Franciscan Brothers Minor
Following the model of the early Church, each year Catholics on a Mission selects twelve high school and college students to travel to and serve the local and indigenous Cabecar people of Costa Rica.
2013 Costa Rica Mission Team
From June 29 - July 10, 2014, our mission team will travel with Fr. David Mary and the Franciscan Brothers Minor to minister to the local Costa Rican and indigenous Cabecar people.
Fr. David Mary Engo & the Franciscan Brothers Minor with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades
This is the "other" side of Costa Rica unseen by tourists - poor, remote jungle areas where homes have dirt floors and the indigenous people share shelter with their animals.
While there, we'll host a Vacation Bible School for the children, share our personal faith testimonies with the people and give food, love, and dignity to homeless men and women in Turrialba and San Jose. Since most people in this region only receive the sacraments once a month, we'll celebrate Mass with people living in remote villages at least once a day.
WAYS YOU CAN HELP...
We have an immediate need to raise $6,915 by Saturday, June 7. However, a generous donor has agreed to match dollar-for-dollar all funds received for the Franciscan Brothers Minor. That means only $3,458 is needed.
Here's how you can help...
SPONSOR* A FRANCISCAN BROTHER for 1 DAY ($40) or 1/2 DAY ($20) (see *note regarding "Sponsoring" below)
Would you consider sponsoring* one day of a Franciscan Brothers' ten-day trip? Your contribution will cover their modest accomodations and food for the day. Click on the FBM photo above.
Make a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation (by check or money-order):
Worldwide Seminarian Support has generously agreed to accept donations on our behalf and will issue a tax-deduction letter upon receipt of your contribution. Please mail your check (payable to "Worldwide Seminarian Fund" with "Franciscan Brothers Minor" in the memo field) to:
John Becker
(260) [phone redacted]
Worldwide Seminarian Support
3954 New Vision Drive
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46845
Make a NON TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation (by credit or debit card):
Simply click the DONATE! button or any of the Sponsor* a Student buttons above. (*see "sponsoring" note below)
GIVE ROSARY BRACELETS for GIFTS THIS SPRING
Just in time for First Communion and Confirmation! We're now accepting pre-orders for these beautiful, hand-crafted rosary bracelets. Each is available for a suggested donation of between $11 and $20. Looking for particular bead colors? We have hundreds of design options from which to choose. Here are just a few... 
These make PERFECT gifts for the young Catholic person in your life. Consider these for bridesmaid or baby shower gifts as well!
All proceeds go directly to fund our trip. For more information please visit our rosary fundraiser webpage.
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
Our students are eager to share their stories with your parish, business or organization. To set up a time, please call Dave MacDonald at (260) [phone redacted].
Knights of Columbus Fundraising Dinners
Join our team and the Franciscan Brothers Minor for dinner sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. After we finish serving you, our team will tell you about our upcoming trip and share stories about our last one. Coming soon!
WHO IS CATHOLICS ON A MISSION?
In 2012, several high school students who were actively involved in the Franciscan Brothers Minor youth group approached Fr. David Mary Engo with an idea. Inspired by reading "Kisses from Katie," these teens felt called to "put their service where their faith is," and share the gospel with people in a foreign country which accepts missionaries under the age of 18. Costa Rica fit the bill.
Catholics on a Mission has become a student-driven service organization evangelizing our parishes, our cities and our world through Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.
In Redemptoris Missio, Blessed Pope John Paul II writes, ":the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples."
Catholics on a Mission embraces this call of the Church and empowers high school and college students to explore the missionary and religious life through hands on experience. We recognize this generation has the capacity to accomplish great things, particularly under the direction of committed-Catholic adult leaders.
Evangelizing Our Parishes:
Our high school team members serve as liaisons to youth groups, encouraging them to collect items for the poor and homeless living in downtown Fort Wayne. Parishes are encouraged to sponsor a missionary from their own parish or adopt one from another, and commit to praying for their formation and our efforts. Our team assists smaller parishes with work projects as needed.
Serving the Poor in Our Cities:
Our team provides regular assistance to the poor by sharing seasonal clothing, food, love and respect with the city's homeless, and citywide service projects in support of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese and Bishop Kevin Rhoades as needed.
Evangelizing and Serving Our World:
Through annual mission trips to Costa Rica we administer to and evangelize the indigenous tribes and Costa Rican people. Our long term vision is to establish a permanent missionary base from which the Franciscan Brothers Minor will serve the local people and seminarians will be able to learn Spanish though immersion. College students have additional opportunities for extended service at the mission base camp and local orphanages.
Catholics on a Mission is Formative:
Students and adult leaders make a commitment to grow in charity through intellectual and spiritual growth, moral fortitude, consistent prayer and service. Formation is ongoing and includes (1) regular Eucharistic Adoration and group holy hours, (2) making a commitment to pray for Catholic missionaries and the people they serve, (3) reading and discussing church and missionary resources, (4) ongoing participation in group service projects, and (5) discussions with Catholic missionaries. High school and college students are trained to take a more active leadership role on the team as they grow in their faith.
Catholics on a Mission is Cooperative:
As members of the Body of Christ we have a responsibility to connect and build up the Church. Locally that includes finding bridges between parishes toward common goals. We accomplish this by building relationships across economic and ethnic divides. A financially affluent parish might feel called to adopt a missionary from another parish. Parishioners from a smaller, predominantly Spanish-speaking parish might provide invaluable assistance as translators. Each has something important to contribute.
We do not seek to undermine the important service work being done by parish youth groups. Rather we provide additional opportunities for students who want to explore a life of service with like-minded Catholics. We also encourage the participation of middle school students from our parishes. These future mission team members make rosaries and trinkets we take to Costa Rica to share with their people.
For more information please visit us online: www.CatholicsOnAMission.org
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*IMPORTANT NOTE regarding "SPONSORING": Due to IRS guidelines regarding tax-deductible donations, contributions cannot be specifically earmarked for individual students and/or adults but must go in a general fund for the entire team. In addition to our group fundraisers, each team member has been asked to find people to underwrite their portion of our daily expenses while we're in Costa Rica. We are tracking this internally to hold members accountable. When a team member has received 10 individual daily sponsors, please be aware that additional contributions from their "sponsors" will be applied to our remaining general mission expenses. In the event a team member cannot join us in Costa Rica (illness, death in the family, etc.), the funds will be used by their replacement and/or the mission trip needs of the team (the "sponsored" member is unable to take these funds with them due to IRS regulations). The entire team is raising funds for the entire team's mission trip. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dave MacDonald (260-422-5377) or click the "Contact" button at the top of this page.
