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| Bianca, Laura, Rachel, and Sara wait for Mass to begin. |
On Sunday, August 27, three Young Women joined the sisters and several of our Franciscan Companions in Mission members for Mass, during which they committed themselves to a year of service in ministries associated with our congregation. At the beginning of Mass, Sara Marks, director of our volunteer program, No Risk, No Gain, introduced the three young women. Laura Anderson is from Olean, New York, and will be volunteering on Red Hill Farm here in Aston. Bianca Martinez from San Antonio, Texas, will be volunteering at St. Paul Family Counseling Center in Wilmington, Delaware. Our third volunteer is very familiar to all of us. Rachel Dunlap from Keokut, Iowa, is returning for a second year of service and will continue volunteering at the Aquinas Center in Philadelphia. Following the homily Sara explained that the volunteer program invites “lay women and men to commit to a year of service sharing in the charism and mission of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. Living simply in community with a focus on social justice, spirituality, and the Franciscan Tradition, Volunteers grow in the spirit of the Gospel as lived by Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi.” She then called the volunteers to join her in the sanctuary. It was most impressive to hear these three young women declare: “I, ___, commit myself for this year of service as a Franciscan volunteer, to be in right relationship with the Sisters of St. Francis as well as with the people with whom I minister, and to be open to the Spirit that led Francis and Clare of Assisi, asking that I, too, be led.” |
| Rachel, Bianca, and Laura make their commitment for one year of service. |
Sr. Jean Ustasiewski, coordinator of Our Lady of Angels Convent, welcomed the volunteers in the name of the congregation and helped Sara to distribute tau crosses to them. Then—as is always our tradition—the sisters blessed the volunteers by singing “The Blessing of St. Francis.”
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| Sara Marks distributes the Tau crosses, |
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Sr. Jean Ustasiewski welcomes the volunteers.
Sisters and companions sing the Blessing of St. Francis. |
Following the liturgy, the sisters and companions greeted each of the volunteers individually—welcoming them both to Our Lady of Angels and to our Franciscan family. |
| Sisters welcome each of the volunteers and wish them well during this year of service. |
