I am looking forward to a little trip this weekend (and praying for good travelling weather!).

I’ve been invited to again join my home parish (St. Joseph’s Church) youth group on their annual winter ‘retreat.’ This year’s theme is: “Leave a Mark,” based on Pope Francis’ words: “….we didn’t come into this world to ‘vegetate,’take it easy, to make our lives a comfortable sofa to fall asleep on. No, we came for another reason: To leave a mark.”

Although these words were intended for others, they are also relevant to me. We are all called to leave a mark, for good, in various ways. One of the ways we do this as Franciscan Sisters is through our apostolates.

May I take this opportunity to answer a question that was posed to me? A writer inquired: “What apostolic ministries do you guys do?”

Our Constitutions would offer this answer:

“…we have formed our living tradition as Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen, a tradition which is also visible in the works we have undertaken over the course of time:

Education and instruction in elementary, secondary, and vocational schools; adult education;

Education and character formation of children and young people in special institutes;

Care of the ill and the aged in hospitals, in nursing homes, in homes for the aged, and in medical centers; living and working with the handicapped;

Conducting houses of study and resident homes for students, offering domestic services in seminaries, offering services in our own communities;

Pastoral and missionary services; family services;

Social work for the poor performed in the service of the Church.”

In whatever apostolate we are asked to serve, let us pray that we may leave the mark that God has in mind, that we may truly share the love and light of Christ with those with whom we come in contact.