FrancisCorps

The Great New York State Fair 🎡🎠🎢🎟️

During this week’s Community Night, our Associate Director, Jenny Rose, joined FrancisCorps 26 for the evening! Aidan cooked tacos for the shared meal to start the night. Then, Saylor led a coloring session for the activity, and to end the night, Daisy guided everyone in a prayer titled “good gardener.” 🖍️🌮🪴

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What is Community Night? The volunteer community is part of a much larger community here in Syracuse. This extended community includes the staff of FrancisCorps, the Friars, Sisters of St. Francis, FrancisCorps Alumni, Secular Franciscans, and many more! With this in mind, one evening each week is reserved as a Community Night in which a member of this extended community is invited to share in the daily meal and prayer as well as an activity planned by the community as a reminder to the volunteers they are not alone and that they have support on their journey.

FrancisCorps 26 kicked off their first day trip of the year with a visit to Niagara Falls, just 2.5 hours away from Syracuse! On Saturday, they crossed into Canada to check out the beauty of Sister Water!

The volunteers are embracing life in Syracuse! Saylor, Ali, Daisy, and Claire went to get library cards. 📚 This is just the start of many new experiences as they continue to settle into their new city!

This week’s Community Night was with our Chaplain, Friar Nader. The evening included an interactive prayer led by Aidan using their mission statement they created during Orientation Retreat and an activity led by Sebastián where they played Apples to Apples and the Bible edition of Taboo.

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What is Community Night? The volunteer community is part of a much larger community here in Syracuse. This extended community includes the staff of FrancisCorps, the Friars, Sisters of St. Francis, FrancisCorps Alumni, Secular Franciscans, and many more! With this in mind, one evening each week is reserved as a Community Night in which a member of this extended community is invited to share in the daily meal and prayer as well as an activity planned by the community as a reminder to the volunteers they are not alone and that they have support on their journey.

FrancisCorps 26 enjoyed homemade ice cream from a local spot, Gannon’s, with our Chaplain, Friar Nader over the weekend!🍦😁🍨

First week of service for FrancisCorps 26 ✅

We are beyond grateful to these six young adults who answered the call to live out the Gospel in Syracuse. We can’t wait to see how God will work through them in the months ahead! 😊

Here’s a selfie from FrancisCorps 26’s first Community Night of the year! 🤗

What a blessing it is for the FrancisCorps staff to gather around the dinner table with them, sharing in the stories of their very first days at their service sites. So grateful for this time together!

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What is Community Night? The volunteer community is part of a much larger community here in Syracuse. This extended community includes the staff of FrancisCorps, the Friars, Sisters of St. Francis, FrancisCorps Alumni, Secular Franciscans, and many more! With this in mind, one evening each week is reserved as a Community Night in which a member of this extended community is invited to share in the daily meal and prayer as well as an activity planned by the community as a reminder to the volunteers they are not alone and that they have support on their journey.

“My 1st Day of Service” photos of FrancisCorps 26 😀📸

On this Feast Day of Saint Clare of Assisi, these six young adults were commissioned as the 26th group of FrancisCorps volunteers by Friar Gary Johnson, OFM Conv., Vicar Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels Province. Along side them were A.J., Jenny Rose, and Friar Nader as they were each presented with a Tau Cross.

Thank you to all those who joined us in person and online!

FrancisCorps 26: thank you for saying "yes" to the Spirit of Assisi, "yes" to service of others, and "yes" to FrancisCorps.

We are so excited and blessed to accompany FrancisCorps 26 during the next year! As they begin their first day at their service sites tomorrow, we ask for your continued prayers.

Green Lakes State Park with FrancisCorps 26 this morning, followed by reading the Canticle of the Sun by Saint Francis of Assisi to end our time there. ☘️🌿🌱🌳

Spontaneous sweets during Orientation Retreat: ice cream and bubble tea (in 0.5x)🍦🧋🍨

Orientation Retreat for FrancisCorps 26 is underway! 😀

They were introduced to Community Night where Friar Nader led the evening by sharing a part of who he is to the community, his passion for board games. He taught everyone how to play Ticket to Ride! 🚞

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What is Community Night? The volunteer community is part of a much larger community here in Syracuse. This extended community includes the staff of FrancisCorps, the Friars, Sisters of St. Francis, FrancisCorps Alumni, Secular Franciscans, and many more! With this in mind, one evening each week is reserved as a Community Night in which a member of this extended community is invited to share in the daily meal and prayer as well as an activity planned by the community as a reminder to the volunteers they are not alone and that they have support on their journey.

Welcome to Syracuse, FrancisCorps 26! 😁🎉

Here are some photos from the welcome dinner with family and friends this evening. The food was from a Syracuse staple, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que with half moon cookies from Harrison Bakery. To end the evening, Friar Nader gave a tour of .

Say hello to FrancisCorps 26! 🤗

Please keep these six young adults in your prayers as they journey to Syracuse.

We also invite you to join us on Sunday, August 11th at the 10am Mass at Assumption Church for the Commissioning Mass of FrancisCorps 26, all are welcome!

FrancisCorps 25 is now up on the alumni wall in the volunteer house! ✨🤗

Wow, 25 years of FrancisCorps communities! 🙌🏼

Here’s to the next 25 of real Gospel service! 🧡❤️

It is a tradition here at FrancisCorps that the departing volunteers design a t-shirt inspired by their year for the incoming volunteers. As a gift for FrancisCorps 26, FrancisCorps 25 designed this t-shirt, which shows an outline of the Tau cross with the volunteer house on the bottom and a path to all the service sites the volunteers serve at.

Keep an eye out in the fall when they will be available as part of our Fall Campaign fundraiser!

"While in FrancisCorps I was able to experience many life-changing experiences. I grew in Franciscan values by living and experiencing them through community and service. Along with my community, I experienced first-hand the impact of Christ in Francis and Clare's lives, and the impact they had expressing his love."

To read Cristo's reflection, please visit: www.franciscorps.org/life-impacting-call/

"This past year of FrancisCorps has ran the gambit in regards to emotions felt, lessons learned, and experiences gained. While I anticipated growth in my personal relationship with God, knowledge of Franciscan spirituality, and ability to live in community with others, I had a hard time imagining how this past year would benefit my future professional endeavors. Looking back on the year now, I am surprised by how much more prepared I feel to enter into the working-world after my time of service at the Assumption Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen."

To read Haley's reflection, please visit: www.franciscorps.org/capability-through-humility/

"I am sad that I will have to say goodbye to my beloved FC25 community, to the FrancisCorps staff, and of course, to the beloved yellow house that I called home for a year. At the same time, I am eternally thankful for this year that has transformed me into a better worker, friend, and daughter of Christ. And as someone who grew up with the sunny, big city hustle of L.A., I wasn’t too fond of Syracuse at first, but I will now definitely miss the city and its unique charm!"

To read Chloe's reflection please visit: www.franciscorps.org/trusting-the-journey/

to our unforgettable 25th Anniversary Celebration Banquet celebrating with over 250 people! ✨

A huge thank you to the following people:

- Friar Gary Johnson, OFM Conv., Vicar Provincial of Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) Province, for his greeting on behalf of OLA.
- Most Reverend Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse, for his blessing on the evening and food.
- Friar Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv., for providing a toast.
- Friar Jim Moore, OFM Conv., for his remarks on 25 years of real Gospel service.
- Mark Barnes, supporter and benefactor of FrancisCorps; Olav Peterson Langeland, FC 23; Jordan Differding, FC 12, and Michelle “Meesh” Brown, FC 5 for speaking about the impact FrancisCorps has had on them.
- FrancisCorps 25 for helping in various ways during the banquet.
- Caroline Johnson, FC 17 and Chair of the Planning Committee for being a wonderful emcee during the night.

Once again, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our benefactors and supporters, with special thanks to those who generously sponsored the celebration weekend. Your unwavering support made this weekend event possible.

"As I reflect on my FrancisCorps experience, I am met with an unshakeable peace. A peace that I haven’t known for some time. Yet, on my first day when I arrived in Syracuse for move-in, I felt anything, but peace.

A new city, a new responsibility at the Catholic Charities Men’s Shelter, and brand new roommates filled my spirit with trepidation. Was I going to fit in here? What would my service site be like? Would I be ready for the challenges that await me?

It turns out, I was not ready for anything. Not ready for the love, pain, excitement, anxiety, sadness, and joy that this year has brought me."

To read Matt's reflection, please visit: www.franciscorps.org/equips-the-call/

We have so many people to acknowledge who made the FrancisCorps 25th Anniversary Alumni Reunion and Celebration Weekend truly spectacular! 🫶🏻🥳

First and foremost, thank you to our alumni and their families for traveling near and far to join us and share in the joyous laughter and heartfelt moments. Your presence made this event special.

A thank you to the Franciscan Friars Conventual, both in the United States and worldwide, and most especially the Our Lady of the Angels Province, for your unwavering support of the FrancisCorps mission. 

We extend our deepest gratitude to our benefactors and supporters, but most importantly to all the individuals and organizations who attended and generously sponsored the celebration weekend. Your contributions made this milestone event possible.

Finally, a special shoutout to the 25th Anniversary Planning Committee (📸3): Caroline Johnson, FC 17 (Chair); Jenna Ford, FC 23; Friar Jim Moore, OFM Conv.; Friar Rick Riccioli, OFM Conv.; Mary Ellen Annesi; and Nancy DaRin. Your hard work and dedication over the past year ensured that this celebration was a resounding success.

Thank you all for making this a weekend to remember! Together, we celebrated the past, cherished the present, and are inspired for the future. Here’s to many more years of faith, service, and community with FrancisCorps! 🧡🩶❤️

Celebrate with us as we welcome Jess, Haley, Savannah, Cristo, Chloe, Matt, and Nguyen to the community of FrancisCorps alumni! 🎉👏🏼

Today marks day one of FrancisCorps 25's fifth and final retreat of their FrancisCorps experience, the Transition Retreat. To start retreat, they celebrated Mass together this morning and received a sending forth blessing from Friar Jude DeAngelo, OFM Conv., Pastor of Assumption Church and the entire Assumption Church community.

As they spend these next few days on retreat, we ask for your continued prayers as they reflect on all aspects of their FrancisCorps journey and how they will take this year into the rest of their lives!

We can't believe today marked the last day of service for FrancisCorps 25! It feels like just yesterday we were listening to the stories of how their first week of service went. Today we share photos with you taken throughout their last week of service. It's crazy how quickly this year has passed!

These seven amazing young adults have shown incredible dedication and compassion to those they served and served alongside. Their direct service and the relationships they've built with the people of Syracuse are a beautiful reflection of Gospel living.

Thank you, FrancisCorps 25! 🧡

A heartfelt thank you to the local friars at St. Francis Friary here in Syracuse for hosting FrancisCorps 25 for evening prayer and dinner last night!

We deeply appreciate their unwavering support and prayers over the past year, not only from the friars in Syracuse but also from those across the United States and around the world.

"Being in Pre-K for a year makes me feel that the kids I'm serving are my own children. It is a privilege that I get to create so many special bonds and be one of the few people outside of their families to receive the phrase “I love you.”"

To read Nguyen's reflection, please visit: www.franciscorps.org/finding-vocation-through-a-year-of-service/