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Franciscans in Action
May 2008 e-newsletter
"Preach the Gospel and if necessary use
words." - St. Francis of Assisi
We welcome your feedback and
encourage you to send us stories about Franciscan action
and where you see the spirit of St. Francis at work in the world.
You can email your comments
and stories to Peter Rajchert at peter@franciscans.org.
Indiana Parishes Work to
Help
Conventual Franciscan Mission in Zambia
Zambia
Sometimes one comes across the following
defeatist argument: We all have our own lives, our own problems, and our
own worries. The problems and worries of people in some other far away
place, as sad as they might be, are no concern of mine. The economy is in
a bad way. And I might lose my job tomorrow. Read further...
Franciscan Service on the Gulf
Coast
Bay St. Louis,
Mississippi
after Hurricane Katrina in 2005
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi is
less than sixty miles east of New Orleans. A pretty town of just over
8,000 souls it is nestled on the Gulf of Mexico. Bay St. Louis residents
take great pride in their town’s famed restaurants, lovely homes, and
breathtaking beaches. They are also painfully aware of its vulnerability
to nature’s wrath. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina walloped Bay St.
Louis severely. Many people died and property damage was extensive. The
process of recovery would be long and hard. Read
further...
Feeding Utica's Poor
Utica, New York
The city of Utica, New York has been under economic duress for a
long time. First, the textile mills disappeared in the 1950s. The tool and
die industry began to fade away in the second half of the 20th century. A
decline in population and a cutting back of social services left Utica
troubled and on edge. Many of the local unemployed or underemployed had
and have trouble paying rent and caring for their families. Often they
cannot afford to buy food.
Read
further...
Educating the Children of Tanzania
Tanzania
The Conventual
Franciscan friars first undertook their missionary work in Tanzania
exactly 20 years ago. The need in Tanzania is still great and the friars
continue their work eagerly. One of their most recent projects responds to
the need for quality education in Dar es Salaam for children of all ages.
Dar es Salaam is a dense city with a population of over 2 million people.
Many of its children do not have access to education and end up living on
the street. Read
further...
Franciscans Promote
Empowerment of Women
in the United Nations
Women are working to change the
world
Franciscans embrace
equality; however, as we all know, for some members of the human race
equality is still a work in progress. Women, in particular, have suffered
greatly throughout the centuries. They were subjugated and lacked
empowerment. Although, the fate of many women in the world today has
improved substantially, they still lag behind men in terms of political
representation and rights.
Read
further...
The Spirit of St. Francis Welcomes one and all
at
the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
The St. Francis Center in Los Angeles, California
is appropriately located on South Hope Street. Founded by the Order of
Friars Minor in 1972, the center is now run by a combination of talented
religious and lay people. The center welcomes volunteers to help continue
its mission of helping the poor.
We welcome your feedback and encourage you
to send us stories about Franciscan action and where you see the
spirit of St. Francis at work in the world. You can email your
comments and stories to Peter Rajchert at
peter@franciscans.org.
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