Michael Carlson
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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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…
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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…
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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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Franciscan Friday: Fulfilling Anointing the Sick through Civil Disobedience
Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, Franciscan Mission Service Communications Associate Michael Carlson interviews Jason Miller, Franciscan Action Network (FAN) Director of Campaigns and Development, on his recent act of civil disobedience in opposition to the southern leg of the Keystone Pipeline. Read his reflection on the event at Acting…
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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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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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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…
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