| Dear John, In June, I started my sixth year at Franciscan Media. It is a job like no other. I remember the day I made my decision to join the organization. I had already been doing some work for Franciscan Media as a contractor, so I knew more about the organization than most people know about a company when they have to decide to accept a position. To be candid I had my doubts. The evening of my acceptance, I went to my daughter’s house because she was hosting a picnic-style dinner for the family. It was fun to make my announcement with children and grandchildren around the table. It turned out that three of us around the table actually had some good news with regard to job changes that night. It was on the way home that I wondered how I would explain this change to my parents. I envisioned them saying, “At this stage of your career, do you really have time to start over?” and “But wait, didn’t you say the company has some serious financial concerns?” Of course, my parents didn’t ask those questions. They have never been anything less than supportive of anything I choose to do so, I needn’t have worried. They were excited for me. They knew that I had fallen in love with this struggling ministry that shared the joy of the Gospel in the spirit of St. Francis. Under the mindful guidance of our president, Kelly McCracken, I have been able to participate in the turnaround of Franciscan Media. There were some incredible challenges along the way and we weren’t always sure we could make it. Under Kelly’s wise, collaborative leadership, the organization returned to the charism of Francis – harmony, joy and simplicity. No stranger to leadership turnaround strategies, Kelly has brought discipline and transparency to the organization. Responsibility is one of the core values. Process management and measurement are stressed and there is an organization-wide commitment to the success of our ministry. Change and technology have been embraced when and where they can make a difference. But it is the other two core values that have made the greatest difference in ensuring the ministry is positioned to carry on and reach an ever growing number of people hungry for the message of St. Francis. Being prayerful and loving are emphasized over responsible on our list of core values. Being prayerful means being genuinely prayerful for our donors, our subscribers, and for those we have yet to reach. Being loving means that we count the blessings we deliver - not the dollars we collect. Unlike a for-profit publishing company, we make the decision to reach more people rather than to squeeze out the last ounce of revenue from a project. Don’t mistake that for poor stewardship. We are frugal where we need to be, but if someone out there is in need of a hopeful message who can’t afford it, we are there. And we also know that you are there for us. That is the real blessing of working in this ministry. As I have transitioned from sales to marketing, and today to development, I have witnessed that subscribers and donors have been there generously enabling the work of our mission to continue. When we wanted to publish a commemorative book to celebrate Pope Francis’ visit to America, when we needed to update our email subscriptions, when we wanted to make Saint of the Day available on Alexa, you were there. When I talk with, or email, or occasionally meet with our benefactors, the stories of how Franciscan Media’s resources have been there for people when they were most needed, inspire and affirm the work of our small, but prolific team. Subscribers often tell me that they want to be sure the resources will be available for future generations who will be reading, listening, and watching them on new media channels. We have started a journey, a three-year long journey, to re-build our house to enable just that. The St. Francis project's first phase is moving and you will see the results soon. Thank you! We hope you will help us again today. Even a small donation can make a large and immediate difference. It is a blessing to do this work and we couldn’t do it without you! Remember: If you make a donation of $100 or more you will receive the gift of a box of Trappistine Quality Candy's fudge as a thank-you from Franciscan Media! (Only shipping within the United States, we apologize for any inconvenience.) Peace,
Ray Taylor Director of Advancement
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