This Easter season, we hear at Mass the story of the resurrected Jesus walking the road to Emmaus, where he heard his disciples describe the amazing events which culminate during this season.
800 years ago, if you were a layperson who followed St. Francis of Assisi and asked to join his order, he likely would not have responded as you expected. If you had a family or a job you were passionate about, he would have counseled you to not leave them but to embrace and live the Gospel in your work and day-to-day life.
Want to know about St. Francis? Or about St. Clare? Have you heard bits and pieces about these two friends from Assisi but still don't have the complete picture? What is a commitment to God's Creation and ministry to the poor all about?
Conversations are the most powerful influencers in the world. They shape who we are. They influence what we do. What's more, they build relationships, foster understanding, promote growth, and change perspectives. As we know, conversations can be good or bad, enlightening or disheartening. So, what can we do when we're stuck in a conversation that makes us feel uncomfortable, agitated, or helpless? What can we do during a conversation to fend off negative influences?
As we begin to journey through the Easter season, we are reminded that love is stronger than death and that in Christ, life is transformed, not ended. The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that those we love are never truly lost but live on in the embrace of God's eternal mercy.
This Easter season, we hear at Mass the story of the resurrected Jesus walking the road to Emmaus, where he heard his disciples describe the amazing events which culminate during this season.
June is often a time when we begin lifetime promises. It is when we frequently celebrate weddings and ordinations to the priesthood. Graduations in this season also unleash the hope of new beginnings and future commitments. At this time of marking promises, we invite you to provide for another kind of promise by creating a lasting legacy of care for the poor and marginalized by remembering the Franciscan
Br. Jimmy Kernan wasn’t out to make a fashion statement, but he wound up making a fashion connection. But again, making connections is what Br. Jimmy does. The day he attended office hours at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering while wearing his habit, most of his fellow students didn’t flinch. Most of them kept their heads down and worked away. Most of them asked the typical curriculum-related questions. Until one succumbed to the intrigue created by the flowing robe in that famous down-to-earth hue.
Making a high school Franciscan doesn’t just happen. It needs to be an intentional process. Case in point: Padua Franciscan High School, straddling the line between the suburb of Parma and the city of Cleveland. The school began in 1961 as a Franciscan school, an all-boys academy.
There are 8 million stories in the naked city. This line from a late '50s police TV show is just as accurate today as it was over 70 years ago. It's a perfect metaphor for New York City, whose residents can feel exposed and vulnerable, with problems known to only those who extend a helping hand. Each person who lives in New York City has a unique story and list of needs. For many whose stories lead them to the St. Francis Breadline, also known as Franciscan Bread for the Poor, Inc., the need for nourishment only scratches the surface.
