Help Japan
The friars in Japan and all the people we serve want to thank everyone for their concern. Where we are, so far, all the events have just been a nuisance, scary sometimes, but still just a nuisance. We just had more aftershocks and it always makes us wonder: should we run out or not. The poor people up North are experiencing a nightmare. Devastation and catastrophe barely describe what they continue to experience. At the Franciscan Chapel Center, we have opened our doors to evacuees (about 50--mostly women and children). We were happy to be able to do this. So far we have been able to provide a safe, restful, healing experience. We have a playroom for the children, a movie time and a pet time to help them relax and renew. People have been very generous with time, talent and treasure and even more impressive is that some of the evacuees are helping to make rice cakes for the homeless that we normally feed. I know that you may want to help. Right now the best thing is money; send donations to The Franciscan Missionary Union and designate "Japan". More importantly…please Pray for us.
ASIA/JAPAN- Welcome and sharing by Franciscan missionaries for victims of the tsunami
Welcome to the Franciscan Missionary Union
The Franciscan Missionary Union of Holy Name Province was founded in the 1920’s to help support and promote the missionary activity of the friars. Over the course of time it has taken on many projects to assist in the promotion of the mission of evangelization of the Province. It is an integral part of the Office of Development and the Evangelization Ministry of the Province. The Franciscan Missionary Union has enabled our friar missionaries and the religious and lay missionaries that have joined them to bring the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to people all over the world and in special areas of our own country.
Beginning with China and the rural South, the Province has provided missionaries to many diverse places: Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Peru, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Sweden, Africa, Easter Island, and most recently, Vietnam and inner city Camden, N.J. In addition, we provide assistance to the Church in China and friars who minister in Thailand and North Korea.
Proclamation of the Good News is our foremost mission, but it is a mission that is both of Word and deed. All kinds of human development programs are part of the missionary work. Schools help people to know the Divine Teacher: economical programs (food centers, job training, public works projects) bring the hand of the Lord to those in distress, environmental work (farming, soil renewal, conservation, water projects) continue God’s creative activity, medical centers and hospice care continue the Divine Physician’s healing and watchful care. Our missionaries are always looking for new ways to allow the Lord to continue to build up his reign
We offer the following biblical readings for each day of Lent and Easter. For Lent, the Book of Deuteronomy (Dt.) is a wonderful way to appreciate the renewal of the covenant and encourage us to renew our own personal and com-munal covenants with God. For the Easter Season, a parable each day read in the light of our Easter Faith can sustain us as we live our life of discipleship. Perhaps keeping a brief notebook for reflection can help as we keep the days of renewal and celebration.