A Letter from Brother John

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thank you for allowing me to be a Franciscan presence at the Haywood Street Congregation for the past 3 years. As a Franciscan friar, I am to be open to the direction of the Holy Spirit and the calling to new ministries.  I am being called to a deeper ministry with the hospitalized, the homebound, those living in a nursing facility, and parish visitation.  St. Mary’s Church is offering me a position as Pastoral Missioner to address these ministry needs at that parish.

I have been active in ministries similar to Haywood Street Congregation for the past 15 years.  I spent one year with the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s Order), 12 years at the Church of the Advocate (The Red Door), and the past three years at Haywood Street Congregation.  The past 3 years have been filled with many blessings and much joy. I have worked with the card ministry, a presence and prayer partner at the respite center, visited our friends that are incarcerated, brought Holy Unction to the dying, cleaned the pots and pans in the washroom on Wednesdays, offered prayer and anointing at the Wednesday worship service, and worked with Doug at the Praying in Color ministry. My time with you has been a ministry of presence, peace, and light.

Mother Teresa once said, “I never wanted to change the world.  I only wanted to be a drop of pure water that reflects God’s love.”  Thank you for being a drop of pure water to me for the past 3 years.  May we all strive to be an instrument of God’s peace and love.

Sincerely,

Brother John Huebner

Franciscan Missionary Friar

Order of Saint Francis

September 10, 2025