Ministries of Mission

Brown Bag Ministry – Nanette Kirsch or Tricia Downs
Prepares and distributes brown bag lunches on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month to a low-income senior apartment complex in Durham. The ministry allows all ages in a family to participate. Families pack lunches together, experience brief communal prayer, and have face-to-face contact with people in need.

Catholic Parish Outreach – 919-873-0245, Sue Hand 919-846-7954   
Serves the needs of people facing difficult financial times by providing food and children’s and maternity clothing.

Care for Creation – Trevor Thompson – 919-847-8205x270
Answers the call of St. Francis to be faithful stewards of God’s creation by advocating on behalf of the environment and supporting educational activities.

Caregivers via the Center for Volunteer Caregiving – 919-460-0567
Offers several types of help: respite visits so that primary caregivers can take a break, transportation to the grocery store and
to medical appointments.  Consider sharing your time with others. Volunteer according to your schedule.

Caring Casseroles – Kathleen Owen – 919-847-8205x241
Volunteers bring freezer ready casseroles to the Feed the Need refrigerator on the first weekend of each month. Meals are used to help those dealing with life’s challenges.

Traveling Eucharistic Ministers
Eucharistic Ministers, also called (EM’s) bring the Holy Eucharist to those who cannot attend Sunday liturgies at
St. Francis: the homebound, hospitalized and residents of retirement communities and nursing homes such as

EM to Abbotswood – Anita Misko – 919-294-6456

EM to the Homebound – Pat Spencer – 704-608-1678

EM to Magnolia Glenn – Jacob House – 919-360-9611

EM to the Meadows – Andrea McVerry – 919-846-2056

EM to Rex Hospital – Edward Gilmartin – edward.gilmartin@gmail.com

EM to Springmoor – Janice Horner 484-949-1417

Faith Formation – Jennifer Fiduccia – 919-847-8205 x238
Our Cross Walk (grades K-5), Cross Train (grades 6-8) and Cross Road (grades 9-12) programs are group-based faith formation programs for our elementary school, middle school and high school-aged children. The programs are centered on the Mass, offering food and fellowship, in a fun, safe environment, with offerings to fit your family’s busy schedule!

Family Promise – Ron Smith – 919-455-7786
Family Promise Ministry  also known as Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network (WIHN)  – Every year we host homeless families at St. Francis for a week at a time, 3 weeks out of the year. Opportunities to serve include bringing food items, sharing a meal, being an overnight host, providing childcare, and serving as a driver. This is a perfect opportunity to “welcome the stranger” in our community and live out one of the corporal works of mercy. 

Feed the Need – Kathleen Owen – 919-847-8205x241
Help provide cooked meals to families in our parish who are adjusting to life’s challenges. Sign up for a date that works for you.

Feeding Calendar –  Becky Cawley at 919-847-8205 or Kathleen Owen at 919-847-8205
If “feeding the hungry” is one of your favorite corporeal works of mercy, check out our feeding calendar for information about upcoming opportunities. 

HIV/AIDS Care Team – Tom Zimmerman – 919-870-1379
Provides compassionate care to those in our community suffering with HIV/AIDS in partnership with Alliance of AIDS Services – Carolina

Hospitality Hands – Deb Royals-Mizerk 919-847-8205 x222
Serves Coffee and Donuts after morning masses in Fellowship Hall to enable our community to simply be with each other in fellowship. 

Inter-Faith Food Shuttle – 919-250-0043, Suzanne Szymendera – 919-845-4885

International Mission – Trevor Thompson – 919-847-8205x270
Takes parishioners to other parts of the world to experience different ways of living and expressing faith. These are transformational opportunities to encounter God’s mercy in the other cultures and peoples. We are planning on trips to Honduras, Guatemala, and others.

Job Connections – Mary Horner – 610-755-5392 http://www.stfrancisraleigh.com/job-connections/
We are an instruction and support ministry that provides encouragement, information, networking, coaching, spiritual guidance, and job search skills training in a Catholic Christian setting.

Jobs for Life – Ellen Ferrone
This is an employment ministry where unemployed and underemployed men and women, many of whom are homeless, come seeking training, mentoring and coaching to help them find meaningful work. We serve on Mondays.  This is a brand new opportunity in partnership with a transformational organization of Jobs for Life.

JustFaith and other Social Justice Formation Events – Trevor Thompson – 919-847-8205×270
Offers educational programs, films, guest speakers, and event throughout the year on a variety of social justice topics

Justice Theater Project – Deb Royals-Mizerk – 919-272-1551
Engages a variety of social justice topics by offering several dramatic productions a year

Knights Of Columbus – Contact: Mike Wrzesien for any membership inquires

LaVerna Al-Anon – Helping by giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.  We meet every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in the LaVerna center (the log cabin across from the Chapel).  Enter through the garage.
For resources, (Click here)

Medical Presence @ Mass – Kathleen Owen at 919-847-8205 x241
Parishioners who are medical professionals identify themselves to the head usher and wear name tags. In the event of a medical event during Mass, they can be easily identified as someone who can help.

Mental Health and Wellness – Kathleen Owen at 919-847-8205x241
Addressing the stigma associated with Mental Illness, offering support and bringing awareness, resources, education and offering a better understanding of Mental Illness.  Mental illness is a medical condition not a weakness.

Men’s Ministry – The cornerstone of the ministry is the monthly breakfast meetings that provide a frequent way for men to come together in prayer and fellowship. The Men’s Ministry provides a safe haven for men to meet other Christian men for friendship, advice, the sharing of our journey through life, and a smooth transition for involvement in other activities with the St. Francis Community.

Migrant Ministry – Bruce Cartier – 919-855-9909, bcartier7@gmail.com
Connects with migrant workers at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, in Louisburg, N.C., in summer by driving them to Mass on Sundays and serving monthly “fiesta” meals.

Oak City Outreach Center
Prepares a meal regularly for individuals experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity in downtown Raleigh.

Prison Pen Pal – Trevor Thompson – 919-847-8205x270
For many years, our Prison Pen Pal Ministry has been reaching out to prisoners living on North Carolina’s death row. These prisoners are isolated and often estranged from family. Members of our ministry write to prisoners who have requested letters. Often we are their only link to the outside world. The number of inmates requesting letters has far exceeded our pen pals and we are actively seeking parishioners to join us. Pen pals commit to giving correspondence a try for six months but otherwise you determine how often to write.

Refugee Resettlement – Aggie Dalton
We have joyfully and successfully resettled our first family, but there is always more to do! We will continue to support the Omari family and help them transition to life in Raleigh.

Rite of Christian Initiation – Adults RCIA@stfrancisraleigh.org
A process of discernment for adults who seek initiation and full communion with the Catholic Church.

Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, adapted for Children – RCIA@stfrancisraleigh.org
A process of discernment for those who are between the ages of 7 and 17 and seek initiation and full communion with the Catholic Church.

Sister Parish Guatemala – Carie Gunnells
Sends delegations of parishioners to the village of Las Margaritas II in Guatemala (Central America) to deepen our mutual understanding and open our hearts to our Mayan brothers and sisters.

St Francis Builds – Diane and Bob Steinbeiser – 919-846-8026
Offers St. Francis workdays to work alongside other parishioners in building homes for the homeless.

St. Francis Feeds – Donna Mariani – 919-326-3768
Prepares a meal regularly for individuals experiencing homelessness and/or food insecurity in downtown Raleigh.

St. Francis Inn, Philadelphia – John Budway – 305-205-5104
St. Francis Inn is a Franciscan Eucharistic community called to minister to the poor and homeless of Philadelphia. Delegations of six to eight parishioners from our parish travel to Philadelphia a few times each year to participate in this community. Delegates serve at the Inn from Monday through Friday, typically departing from Raleigh on a Sunday and returning the following Saturday

The Way of Francis – Ben Whitehouse
An individual pilgrimage for those who are seeking a deeper understanding of the gifts they have received from God.

Visitation Ministry – Sharon Holland – hollandbozo@yahoo.com
Provides friendly visits to parishioners in area hospitals and care facilities.