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Community Outreach
The Franciscan spirit asks us to use the gifts God has given us to make our world a better place to live. The Conventual Franciscan friars try to live up to this idea.
In this section, we feature local news reflective of the Franciscan spirit of reaching out to those less fortunate than ourselves as well as ongoing projects that are run to improve the quality of life in communities throughout North America and beyond.
Prayer Vigil for Shooting Victim
A prayer vigil was held for the soul of Gustavo Peguro-Soto
across the street from where he was shot.
Syracuse, New York (Spring 2008) – On April 18th, 2008, an unknown assailant shot Gustavo Peguro-Soto, 24, in front of the Auto Zone on 4005 South Salina Street. Gustavo lived for another six days. The North Side community was shocked at the senselessness of his death. It is a horror to think that one moment a person is living his life and expecting his day to go on and then the next moment he is dying from a bullet that has torn into his flesh.
With the police investigation ongoing, the Franciscan Collaborative Ministries called a prayer vigil for Mr. Peguro-Soto’s soul. And in the evening of Wednesday, April 30th, interested individuals came to South Salina Street, just near where Gustavo Peguro-Soto was shot, and prayed.
The power of prayer is immense. Prayer calms the soul and brings us closer to God. It helps us to see more clearly the way ahead in our lives. The turnout at the prayer vigil for Gustavo Peguro-Soto is significant also for other reasons. It keeps the young man’s memory alive and shows that the North Side community will not be intimidated. The power of a loaded gun will not scare citizens into sitting quietly at home.
Ongoing Projects
St. Clare Inn (Toronto, Ontario) - A transitional home for women who have battled mental health problems. The St. Clare Inn - founded by The Friends of St. Francis - provides a safe welcoming space
with clean private rooms, food, and counseling facilities to help residents start healthy independent lives.
Franciscan Collaborative Ministries (Syracuse, New York) - A multi-pronged community organization with the intention of revitalizing the North Side of Syracuse, New York. FCM offers many services to improve the lives of the poor. These include: The Povrello Health Services, Coffee and Donuts, Soup and Scripture, Legal Assistance, and others.
El Padrecito's Online Church (Arroyo Grande, California) - Founded by Friar Masseo Gonzalez, OFM Conv, the church ministers to thousands of troubled youths around the United States.
FrancisCorps (Syracuse, New York) - FrancisCorps allows young college graduates from age 21 to 25 to live together in community and volunteer to improves lives in impoverished areas of Syracuse and Costa Rica.
The Franciscan Center (Buffalo, New York) - The Franciscan Center welcomes troubled young men who need hellp reintegrating into family and community life. It provides a welcoming non-judgmental atmosphere along with necessities for emergency situations.
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