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Walking the Walk
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Dan Havron, OFM, in the words of the homilist at his funeral, “knew the Shepherd.” It was this close connection with God that made Dan such an inspiring force. Dan was only 61 years old when he died suddenly April 27, 2012. His life as a teacher, an inner city pastor, a retreat director and much more inspired his family and friends who packed a Cincinnati church for his funeral. Dan saw his Franciscan life as mission, as joining with others to abandon everything and live the Gospel. In November, Dan traveled to Quito, Ecuador, to attend a meeting of the JPIC animators of the OFM provinces in the Americas. The topic was the environmental and human rights consequences of climate change, especially in the Amazon region. Dan later shared what he learned in his preaching and retreat work. And he lived the values he preached; traveling with minimal luggage, learning from his third world brothers and encouraging the best in everyone. (Read more about Fr. Dan.)
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“We, the Franciscans of St. John the Baptist Province, commit ourselves to increase our
awareness of issues surrounding refugees, migrants, and victims of human trafficking
in order to develop more proactive Franciscan responses on the provincial, friary and
personal level.”
— 2008 Chapter Resolution,
Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, USA
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Welcome
Greetings, Good People!
Francis of Assisi, our patron, experienced all of God's creation as sacred.
His famous Canticle of the Creatures includes the words:
"All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Sun…Sister Moon and Stars… Brothers
Wind and Air…Sister Water… Brother Fire… Sister Earth…Sister Death. All praise be yours, my Lord, through all
that you have made. Happy those who endure in peace."
Francis had a profound respect for all of life. He experienced true solidarity with
the poor and marginalized. As he embraced Lady Poverty, Francis was freed to live very simply, making peace in
every encounter. It is these values that inspire our JPIC efforts. We work to bring about justice and peace in
our world, to end violence and war, poverty and oppression and the destruction of our planet. Our efforts are often
directed at the systems that cause this oppression and destruction. We work in collaboration with Franciscans and
others around the world. We believe that these common efforts are gradually transforming our world.
We invite you to join us on this journey. If you would like to be added to our e-mail
alert list, please contact us at sjbjpic@franciscan.org. We encourage you to visit our pages often and take
action, as you are able. We hope that you, too, will be transformed in the process.
Blessings and peace,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Office of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation
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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O divine master, grant that I may not
So much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
In pardoning that we are pardoned,
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.
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