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Happy one year anniversary to Hady!

Editor’s Note: Also pictured in featured image is Maryknoll lay missioner Caitlin. One year ago this moth, Hady Mendez, of FMS’ 29th class of missioners, arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Since then, Hady had used her time work with Manos Con Libertad to help women in prison to better their spiritual life and their financial situation,…

Happy two year anniversary to Annemarie!

Editor’s Note: The following was written by FMS. Also pictured in feature image is former FMS lay missioner Kitzi Hendricks. 2015 is the beginning of Annemarie’s third year as a FMS lay missioner, and we could not be more proud. The work that she has done with the agriculture of the community in Cochabambato to…

Finalists for First-Ever San Damiano Servant Leadership Award

We are pleased to announce the five finalists for our first-ever San Damiano Servant Leadership Award. Launched in conjunction with our 25th anniversary, this honor recognizes a faithful, service-oriented young leader dedicated to building the kingdom of heaven on earth today. The winner, who will be announced the first week of February, will be given a $500 scholarship…

Missioners begin language school

As we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord this past Sunday, signifying Christ beginning his ministry, several of our 30th class of missioners have left for their respective countries this weekend to begin their own ministries. While Jesus went to the desert for 40 days and 40 nights to reflect and pray in preparation for…

The Search for the Heart – Remembering Margaret

It is with great sadness that we share news of the death of Margaret Hughes, a returned missioner and former board member. Margaret passed away at the age 51 on Christmas Day after a long battle with stage IV breast cancer, leaving behind Eddie, her husband of 15 years, and Thomas, her 12-year-old son. Having…

Thanks for Sharing

As we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany this past Sunday, we also celebrated the end of our Shared World blog series. We want to thank everyone that participated and submitted their stories and shared their lives with us. We hope everyone who read them was able to take something away from each story and…

Pope Francis gives Address on World Day of Peace

Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” As we welcome in the new year, His Holiness Pope Francis is focusing on slavery as the theme for the World Day of Peace on New Years Day 2015. “Tragically,” the Pope writes, “the growing scourge of man’s exploitation by man…

2014: Year in Review

As 2014 draws to a close, we reflect with gratitude on the past year and those who make our ministries possible. Here are a few organizational highlights from another fruitful year of encouraging the laity to follow the Franciscan mission tradition of sharing in the lives with those on the margins. Thank you for supporting us as…

#GivingTuesday – Meeting the Needs of the World

As we celebrate our shared world this holiday season, we reflect on the needs of our Church and world today: Franciscan Mission Service meets these needs with a Franciscan spirit. Our ministries transform lives around the globe. Today, on this #GivingTuesday, we hope that you’ll show your support of these ministries by 1) making a…

Welcome, Nate!

Join Franciscan Mission Service in extending a warm welcome to the newest member of our Nonprofit Leadership Program, Staff Writer Nate Marsh! Nate finds his way to Franciscan Mission Service through a desire to make an impact on the world around him. “I wanted to do something bigger than myself,” he said. “Most people go…

Welcome, Melissa!

Join Franciscan Mission Service in extending a warm welcome to the newest member of our Nonprofit Leadership Program, Development Associate Melissa Montrowl! Melissa graduated in 2013 from Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS), where she double majored in Theology and Catechetics. Asked how the Franciscan character of the school colored her education, she laughs and says…

New Board Members: Welcome, Fr. Tom Washburn and Thomas McGregor

Franciscan Mission Service welcomes two new board members: Fr. Tom Washburn (OFM), and returned missioner Thomas McGregor! Their invitation and acceptance illustrates the balance and richness of Franciscan Mission Service’s board through Fr. Tom’s pastoral experience as an ordained Franciscan priest as well as Thomas’ experiences as a missioner in El Salvador and Colombia. Bringing…

School Raises $5,000 in Support of Alumnae, Lay Missioner

Love of others through charity and justice is a core value at Holy Spirit School in St. Paul, Minnesota. Each year the parish school selects a social justice focus to encourage students to think beyond the community and act on behalf of those in need. One year they supported Heifer International, another they built a…

Welcome, Katie

Join Franciscan Mission Service in extending a warm welcome to the newest member of our Nonprofit Leadership Program, Event Associate Katie Rotterman! A native of Buffalo, New York, Katie graduated in 2013 from the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university in Northeast Pennsylvania, where she majored in Theology and Women’s Studies. She comes to Franciscan…

Looking Forward, Looking Back: Board Dinner / Mariam’s Going-Away Celebration

Saturday, June 7, was a bittersweet day in the history of Franciscan Mission Service. As the Board Committee met that afternoon at the Franciscan Monastery to discuss the future course of the organization, the members of the office were at Casa San Salvador down the street, setting up for a dinner to honor the passing…

Donor Story: Leadership and Service of Art McNeill

Arthur T. McNeill Franciscan Mission Service is grateful for the support of our donors from around the world and of all walks of life. This Father’s Day, we honor Art McNeill, a father of three whose life of service touched many. In 1963, Arthur McNeill took his 8-year-old son Thomas to the National Mall to…

Welcome, Mary!

Franciscan Mission Service extends a warm welcome to a new summer volunteer: Mary Unverferth!During her bi-weekly volunteer experience this summer, Mary will work on a variety of administrative and maintenance tasks at the FMS office, as well as at Casa San Salvador, the community house for associates and guests. Hailing from Cypress, Texas, Mary is a graduate…

OFM Congress: Discussing Mission and Evangelization in the Franciscan Tradition

Communications Manager Bridget Higginbotham kicks-off a special blog series live from Rome, Italy. It’s a historic week for the Orders of Friars Minor. Their first-ever international congress on mission and evangelization has drawn to Sassone (Rome), Italy, about 200 brothers from around the world – Madagascar, the Philippines, South Africa, Australia, Colombia, Pakistan, Brazil, Canada,…

Mission Monday: A Third Year of Service for Annemarie and Jeff!

Today’s post features an exciting update about two current missioners in Cochabamba! Great news: second-year missioners Annemarie Barrett and Jeff Sved have each decided to stay in Bolivia for a third year of mission! When our lay missioners are commissioned, they agree to a minimum of two years of service, but they can renew their…

Franciscan Friday: Welcome, Shenelle!

We extend a warm welcome to our summer intern: Shenelle Sanoir! After joining our office this week, Shenelle Sanoir will be working at Franciscan Mission Service throughout the summer and gaining first-hand experience in nonprofit leadership. A Maryland resident, Shenelle is a rising senior at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia where she studies International Business. A student…

Takeway Wednesday: Jack Jezreel’s Anselm Moons, OFM Award Acceptance Speech!

Earlier this Spring, Franciscan Mission Service celebrated the 2014 World Care Benefit! In today’s blog, we share the inspiring acceptance speech of Anselm Moons, OFM award recipient Jack Jezreel. Enjoy the full text of his speech. Originator of the JustFaith program, a faith formation program for adults, Jack Jezreel also contributed to our Lenten blog…

Takeaway Wednesday: Nonprofit Leadership Program!

Update: We have a new title for our domestic service program: Nonprofit Leadership Program! This is an opportunity for Catholic women and men to gain experience in nonprofit work at Franciscan Mission Service while receiving faith formation through intentional community living and direct service. Our 13 month program is a distinctive full-time volunteer program combining…

Forming New Disciples: 2014 World Care Benefit

Franciscan Mission Service recently celebrated the 2014 World Care Benefit! In today’s blog, we share the evening in a post of gratitude for Anselm Moons, OFM award recipient Jack Jezreel, keynote speaker Fr. Dan Horan, OFM, and all of our sponsors and members of the Franciscan family. As part of Friday night’s 2014 World Care…

New Board Members: Welcome, Lee Lechtenberg and Fr. Wayne Hellmann (O.F.M. Conv.)!

Franciscan Mission Service welcomes two new board members: returned missioner Lee Lechtenberg and Fr. Wayne Hellmann (O.F.M. Conv.)! Their invitation and acceptance illustrates the balance and richness of Franciscan Mission Service’s board through Lee’s experiences as a missioner in Bolivia as well as Fr. Hellmann’s professional expertise as a historical theologian and his personal commitment…

Report from Guatemala: Potential New Service Site!

Thirty minutes east of Guatemala City, a Franciscan boarding school called Valley of the Angels lives its motto: “Give the best to the poor.” Their emphasis on restoring dignity through service resonates with Franciscan Mission Service Executive Director Kim Smolik. Executive Director Kim Smolik with girls from Livingstone, Guatemala. The girls are friends of board member,…

Francis Factor: Pope, Politics, and Policy event at Georgetown University

Photo by Edgar Jimenez, Creative Commons What is Pope Francis’ first possible miracle? That both sides of the political spectrum are talking about the poor, at least according to John Carr, director for the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University. Last night, the director moderated a discussion on how Pope…

Report: Kim and Mariam Visit Missioners in Bolivia

On December 4, Franciscan Mission Service Director Kim Smolik and Associate Director Mariam Kaldas traveled to Bolivia for twelve days to visit the current missioners and provide a retreat for them. Annemarie Barrett, Kitzi Hendricks, and Jeff Sved are the current missioners serving in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Annemarie works in a parish garden with local women and…

Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trip Announcement!

Associate Director Mariam Kaldas tells you everything you need to know about the upcoming Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trip. Several weeks ago, executive director Kim Smolik and I returned from establishing a trip to Bolivia, and we are very excited to share with the itinerary with you. The trip is May 2-11, 2014 (both…

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…

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…

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.,…

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…

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…

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…

Meet Our New Volunteer, Jason!

A Spanish-speaking Anglo kid from Oregon who studied Theology in New Jersey and is working on a career as a web-based Catholic cartoonist: the life history of Jason Bach is nothing but varied. The latest chapter brings him to Washington, D.C. for a 13-month volunteer position as a communications associate with Franciscan Mission Service. Jason…

Mission Monday: Kitzi Answers God’s Call to Continue Service in Cochabamba

Second-year missioner Kitzi Hendricks has decided to renew her contract for another year! We are thrilled to have her continue her ministries of providing social services for children and supporting survivors of torture in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Kitzi has also been part of a team working closely with the Archdiocese of Cochabamba to open a new…

Take the Pledge to Join Our Missioner Prayer Community

This August, our new class of overseas missioners Catholics will begin their three-month Formation program with us in Washington, D.C. This training is essential in preparing them to work for peace and justice abroad. But it’s not always easy. The 13 weeks are packed with workshops, lectures, paper work, homework, retreats, prayer, reflection, volunteering, community…

Join Us For An Open House At Our New Offices

August has been a busy month for our staff as we prepare to welcome five new lay missioners to training in September. Part of that preparation has been moving our administrative offices out of our Casa San Salvador on Quincy Street and into space in the Theological College’s McCormick Pavilion at 415 Michigan Avenue, Northeast.…

Mission Monday: Be A Part of Our Classroom

A chair. A desk. A book. As any educator or student knows, the proper learning environment and materials are keys for success. In our classroom, lay missioners learn about Scripture, prayer, Franciscan spirituality, Catholic Social Teaching, conflict resolution, cross-cultural adaption and more. The 13-weeks of formation in Washington, D.C. are essential in preparing them to…

Franciscan Friday: Bridge Building at the Summer Confabulation

Photo by flikr user Conrad Kuiper – Creative Commons Bridge building is important. It creates avenues for mutual understanding, opens the lines for communication, paves the way for peacemaking, fosters community, and more. Bridge building is so important, in fact, that it’s the 2013 theme for the National Secular Franciscan Order USA. And this theme…

Francsican Friday: Meet Our Newest Staff Member

Natalie Helfrick This week we welcomed the newest member of the Franciscan Mission Service team: Natalie Helfrick, program coordinator! With her passion and experience with the ministry of presence, we are confident in Natalie’s ability to journey with our long-term overseas missioners from discernment through formation, service abroad, and re-entry. She will also be a…

Mission Monday: Share A Lifetime of Experience

Long-term overseas mission isn’t just for young people. After decades of work and life experience, those of you in your 40s, 50s and 60s have something to share with the global community. You have skills. You have compassion. You have love. Our program prepares you for service abroad, supports you while you’re in the field,…

Meet Our New Board Members

This spring we welcome three new members to our Board of Directors. Their varied backgrounds reflect the how FMS strives to be an intersection of the different paths within the Franciscan movement. The support of our mission is a meeting point for religious, seculars, and the “Franciscan-hearted” laity who are also attracted to the example…

Recommiting to a Life-Long Mission

Mission does not end with a flight back to the U.S. It does not end with the completion of a term of service or a year of volunteering. Every three years, our returned missioners from across the country gather in Colorado for three days to reflect on this fact. This weekend, our retreat centers around…

Mission Monday: Applications for International Service Due June 10

Do you find yourself praying often for people in need overseas? Do you feel called to do your part to build global community? Do you want to serve with fellow Christians, respecting religious and cultural diversity? If you have an open heart and are ready for an experience you will treasure for the rest of…

FMS Podcasts: Liberation Theology

If you haven’t noticed yet, we have a few podcasts available on our SoundCloud profile covering a wide range of topics. From Franciscan spirituality and history to Catholicism and social justice, you can listen and learn right along with our missioner candidates in formation. The last two podcasts came from a talk Fr. Joe Nangle…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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