Africa
Takeaway Wednesday: Uncomplicating Ecumenism
In today’s post, Communications Associate Michael Carlson writes about his participation at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2014 as an insightful formation experience. Don’t miss the reflection questions at the end! “Ecumenism” can be a complicated word when there are connotations of theologians debating doctrinal minutiae that can seem ironic given the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings and…
Read More
Trip Partcipants Learn About Catholic Church’s Fight Against Apartheid
Fr. Dominic Hession is an Irish Franciscan Friar who has been in South Africa for more than 40 years. By the time our recent Short-Term Missions and Global Awareness group met him, he had already seen the rise and fall of the brutal Apartheid as a priest blacklisted for speaking out against the government’s practices.…
Read More
Franciscan Friday: Visiting an AIDS Hospice
Today, travelers on our Short-Term Missions and Global Awareness Trip to South Africa visit an HIV/AIDS Hospice center. A few months ago Domestic Volunteer Anna Robinson also went on this trip and visited patients affected by AIDS. For this Franciscan Friday post, she shares with us a reflection on the experience and finding common ground…
Read More
Franciscan Friday: Coming Together to Be Good Stewards
We wrap up this week’s Walking in Solidarity theme of “Investing in Solidarity: Stewardship of Resources” with a reflection by Br. Hermann Borg, OFM, a German friar serving in Kenya with the Mother Earth Network. Some of Mother Earth Network’s ministries include planting trees, environmental conservation and restoration, community mobilization, education and raising awareness about…
Read More
Mission Monday: Teaching Solidarity
Each Monday during our Lenten “Walking in Solidarity” series we look at how Franciscan Mission Service is striving to live out the theme for the week. This week’s theme is solidarity through education and formation. “Teaching” solidarity is at the very core of Franciscan Mission Service’s work. We have two programs in particular that embody…
Read More
“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…
Read More
“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…
Read More
First Christmas in Zambia
As we wrap up the Christmas season, our missioner Sandra Bradford shares how she and her husband Bryce spent the holiday. In Zambia, they serve as high school teachers and help run the retreat center for the St. Francis Friary. Our liturgical Advent celebration was a wonderful preparation for Christmas. I made new banners with…
Read More
Prayers for Christmas: Witness of Love
“This Christmas I am grateful that the love God showed the world in sending His Incarnate Son has been shown again to me personally in the grace of His sending me to witness to that Love, Jesus Christ, in Africa.” – Sandra Bradford, missioner, Zambia Sandra serves with her husband Bryce through a partnership with the Province…
Read MorePrayers for Christmas: Art and Sharing
Photo from flickr, localjapantimes Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from Andrew Kaleya, a Zambian artist and friend of missioners Sandra and Bryce Bradford. “My prayer is to support my family through art in this coming year, and also to be able to share with others the little things which we have during Christmas.” Andrew…
Read More