Curiosity & discernment: finding & choosing a spiritual home – Episode 31
Release Date: 01/18/2022
Crossing cultures & creating spaces for belonging in daily life - Episode 52
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Dr. Patty Jimenez as she shares the joys of being raised with Franciscan values, translates theological terms and teachings into everyday language, and the creates spaces of belonging for young Latina woman raised in the United States. For a video version of this episode, see: From Patty Jimenez’ interview: “When I returned to school I am reading Bonaventure, Scotus, and Francis and Clare's writings, I'm going, some of this stuff is pretty lofty. But when I broke it down to the essentials of hospitality, of care for creation, this is what my family lived...
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Christmas in February: A Journey through Latin America – Bonus Episode 1
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Franciscan Associate Arlen Casco as she narrates in video form what we’re calling “Christmas in February: a journey through Latin America.” It will be an exploration by several Associates of how Christmas, that is, the coming of Jesus among us as a human being, is celebrated in their respective countries of Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Columbia and Venezuela. The video is spoken in Spanish and subtitled in English, while the audio is in Spanish. For the original video version with English subtitles, see: We hope you find a welcome in this bonus episode of word, song and...
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Hospitality opens doors to pioneering inclusion & education – Episode 51
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Franciscan Sister Callista Robinson as she breaks open her experience as an African American woman of faith, rooted in her own culture. A life-long learner and teacher, her hospitality and compassion serve to build bridges of relationships across cultures. For a video version of this episode, see: From Sister Callista’s interview: “Franciscan values of compassion, serving the very poor and underserved, have really influenced me as a Franciscan Sister. And peacemaking and social justice, those are Franciscan values. It seems to me you...
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Growing with God & others: Welcome & bring our full selves – Episode 50
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Show Notes: Join former Franciscan Community Volunteer Nnedi Anoskie-Ogunu as she shares her learnings of what strengthens her connection with God and others, ranging from the place of welcoming communities to developing an interior spiritual life. For a video version of this episode, see: ...
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Living Presence: uniquely gifted by God for the world – Episode 49
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Jamie Deering as she shares stories and considers with curiosity what it is to be present to oneself and others as we allow God to flow through us in the midst of different ways of thinking, seeing and being in the world. For a video version of this episode, see: From Jamie’s interview: “One of the first and primary ways that God grabbed a hold of me and that I knew the presence of God in me and in the world, was through music. When I was four years old, I began piano lessons and when I was in elementary school, there was a choir and I was so excited to be part of this,...
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Hospitality & Presence: teachers of beauty & living in unity – Episode 48
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Sister Meg Earsley as she shares the delight of discovery and learning through cultural immersion in intentional communities, both in the unexpected joy of religious life and in her immersion with the incredible people of Bolivia. For a video version of this episode, see: From Sister Meg’s interview: “My community is blessed with a real attitude of inclusion. Even our constitutions have a title called Unity and Diversity. We are united as a community, but we are accepting and promoting of all of our gifts; how we find those gifts is a blessing in itself.” “I...
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Our call as Franciscans: building community across cultures – Episode 47
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join our Latin American Associate Leadership Team as they reflect together on the call to live as sisters and brothers across the Americas. Working as a team, they foster conditions for living in the spirit of Saint Francis, weaving unity in diversity—this is Good News! For a video version of this episode, see: From Arlen, Veronica and Camilo’s interview: Arlen shares: “Our main function is always to be aware of the community, and of each associate that belongs to the community. In Nicaragua we are 2 groups: one is in Managua and another is in San Diego....
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Living in Love: the gift & challenge of committed relationships – Episode 46
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Garry and JoAnn Dahl as they reflect together on what it is to choose the path of transformation and not of transaction in relationships, sharing a trajectory of growth in relation to God and others as they seek to bring peace to the planet and one another. For a video version of this episode, see: From Garry and JoAnn’s interview: Garry: “I come from a perspective at this junction in my life where I see everything as gift, that I didn't deserve, or wasn't entitled to, or there wasn't something I merited. It was purely gratuitous, God loving and manifesting God's self in...
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God invites everybody: Let’s grow into peace & nonviolence! – Episode 45
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join Brother Mark Schroeder as he is interviewed by guest host Darleen Pryds. Mark explores the priority of living in community, in peace and mutual understanding while being passionate for justice and nonviolence advocacy. For a video version of this episode, see: From Brother Mark’s interview: “As a Franciscan, early on, I was active in nonviolent demonstrations, many times ending up in jail. That's beyond the way I was raised and the way I operated when I was a kid. But through that, I really realized the importance of standing up for what you believe, the importance of taking...
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Franciscan without letters: building community and justice – Episode 44
Engaging Franciscan Wisdom
Join educator and health care provider, Athena Godet-Calogeras, as she is interviewed by guest host Darleen Pryds. Athena is a master storyteller of her journey ranging from urban life in New York and Chicago to the enchanted mountains of Western New York state. For a video version of this episode, see: From Athena’s interview: “[With] a Franciscan scholar by the name of David Flood, … we began to hold weekly sessions on the Franciscan movement. He's an historian. … When I learned about what Francis and Clare, what they, and the other men and women at that time had to contend...
info_outlineJoin Franciscan Associate Alison Swoboda as she shares her journey of discovery into freedom and right placement in her life of service as a woman of faith and a medical provider.
From Alison’s interview:
“I was with a musician friend of mine… we were at a jazz club and I heard mistakes. I couldn't believe that I heard professional musicians. You don't make mistakes. I thought like, no, no, no, no—once you're a pro you never make mistakes anymore. Or like, when I was little once, once I'm an adult, I'll never make mistakes again. And then I realized, no, that's not what it's about. We can inspire one another, even without being perfect and with music too we all have some beauty to add. Beauty doesn't have to mean perfect.”
“[Serving in Central Mexico as a volunteer] was a great time of learning who I am when I don't have to be anybody, or I'm not expected to be anybody or nobody knows my family or my background, or have these expectations of how I'm supposed to act. There was kind of freedom in that, and in learning myself and what I do value for myself and how I see myself as well…This is who I am, who I’m designed to be—this is how I was made.”
“I still question all the time. I feel like I'm in continual discernment of wait, is this where I should be now? Or, it time to do something else? It's that continual curiosity about what's just around the corner.”
“See the blessings, the contentment and the hope that comes when we're not living in conflict, but living in congruence.”
“I feel so blessed by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls. It's really my spiritual home. … I resonate the most and feel so inspired by the Franciscan Sisters. Their way of being makes so much sense to me, really being in discernment, the continual conversion, the missionary spirit, really living in right relation, and helping wherever you can for as long as you can. Also, that every person is valuable and cherished and important. …I aspire to live with the same values …the Associate relationship formalizes what already is.”
“[As a Franciscan Community Volunteer] I can reflect back on this intentional living together and having intentional conversations about how we see the world and how our experiences of the many worlds of St. Cloud as well, since we were all in these different locations. And how expansive even central Minnesota is. It was quite a change when I graduated undergrad, I said, I am afraid that I'm going to stay in central Minnesota for my whole life and not know the world. And so to then come back and move back to central Minnesota in some ways just felt like I was walking the same road twice, but I learned that was not the case, and it totally broke open that assumption or that fear, and showed me that it doesn't matter where you are, there can be depth and wisdom and encounter. Anywhere.”
For a full transcript, please include episode number and email: fslfpodcast@fslf.org
References:
Franciscan Community Volunteers (FCV): While this ministry has closed, a new intentional intergenerational community has evolved in its place; more on that later. Here’s a bit on FCV: https://www.fslf.org/pages/franciscan-community-volunteers
Pro-Life and value of all life: https://breakinginthehabit.org/2019/02/11/why-are-catholics-so-pro-life/. See also Catholic Social Teachings: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching
Haecceitas: a Franciscan term coined by John Duns Scotus re: the unique value, dignity, ‘thisness’, of every person and everything; two references: https://cac.org/irreplaceable-thisness-2018-03-18/ , and https://www.ssfamericas.org/post/a-hagiography-of-blessed-john-duns-scotus
Ronald Rolheiser, “God with skin on”: https://ronrolheiser.com/; you may also want to look up his classic book “The Holy Longing” for a great exploration of what Christian life and spirituality are about. Here is a blog post exploring “a God with skin”: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/a-god-with-skin/