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Franciscan Friday: Franciscan Education Part 2 – A Professor’s Perspective
As part of our mini-series in recognition of the start of the school year, a professor shares with us her experience working at a Franciscan institution and what is important about an education inspired by Franciscan values. I spent my first 15 years of teaching at state universities all over the country before we settled…
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Daring to Dream Anew: Kim Smolik Addresses CMSM Assembly
“Be more of who you are,” Franciscan Mission Service Executive Director Kim Smolik told Conference of Major Superiors of Men. The 200-plus attendees gathered in Texas earlier this month represented more than 17,000 Catholic religious brothers and priests in the United States. Kim Smolik’s well-received talk at the CMSM 2012 Assembly examined young adults In her…
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Meet Our New House Manager: Danielle
Danielle Walsh comes to us from the far distant lands of Arizona, where she grew up for most of her childhood before moving to “everywhere.” Since her teenage years she has moved around a lot, domestically and internationally, but now finds a home in D.C. working as our most welcoming hostess and House Manager. Pre…
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Franciscan Friday: Franciscan Education Part 1 – A Student’s Perspective
Come August, students and faculty say goodbye to summer vacation and hello to a new school year. Blocks, streets, even towns dedicated as campuses bustle with knowledge seekers. Education becomes the number one priority in superstores and receives headlines come election season. As Claiborne Pell once said, “The strength of the United States is not…
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Mission Monday: Ministry of Presence with Prisoners
Missioner Charles currently teaches English at various sites around Cochabamba including El Abra prison. For this “Mission Monday” he shares his experience of ministry of presence with one of the prisoners. El Abra Prison Albert*, from Mali, Africa. was arrested in November, 2011 for carrying two suitcases containing cocaine and then detained at El Abra. His…
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Meet Our Newest Volunteer, Anna!
Last week a new face moved into our office. Anna Robinson has joined our communications team after completing a couple of volunteer programs this past year. Calling the Midwest home, Anna grew up in many places, but found herself in Milwaukee, WI in 2007 where she attended Cardinal Stritch University for four years, obtaining a…
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Feast Of The Assumption: May We All Be Tabernacles
Photo from flickr user Mr. Ducke On August 15, the Catholic church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption, a day recognizing the Virgin Mary’s completion of her early life and “was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus, Pope Pius XII, 1950). As we reflect on her transition into heaven, we remember that…
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FAN’s Commitment to Civility in Discourse
Photo by League of Women Voters of Califorina, via flickr In yesterday’s reading from Ephesians we hear, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So be imitators of God,…
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Meet Our Newest Volunteer, Chelsea!
Chelsea Tanous recently joined our staff and volunteer community as program associate, jumping in to help with missioner formation and work on the Short-Term Mission and Global Awareness Trips. No stranger to service, Chelsea just finished a volunteer year in Connecticut with the Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps. She served as a case worker at homeless shelter and as…
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Amazon Day and the Martyrom of Rainforest Protectors
Yasuní National Park As the most biodiverse place in the world, the Yasuní National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon teems with life. Just one hectacre of of the park has as many species of tree and shrubs as all of Canada and the United States combined. In addition to plants and animals, the rainforest is…
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Mission Monday: The impact of the U.S. nuns and their bus
The Nuns on the Bus rolled into Washington, D.C. last week and Executive Director Kim Smolik attended the prayer service and press conference welcoming the sisters home from a nine-state tour against the proposed federal budget. Despite the heat, a crowd of 300 cheered as fourteen nuns climbed off the bus at the end of…
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Franciscan Friday: One Body in Solidarity
During our Discernment Days closing prayer this afternoon, we read from 1 Corinthians about the gifts of the spirit, varieties of service and our connection as members of one body. Verse 26 drew us in particular to deeper reflection, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all…
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Mission Monday: An Eye-Opening Experience
“How often I still only see the surface in my own life and those I come in contact with,” reflected missioner Michael Redell after learning more about the lives — and homes — of the people he serves in Bolivia. Women and children at a health workshop His ministry with a mobile hospital in rural…
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Franciscan Friday: Friar in South Africa Receives Awards
Fr. Stan Brennan, OFM [EDITOR’ NOTE, JULY 6, 2012: We have learned that Fr. Stan passed away today. Last Sunday he joined Tim, Cecilia and other members of St. Francis Care for prayer, and he received communion in his wheelchair from Tim. “It was wonderful to be together in his company with the group,” Cecilia…
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Praise for Brother Sun – Happy Aymara New Year!
Thousands of Bolivians gathered this morning on Inka Rakay, a mountain sacred to the Aymara people, to greet the sun rise that marks the winter solstice and their new year. Pilgrims wave the Andean flag, called a wiphala, at the sunrise to greet the new year. Because June 21 is the shortest day of the…
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St. Anthony of Padua, Friend of the Poor
One of the most recognizable and popular saints of the Church after Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, has captured the imagination of generations for being the “finder of lost items. And with some reason: how often after a saying a prayer to him in desperation we’ve “looked again” for a misplaced set of…
Read MoreFranciscan Friday: In Right Relation with Creation
With spring ending and summer beginning, it’s the time of year when people start to move outdoors to take advantage of the nice weather. Whether you’re gardening, camping, going to the beach or grilling in the backyard, you’re out enjoying God’s creation. At our April Souposium, Patrick Carolan, executive director of Franciscan Action Network, led a…
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Read all about it: June e-newsletter hits in-boxes
You don’t want to miss our latest quarterly newsletter, the Franciscan World Care! In addition to updates from the mission field and an inspiring story from a returned missioner, our June issue contains a very exciting announcement about future mission opportunities with FMS. This issue is the first entirely digital version of the newsletter. The new e-mail…
Read MoreFinding God in “thin places”
“Thin places,” says New York Times writer Eric Weiner, are “locales where the distance between heaven and earth collapses and we’re able to catch glimpses of the divine, or the transcendent.” These places can confuse, disorient, relax and redirect us. They can be traditionally sacred places like a church, or wild and untamed like a…
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Mission and Motherhood: Growing in God
Patty Sollmann, returned missioner and mother of three “I compare my mission experience to motherhood, and the impact that motherhood has on one’s life,” says Patty Sollmann, who served in Guatemala from 1992 to 1994 as part of FMS’ second lay mission class. “Both have stretched me and challenged me to embrace God’s plan of…
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Mission Monday: Book signing in Zambia
Fr. Joseph Mutemena, OFM Conv., talks to Sandra Bradford’s English class about his book and becoming a priest. When missioner Sandra Bradford taught the creative writing unit to her St. Francis Secondary School’s 11th grade English class in Zambia, she decided to use an example from the community. “The Beasts of Ghosts Town” is about…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Bridget in DC
For those of you who have wondered who at FMS writes our blog posts, tweets, and Facebook posts, meet Bridget Higginbotham. Bridget is the full-time domestic volunteer from Florida who serves as our communications coordinator. In addition to our social media she handles our website, newsletter, videos, photos and design. When Bridget graduated from the…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Daena in DC
Today we profile Daena Padilla who, along with her husband Eduardo, runs Casa San Salvador, our office and hospitality house in Washington DC. They actually met while volunteering with the Claretians in Chicago, and in September they are expecting a baby girl. As house managers, Daena and Eduardo welcome our guests and keep the house clean…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Matt in DC
As program associate, domestic volunteer and Indianapolis native Matt Lorch appreciates the opportunity to work at FMS because it uniquely combines his interest in international service, Franciscan spirituality, nonprofit programming, and living in Washington, DC. Before starting at FMS in June 2011, Matt worked as a student mentor at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and…
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National Volunteer Month profile: Evelyn in Virginia
Our annual World Care Benefit and Celebration is not only a way for us to raise money, but a chance to introduce ourselves and our work to new people. In 2009, Evelyn Mercantini was one of those people. “I was so touched by their spirituality and dedication to their work that I wanted to learn…
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The Earth Day that Pachamama led an anti-litter campaign
Missioner Jean Lechtenberg dressed up as Pachamama for Earth Day 2008 in Carmen Pampa, Bolivia To the indigenous peoples of the Andes, everything is inhabited by spirits – rocks, trees, mountains – but Pachamama is the earth itself. She is the source of all life, fruit, grain, springs of water, and the mineral riches of…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Jack in Virginia
Today we highlight the volunteer work of Jack McHale, who has served on the FMS board since spring 2011. “We are all called to serve and use the many gifts that God has given to all of us,” Jack said. “Working on the board for FMS is, today, my way of being ‘part of…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Naomi in DC
Today’s volunteer profile is on the newest member of the FMS family: domestic volunteer Naomi Amsberry. Naomi came to us from Oregon on March 5 to serve as a development associate and office manager.“I was drawn toward the opportunity to live and work in a faith-based, relationship rich environment,” Naomi said. In addition to helping…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Mariam in DC
In today’s volunteer spotlight, get to know Mariam Mitry, our associate director who started as FMS’ first domestic volunteer. “I came to volunteer with FMS because it was the perfect intersection of my passions: my faith in Christ, transformative cross-cultural experiences, and journeying with the poor and the oppressed. The fact that I now do…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Christine in DC
Like most of our domestic volunteers, Christine Landau learned about FMS through the Catholic Volunteer Network. Her interests in humanitarian and environmental awareness and solidarity made FMS a great fit for her. “Volunteering at FMS allows me to encourage others to remember our shared calling to work towards a just distribution of the earth’s resources…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Fr. Martin in San Antonio
Today we spotlight one of our board members, Fr. Martin Day, OFM Conventual who lives in San Antonio with the Province of Our Lady of Consolation. Fr. Martin became a part of FMS several years ago after connecting with some of our missioners-in-training during a class on Catholiciscm in a Global Context at Washington Theological…
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“…born to eternal life” – The Journey Home
We’ve made it. We’ve reached the end of peace prayer petitions and the end of the Lenten season. But while Lent may be over, our work for peace is not. For our missioners, the end of their time abroad does not end their time of service. Like all of us, they are called to lifelong mission and…
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National Volunteer Month Profile: Michael in Bolivia
Michael Redell started his first year of lay mission with FMS in January. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, his background is in education and coaching. Before coming to FMS, he went on a short-term mission to Peru and taught for a year in Alaska. “Ever since I had volunteered down in Peru…I knew I wanted…
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FMS celebrates National Volunteer Month
April is National Volunteer Month and FMS kicks off our celebration with a message from our executive director, Kim Smolik. From a very young age, my parents gifted with me the experience of volunteering and lessons about the value of serving others. Through our church and community, we volunteered as a family throughout our hometown…
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“Pardoning that we are pardoned” – A Guatemalan Healing Ritual
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells us, “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” We know that forgiving others begets forgiveness from God, but sometimes we are challenged to forgive ourselves. Or, perhaps our challenge comes not in forgiving but in forgetting or moving on. Rather than foster anger, resentment or sadness, our journey for Easter peace calls…
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“To be loved as to love” – Saying Goodbye
Part of the journey toward Easter peace is moving away from “me” and toward “thee,” thinking less of myself and more of others — we are trying becoming “Little Christs.” Like Christ, we are called to love. We are to open our hearts with abandon. Our missioners travel abroad to serve with open hearts. Years later,…
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“To be understood, as to understand” – Teacher learns a lesson in Guatemala
Today’s mission story about David LaDuca teaching in Guatemala (2004-2007) illustrates two important characteristics of FMS. The first is that we ask the community what they need — we do not try to force help on them, and we do not want to take their jobs away. The local community knows their needs better than…
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World Water Day 2012 – Water and Food Security
Did you know that it takes 3,000 liters of water to satisfy your daily needs? When you add up the liquids you consume and what goes into making the food you eat, the products you use, the clothes you wear, and the water you use in the bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, that’s about 12,680…
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Annual fundraiser gathers together family of Franciscans
Guests of honor: Cardinal McCarrick, Cardinal Wuerl, Dr. Margaret Melady, Ambassador Thomas Melady Friday night, guests mingled and discussed their common interests of service, peace, justice and care for creation at St. Francis Hall in Washington, DC, for the World Care Benefit and Celebration, which raised more than $25,000 in support of FMS. Guests of…
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“Where the is sadness, joy” – A survivor in Kenya
Some of the people overseas with whom our missioners walk have witnessed and experienced horrible tragedies from natural disasters to genocide. Filled with memories of death and destruction, these people still found things in which to rejoice, living out today’s petition from the peace prayer, “Where there is sadness, joy.” Fr. George Corrigan, OFM, reflects on one of the…
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“Where there is darkness…” God’s light in Africa
May the following reflection by one of our first missioners, Megeen White Testa, help us ponder today’s plea from the peace prayer that we might bring light to the darkness.Megeen served in Zimbabwe and Zambia from 1991 to 1993 as part of our first class of lay missioners. After returning to the U.S., she served…
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“Where there is despair, hope” – The blind teenager in El Salvador
“Where there is despair, hope” asks today’s line of the Franciscan Peace Prayer. The blind teenager whom Maria Fernandez met on mission had such dispair that when they met, he cried, “I just want to die.” May this story from Maria’s time in El Salvador (2002-2005) remind us how we can accompany people through their darkest times. Even…
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“Where there is injury” – Healing presence in El Salvador
From 2004 to 2007, Pat Clausen was on mission as a nurse practitioner in Chiltiúpan, El Salvador. She recounts below a time when the community there came together to support one of her terminal patients. In today’s peace prayer petition, we ask to that the Lord use us to bring pardon where there is injury. …
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February Soups: Broccoli Cheddar and Moroccan Lentil
Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, and his soup (Photo by Dan Horan, OFM). Br. Paul O’Keeffe, chef-turned-development director, whipped up two more delicious soups for our second Souposium this past Sunday. If you couldn’t make the event or need some meatless dishes for Lent, here’s how you can make these soups yourself. Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup Ingredients…
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“Let Me Sow Love” – Death and Life in Colombia
As we work our through the Franciscan Peace Prayer today’s petition is, “Where is hatred let me sow love.” May the corresponding story remind us to honor the dignity of all people through simple gestures of compassion even in the face of chaos. The author, Tom McGregor (mission class XIV), served in Columbia from 2000 to 2002. Colombia has been…
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Reflect on the Franciscan Peace Prayer with FMS this Lent
Journey with FMS this Lent as we pray and reflect on the famous Franciscan peace prayer. On Mondays and Fridays, we will share mission stories that correspond with the petitions of the prayer. Lord make me an instrument of your peaceWhere there is hatred, let me sow love;Where there is injury, pardon;Where there is error,…
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47 ways to help the Earth this Lent
Instead of giving up sweets or alcohol this Lent, why not give up wasted water and energy? Starting some great new habits (and breaking old bad ones) this liturgical season could help protect the Earth today and for future generations. This Lenten Caring for Creation Calendar from the Environmental Outreach Committee of the Archdiocese of Washington…
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Br. Paul’s Recipe for Cream of Mushroom Soup
The cream of mushroom soup was so popular at our inaugural Souposium event that guests quickly emptied the pot and were scraping the bottom just to get a taste. When we brought Br. Paul O’Keeffe, OFM, on staff last month, we gained both a development director and a trained chef. Before becoming a FMS lay missioner or…
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Mission Monday: Nature’s Lesson in Persistence
New missioner Michael Redell is in the middle of language school in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He shares today the lesson nature taught him about facing challenges, such as learning Spanish.I remember last week being quite frustrated with what seemed to me slow progress in learning Spanish. So, I decided to take some time and sit outside to…
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