Using clean water from Sawyer PointONE Filters, Water Women have teamed up to create and sell fresh bread in their community Baking Better Bread With Pure Water About a year ago we reported on the great mission work being done in Bolivia by the Diocese of Joliet (Illinois). Around that time, the Diocese sent a … Continue reading In Bolivia, Bringing Clean Water and Building Community →

by Nancy Schramm, OSF Did you notice how long it took the leaves to change colors this year? As is my custom, I went to St. Francis Woods for my yearly retreat in October, imaging the beauty of God’s artistry that I would see and contemplate during the week. I was not blessed with that … Continue reading Faith Is Our Spiritual Flannel →

by Nancy Schramm, OSF Recently at the parish where I minister and worship, we had a guest priest from Africa sharing his story of ministry and evangelization amidst the many challenges that his country faces. All of the world has similar challenges in various degrees, but Uganda, which, I, too, have visited, has an alarming … Continue reading What the World Needs Now →

By Deacon Bruce Carlson Twenty-five years ago today, I was a few days away from leaving for my first mission to Sucre, Bolivia. There was no question in my mind I was doing the right thing. I was part of a mission team that had prepared for several months. Yet, the seeds of mission were … Continue reading Opportunities →

by Nancy Schramm, OSF With all the challenges we are facing today it is important to have a routine for integrating our stress and seeking ways to diminish its effect on us. A doctor once told me, “Avoid stress.” I was tempted to ask him from which planet he came, but my polite side conquered … Continue reading The Sound of Silence →

by Nancy Schramm, OSF As I wrote last week, joy is an important virtue to cultivate and live by. “The Joy of the Gospel” was an apostolic letter that Pope Francis wrote in his first years as the Pope. Followers of St. Francis and St. Clare know that they both valued this quality and one … Continue reading Love is the Way →

Right when we thought that masks and social distancing would soon be a thing of the past, the Delta variant and other variants invaded our space once again. How long, Lord, can we endure these trials and tribulations? We are all exhausted from the anxiety of what has happened, what is happening and what will … Continue reading The Joy of Remembering →

Caring for the Living Inside a Cemetery By Fr. Max Abalos, SVD Filipino families often visits cemeteries to pray for their deceased relatives. One would expect that. One would not expect, however, to find a cemetery that is basically a small village, with many families living among the tombs. Welcome to my parish. Three cemeteries … Continue reading MCP Spotlight – Divine Word Missionaries →

BY FR DAMIEN ISABELL, OFM The agents of the Mining Company KCC are tirelessly working to resolve our problem in the new house. What problem? Toilets! The new home has many toilets but often no water! We say we cannot enter the house until an outdoor toilet is built just in case there is no … Continue reading MCP Spotlight: MAISON KWETU →

Helen Bills receiving the St. Francis Xavier Award in 2007 from Bishop J. Peter Sartain for her exemplary missionary example. This past week we felt the passing of one of the first missioners who graced our lives with her presence, expertise and dedication: Helen Bills. Many people knew her much longer than I did. When … Continue reading What More Can I Do? →