The Spirit of St. Francis of Assisi in Buffalo

Buffalo, New York

Jean Hymes runs the youth ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Athol Springs, New York. The parish’s pastor is Friar Steven Frenier – a Conventual Franciscan. Both Friar Steven and Jean encourage their fellow parishioners to serve the wider community. Jean in her role as youth minister organizes events for young people in the parish to go out into the community as a group and affect some positive change. One of these events is the yard clean up.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Athol Springs, New York organizes yard clean-ups

Western New York tends to have cold winters with generous snowfall. When the white stuff melts away, home gardens tend to be left in disarray. St. Francis of Assisi’s youth help these gardens recover; they rip weeds from the ground and pick up trash so that when the gardens begin to bloom they do so with complete vivacity.

Young people making a difference

Jean Hymes also follows the goings-on in the Buffalo area – where Athol Springs is located – to find outreach possibilities for the youth of St. Francis of Assisi. The Buffalo area is blessed with magnificent architecture and great museums. It however also has many economic problems which have led to an increased poverty rate and crime. Energized young people willing to make a difference under proper guidance cab really help brighten Buffalo’s future. 

(Sources of photos on homepage and webpage: KPOB on flickr.com, mybeforeandafter.wordpress.com, and http://planetgreen.discovery.com.)