hope
A Pandemic Playlist
Editor’s Note: Lay Missioner Joleen Johnson shares a playlist of compiled songs that have helped the FMS community throughout this past year of pandemic. To mix it up a little bit, I chose to use more music instead of words for this blog. I’ve asked current FMS Missioners and community members to share a song…
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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…
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Day 1: Invitation
Editor’s note: During Advent, we invite you to join the FMS family as we journey toward Christmas with a new blog series: “¡Miren cuántas luces! Look at all the lights!” In this first post of the series, Associate Director Meghan Meros invites readers to try a kind of spiritual stargazing that views darkness–rather than light–as…
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Finding Hope
Editor’s note: Missioner Anna Klonowski shares a poem about hope and reflects on how it relates to her mission work in Cochabamba, Bolivia. A while ago, Nora, Cochabamba’s in-country site advisor, led us in a reflection centered around a poem she found meaningful for her life on mission. I was inspired as well, and thought that…
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The Season for Hope
Editor’s note: Programs Associate Rose Urankar recounts a fun tale of the college recruitment trip made by the FMS office associates last month. [unitegallery roadtrip] Twas day one of recruitment and all through DC FMS Associates were driving, with places to be Suitcases were nestled all snug in the car In hopes that we’d meet…
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Seeing Clearly: A Letter to God
Editor’s note: As part of FMS’ Lenten blog series, Sam Hardwick, FMS Development and Operations Associate and DC Service Corps member, writes an honest letter to God. Mirroring Jesus’ time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Sam expresses trust in God, even as life seems “murky” and the path forward is unclear. Dear God,…
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Gangs, Gunshots and God’s Grace
Editor’s note: Missioner Cindy Mizes expresses hope for the children she is serving in Jamaica after she reflects on a difficult experience in the classroom. On my first day in my new ministry as a Teacher’s Assistant at St. Francis’ Primary School, I gingerly walked into the classroom of 21 young boys (ages 8-10) not…
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The Privilege of Options
Editor’s note: Missioner Catherine Hope Sullivan reflects on her two years in Bolivia and shares her reflective thoughts on the transition to returning home. As my two years here in Bolivia come to a close (I cannot believe I am typing it, but today marks one month until departure), I have found myself constantly reflecting…
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A Light in the Darkness
Editor’s note: Missioner Cindy Mizes reflects on the beauty of creation as a manifestation of Christ’s redeeming light. There is a beautiful night blooming cactus on the grounds where I live that has an abundance of flower buds. This particular cactus is massive with its long green tentacle-like arms stretching over 10 feet into the…
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Advent 2016: Be Not Afraid
Throughout the Christmas narrative, God presents people with a challenging invitation while simultaneously reminding them, “Do not be afraid.” Although these words in themselves can be daunting, it’s important to look at what becomes possible when we move past fear. These words are an assurance that, though the fear is justified, it is worth pushing…
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Look For Her Eyes
Editor’s Note: Missioner Catherine Sullivan in Bolivia shares how she stays hopeful during her daily practice of reading the news. One of my favorite pastimes is scrolling through different news sources and articles, comparing stories and trying my best to keep up with the goings-on of the world. It is often how I start and…
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Letting Go and Waiting
Editor’s Note: Holy Saturday teaches us to let go of past hurts and look ahead with hope, even in times of greatest uncertainty. Holy Saturday is a unique day in the Church year. There is no celebration of daily Mass. Until the celebration of the Easter vigil tonight, this day acts as a kind of…
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The Little Things
Editor’s Note: Embracing the power of perspective, today communications associate Maria Beben launches a three-part series calling for reflection on “the little things” in life that are too often overlooked and unappreciated. Check back next Wednesday for the next installment. When I was a student at The Catholic University of America, I had a very…
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Comfort and Joy: Witnessing Hope during Suffering
Editor’s Note: As part of our “Comfort and Joy” Advent/Christmas blog series, Mark LaBelle, a seminarian and friend of FMS, shares how an experience during hospital ministry deeply affected him and allowed him the opportunity to be a witness to hope. “You are one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.” Sure, we had only been acquainted…
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Walking with Pope Francis
This week can best be summarized as a papal whirlwind. Between all the members of the Casa San Salvador community, there were people present for almost all of the Pope’s events during his visit to Washington, DC. On Tuesday, the missioners-in-training, one of our DC Service Corps members, and one of our office associates packed…
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Creating New Lives
When I came to Bolivia, I had the idea that I was coming to fight poverty. I thought that that poverty would take the face of a lack of material possessions. The other great ambition I had was to support the fight against violence. Although I have seen poverty, and I am supporting those who…
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Throwback Thursday: “A Letter from Vietnam”
Editor’s Note: In celebration of our 25th year of preparing and supporting lay missioners, we look back to our archives at a World Care newsletter from 2004 with an article from returned missioner Hao Nguyen from Class 19 serving in Vietnam in 2004. This article was written during his time serving in Vietnam. Hy Vong means…
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Franciscan Friday: Service through Faith: the Ultimate Act of Hope
To honor National Volunteer Month and highlight the service component of the Nonprofit Leadership Program, the next several Fridays will feature reflections from program associates about their experiences with weekly direct service. In today’s post, communications associate Michael Carlson writes about his weekly service experience as a Reading Partner at DC Prep Elementary, a grade…
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Poor and Free: “Faith Keeps Hope Alive”
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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Blessings in the New Year
Just as we are blessed to begin a new day, we are thankful to begin a bright new year! 2012 was a good year for us and we have much to look forward to in 2013. – The homecoming of eight missioners from Bolivia, South Africa, and Zambia. Nora Pfeiffer (Bolivia) Catherine Giller (Bolivia) Lynn…
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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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Prayers for Christmas: Dreams and Goals
“My hope for the new year is that everyone I love fulfills their dreams and goals.” – Sylvia, a student worker at the pastoral juvenil vocacional in Bolivia where missioner Lynn Myrick teaches English and coordinates a film series. On this New Year’s Eve, Franciscan Mission Service certainly doesn’t believe that “old acquaintances should be forgot and…
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Deadline for tax-deductible donations: Dec. 31
Original photo by Charles Thompson Don’t miss your chance to make a tax-deductible gift in 2011 and help us promote peace and social justice through Franciscan lay mission! Donations made out to “Franciscan Mission Service” must be postmarked to P.O. Box 29034, Washington, DC 20017 or submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on December 31 to met the…
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Prayers for Christmas: Volunteering and Human Rights
FMS Executive Director Kim Smolik offers a reflection as today’s prayer for Christmas: To say I am blessed in the work I do would be an understatement. I think a job like mine is a rare gift — it takes me around the world, to places one does not usually think of visiting, into the…
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Prayers for Christmas: Comfort and Hope
Kathy Snider on mission in Guatemala, 1998 to 2000. Today’s prayer for Christmas comes from returned missioner Kathy Snider: “My prayer for Christmas is for those who have experienced loss of a loved one due to death or separation, of home due to natural disasters or foreclosure, of food and due to drought and poverty,…
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