-
The Franciscan Volunteer Ministry (FVM) is a group of lay men and women, living in community, who dedicate themselves to ministry in the Church in collaboration with the Franciscans of Holy Name Province.
Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Name Province, the Franciscan Volunteer Ministry provides a setting for young adults to grow in faith, love and hope by serving the poor and working for social justice. We aim to foster Gospel-based communities as a witness to our faith through prayer and a simple lifestyle. We encourage our volunteers as lay people to come to full stature in the Catholic Church by working with Franciscan Friars of the Holy Name Province, Franciscan Sisters and laity in ministry. We provide a setting where gifts and talents are exchanged with the people of God in a loving and joyful Franciscan spirit, always being aware of how much we can learn from and are blessed by those who are poor and marginalized.
St. Anthony of Padua (Camden NJ): The FVMs live and serve in ministries fostered by St. Anthony of Padua, a vibrant and diverse Franciscan parish. The ministries include: St. Anthony of Padua Elementary School, youth ministry, religious education, Hispanic and immigrant ministry, English as a New Language, community outreach and organization, community gardens, children's arts projects and Francis House - a social ministry with people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
St. Francis Inn (Philadelphia PA): The FVMs live and serve as part of a full-time Franciscan community that runs St. Francis Inn, a place of ministry with people who are poor, homeless, addicted or mentally ill. The main focus is the soup kitchen, which feeds up to 400 guests a day in body and in spirit. The duties include preparing and serving the meal, picking up and distributing food and clothing and supervising and directing day volunteers. FVMs also have the opportunity to work in a women's day center and a thrift shop.
St. Paul's & St. Joseph's Parishes (Wilmington DE): The FVMs live and serve in ministries fostered by two Franciscan parishes: St. Paul's, a predominantly Hispanic parish and St. Joseph's, a predominantly African-American parish. They have the opportunity to work as prison ministers, youth group coordinators, parish staff coordinators, youth and elderly outreach ministries, pastoral counselors at a Franciscan hospital, teachers of English as a new language with Voces Sin Fronteras (Voices Without Borders), a grassroots workers' rights organization and in migrant and immigrant ministry.
About half of the annual budget for the FVM program is provided by Holy Name Province Benevolence Trust. The remainder comes through personal gifts from generous people like you. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the FVM program today.
If you are interested in being a Franciscan Volunteer Minister or in helping support the program, contact them at:Franciscan Volunteer Ministry
PO Box 29276
Philadelphia, PA 19125
Phone: 215.427.3070
http://www.franciscanvolunteerministry.org