'A Day in the Life' of a Franciscan Community Volunteer

During their post-gradute, long-term service, each Franciscan Community Volunteers lives their days practicing service, spirituality, and community through work at their service sites, community events and engagement, and prayer. There is rarely a typical day for a Franciscan Community Volunteer! Here are a few insights, however, into the life of an FCVer:

Service:

Volunteers work at their service site forty hours per week. Schedules are set with their site supervisors. In the spirit of living in simplicity and in solidarity with those on the margins volunteers are encouraged to bus or bike to work. Volunteers are also encouraged to volunteer at other service organizations around the St. Cloud community as they are able. 

Community:

Volunteers are invited to eat, pray, and live with the Franciscans at the Franciscan Welcoming House (a former convent that has been renovated for hosting meetings, days of reflection, and hospitality in the local St. Cloud community) and the Volunteer House. 

Monday nights are "Community Nights" where volunteers come home early from work and come together to listen to a speaker, watch a documentary and/or share in reflection on a certain topic. On Monday nights volunteers and Sisters share a community meal and prayer. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also designated as nights for volunteers and Sisters to share a community meal together. 

Volunteers also are asked to participate in monthly house meetings and staff check-ins, as well as occasional program events.

       
The Franciscan Welcoming House                                     The Franciscan Volunteer House

Spirituality: 

Volunteers and Sisters rotate leading prayer for our community nights. We also provide three retreats per year and an opportunity to engage in spiritual direction.

Sample Volunteer Schedule:

6:30 a.m.:  Get up
7:20 a.m.:  Bike to work
7:30 a.m.:  Prep for math class (gather supplies, review lesson plan)
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.:  Math class (12-20 students)
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.:  Computer class (usually word processing)
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.:  Homework time (one-on-one with students)
1:00 - 3:30 p.m.:  Lunch, plan tomorrow's lesson, other office work
4:00 - 7:00 p.m. FCV meeting, dinner
7:00 - 10:30 p.m.:  Read, hang out, etc.

From the Volunteers...

"A typical day for me, as an FCV, begins with the ringing of my alarm at 6:30 a.m. A quick breakfast and I'm on the road walking to work at 7:30 a.m. The Sisters have prayer at 6:45 a.m., and when I'm feeling very alert and alive, I'll join in!"

"Work for me is at the St. Cloud Mission Office, right next to St. Mary's Cathedral. A typical day at the Mission Office begins with prayer as all four office members come together. Following this, I'll hit the computer and generally work on a talk. People drop in throughout the day to donate items such as quilts and baby clothes or to buy some of the Fair Trade items available at the Mission Office. Often I'll greet them and sometimes help with their purchases."

"Often the Office staff members will have meetings scheduled for the "Sister Parish" relationship with Homa Bay, Kenya, and Maracay, Venezuela. I tend to sit in on these meetings to gain a sense of the work that goes on behind the scenes in forming these partnerships."

"Around 4:00 in the afternoon, I finish the day. I'll generally head for the Volunteer House and check if the other volunteers have arrived home. Otherwise, I'll head to the Franciscan Welcoming House and do some reading, chat with the Sisters, and then think about what to cook for dinner!"

"We volunteers relax and catch up over our meals, chatting about our days, something funny or difficult that happened, a good book we're reading, etc."

"At about 10:30 p.m. it's time for bed to get ready for all that the next day has in store!"