Here at Saint Francis, we’re not afraid to talk about love – especially the unconditional kind. It is, after all, fundamental to the principles that have inspired our organization from the earliest days. Fr. Bob Mize founded his ministry to troubled young men based on the four pillars he called “Therapy in Christ”:
- We offer unconditional love.
- Forgiveness leads to transformation.
- We are accountable to ourselves and others.
- We start and end each day with God.
This same spirit guides a vastly different ministry more than 70 years later. Over the years, the scope of our ministry has grown, encompassing foster care, therapeutic foster care, adoption, family preservation, Family Centered Treatment, behavioral health, residential care, and community outreach services.
We provide child welfare services in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and adult developmental disabilities services in Mississippi. Saint Francis Boys’ Home began in 1945 with 12 boys, and today Saint Francis Ministries serves thousands of families, children, and youth. Yet, we still do the same work begun by Fr. Bob – helping young people discover a more hopeful future.
Since February is all about the heart, it makes sense that we talk about love and its power to heal, to redeem, and to restore hope.
Is there room in your heart, to help Saint Francis Ministries help those most vulnerable? This month, as we talk about affairs of the heart, we hope you’ll turn your thoughts towards unconditional love and ask if you have enough room in your own heart to share with a child who needs it most.
So, welcome to February, and while we’re talking about love, we’ll leave you with these lovely words from author A.R. Lucas:
“We’ve been infected with the idea that love is an emotion only felt between two people. But love is universal. An energy. A contagious force. A gift. To offer money to a homeless person is to love. To save a worm from the sun is love. To smile at a stranger is love. To be grateful, to be hopeful, to be brave, to be forgiving, to be proud, is to love.”
