Franciscans in the News
Sister Edith Zamboni, a Franciscan who lived a life of adventure, is given a 100th birthday bash – Rochester Post Bulletin article from October 22, 2024. Please visit the Post Bulletin’s website to read the full article: https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/sister-edith-a-franciscan-who-lived-a-life-of-adventure-is-given-a-100th-birthday-bash
As seen in Bogotá… This billboard recognizes the educational excellence of Colegio Santa Francisco Romana (CSFR).
Sister Carolina Pardo stands in front of a mural of Sister Valerie Usher created by the Student Council of Santa Pacha (Colegio Santa Francisca Romana / CSFR) this year, to recognize Sister Val after her passing on to eternal life.
Letter to the Mayor
Response to request from Rochester Mayor Norton:
October 30, 2024
Dear Mayor Norton:
We are responding to your request for input regarding our priorities for a vital and compassionate Rochester, RV2050.
We recommend that our city have a Land Acknowledgement honoring the original inhabitants, the Dakota & Ho-Chunk peoples.
Housing
- Need for more workforce affordable housing
- Homeless – Possible “Tiny Houses”, to be located near churches or in their parking lots to be near resources: food pantry/meals, bathroom/shower facilities, etc. Some are mobile, and can be moved from place to place when necessary
- Nearly Homeless – Single-room occupancy: SRO’s (if HUD assists financially, tenants pay a % of rent)
- Annexing the 67acres – 18th Ave & 55th St. – housing for the underserved
Transportation
- Light Rail from Twin Cities to Rochester-& Rochester to Twin Cities
- Increase bus routes within Rochester (at present, very limited)
- Offer affordable bus passes to low-income residents and seniors in Rochester
Green Space
- Increase parks & walking paths
- Encourage roof gardens
- Balance increased building with green space
- “Re-wild” the area
Medical
- Recommend home Medical Care – services to patients in home
- More handicap accessibility to Mayo and Public Buildings for seniors & disabled residents
Services
- Immigrants: Improve Services for Hawthorne Learning Center
- Offer free Bus passes needed for attendees
- Provide Child Care for children of the adults attending
- Employment services needed for this workforce
- Provide “Welcome New Residents Day”
- Economically poor children – provide basic needs
- Homeless teens (600 at present)-basic needs & education resources
- Support the use of school playgrounds during after-school hours
- Re-organize monthly meetings of Churches to address providing services to underserved
Environment & Energy
- Solar Panels – provide incentives for homeowners & businesses
- “Blue Zone” concept (healthy place to live, sufficient green space, healing city-partnership with 3 clinics)
- Waste Management – include recycling
Sincerely,
Sister Patricia Schlosser, on behalf of the Community
Franciscans International
Visit from Cedric Chatelanat of the Franciscans International Office of Geneva and New York
On October 22, Cedric Chatelanat shared a presentation with the Franciscans International – Earth Cluster: “A Franciscan Voice at the United Nations.” Franciscans International stands with some of the world’s most marginalized communities.
Together, we use human rights as our tool to advocate for dignity, peace, and environmental justice.
FI Vision – A global community in which:
- the dignity of every person is respected,
- resources are shared equitably,
- the environment is sustained, and
- nations and peoples live in peace.
More information at: https://franciscansinternational.org/
Katie Jacobson – Missionary in Cambodia with Mission to the World (MTW)
The Sisters had a wonderful opportunity to meet Katie Jacobson, a missionary in Cambodia, on November 13th, in the Community Room. Her informative and engaging presentation included a slide show, video, photo display, and souvenir items from Cambodia.
Katie, the grandniece of Sister Joseen Vogt, explained how her mission work first began when teaching English in the Philippines in 2004. She became keenly aware of the lack of medical care in third-world countries, and she pursued a degree in nursing which she finished in 2009. Katie’s opportunities in missionary work thrived in 2022, once she moved to Cambodia.
Katie’s mission work, supported by Mission to the World (MTW), serves patients in need of holistic medical care, educating Cambodian nurses, mentoring young women, and building the Christian faith at local Khmer churches in three areas. Katie has been sharing her ministry via presentations here in the USA for several weeks and will soon take some time to relax while she resides with her family here for the holidays in Rochester.
