Franciscan Collaborative Ministries is a spiritually-oriented non-profit community renewal organization undertaking various social entrepreneurship initiatives in an effort to revitalize the North Side of the City of Syracuse.
Our mission is to bring the Gospel message of peace, reconciliation and love to our neighbors in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi.
Working together, we minister by supporting and providing services which empower and enhance the dignity of those in need, embracing all of creation as brother and sister.
Serving in peace - Transforming lives
Organizational Goals:
Live Christian principles based upon the lives and ministries of St. Francis and St. Clare
Provide outreach to those in need
Create an environment of non-violence and respect for people from all walks of life
Act as agents of change
Encourage lay people to become community leaders
What We Do
At FCM, we believe in the teachings of St. Francis – that every person has value and that every person deserves respect. It is this theme that is driving our work in Syracuse. FCM is a group of Friars, Sisters and lay people, many of whom are volunteers. Together, we are striving to incorporate the Franciscan charisma with a variety of ministries that serve our community.
We have tremendous energy, a range of talents, and a commitment to the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi in bringing peace to Syracuse. Our approach to community revitalization is multi-faceted, and just like the spectrum of people within our neighborhood, the programs and services we offer are very diverse.
The Food Pantry provides families with food parcels each month to prevent hunger. On a daily basis we offer a sandwhich program which provides a bagged lunch to anyone who walks through the door, no questions asked.
Northside Ministries, is one of our oldest ministries, and encompasses a wide range of services, including free health service, legal counseling and community building.
Another cardinal ministry, FrancisCorps is a year long lay volunteer experience for recent college graduates that offers personal discovery through spiritual living and committed service to the community. Some FrancisCorps volunteers help staff other FCM ministries.
The Franciscan Place is a chapel and spiritual sanctuary for quiet reflection, located in Syracuse's Carousel Center mall. For years, it has provided shoppers with a refuge from the mall's fast-paced commercial atmosphere and reflects St. Francis' presence in the marketplace.
The above programs represent only a few of our many initiatives. For more information on these and other exciting FCM endeavors, explore our ministry pages by using the navigation menu on the left.
History
Like many cities, Syracuse has many residents who lack the most basic requirements to survive, such as food, clothing, medical care, and in many cases, simple compassion. Over the past several decades, Syracuse's North Side has faded from it's once illustrious eclectic community atmosphere, and fallen into a state of poverty and dispair.
In 1998, in response to worsening conditions, Syracuse Bishop James Moynihan asked the Conventual Franciscan Friars to intensify their presence in the Syracuse Diocese in order to address some of its growing problems. The Friars, whose history in Syracuse dates back more than 150 years, responded by collaborating with the Sisters of the Third Franciscan Order in Syracuse. Together, they facilitated the redesignation of the Franciscan Church of the Assumption to Conventual Church status. This change allowed for the creation of Franciscan Collaborative Ministries as the Church's vessel for enacting change and restoring peace and reconciliation to the North Side of Syracuse.
Since then, Franciscan Collaborative Ministries has grown to encompass a wide range of programs and ministries, each dedicated to fulfilling varying needs of the underpriveleged in order to improve the quality of life for the people of the City.
