ATHENS, Ga. — Franciscan Volunteer Ministry promoter Matthew Johnson traveled here last month with two current volunteers to recruit and speak about the importance and value of volunteering.
Johnson said the three, including University of Georgia graduate Eddie Whelan, visited the Catholic Center, directed by Thomas Vigliotta, OFM. They spoke at Thursday Night Theology about volunteering. The TNT series invites students to meet various speakers, Thomas said.
“We talked to 22 students in a living room,” Johnson said. “It’s supposed to be a one-hour event, but we were there for extra hour just having a dialogue and sharing experiences.”
Johnson, Whelan and Rory Dunphy also spoke at all weekend Masses, reaching another 700 to 800 students, and attended a confirmation retreat near the Catholic Center with 52 teenagers.
“It was great to realize, as we were leaving, how the students were really hit by the stories we shares — that there are bigger things in the world than themselves,” Johnson said.
As promoter of the 21-year old Franciscan Volunteer Ministry, Johnson has a busy schedule in the coming months. He will be visiting several college campuses to recruit for the 2010-2011 year of FVM, which, he said, will again be in three communities: Wilmington, Del., Camden, N.J., and Philadelphia. He added that several current FVMs will be returning for a second year of ministry.
Shown in the photo are Thomas, Whelan, Johnson, David Hyman, OFM, and Dunphy.
Editor’s note: Information about this year’s volunteers and their ministry in the communities of Camden, Philadelphia and Wilmington will be included in an upcoming issue of this newsletter.