This year’s six Change A Heart Franciscan Volunteer program members ended their year of service at non-profit organizations in the Pittsburgh area during a sending forth prayer service held at the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities’ western Pennsylvania region house.
Friends, families and ministry site supervisors joined the sisters and volunteers for the July 22 ceremony.
Pat Moran, Change A Heart program director, opened the service with the song “Go Light Your World.”Each volunteer then shared how the experience of working in area service agencies and living in community for a year changed their hearts and prepared them for a life of service. Change a Heart members, who showed enthusiasm for their ministries throughout the year, expressed joy and gratitude for their time as Franciscan volunteers.
Sister Donna Stephenson, Western Pennsylvania Region minister and program founder, thanked the young adults for sharing in the sisters’ mission of serving those most in need with reverence, justice and compassion. Pat Moran blessed Change a Heart members, anointing their heads, eyes, ears, lips, hands, and feet. The volunteers then anointed one another. The service concluded with the “Blessing of St. Francis.”
As these young men and women conclude their journey of faith and love with the Sisters of St. Francis, they will carry this sacred time with them wherever God leads them.
To learn more about the Change A Heart Franciscan volunteer program, visit changeaheartvolunteers.org.
