opportunity to write about our experiences. And for…
Read More
How COVID Affects Life in an Intentional Community
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer, Airianna Beitler, brings the reader into Casa community life during this time of pandemic through the personal lens of various photos taken thus far. As everyone is aware, we live in an intentional community. As with any community, it can be stressful at times, but it’s also different this year because…
Read More
“God, You and I Dance.”
Editor’s note: Madeline McKissick, FMS Development Associate, reflects on her passion for dance and that correlation to the Lord’s relationship with each of his children. The beauty of the combined movement, the giving and taking between two entities, and the goodness of new creation from mutual reciprocity. I began taking dance classes when I was…
Read More
Fleeting Eternity
Editor’s note: Lay missioner in formation, Nora McMahon, uses a poetic language to reflect on an early morning adventure with her casamates. 530 am Alarm 540 am Put on kettle 550 am Let tea cool 600 am Drink tea 610 am Head out We make it to the Lincoln Memorial by 640 just as…
Read More
A Time for Everything…
Editor’s note: Overseas Lay Missioner, Hannah Hagarty, reflects on her time of mission serving in Jamaica as well her time back at home, recognizing the beauty of Ecclesiastes within her life throughout this period of many transitions. I just returned to Jamaica on September 20th from being home in the states for a 6-week stay.…
Read More
In Awe of the Creator’s Love
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Fatima Godfrey, describes her tentative experience in approaching the DCSC fall retreat. However, by grace her hesitancy was dispelled by God’s hand in the transcendental beauty of creation, resulting in true peace and retreat. Before entering into an intentional community with my fourteen housemates and striving to live out…
Read More
The Best of Both Worlds
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Fede Wettstein, discusses his experience living in the Casa with fourteen other women. With gratitude, he reflects on the fruits of this experience getting to grow closer to God. “Are you okay living with fourteen women and being the only man in the Casa?” My fellow Casa residents take…
Read More
Scripture, Alive
Editor’s note: Through the lens of scripture, DCSC volunteer, Emily Dold, recalls her experiences of God’s providence and peace at the Father McKenna Center. Soapy streaks marked the plastic folding table where I had successfully captured the bits of food, now between the textured ridges of the towel. The towel was certainly well-designed for the…
Read More
Rest
Editor’s note: Current lay missioner in Formation, Jenny Tsui, gives a new perspective to the often overlooked afternoon nap, a deliberate choice of freedom and trust in the Lord. One of the new habits I’ve adopted in Formation is a brief, post-lunch nap. Spurred on by the inspiring example of some of my Casa-mates and…
Read More
Language and Culture: A Vibrant Relationship
Editor’s note: Overseas missioner, Anna Metzger, reminisces on her time in Bolivia while at home in Kentucky. She dives into the connections between language and culture, considering lessons learned from her journey into the Quechua language. Most simply put, being home is hard. For years, I dreamed of living in Latin America, and just as…
Read More
Convent COVID Retreats and What I’ve Learned…
Editor’s note: Megan Hamilton, an FMS missioner serving in Kingston, Jamaica reflects on her time during the pandemic, the many things she has learned, the idea of intentional luxury, and what it means to truly live the Franciscan charism. I’ve spent most of the last six months self-quarantined in an historic building in Kingston, Jamaica…
Read More
Worlds Colliding: Catholic Social Teaching & Social Work
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Arianna Beitler, takes a closer look at two ideologies: Catholic Social Teaching and the ideals of Social Work. Each learned from very different points in her life, from her studies in college to the lessons of our FMS Formation sessions. She shares her experiences and their overarching similarities with…
Read More
The Unknown Ways of God
Editor’s note: Domonique Thompson, a current Lay Missioner in Formation, dives into an experience during her time serving at the Father McKenna Center. She recalls her encounter with someone at the Center, and allows for further reflection introspectively. The inward ponderings of her heart echo a greater call towards action in living intentionally and wholeheartedly. …
Read More
Nourishment through Movement
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Erin Brown, reflects on the therapeutic nourishment of habitual running. She looks holistically into how exactly this movement brings about refreshing clarity, including fresh eyes to her relationship with the Creator. A personal introspection of the theology of the body. For about four years now, I have wanted to…
Read More
W.W.S.F.D? (Part One)
Editor’s note: Lay Missioner, Joleen Johnson, pauses to reflect on the many lessons she’s learned in Formation. To keep her main takeaways simple, she acts with intention, allowing the thought “What would Saint Francis do?” to translate into every facet of her life. Four weeks ago I arrived at the Casa San Salvador to begin,…
Read More
Finding Saint Friends for the Journey
Editor’s note: FMS Communications Associate, Bekah Galucki, reflects on her journey towards the Lord thus far. Pondering life through the lens of hindsight, she pauses to acknowledge the great distance of her walk already taken. She reflects on the impact and kinship of St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Francis of Assisi, who have both…
Read More
Dishes Washed with Love
Editor’s note: FMS Development Associate, Madeline McKissick introduces her call to the ministry of presence. Entering into this new chapter, she depicts how her ministry looks different than some of her peers. She welcomes the reader to reflect on the teachings of Mother Teresa by doing little things with great love. At Franciscan Mission Service,…
Read More