May Peace Prevail on Earth

Have you ever wondered about that wooden pole with the strange writing that’s planted outside of Clare Hall?  It’s called a Peace Pole, and it has been on campus since 2005, replacing another that had been on campus some years prior.  It gives the message, “May peace prevail on Earth” in 8 languages.

There are tens of thousands of Peace Poles in 180 countries all over the world. They exist to encourage prayer for peace and draw attention to it.

The languages on our pole were picked for very specific reasons.  They represent all continents and the four corners of the globe, especially areas of struggle:

Arabic – Language of the Middle East, a land with currently much strife

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Cherokee – Native American language from North Carolina.

May peace prevail on earth

English – The most common language in the United States

Bari salama ta kasance a duniya

Hausa – an African language

Japanese – the only people who ever had nuclear weapons used against them

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Ja jab’ sbatxilal chi kowa’ne sat txotx ti

Mayan dialect – a reminder of our Sister Parish

Sign Language – represents handicapped folks

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Que la paz prevalezca en la tierra

Spanish – the fastest growing segment of the American population

How It Started

Memories are foggy, but sometime around fall of 2007, the Justice and Peace Ministry facilitated a 10-week course on peacemaking. One of the outcomes of that class was a commitment to hold a prayer at the Peace pole every 3rd Sunday after the 9:30 Mass. That started in May of 2008 and continues to this day. A group of faithful parishioners have gathered there, rain or shine, to pray aloud for a peaceful world and for specific global concerns.

Long-time leaders of this ministry have been Paul and Marianne Williams.  They are leaving soon to spend 1 year abroad in China to teach English as a Second Language, one of their longtime passions.

We are now looking for leaders to take a turn at the helm coordinating prayer at the Peace Pole. Different folks have put together various prayer services that last under 10 minutes.

“We’d love to see the gentle ministry continue,” says Marianne.

This is a great ministry not just for individuals—ministry groups could take a turn leading a prayer for peace.

“Social ministry not genuinely rooted in prayer can easily burn itself out,” says the USCCB document Communities of Salt and Light:  Reflections on the Social Ministry of the Parish.  It goes on to say, “in prayer, we find the reasons, the strength, and the call to follow Jesus in the ways of charity, justice and peace.”

Paul and Marianne Williams

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The Connection Between Fracking and Oil Spills

The Franciscan Care of Creation Ministry helped raise many voices from this parish in advocacy.

The current proposed legislation in North Carolina on hydraulic fracture mining (fracking) has gone through the House and Senate quickly.  The main concern is the rush to approve fracking when many alarming questions remain about its safety and benefits.

Despite the short notice, the ministry gathered 114 signatures and promptly delivered them to the Governor’s office Monday morning.

In related news, The Justice Theater Project finished its run of “Light on the Horizon,” and original work by Artistic Director and parishioner Deb Royals.  The play brought into personal view the destructive impact of the BP oil spill on both the environment as well as the rich Cajun culture of southern Louisiana.

The final showing also featured a pre-show talk by Joel Bourne, award winning journalist and author of the 2010 cover story “The Spill” for National Geographic Magazine.  He said that the rush for profits created a system where many standards and safeguards were either avoided or violated altogether on many different levels.  The rush to bring hydraulic fracking to North Carolina is a direct parallel—a perfect storm for further environmental disasters both big and small.

In Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the USCCB writes that “We have a moral obligation to protect the planet on which we live—to respect God’s creation and to ensure a safe and hospitable environment for human beings.”

Does this look like good stewardship?

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It’s the Year of “Kingdom-Work” in Review!

We live in a time where it is easy to lose hope in the economy, in the political process, and even in the institution of the Church.  It is a time that probably makes us especially yearn for the Kingdom of Heaven to come once and for all.  It is helpful to remember that Christians of every age, especially that first generation of believers, also traveled self-doubt, social unrest, and political and ecclesial insecurity.  They too experienced the deepest dramas of human life: birth, growing up, falling in love, daring to give oneself to others, searching for meaning, coping with suffering and failure, and eventually death.  What kept our Christian ancestors “at the table,” I think, is the same recipe of hope that is ours to believe.  It is a recipe that reads “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  Foretold by the prophets, quickened by the ministry of John the Baptist, and ushered in by Jesus the Messiah, this promise of the Kingdom’s presence in our midst is truly good and hopeful news.

As we close our 2011-2012 fiscal year, it is a beautiful opportunity to remember and celebrate all the ways the Kingdom of Heaven is being made manifest through you and the Kingdom-work of this parish.  Examples abound:

• Our Seniors Club gathers for their monthly pot-luck…
• Young adults assemble for their weekly gathering to pray and read Scriptures…
• A family welcomes its first child and desires her to be a part of this Christian community through baptism…
• A parishioner visits another parishioner who is sick and homebound and losing hope…
• A parishioner hosts a Ukrainian orphan for three weeks this summer…
• A group of parishioners act as a care team to a family experiencing financial difficulties…
• Parishioners advocate for just immigration reform at the NC Legislature…
• Parishioners make and share meals with those hungry in Raleigh and Durham…

All of these things (and more!) suggest just how much Kingdom-work is happening at St. Francis of Assisi.  Indeed, we can never wallow too long in darkness by being a part of this community who believes that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  As the prophet Isaiah says, no matter how bad it gets, the Lord formed us and calls us to be “a light to the nations.”

We want to take this opportunity as we close the fiscal year to say “thank you.”  We have gratitude because you are choosing to do this Kingdom-work when you could be giving your time and resources to all kinds of other places.  But just as importantly, we have gratitude because it’s your response and witness to God’s call to do this Kingdom-work that gives us hope, inspiration, and an excitement to keep faith in troubling times.  By your actions, we all live in the hope that never fails, believing God’s kingdom that is truly “at hand.”

With regular updates from ministry volunteers and staff, this entire site is devoted to being the hub of the most exciting news and reflections coming from our parish ministry life.  Check it out regularly and even consider contributing some pictures and written words to it.  It’s hard not to read through the site and not feel that God’s kingdom work is being done at St. Francis of Assisi.

Family Life:

• Prepared ninety-two couples for marriage, and married fifty-two of these couples at St. Francis of Assisi;
• Incorporating a new Pre-Marital Inventory called “Fully Engaged” as our tool for couple mentorship;
• Baptized 219 children (126 at Communal Baptisms and 93 during weekend Masses);
• Offered socially and prayerfully engaging ministries and events for men, women, seniors, gay and lesbian parishioners, young adults, and parishioners with African ancestry, including annual spiritual retreats for each ministry;
• Started up the New Parent Care Ministry that provides support for families in the “4^th Trimester” when their lives transition to meet the needs of the new life that they, with God’s help, have brought into the world;
• Coordinated gatherings of seniors for game days, potlucks, trips, Oktoberfest, Mardi Gras, and Reconciliation services and luncheons
• Offered weekly, lectionary-based Bible Study for Young Adults held every Wednesday evening;
• Coordinated two excellent AAMEN presentations, one for Black History month and another after the Witness for Peace delegation to Colombia;
• Saw continued success of the Always Our Children ministry, reaching out to GLBT people, friends, and family by providing a safe space for conversation and support in our faith community;
• Hosted the “Night of Wine Tasting and Games” to help raise over $5000 for the Diocese of Raleigh Young Adults Mission Trip to Honduras;
• Led a beautiful gathering of couples at Valentine’s Day led by Joe and Rosemary Czejkowski who helped couples in an exploration of the “5 Love Languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman;
• Supported the Special Needs Ministry that met monthly during its first full year and offered parents of children with special needs opportunities to find support;
• Led popular enrichment opportunities for couples and parents in Great Date Nights, Active Parenting, and Third Option;

Care and Wellness

• Visited hundreds and hundreds of sick, homebound, hospitalized, and elderly parishioners, offering compassionate presence, the sacrament of the Eucharist, and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick;
• Added Rex Rehab to the Wednesday Eucharist schedule and a new monthly Mass at Magnolia Glen;
• Continued to offer warm and welcoming funeral receptions for parishioners and their families;
• Made and distributed a total of 768 handmade hats, scarves, sweaters, shawls and lap robes through our Prayer Shawl Ministry
• Offered three new workshops helping parishioners plan for end of life for themselves and their loved ones: Living Wills and Power of Attorney, Preparing for Institutional Care and Estate Planning;
• Surveyed parishioners about their needs around health and wellness;
• Oriented and trained nine new parishioners as Caregivers;
• Offered a new grief workshop called Living with Loss for 14 parishioners who recently lost loved ones;
• Prayed for about 1500 parishioners in some formal way through a variety of prayer ministries, like our Prayer Line ministry and Rosary ministry.
• Offered a successful annual Centering Prayer retreat celebrating 21^st year of Centering Prayer in Triangle area;
• Initiated a new ministry supporting those experiencing and caring for those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia by offering workshops “Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s” and “A Conversation with Dr. Burke on Alzheimer’s”
• Supported, mentored, empowered, and networked to employment hundreds of unemployed parishioners through the ministry called Job Connections
• Offered weekly workshops for over forty parishioners experiencing divorce through DivorceCare ministry;

Justice and Peace

• Hosted Dr. Abdelfattah Abusrour who spoke to a group of 54 about the use of the fine arts in promoting healing and justice in Palestine; he also gave a more detailed presentation to actors and board members of the Justice Theater Project as they look for ways to collaborate in their similar missions;
• Organized a two-day visit by Russ Testa, the Holy Name Province animator of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), with staff and advocacy groups to energize, advise and help focus our efforts around Immigration Justice, Care of Creation, Fair Trade Gift It Up! Ministry, and Palestinian Concerns.  As a response to this gathering, an ongoing Palestinian Concerns groups has formed;
• Partnered with Habitat for Humanity and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities in an first annual interfaith effort called Abraham Build to build a home in Raleigh;
• Sent four parishioner delegates to our Sister Parish Las Margaritas II in Guatemala, helping them install a computer lab with internet and skype capabilities;
• Reformed a committee for Immigration Justice to address education and advocacy on behalf of immigrants;
• Released $15,000 to the Children of Chernobyl Ministry for scholarships and medical concerns for children from Belarus that parishioners have hosted in previous summers;
• Contributed through the Disaster Recovery ministry to the rebuilding efforts in the Catskills mountains of New York in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene;
• Started a new Gabriel Project ministry to provide support and services to women in crisis pregnancies;
• Formed a Dignity of Life group to shape dialogue at the parish around issues of human dignity, with special attention to the consistent ethic of life;
• Facilitated a clothing drive to benefit migrant workers, who arrive each summer to work in the fields near Louisburg, NC;
• Organized an electronics recycling event that raised over 6 tons of material to be safely reused and recycled;
• Prepared lunches for an elderly HUD residential community in Durham through the new Brown Bag Ministry; ministry expanding from two to four weeks each month.
• Graduated twelve parishioners from the 30-week JustFaith program;
• Offered eight-week study circles on Climate Change and Immigration for groups of about a dozen parishioners;
• Organized the highly successful Advent Giving Tree raising over $16,000 in gift cards and at least an equivalent amount of gifts to partner outreach organizations;
• Organized the annual Turkey Drive giving 42 turkeys and $240 in cash donations to those in need around Thanksgiving;
• Organized a Holiday Gift program for 56 prisoners, most of whom are in North Caroliina Death Row;
• Assisted with a toiletries drive and block party for Passage Home;
• Collected nearly 150 productive units of blood in the fall and spring Blood Drives; .
• Organized the parish-wide highly successful Gift It Up! Fair Trade Market that brings attention to economic justice and Fair Trade principles; local vendors sold products and gave presentations on the dignity of work and St. Francis proceeds were donated to Catholic Relief Service and Interfaith Food Shuttle.

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Mustard Seed

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6th Graders Sort Clothes for Migrant Workers

6th graders at The Franciscan School, led by teacher Patsy Thieken, were the hands and feet of Christ last week in sorting clothes that parishioners donated for migrant workers. Thanks to the generosity of parishioners, the POD is full! The Migrant Ministry acts in solidarity with our brothers and sisters working at low wages and living in poverty in Louisburg. Through providing donations, driving workers to Mass on Sundays, and preparing monthly “fiesta” meals for the community, parishioners witness to and remember Christ’s commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.

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We Remember

On June 10 we celebrate The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. The Eucharist compels us to imagine a new earth, where the hungry are fed and the lost are found. It does this because Christ calls all people, regardless of their status or national origin. At the Eucharistic table, we both experience and foreshadow the ultimate coming of the Kingdom, which is a communion in peace of all of Christ’s people. As a result, the Eucharist is profoundly social as much as it is profoundly personal.

To be a Eucharistic people, the Church is often a thorn in the shoe of society. Every culture tries to turn a blind eye to those who do not fit in—The unborn; Prisoners; The elderly; The poor; Citizens of enemy nations; Immigrants sneaking across borders. These people are the collateral damage of ‘business as usual’ and there is much pressure to forget them and move on. It is often the Church that is first on the scene to cry out, “Wait a minute!”

The impulse of the media would have us jump from the latest tragedy du jour to the next. In our society plagued with a short attention span, it is deeply moving to see Christians whose faith calls them to remember and stay in solidarity. There are stunning examples right here at this parish.

The BP oil spill happened two years ago and “the headlines are forgotten,” as the promo says, but The Justice Theater Project is bringing it directly to center stage. For three weekends in June, you are invited to see Light on the Horizon, a newly crafted play written by Deb Royals with music compositions by Diogenes Ruiz and Jim Wahl, parishioners and staff. Royals spent months at the Gulf Coast interviewing fishermen, workers and others who have been personally affected by the oil spill, even years later. This play is the product of those conversations.

In the coming weeks, check back to the bulletin for statements on the role of undocumented immigrants in America, prepared by our Committee for Immigration Justice. The undocumented immigrant knocks on our proverbial door and challenges us to reflect more deeply on what it means to be a Eucharistic community. Undocumented immigrants often face the impossible decision between respecting the laws or following their moral obligation to provide for their families. The answers to immigration problems are not easy, but what should be do given what we learn and experience through the Eucharist? It is vitally important as Catholics and as active citizens that have an accurate picture to make informed decisions.  The hope is that this ongoing information will help us all understand immigration better–its impact on society, the reasons for it and what it means for us as  Church.

The nuclear accident at Chernobyl happened 26 years ago. To say it’s yesterday’s news is an understatement. Yet, the fallout will affect millions of people for generations. The Children of Chernobyl Ministry hosted children from Belarus during the summers for over 10 years, giving the children a rest from their radiation-soaked homeland. Parishioners welcomed these children into their homes and bonds were formed.

An unfortunate dispute with a family in California led to the Belarus government stopping the entire program. Years later, our ministry members are still seeking out ways to support the children they have come to know and love. Currently, funds which had been raised previously are being released for either education or medical hardship. 29 children will qualify for over $510, which goes a long way in Belarus. This is enough for nearly a full year of higher education or other urgent needs.

This ministry is yet another example of what it means to be Eucharist in the world. Even international disputes and thousands of miles in between are not enough to stop their communion.

Our society wants us to forget. Our Church calls us to remember. The insistence of our ministries to leave no stone unturned to remain in solidarity with people our society wants to discard is a living example of the Eucharist. They give witness to the Body of Christ.

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Special Guest from Holy Name Province

Members of the Care for Creation Ministry, Pat and Paul Kelly, Myriah Velazco along with Russ Testa

We were happy to host a special guest last week.  Russ Testa, the Director of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation for the Holy Name Province, visited four of our parish advocacy groups.  He took the role of campaign consultant, spiritual director and “visiting uncle from out of town” as he helped energize and bring focus to our efforts.  We thank Russ for his time and attention and look forward to the fruit that will come of this visit!

Russ Testa and Suzanne Szymendera, Ministry leader for our fair trade “Gift It Up!” Ministry

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It’s Just . . . Faith!

Looking for a small faith group?

Need some time and space to sort through complicated social issues with others?

Feel called to integrate your faith and life more deeply?

JustFaith is a thirty-week adult formation program for people of faith to experience the spiritual journey into compassion.

This program was first introduced nationally in 2001, and since then, more than 1000 parishes and churches around the country have offered this enriching process to their congregations.  The Catholic Community of St. Francis has graduated over eighty parishioners since our first offering in 2002.

With a combination of prayer, readings, videos, discussion, and immersion trips, JustFaith is bound to be a very engaging journey.  The early weeks of this program focus on better understanding the God of compassion and justice in scripture, especially seeing Jesus as one who reaches out to the poor and marginalized.  With a thorough investigation of the rich social teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, the participants also look at several complicated social issues like domestic and global poverty and racism and discuss how to respond as individuals and a parish community.

It is often said that Catholic Social Teaching is “the best kept secret in the Church”—come find out what this secret is all about!

JustFAITH changes people…

Those people change the WORLD.

 The following are some reflections from recent graduates of JustFaith:

“Just Faith has opened my eyes and made me look outside of my own little world.” — Laura Priest

“After being with children all day long, this is my adult time!  Small groups can be so meaningful especially at a parish this large.” — Caroline MacGabhann

“JustFaith has helped me connect with some like-minded folks.  Because of JustFaith, I am taking baby steps to question my actions and how my actions will affect my neighbors.” — Greg Spuhler

“As a social worker, I thought I was adequately informed regarding social issues.  However, Just Faith weekly sessions has deepened and broadened my knowledge and understanding regarding social issues.  In fact, I found I was blind to many social injustices that go on day after day right in front of my eyes–and some in which I actually participate in.  I’m grateful for the opportunity to do some much needed soul searching regarding the way I live in society.” — Kathy Honeyman

“The best part of the JustFaith journey for me is the relationships that have formed amongst the members in the group. I looked forward to our meetings every week and didn’t want them to end.  Not a day went by that I didn’t bring up with my family something that we had talked about or something that I read or viewed in the videos. It changed the way I make decisions, and it has also changed my family.” — Jill Balogh

“Participating in “Just Faith” has reminded me of our church’s rich tradition on social justice issues and has broadened my thinking about complex challenges facing our world.  I am still discerning how this deepened sense of a calling to be in community with the poor will play out in actions.  I am grateful to my fellow participants who have shared this unique journey.” — Gretchen Solomon

It has been a very popular program at the parish over the years, and participants have noted that even though the time commitment seems large at first, the weeks fly by!

If you are interested in participating in Just Faith in 2012-13, contact Sheila Read at 919-847-8205 ext. 420, sheila.read@stfrancisraleigh.org.  Sessions will start in the fall.

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The House That Abraham Built

Habitat for Humanity of Wake County just dedicated the first “Abraham Build” house on Sunday, May 6, 2012.  This is a joint effort between faith traditions that are all descendants of the biblical Abraham:  Jews, Christians and Muslims.  While there are Abraham Builds in other places, this is the very first one in Raleigh.

Present at the dedication were many faith leaders, neighbors and friends, including our very own ministry leaders Diane and Bob Steinbeiser and parishioner Renee Revaz (pictured L-R).  Revaz sits on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County and was very instrumental in getting The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi involved years ago.  Since them, we have become a strong partner through our financial and volunteer support.

We are participating in three builds this year:  The Apostles Build (an effort of 11 Christian churches), the Catholic Coalition (numerous Catholic parishes working together) as well as the Abraham Build.

In fact, it is almost developing too quickly!  “There have been some growing pains,” says Diane Steinbeiser.  With volunteers going to so many builds at different times, it has been a challenge keeping up with it!  The Steinbeisers have a deeply held personal commitment to nurture community for St. Francis parishioners.  Knowing how hard it can be to get to know others in such a large parish, they want parishioners to have an opportunity to meet and work side-by-side with others from our church.

The potential for bridge building while house building cannot be overestimated.  Kevin Campbell, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, remarked that the builds in Egypt provided an opportunity for Muslims and Christians to be in each others’ homes for the very first time.  They offered each other hospitality while their houses were being built.  While they were building the doors to their homes, they opened the doors of their hearts.

The same can happen—and is happening—here in Raleigh.  “We have proven that we can work together!” says Farris Barakat from the NCSU Muslim Student Association.

Contact the Steinbeisers through our St. Francis Builds Ministry at 846-8026 or go to https://sites.google.com/site/sfahabitat/Home

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Young Adults hike in Umstead Park

The St. Francis Young Adults Community joined young adults from other area parishes for a 7 1/2 mile hike around the Syracuse Trail of Umstead Park on June 9th. Thanks to everyone for a great weekend in God’s Creation!

More info about St. Francis Young Adults => http://bit.ly/SFAYAC

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