Spencer Buchert


Sister Clara and I had the opportunity last week to meet with two freshman classes at my alma mater, St. Johns University.  The students are reading Rachel and her Children, a book written about homelessness in New York City. Professor Douma invited us to share experiences from our work with the homeless in St. Cloud with the intention of bringing some of the principles of the book into the context of Central MN.  It was great to be back at SJU and I think our presentation was effective, as students were engaged and had many questions about our experiences in service to others.  I am hopeful that many of the students we spoke with will become active in addressing the issues of poverty and homelessness in their communities. 

Saint John's was the site of our FCV fall retreat this past weekend where we had a chance to step back and assess the growth and challenges that have taken place since the beginning of our year in August. S. Michelle L'Allier graciously led our group through a reflection on our three pillars, having had nearly two months of life in service, community and prayer together since FCV began. The group had a chance for theological reflection, Lectio Divina, evening prayer with the Benedictines as well as time on their own for reflection and exploring campus arrayed in fall colors. Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement for these outstanding volunteers as they continue to touch the lives of those they serve, daily.

Last Saturday morning, members of the Franciscan Community Volunteers and St. Cloud Theology on Tap joined forces with Catholic Charities to ride 36 miles between St. Joseph and Sauk Centre, MN. The ride raises money for the St. Cloud Children's Home; one of the FCV service sites for the year. Volunteer riders were well cared for by the many volunteers who fed and encouraged participants on their journey north. For more information on the benefit, see:
http://www.ccstcloud.org/WobegonRide/index.html

Hello my name is Katherine and I recently joined the Clare's Well staff this past June as a Franciscan Community Volunteer.

As I was walking the grounds at the Well this last weekend, among prairie flowers of yellow and purple and listening to the occasional mourning dove's call, I kept asking myself "How did I ever find such a peaceful place like Clare's Well? And how in the world did I end up working here?" The easiest answer is that I am working here because I joined the Little Falls' Franciscan Community Volunteers and perhaps the more challenging answer (which I am still discerning) is that I called to come here and just be.

At Clare's Well I have learned so much already in the two short months I have been here. Most importantly is the teaching of listening. Here at the Well there are not a lot of "modern day" distractions or technology. This is the life of quiet, simplicity, and community, where I have re-learned what it means to be one with the natural world. Often in the evenings I end up spending my free time outside just observing the beauty the surrounds me. It is amazing what one can learn about herself by sittings and being quiet.

I spend my days usually working in the several organic vegetable gardens, helping prepare the meals in the kitchen, or just being present to the guests to talk and share with them. I love being outside so I have thoroughly enjoyed planting, watering, and taking care of all our lovely vegetables and flowers. Also I like to cook, so I have enjoyed helping assemble our simple meals of soup or various hot dishes. One completely new experience for me has been working in our barn. Here we have a red barn that holds our three goats, guinea hens, two peacock chicks, and forty or more chickens. For someone like me who has grown up in suburbia land, this is a totally new and fun opportunity for me. Every so often, I help feed and water the barn animals, and the most thrilling part of my farm job is that I get to go collect the eggs from the laying hens.  

But perhaps, the most meaningful part of my time as a volunteer at Clare's Well has come from my interactions with the staff and guests. We truly have a sense of community here. Everyday I wake up and attend prayer with the four sisters I currently live with: Srs. Carol, Jan, Paula and Karen. All four of these Franciscan sisters as well as the sisters I have met in Little Falls, have been so welcoming and caring. They have a joyful, lively spirit within their hearts...something I am sure that St. Francis of Assisi would approve of. 

The staff and guests also always have lunch and dinner together as a community. This is another favorite time of day for me because I get a chance to talk with our many guests who come to stay for either a week or weekend in one of our three hermitages. At our meals together, we are giving the opportunity to enjoy good food and conversation. Each guest comes to Clare's Well for a different reason. Through our guests, I have learned the value of having a place like Clare's Well where people can stay on retreat to rejuvenate and reflect on life.

Excitement, enthusiasm, and anticipation increases in the planning process of our new ministry, Franciscan Community Volunteers.  We are starting our program with   5 new volunteers (3 men and 2 women).  We are hoping for 1 or two more women, so spread the word.

The key components of this 10 month Volunteer Program are:  service, community living, and Franciscan Spirituality.  Each of the volunteers will be working full-time in direct service or advocacy for the poor and needy in our midst.  They will be living in an intentional Franciscan community that places priority on prayer, scripture, and growth in a spirituality that fosters life, justice and peace.

We have the ideal location and set-up for the program in our two adjacent houses: the Franciscan Welcoming House and our Franciscan Volunteer House.  We feel blessed and excited our newly rented Franciscan Volunteer House (see photos). We are eager to tell you about this house and invite you to help us furnish it, and make the monthly rentals payments.   We invite you to help us  furnish it with new or gently used items now.   See our ‘wish list' for our requests.  This list will be kept current so that as items arrive we will delete them from our wish list.  Please contact us prior to bringing anything.  Thanks for partnering with us in this new ministry, Franciscan Community Volunteers.

Sister Clara Stang,  Director

cstang@fslf.org   or call 320-229-0307

Katie Janssen, Manager

kjanssen@fslf.org or call 320-240-6184

1600 11^th Ave. South