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Introducing Matthew Fichter: What Matters Most To Me?

Editor’s Note: The DC Service Corps class of 2019 – 2020 introduces themselves through personal reflection on what matters most to them.  In my inaugural FMS blog post I will be writing a little about who I am and what I care about.  I will start with who I am. My name is Matthew Lawrence…

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Introducing Julia Pinto: What Matters Most To Me?

Editor’s Note: The DC Service Corps class of 2019 – 2020 introduces themselves through personal reflection on what matters most to them.  My thirteen housemates and I have had to process through an incredible amount of transition. New jobs, new home, new friends, new city. Figuring out the metro system (finally got it down!), cooking…

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Honestly, a Continuous Work in Progress

Editor’s note: Missioner SarahJane reflects on her personal privileges and what that means while serving others in a different part of the world.  “We don’t go to the margins to make a difference. We go to the margins so that folks at the margins make us different.” “We want to bridge the gap that exists…

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Getting to Know Christ as My Lover

Editor’s Note: DC Service Corps volunteer, Kevin Ruano, reflects on what it looks like to turn to Christ as a lover while embracing the mysteries of God’s pursuit. Some days ago, as I discussed with my community mates some of the various outlooks on prayer experiences found in the Church, someone shared a perspective on…

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Food Matters

Editor’s Note: Current missioner in formation, Sabrina Portner shares a poem she wrote that centers around her appreciation for food. The poem is paired with a photo survey depicting some of the meals that inspired her writing. What matters to you and why? Food. Food matters to me. Why? It nourishes us It satisfies us…

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Come to the Table: Kinship

Editor’s note: Missioner Maggie Van Roekel continues a three-part blog series on how kitchens and cooking have become important to her on mission. In part three, Maggie shares her relationship with her host mom, Anita, and how they first bonded over baked goods. There have been many times during my lifetime where a kitchen has brought…

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Seeing Clearly: Finding Clarity in the Dark

Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ Lenten blog series, Kathleen Strycula, guest blogger, graphic designer, and DC Service Corps Alum considers the true meaning of clarity.  Is it really about being able to see, or is it about something else?  Kathleen’s original poem complements her prose, inviting us to prayerfully consider how seeing clearly might…

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Were You There: Am I Here with Christ?

Editor’s Note: Gigi Gruenke reflects on times on mission and in her life when she felt God’s promptings and overcame her fear in order to take action and accompany those who are suffering. I see Jesus’ embrace of the cross as the ultimate act of solidarity with us: He is present in the middle of…

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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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Comfort and Joy: All Are Welcome

  Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, former community member Allison Walter shares her reflections on the holiday season and the call to action that it contains.  For me, going home for the holidays is one of the most joyful experiences of the year. When I was in school it meant finishing up…

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Culture and Travel in Bolivia Part 2

Editor’s Note: Second-year missioner Nate Mortenson currently serves as a teacher and head of the English department at Unidad Carmen Pampa in Bolivia. This is the second installment of a special three part series in which we will share some of the work from students in his class.  Sharing Experiences – Intercarreras By Graciel Quino Calle My name is Graciel Quino…

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Comfort and Joy: Accompaniment

Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, former community member and friend of FMS Kate Flannery shares the comfort she’s found during her time living at home with her parents before her wedding. My worn tires coasted into our driveway after their 900 mile journey. Only a year and a half ago, they had…

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Millennial Lenten Reflections: Eternal spring is ahead!

Editor’s Note: The following is part of Millennial Lenten Reflections, a blog series in collaboration with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Short reflections on the day’s readings, written by young adults from FMS and other organizations, will be posted everyday throughout Lent.  This time of year it’s easy to get caught in the late-winter doldrums.…

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Embrace language on International Mother Language Day

Editor’s Note: The following post is written by Nate Mortenson. Viviana (mentioned in the post) is fourth on the right in the featured image. I want to share a story from a former teacher of mine at the Merryknoll Language Institute in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Her name is Viviana and she was born and raised in…

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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…

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Bonds of Friendship

Editor’s Note: The following is part of our daily holiday series celebrating “The Shared World.” Mariam is a former employee and close friend of FMS. My two closest friends from childhood are Marjie, a Conservative/Orthodox Jew, and Sehreen, an Ismaili Muslim. As an Orthodox Christian, I have always been thankful to have their perspectives along my…

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OFM Congress: Enzo Bianchi’s Three Elements for Evangelization

Communications Manager Bridget Higginbotham blogs about her experience last month at the Order of Friars Minor first international congress on mission and evangelization.   What does “evangelization” mean and how do we do it? According to Enzo Bianchi, one of the first lecturers at the OFM Congresso, evangelization means to give witness and bear testimony, but not necessarily…

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Mission Monday: Community in the Candlelight

Currently serving her third year on mission in Bolivia, Kitzi Hendricks will be sharing her experiences of community in a multi-part series that begins today as she recalls her participation in a formative faith group before she became a lay Franciscan missioner: Creighton University’s Candlelight Choir! “The world is so empty if one thinks only…

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Poor and Free: “Beyond Detachment”

Franciscan Mission Service presents:  “Poor and Free: A Spiritual Yes to Less” every Friday in Lent Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: Part I, Part II, and Part III Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s Dream” Jack Jezreel: “The Simple Math of Voluntary Simplicity” Amy Echeverria: “Saying ‘Yes’ to Love” Sr. Marie Lucey (OSF): “Faith Keeps Hope Alive” Marie Dennis: “Beyond Detachment” Fr. Martin…

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Takeaway Wednesday: Saying “Yes” to the Culture of Encounter

Our Lenten series focuses on the joyful freedom of spiritual poverty. The Good News is that detachment of ownership leads us to greater reliance on God which makes us more available to love and serve the poor. Series contributions:  Shane Claiborne: “A Theology of Enough”: Part I, Part II, and Part III. Gigi Gruenke: “Invest in God’s…

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On Mission with Fr. John Swope

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, full-time volunteer and communications associate Michael Carlson interviews Fr. John Swope, S.J., President of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, MD where Michael used to teach. Fr. Swope has been a Jesuit for 38 years and served in Chile from 1980-1983 and from 1991-2000.  1. During…

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“Necesitamos menos ciencia y más Pachamama”

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Annemarie Barrett writes about her relationship with the Earth, its presence in her life, and her ongoing conversion. When I am in Santa Rosa, time is relative. We spend less energy worrying about what time it is or when we need…

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Spirit, Body, and Earth: A Missioner’s Transformation

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Annemarie Barrett writes about her relationship with the Earth, its presence in her life, and her ongoing conversion. I did not grow up gardening. I never got much into my science classes. I preferred reading and writing and making art to…

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New Series: Sacraments and Social Mission

Franciscan Mission Service is beginning a new blog series: Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples. Inspired by Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, this series focuses on the seamless connection between the Sacraments and Mission. Each week will focus on a specific sacrament…

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Franciscan Friday: 5 Reasons Epiphany Matters

public domain Fr. Jason Welle (OFM) breaks it down: 1. Nature obeys Christ from before his birth and speaks a message of hope. – By the light of a star, those who worshipped the stars learned to worship the Sun of Justice and to know the Dawn from on High. 2. The magi come to…

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The Light Remains: 2013 in Review

public domain Many thanks to the Advent reflection series contributors.  Below are reflections our readers particularly enjoyed, listed again in case you missed them: The Light of One: The Gift of Yourself by Hady Mendez The Light of One: Confessions of a Bad Listener by Sarah Hoffeditz The Light of One: Preparing to Be Overwhelmed…

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The Light of One: How It Starts

Continuing our reflection series “The Light of One”, Community of Sant’Egidio member Charlie Gardner writes about a graced insight toward gratitude. On one morning commute, I detoured to a grocery store to pick up a few items, but somehow ending up grabbed a blueberry muffin from the bakery. Then I spotted a chocolate pastry. In…

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The Light of One: Owen

Continuing our reflection series “The Light of One”, Susan Burke (OFS) writes about the amazing gift of her grandson, Owen. The person who sent me on a different way will be three years old in January. If he had been born as scheduled, he would be three in May. Owen, my grandson, arrived four months…

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The Light of One: Preparing to be Overwhelmed

Continuing our reflection series, “The Light of One”, Communications Associate Michael Carlson writes about the spiritual strength of facing the reality of our own limitations. As a former high school teacher, the students I remember most clearly are the ones I still worry about. I’ll refer to this former student as “Hannah”, after the mother…

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The Light of One: In Gratitude

Continuing our daily Christmas reflection series, Valerie Ellis writes about how her faith has been shaped through the caring presence of her pastor, Fr. Len Plazewski. As my family and friends will tell you, I have never been much for seeking advice. In fact, I have prided myself for many years on self-sufficiency. Even more…

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The Light of One: From Tourist to Traveler

On the Feast of St. Stephen, Fr. Jason Welle, OFM, continues our reflection series today writing about how his faith grew stronger after a gentle challenge. As we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us be open to the gentle challenge of Christ who constantly makes Himself present to us. I traveled to…

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The Light of One: The Gift of a Mentor

Merry Christmas! Continuing our daily reflection series “The Light of One”, Casa San Salvador community member and NETWORK Lobby Associate James Luisi writes about the impact a mentor’s faith had on him. As I ponder the blessings of Advent, I want to reflect on how grateful I am for the guidance of one mentor in…

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The Light of One: God’s Presence

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned missioner and former board member, Doug Garofalo, writes about a woman named Sonia who led him to a deeper faith by example. Upon my return to Uberlandia from Brasilia after completing a language and culture course for foreign missionaries, I still felt inept speaking Brazilian-Portuguese. Fortunately for me,…

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The Light of One: Diary of a Young Southern Catholic

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Secular Franciscan and Franciscan Mission Service Board Member Patrick Martin writes about the impact meeting Franciscans had on his faith as an impressionable Catholic college student in the South. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, southern Catholics were not part of the national Catholic culture. We didn’t talk like the…

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The Light of One: An Angel’s Message

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Communications Coordinator Bridget Higginbotham shares how her life has been shaped through the message of her grandmother’s life. This time of year brings about a host of angel decorations, and each time I see one I am reminded of my grandmother who loved angels. The word “angel” is derived…

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The Light of One: The Common Denominator is Hope

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, former Domestic Volunteer Susan Zagar highlights the foundation of relationships in faith: hope. A person who touched my life in a positive way was Thelma, a woman who traveled the halls of the Baltimore City Adult Learning Center in a magenta electric wheel chair. I had just begun tutoring…

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The Light of One: What Our Friends Teach Us

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, current missioner Nate Mortenson reflects on the simple gifts of friendship. A few years back, I was looking for a roommate so I could afford rent. Several of my friends kept telling me I should ask Colin, the guy who runs the tea shop in Eau Claire, because he…

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The Light of One: The Mother Teresa of El Salvador

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, returned missioner Beth Riehle writes about a woman whose tireless service brings love and comfort to El Salvador. SOWING LOVE I had always wanted to go to India to work with Mother Teresa, but God had something else in mind. I was called to El Salvador where I met…

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The Light of One: “My Abuelito”

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, current missioner Kitzi Hendricks writes about the nourishing kindness of a man she calls “abuelito”. “A smile is the shortest distance between two people” –Victor Borge Abuelito is the type-writer mechanic I used to pass by every day on my way to work at my old service site, Madre…

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The Light of One: The Wire Man

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Katherine Menezes writes about a humbling encounter with a man and how whose memory continues to inspire her. I was blessed to take part in an FMS trip to South Africa this past summer where I met someone known as “The Wire Man” in a craftsmen complex, a lure…

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The Light of One: A True Missionary

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Fr. John Ullrich, OFM, writes about a woman whose generosity showed him the spirit of a true missionary. I met Lee D’Amico about ten years ago. She was about 75 years old then. The first thing that struck me about her was that she was happy – and shared…

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The Light of One: Bridge to Forgiveness

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. John of the Cross, Bree Haler writes about man named John Sage whose radical forgiveness inspired her toward greater appreciation of God’s grace. When I was living in Houston, Texas I volunteered for a restorative justice program called Bridges to Life. The mission of…

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The Light of One: Witness to Friendship

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Lucy, Fr. Joe Nangle, OFM, writes about his relationship with a woman named Olga whose accepting friendship challenged him toward greater understanding of Christ in poverty. My relationship with Olga was improbable. She was a desperately poor Peruvian indigenous woman while I was a…

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The Light of One: Choosing to See the Gift

On the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Kate Ackert continues our daily Advent reflection series by writing about the power of a simple encounter with optimism. This past summer, I had the privilege of embarking on a two-week journey to South Africa with the Franciscan Mission Service and the Franciscan Center for Service and…

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The Light of One: Both/And Is Possible

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Franciscan Missioner Jeff Sved reflects on how a relationship demonstrated an alternate approach to rehabilitative prison systems. From the time I spent working in the US prison system, I learned that a choice is necessary. If I want to continue working in rehabilitative justice, I can help in one…

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The Light of One: To Be and Not To Do

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series, Associate Director Mariam Kaldas writes about discipleship as presence, not accomplishments. I hadn’t heard the phrase “ministry of presence” before I came to Franciscan Mission Service. It seemed like a revolutionary concept, until I realized that it had already been modeled for me during my own mission in Zambia.…

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The Light of One: Franciscan Friendship

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Franciscan Missioner Mary Mortenson writes about how a friendship provided her an inspiring model for the ministry of presence she will provide in Bolivia. I have a dear friend, named Briana, whom I met my first year at UW-Eau Claire. Almost immediately,…

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The Light of One: The Gift of Levity

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Ambrose, Br. Tony LoGalbo, OFM, writes about a formative experience of a lesson learned through humor. It was the beginning of July, 1983. I had completed the Portuguese language program for new missionaries in Brasilia, and I had arrived at my new assignment in…

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The Light of One: Welcomed Through Music

Continuing our daily Advent reflection series on the Feast of St. Nicholas, Audrey Sabatini, current undergraduate at Siena College, writes about a woman who positively influenced her life through the gift of welcoming. As a freshman commuting student at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, I preferred to be off-campus rather than having to figure…

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