Chicago Day 5, 3/12/26
Today was our free day out in the city of Chicago. We visited four different churches, and all of them were really beautiful inside with amazing architecture and artwork. Each one had something a little different about it, from the paintings to the design of the ceilings. The third one, St. John Cantius Church, was definitely my favorite. It just stood out the most to me, and the inside architecture was really impressive. Praying in all of them was also very peaceful.
After that we went to Lincoln Park Zoo and walked around for a bit. It was nice taking some time to look at all the animals and just walk through the zoo. Later we took a boat tour on the Chicago River, which was honestly one of the coolest parts of the day. Seeing the city and all the buildings from the water gives you a completely different view of Chicago, and the skyline looked awesome.
After the boat tour we stopped at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria to try their world-famous Chicago deep dish pizza, and it was really good definitely worth it. Then we stopped by Cloud Gate and took a bunch of funny pictures in the reflection. It was honestly really funny seeing all the reflections and just messing around with it.
After that we stopped by the Harry Potter Shop and looked around for a bit. Overall, it was a really fun day exploring Chicago, especially seeing all the buildings lit up at night.
-Tyler
Day 4 in Chicago, 3/11/26
Our fourth day in Chicago began with another early morning Mass with Bishop Bob in the chapel. It’s always a blessing to start the day with what matters most, even if I’m quietly battling the pre‑coffee struggle to stay awake.
After Mass we had breakfast, and then the sisters divided us into our morning groups. My group was assigned to clean the church next door, Our Lady of the Angels, a true beacon for the community. A few Carroll and Ferris students and I were given the job of wiping down every pew in the large church. It might sound boring, but it turned into a great chance to talk with some Ferris students about our favorite philosophers and books while we worked. Once the pews were finished, we scrubbed the staircase leading up to the choir loft. What I loved most was the quiet simplicity of cleaning the place where God dwells.
After we cleaned the staircase, we hurried over to the dining hall to join the sisters for their weekly senior Bible study. We spent about thirty minutes reflecting on Luke 4:1–13, discussing how to fight temptation with prayer and connecting it to Christ’s time in the desert. Afterward, all of us college students helped serve lunch to the seniors and then sat down to eat with them.
This ended up being my favorite part of the day. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Pervis and his wife Belinda, who shared stories from their sixty‑year marriage, their prayer lives, and the hardships they’ve faced in their community. Having never lived in a big city marked by poverty and violence, it was eye‑opening to hear their experiences. It made me realize how different our lives can be and how much more grateful I should be for what I have. After lunch we cleaned up and had an hour break before our holy hour. Holy hour is another highlight of my day because it gives me a quiet space to bring whatever is on my mind to prayer.
Following holy hour, we walked down the block to the YMCA for our fourth day with the kids. It’s always a joy to spend time with them, playing games, helping with homework, and just being present. After basketball and a few rounds of sharks and minnows, we headed back to the mission for a delicious dinner prepared by the sisters.
We ended the evening with a Q&A session with the sisters and the apostolates of the mission. They shared their stories of discernment, how they ended up here, and offered insightful vocation advice, along with some of their favorite stories about St. Francis. We closed the night with a quick group meeting to reflect on the day.
I’m excited for tomorrow and whatever the big city has in store.
Alexandre
Chicago Day 3, 3/10/26
Once again, there was another early morning wake-up, but it was incredibly special because we got to have mass in the Church. The mass was quick because we were ready to hit the ground running at the food pantry. After a quick breakfast, we took our positions ready to serve everything from fresh produce to toilet paper to canned foods of all sorts. There were even 100 medical professionals here to offer healthcare to people whom it may not be as easily available to…for free! Many of the neighbors who came in spoke Spanish, so it was a humbling experience not understanding hardly anything that was being said. I wish I could have been able to converse a little more personally, but because of my non-Spanish capabilities, “macaroni e queso” and “sopa tomate” was about the extent of what I would say, handing a family a whole case of tomato soup or boxes of macaroni and cheese. Yet I still was able to say something to every one of the almost 500 people who showed up at the pantry. The way that every volunteer works to treat others with dignity really shows what service to the community means.
After an exhausting yet fruitful pantry experience, we ate lunch and had a holy hour. I was trying not to fall asleep, but after praying a rosary, I felt peace in the silence and had a few moments of just being able to rest with Jesus right in front of me.
We went to the childcare afterschool program again, and the kids had so much energy that it was hard to keep up with them! Each little smile, every adorable laugh, every one-on-one conversation made me realize the wonders of being a child and how much our attention matters to them. Throughout the coloring, bingo, and gym games, we have grown better relationships with these little ones.
Dinner was such a fruitful experience, being able to connect more deeply with the college who we are joining here in Chicago. Looking around, I could see everyone having a conversation, laughing, and having a good time. After gathering to reflect upon the day as a Carroll student, I remembered that this service trip is not about me or what I am concerned with, but about fellowship with all sorts of communities: the Franciscan Sisters, the poor, the children, and even my own Carroll peers who I have been blessed to be with. Also, who knew there were so many different ways people gulped?
-Abby, Freshman
Day 2 Chicago, 3/9/26
This morning, we started early with a beautiful Mass at 6:30a.m. led by Bishop Bob, one of the founders of this order. Afterwards, we ate breakfast and got to work under Sister Stephanie’s direction. She gave us different tasks to do in preparation for the food pantry that is held on the first floor of the retreat center every Tuesday.
We worked alongside the sisters and volunteers for about four hours. Whether it was transporting, sorting, organizing, or bagging foods and other goods, we all stayed busy and hard at work. I thought it was amazing to see how many different people were involved in this process and to see how generously people donate. You could tell this service is done out of love and it didn’t feel like just some chores, but rather like this would really make a difference in lives of our neighbors. Every Monday this food pantry goes through 50,000 pounds of food, which is something I can barely wrap my head around.
Once we got done, we got to pray liturgy of the hours with the sisters in the little chapel, which was very slow and intentional. Then we got to eat lunch with the sisters and students from the other school, Ferris State University, that had just arrived at lunch. I really enjoyed getting to sit among the sisters and get to know them a bit more while sharing a meal with them. After lunch cleanup we unloaded a few more pounds of food from a last-minute delivery and prayed a holy hour in adoration. A lot of us did have a hard time staying awake during this hour because of our busy morning, but it was a great time to take a moment to reflect and pray.
The next hour and half of our day was spent with elementary kids at the YMCA. This is a very crucial place in this neighborhood where kids from nearby schools can go after school, rather than getting into trouble elsewhere. We all had a wonderful time playing outside with these kids and just getting to know them and their sweet personalities a bit. We did this with some other students from Ferris, so we were able to get to know them too.
Before dinner, we played hacky sack in the sun and then ate a meal of pizza, tacos, and various items with the Ferris students. They are a big and fun crew, and I’ve had a good time getting to meet a lot of them. After dinner clean up, us Carroll students had a debrief in which we shared the various cool moments that we had from the day.
We really noticed how intentional the sisters are when they work, pray, and speak to people. My prayer for all of us is that we can be intentional and loving as they are and above all, as Christ is.
Alli
Day 1 – Arrival in Chicago, 3/8/26
Today we set off for Chicago to spend the week serving with the Franciscans at their retreat center and working alongside them among the poor. The day started very early. With daylight saving time and a 4:15 a.m. wake-up, the morning felt especially brutal. Still half asleep, we drove from Helena to Bozeman to catch our 8 a.m. flight. On the drive we prayed a rosary together, which was a peaceful way to begin the trip and helped set the tone for the week ahead.
After landing in Chicago, we took the train into the city and headed to Logan Square for lunch. Riding the train gave us a chance to see different neighborhoods as we made our way through the city. We stopped at Same Day Take Away to eat, and while we waited to be picked up we spent a little time outside tossing around a hacky sack and enjoying a moment to pause after the morning of travel.
Sister Macey picked us up from there and drove us to the retreat center where we’ll be staying. On the drive we noticed the variety of architecture and how closely the houses sit next to one another. It was interesting seeing the character of the different streets as we made our way to the retreat center.
When we arrived, Sister Macey gave us a tour of the new retreat building, and it’s amazing. Everything is so clean and clearly well cared for. During the tour she shared more about the ministries that take place here. They host a food pantry and have recently added free, quick clinics for the community. Since I’ll be a nurse soon, that especially caught my attention. Providing healthcare for the poor and marginalized I’m sure will make a great impact.
There are also spaces meant for community and rest, like a board game and lounge room, which make the whole place feel very welcoming. As she showed us around, Sister Macey talked about how everything here is a gift. Everything in the building has been donated, and she shared that with a lot of gratitude. It was a meaningful reminder of how generosity and faith can create something that serves many people.
We enjoyed dinner with the sisters at the retreat center and had time to talk and get to know them a little better. Tomorrow another college group from Ferris State University will be arriving, and we’re looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them throughout the week.
We ended the evening with Eucharistic adoration and some puzzle time together, which turned into a nice bit of team bonding after a long day of travel. It was a full first day, but it already feels like this week is going to be a meaningful experience.
My biggest takeaway from the day is that everything is a gift and the Franciscan’s way of life is so so beautiful!
Kathryn
Chicago Headlights 2022, Day 5, March 10
Today was our last day here before we venture back to Montana. We started the day with Mass and Morning Prayer then had a relaxing breakfast and then headed off to our respective tasks for the morning. These included mopping the rooms of the retreat center, scrubbing the floor of the convent, moving/throwing away things in the YMCA building, and organizing the convent pantry.
We then had a great lunch break and then listened to Father Bart tell the story of his friend Father Stu to everyone. Then we had a break until 5 when we did a communal holy hour of adoration and evening and night prayer.
Since it is our last evening we had a big dinner with the whole community and then followed that with Bishop Bob doing a Q & A session. He is quite humorous and reminds us a lot of Bishop Vetter.
We then headed up to the lounge and heard from Sister Jaime, Sister Maci, and Alex (a Holy Cross seminarian). It was such a gift to hear their stories of intentional listening to the Lord’s call in their life.
As a tradition this week the Carroll crew ended the evenings with highs, mediums, lows, God moments, and hilarious moments. That was a great routine and caused us to laugh a lot together.
We had a great week and especially loved getting to know the Franciscans of the Eucharist: Bishop Bob, Sister Kate, Sister Jess, Sister Maci, Sister Laura, Sister Alicia, Sister Emily, Sister Stephanie, and Brother Matt. As well as the seminarians from the Congregation of Holy Cross: Alex, Matt, John, Brother Jimmy, Chris, and Father John. (All pictured in the photo with today)
We all hope to see everyone soon and are so thankful for this opportunity!
God bless,
Riley and Kenna
Chicago Headlights 2022, Day 4, March 9
Today started out as most with mass at 6:30am and breakfast to follow. The Holy Cross seminarians and Franciscan sisters and brother all sat down to eat and share stories. I seem to learn something new from each person I encountered which is a beautiful thing. After clean up we all parted into our duties. Some went to the school to clean and others, like myself and Kenna, went to the basement of the convent to clean out the walk-in fridge. What seemed like a boring task turned into amazing conversations with sister Emily and lots of laughs along the way… btw don’t use baking soda to clean steel shelves. Sister Emily told us about her discernment and religious life, which was eye-opening to me as it was all very foreign to me before this trip. After lunch Riley, Ray, Kenna, Conner, Chris (one of the seminarians), Sister Kate, and I went to the Ukrainian village during our break time. We had originally planned to see the Ukrainian Catholic churches nearby. When we got there we were met with locked doors. We went to the Ukrainian museum next door for any sign of help to let us in and we were met with such a loving, welcoming, compassionate presence. The women working there showed us around their museum which was filled with art, culture, and history. Maria, a Ukrainian woman working at the embassy, then kindly walked us over to let us into the church. The church was beyond beautiful. While I’m the Church, Maria described the history of the Ukrainian church in the United States and then we had a moment of silent prayer for peace in Ukraine. One thing she said stood out in particular: Maria then even offered to walk us to the Ukrainian cathedral which is a few blocks away. This was also beyond anything I have ever seen. It was incredibly humbling to pray in a place filled with so much history, culture, and love. The presence of the Lord was so tangible in the Ukrainians we met and the God was clearly in those spaces blessing every single person.
Chicago, Day 2, Monday, March 7, 2022
March 7, 2022: A day of preparation and mercy. We woke up in time for 6:30am mass in our little chapel in the retreat center with Bishop Bob, Fr. John, and Fr. Bart. Bishop Bob talked about how the reading, Matthew 25, is one of his favorites. In this passage it speaks about serving others in tangible ways and Jesus says “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:31-46). This was the perfect gospel passage to start off our week of serving our poor neighbors on the streets of Chicago.
After a medium length breakfast with the Congregation of Holy Cross seminarians, who are also spending their spring break here, we broke into various groups to tackle tasks throughout the retreat center and food pantry to prepare for tomorrow, which is their “day when everyone comes to the mission” (Matt the Seminarian).
Kenna: My group started the morning with dishes and then moved upstairs to tackle a variety of tasks involving manual labor (i.e. moving chairs and cleaning rooms). After three hours of moving chairs, I got to spend an hour in adoration in the beautiful little chapel downstairs in the retreat center.
Ray: My group spent the morning preparing the food pantry for tomorrow, stacking beans, macaroni, and soaps, and finding a way to fit all the milk and yogurt into the giant fridge. I spent the morning doing this with the seminarians from the Congregation of Holy Cross and made some small world Catholic connections. It is always good to be reminded of our big Catholic family.
For lunch we ate ribs/chicken/sausage/fries from some delicious BBQ restaurant. Sister Kate then gave us a tour of the rectory and the Church which Bishop Bob restored with the help of many people in only a year.
After a nice nap, we headed out to Our Lady of America parish for our first “Mercy Night.” When we got there, we ate dinner with the other volunteers and religious orders who were there to serve. It was such a gift to see the mix of communities coming together to serve together (another representation of our big Catholic family). After dinner, we split into groups to serve.
Kenna: I had the blessing of getting to walk in the freezing weather through the streets of Chicago inviting people to mass. I was walking with one of the parishioners who only speaks Spanish. The community we were walking through is predominately Hispanic and one of the more dangerous neighborhoods in the city. It was very humbling to walk through this neighborhood and encounter people who gradually became more open to our invite to come to adoration/confession in the church the longer we spoke with them.
Ray: I simply sat near the front of the church and assisted folks in lighting their votive candles to take up and pray before the monstrance. It was a challenge because 99% of them spoke Spanish, so I really had to be on my game. But I made it through successfully with no fires. It was amazing how many people were there to pray together.
To wrap it all up, we made it back to the convent and shared with one another about our days, growing as friends, and signed off, ready for bed and a new day of hard work.
God Bless
-Kenna & Ray
Chicago 2020 Day 6
Today was extremely fun, as it was our day to go to school with Srs. Alicia and Stephanie. They teach religion at two different schools, so we split our group up between the two and sat in on their classrooms as they taught throughout the day. Bridget, Britany, and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with the fourth graders for an hour in the morning, reading with them and helping them with math. While I was prepared for them to struggle a lot (their teacher had let us know some of the children weren’t extremely fluent readers), they ended up doing really well! We then transitioned to experiencing life in Sr. Alicia’s religion class, where we had an amazing time with the children and Fr. Greg. The pastor spends a day or so every month catching up with the kids and leading them in reflection, which is a blessing for sure! A few of the classes were preparing for first reconciliation in just over a week, so we acted out and discussed that sacrament quite a lot. Father had a lot of good reflections, and no talk he gave to the different classes was the same.
One thing I found surprising was how different the examples he gave in his discussions were from those at other parishes and other communities I’ve been in. He talked a lot about violence and the importance of breaking the cycle of sin and violence that exists, especially in the context of forgiveness. It was just a stark realization that the community here is enveloped in the intensity of the poverty and violence that they’ve grown up in. That has been a theme throughout the week, as some of the seniors I talked to on Tuesday mentioned how much the introduction of guns in the neighborhood has changed the society. And yet, there’s still so much hope and strength, especially among the sisters and the children we have encountered this week. I definitely see Christ in the quiet determination that the small community of sisters has, and the joy and resilience of the children as they prepare for the sacrament of reconciliation. I know I will be praying for this neighborhood and the safety of those we’ve met as they continue to face both the joys and challenges of their everyday life.
The other group helped Sister Stephanie. Joining in five religious classes in a day was a lot of fun. I especially remember the moment when I prayed with seventh graders. We did Lectio Divina; Lectio(Read) , Medidatio(Meditate) , Oratio(Pray), and Contemplatio(Contemplate). Pure heart and attitude of students when they ask questions made me realized how God loves us and created each one of us in unique way.
Alex and Saki
Carroll College Campus Ministry 