FRANCISCAN MISSION OUTREACH + PO BOX 1086 + SECAUCUS, NJ 07096-1086 + TEL: 718-618-4511 francsicanmissionoutreach@gmail.com + www.franciscanmissionoutreach.blogspot.com

EM I SSA R Y FRANCISCAN MISSION OUTREACH + ACTIVITY UPDATE + SEPTEMBER 2012

KENYA: April 16 - 30, 2012

I retuned to Kenya right after Easter to work again with the Mission-

aries of Charity Fathers and Sisters in Nairobi. We began with a Sat-

urday youth encounter on the theme of vocation at the Sisters com-

pound in the Huruma slums. During the week with the Fathers we

did a three-day Eucharistic retreat at Kamiti prison that included a

Eucharistic procession across the prison yard to the chanting of the

Chaplet of Divine Mercy in Kiswahili each afternoon followed by all

night adoration in one of the prison blocks. The men willingly gave

up their sleeping space on the floor to welcome the Lord Jesus. The

following Saturday, the Fathers hosted a day of prayer and recrea-

tion for the “glue boys and girls” who live on the streets of the

Mathare slums. I was very blessed to have Br. John Baptist Jordan,

CFR (lower right corner), joining me from St. Fidelis Friary in London.

SOUTH SUDAN: April 30 - May 16, 2012

In South Sudan we finalized the contract for the new

roof on St. Peter Claver church in Lowoi (below left,

completed in June) and spent some time with Nigerian

St. Paul Missionary Fr. Chris Unachukwu - whom we are

hoping to support in the future - at Mercy House in Torit.

We also visited St. Theresa Catholic Hospital in Isohe, for

whom Dr. Will Stallings and FMO are raising funds to

purchase a blood analyzer machine (lower right corner).

UGANDA: May 16 - 29, 2012

Our busy schedule in Kamapala included evangelization sessions

in six different sections of the Uganda prison system, outreach

to Catholic prayer groups and business people, celebrating Mass

and preaching part of the Pentecost novena in St. Francis Parish,

Matugga (staffed by Polish Conventual Franciscans, who also

hosted me) and helping direct the Pentecost weekend retreat at

Emmaus Center, Katikamu. There I was also able to see Samuel

and Elizabeth from South Sudan (upper left corner), whom we

are sponsoring in a young adult spiritual formation program.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:

September 5 - November 6, 2012

Africa Mission Trip:

Liberia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia

November 15 - December 10, 2012

Honduras

January, 2013

Haiti

Our missionary efforts depend on your spiritual and financial support. Please pray for us! Tax-deductible donations to support the life, ministries and missionary outreach of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal can be made out to “Franciscan Mission Outreach” and sent to

Franciscan Mission Outreach PO Box 1086 Secaucus, NJ 07096-1086

Thank you! You are in our prayers!

ETHIOPIA: May 29 - June 7, 2012

In Addis Ababa we stayed and worked again with the

Community of St. John (upper right). Jamie Murla (left)

of Missioners of Christ, who had been travelling with me

since early May, led music at the principal event of our

visit: a Pentecost youth encounter. The Ethiopian

Church calendar is one week behind ours, so we were

able to celebrate Pentecost twice, both in Uganda and

Ethiopia. We also gathered Eritrean refugee youth and

showed them the Jesus film in their own language. Col-

laborating with Addis Ababa Auxiliary Bishop Lesanu-

Christos Matheos (upper right, in black) we met with a

number of lay leaders to plan for a future formation

workshop. We were also able to catch up with Fr. Ber-

nard and Br. Bonaventure, CFR (lower right) who were

in Addis giving a retreat to the MC Sisters.

HONDURAS: August 2-20, 2012

My recent trip to Honduras began in the new missionary

Diocese of La Ceiba on the north coast. I celebrated Mass in

the cathedral and in several out stations, led Holy Hours,

was a guest on three different Catholic radio programs and

appeared once on local television. We are in close contact

with Bishop Michael Lenihan, OFM (lower left) to see how

we can best support this new local church that has only six

priests of its own. I also had the opportunity to give retreats

at sites on the north coast to two different groups of lay mis-

sionaries: the volunteers from the Finca del Niño (Farm of

the Child, top) orphanage and school in Trujillo, and the Mis-

sioners of Christ (bottom center). I returned to Comayagua

with Missioners to give additional formation to the newly

formed Corazón Puro (Pure Heart) youth chastity ministry. I

was also able to celebrate Mass at the Granja Jesús Nazaret

boys orphanage and accompany a group of the young men

from there on a recreational outing. I plan to return to Hon-

duras in November-December to follow up on and continue

to develop our efforts in both locations.