At Franciscan Schools Australia there is an expressed interest in joining with Franciscans to support outreach and project initiatives. We are one big Franciscan family!
The first thing to say is that for the Franciscans any outreach is about building relationships first.
Any relationship is two way and a sharing of hearts.
FSA encourages schools to look at projects where people can develop sister school/community relationship.
LEARN HOW TO CONNECT WITH FRANCISCANS BY DOWNLOADING THE DOCUMENT BELOW.
FRANCISCAN MINISTRIES FOR SCHOOL DONATIONS
Reach Out Across the Blue Project – MFIC Early Childhood Centre in PNG.
Schools may remember that in 2022 the Missionary Franciscan Sisters invited FSA schools to help resource their childhood centre in Aitape, PNG due to open in February 2023.
GOOD NEWS – The Elizabeth Hayes Early Childhood Centre in Aitape, Papua New Guinea is open and was officially blessed on May 4th 2023. What a surprise for the staff and students when seven large boxes of educational resources and toys landed in Aitape ready for the new academic year. Thank you to member schools in Brisbane for supporting this little school. We are looking forward to continuing connections in 2023.
YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY CAN STILL ASSIST TO RESOURCE THE CENTRE.
PNG is a very poor country and educational standards remain low. With a literacy rate of 64.2%, Papua New Guinea has the lowest literacy rate in Oceania. Primary school attendance is at 63.4 percent for boys and 56.5 percent for girls. A staggering 41 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s population under the age of 15 years.
If any of the FSA member schools would like to support this project the MFIC Sisters would be very grateful regardless of how large or small your assistance. Thus, your school is invited to assist in whatever capacity you can. Your prayers for the success of this project is welcome! A letter from Sr Catherine White mfic and fundraising account details are below.
Franciscans International (FI) welcomes your support.
You can stand in solidarity with Franciscans worldwide through Franciscans International. FI is entirely dependent on donations from Franciscan orders and congregations, funding agencies and institutions, parishes, and people sensitive to Franciscan values of solidarity, peace, social justice, and respect for the environment.
To donate, you can go to www.franciscansinternational.org/donate
OFM Friars in Timor Leste.
Donating directly to the Order of the Friars Minor will ensure the funds raised by schools and Colleges will go directly to a Franciscan program. The Order of Friars Minor, Holy Spirit Province (Australia) have direct contacts with friars in Timor Leste. Donations can be made through Franciscan Missionary Union CBA account below. Fr Joe McKay OFM [[email protected]] can provide more details about Franciscan Missionary Union.
Name: Franciscan Missionary Union BSB: 062267 Account #: 00900314
Timor is a foundation dependent upon the province of St Michael in Indonesia and their details and various addresses are on their site: https://ofm-indonesia.org/. The site is in Bahasa language but Google translates for you. There is a donations page to support various projects – https://ofm-indonesia.org/donasi/ The friar who looks after their JPIC [Justice Peace Integrity of Creation] concerns in Michael Peruhe. Br Michael lived and studied in Australia and his English is fine.
Order of Friars Minor presence in Ukraine continues.
“It has already been close to two years since the war hit Ukraine, dragging it into a vortex of terror, death and flight of the population. The presence of the OFM friars, in this time, has never failed, guaranteeing every possible type of support to the people overwhelmed by negative events. The Franciscan charism of bringing peace and goodness continues.” (Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General).
From day one, Br. Danyil Botvina, OFM, Provincial of the Franciscan Province of St. Michael the Archangel in Ukraine, sent an urgent request for funds to help provide food, medicine and shelter to refugees experiencing this tragedy.
Fondazione OFM Fraternitas has made it possible to launch 25 social, aid and support programs for the population.
READ more and see more images of the Friars ministry HERE
If you have any questions about these projects or ways your school’s FUNDRAISING CAN GO DIRECTLY TO A FRANCISCAN PROGRAM, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Fill in our contact form. We can’t wait to hear from you!
