The stipends that Franciscan Mission Associates (FMA) receives for Masses are distributed to friars around the world. The brothers often send letters to us at the provincial office, thanking our benefactors for their support and relaying stories of how the stipends enable them to help the poor and needy. Their letters and stories – often with photos included – now number in the thousands and the pictures fill a wall. 

For most of my 40 years with the province, it was my primary job to distribute the Mass stipends. I am now retired, yet still love to visit the office and look at the wall of photographs collected from those letters. These are just a few of the stories of gratitude and hope that I recall now as I look at the photos once again: 

• In Cameroon, a village priest established an orphanage and was able to feed and house dozens of children thanks to Mass stipends.  
• In Honduras, two priests were able to establish food and clothing programs for the poorest of the poor. 
• A priest from India wrote to tell of how Mass stipends were helping him to build a school in his parish. 

The Friars’ photographs of smiling orphans, hopeful families, and children in humble school uniforms speak a thousand thank-yous in images. 

You see, ​​Mass stipends that our faithful benefactors provide through FMA go directly to the friars who say the masses and they in turn put the stipends toward their mission works. 

​​​Just as powerful and important is the power of prayer. I recall that the priests in Cameroon wrote to us about a sickness that overtook the village and testified to how the intercessory prayers of the saints and of the FMA family provided the medicine needed to cure the sick. Other stories like it are innumerable. 

Indeed, your generosity and all it enables is God’s work in action.  

Thank you and God bless!