DC Service Corps
The Graces of Change
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Emily Dold discusses the impact of change through the experiences of Casa changes as well as her role within the Father McKenna Center shifting. Have you ever felt as though a homily was meant just for you? Or, more likely, that God wanted you to hear the homily’s contents? The Easter…
Read More
Give the Good.
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Erin Brown discusses a Lenten lesson that she is actively putting into practice. She delves into how it is in giving that we truly receive. “There is a wonderful, almost mystical, law of nature that says three of the things we want most—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained…
Read More
Complaint Fasting
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Domonique Thompson shares her experience of fasting from complaints this Lent. In a continuation from her last blog, reflecting on her blessings, she shares her process of practicing gratitude this season. Part of Lent is taking time to fast and sacrifice. When most people think of fasting, they often think of…
Read More
The Ministry of a Programs Associate
Editor’s Note: DCSC Volunteer and Programs Associate Fatima Godfrey reflects on her role within the FMS office, finding the mission of accompaniment abundantly. Working at the FMS office as the Programs Associate provides me the opportunity to serve as the first point of contact for those inquiring with FMS. This means I get the privilege…
Read More
“Who do you say that I am?”
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Madeline McKissick brings the reader into an experience from the DCSC Mid-year retreat. In playing a get-to-know-you game there, she reflects on her identity both within Christ and this intentional community. I anticipated the mid-year retreat for several reasons. First of all, we spent three days in a cute little Airbnb…
Read More
Meals Made to Share
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Airianna Beitler shares her experience of cooking for our great, big Casa San Salvador community. She delves into the importance of food for her and the significance of being able to share this with others. Food is very important to how people express themselves and their cultures. You can guess that…
Read More
One Year: A Reflection on my DCSC Discernment Days
Editor’s Note: Communications Associate, Bekah Galucki, reflects on the impact a year can have in thinking of her discernment a year ago. She openly shares from a perspective of gratitude about the movements of her heart in those few days last February that have brought much fruit. So much can happen when giving God…
Read More
Simon of Cyrene’s Hotline
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Fede Wettstein candidly shares some common experiences of his ministry site with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He openly correlates his weekly task of answering the refugee hotline to that of an accompanying Simon of Cyrene, all with a perspective of hope. Every Wednesday from 2-3:30 pm I…
Read More
Lest I Want to Remain as I am.
Editor’s Note: Reminded by a brief snowfall, DCSC volunteer Emily Dold recognizes the differences between her and the men of her ministry site, the Father McKenna Center. While recognizing her own experiences do not align entirely with those experiencing homelessness, she strives towards the long road of deeper understanding, knowledge, and love. It’s snowing in…
Read More
New Year, New Me
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Airianna Beitler reflects on her past year, in ways that she has grown and still yet has room to grow, with hope for this new year in mind. “New year, new me.” This is a the common phrase we hear around this time of year; it is a time of transition…
Read More
Ministry Grounded in Gratitude
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Domonique Thompson shares an experience from her placement site at the Father McKenna Center. She reflects on an encounter with one of the men, leading to long-term lessons and deep gratitude. As we are entering the coldest times of this winter season, it puts the meaning of homeless into a different…
Read More
Goodness, Then and Now
Editor’s Note: DCSC volunteer Erin Brown enters this new year in contemplation of the word “good” and what that can look like. Inspired by Fr. Mike Schmitz’ “Bible in a Year” podcast, she reflects on this word from both the context of the Bible to her own life. In the New Year, I have been…
Read More
Developing Gratitude
Editor’s Note: Development Associate Madeline McKissick shares a deeper meaning of her ministry with FMS. She describes what her day to day looks like, often in the form practicing gratitude, within a non-profit office setting. As the Development Associate of Franciscan Mission Service, I do a lot of work with donor relations. I make phone…
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
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
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
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
Walking Together as Children of God
The world is filled with countless good, loving, caring, and compassionate people. Yet today, many of these wonderful people face reprehensible and unjust suffering at the hands of their fellow human brothers and sisters. For black lives in America, the suffering has gone on far too long, in countless and immeasurable ways. Ways in…
Read More
The Patience of the Seasons
Editor’s note: DCSC volunteer, Hannah Puvalowski, uses nature and poetry to reflect on times of transition. A flower cannot bloom without water and sunlight. Baby birds cannot fly without nourishment from their parents. It takes 40 years for a maple tree to be ready to share its sweet syrup. The transition from winter to spring…
Read More
Creature Comforts and Shared Solidarity
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Julia, reflects on her time in DC and the ways it has helped her to appreciate simplicity and the will of God. If I had to choose my least two favorite things, I would have to choose hot weather and bugs. As someone who gets hot very easily and…
Read More
An Ode to Audre Lorde
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer Megan McCarthy reflects on the words of favorite writer and activist, Audre Lorde and encourages us to continue lifting the voices of black authors during these monumental moments in our history. As the Black Lives Matter movement gains more visibility each day, it’s crucial now more than ever to…
Read More
Lessons From A Mandatory Retreat
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps member, Julia reflects on the changes brought about by this pandemic and the insights she’s found along the way. It has taken me six weeks to adjust to the changes brought on by quarantine living. We shifted to working remotely; our community shrunk from twelve to three as members went…
Read More
The Song of the Soul
Editor’s note: DCSC volunteer Hannah reflects on how the birds of Michigan remind her of peace and love in times of unrest in our world. Amidst the stillness of looking out my window, I have observed Robins dancing about and playful Bluebirds. I have heard the sweet hum of a Chickadee and the clanging of…
Read More
The Comfort of Art
Editor’s note: DCSC volunteer Kate Keeley reflects on the ways art has brought her comfort during these hard times and shares a poem by one of her favorite poets. In the midst of the pandemic, I left DC and came home to Salem, VA to be with my family during these hard times. It’s easy…
Read More
Dark Hours to May Flowers
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer Megan reflects on these uncertain, vulnerable times through her own experiences quarantined in New York. These past few weeks have not been easy. Lately, the weight of the world feels so heavy that at any moment I feel as though my legs will snap like twigs and I won’t be…
Read More
Ramblings from a Tropical Ramble
Editor’s note: FMS Missioner Megan Hamilton reflects on her new life in Kingston, Jamaica and her decision to stay and serve her new community throughout this pandemic. I look out my balcony at an arching, rustling mass of green: palm and mango trees, a hundred-plus-year-old giant the Jamaicans call a French Peanut tree. The sun…
Read More
God’s Call
Editor’s note: DC Service Corps volunteer Matthew Fichter reflects on what God’s calling might be for him after completing the book “The Secret Lives of Introverts” by Jenn Granneman. In these strange times that persist, perhaps one question that might continue to present itself is “what is God’s calling for me”? In thinking about this…
Read More- « Previous
- 1
- 2