Followers of St. Francis

Planting Seeds of Justice

By Janine Walsh

Carolyn Townes, OFS, was born in New York City in 1963 and had responsibilities from a very young age. There was a 35-year age difference between her parents. Her dad had a stroke and needed a caregiver while her mom worked, so Carolyn, at 4 years old, made sure he took his medicine and spent all her time with him. When she was 5 years old, her father died. The trauma of losing her father had a tremendous impact on her spiritual life.

“Both of my parents were Baptist preachers, so church and Scripture were a regular part of my life,” Carolyn says. “We attended church regularly. When I was 18, I decided I had had enough. Now I know, deep down, I was angry at God for taking away my father.” However, she continued reading the Bible, especially the Psalms.

NEVER ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM A CHALLENGE

graduated on time at age 17 and applied to Baruch College in Manhattan, majoring in psychology. She attended classes for two days a week and worked three days a week at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, where she learned communication skills rooted in mindfulness. In her mid-20s, while working in customer service at a tableware store, she injured her back after lifting a heavy box. The injury stayed with her, the pain intensifying as time passed. During the particularly painful nights, she began bargaining with the Lord. It worked. God took her pain away. She remembers distinctly praying late one night, “God, you’re really here,” and, as if standing next to her, she heard the Lord answer her, “My daughter, I’ve always been here.” Hearing the Lord’s voice caused a shift in her spiritual life. On one of her lunch breaks, she went into St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Not wanting to disrupt Carolyn Townes, OFS the noon Mass, she sat and listened. During Carolyn attended Brooklyn Technical High the homily, the priest said, “God loves you.” School for two years but ended up leaving Carolyn had never heard that before! She because the administration told her she wouldn’t graduate. was brought up hearing that she was a sinner and going to She and her best friend found an alternative high school, hell. That simple phrase changed her. Every day after that called City as School, where students got high school credit she attended the noon Mass, which eventually led her to for real-life work. During this time, she honed her skills for take an eight-week course on the sacraments. At the final working and teaching. “I took what the administrator for my lesson, she learned about the Rite of Christian Initiation for traditional high school said to me as a challenge,” she recalls. Adults (RCIA). She didn’t know what that program would “I looked right at her and said, ‘Watch my smoke.’” She took entail, but she loved learning about the Catholic sacraments, it upon herself to connect Columbia University with the City so she joined the RCIA program. She did not walk into St. as School curriculum and was able to obtain her math and Patrick’s with the intent to become a Catholic. But God English credits from Columbia at the university level. She had other plans.

Carolyn Townes (left) celebrates with Kathleen Carsten, recipient of the 2018 JPIC Award, and US Secular Franciscan National Minister Jan Parker (right). Carolyn was the featured speaker on the final day at the US Secular Franciscan Order’s Quinquennial Congress in July 2016.

Carolyn attends Mass at Pax Christi Chapel in Corpus Christi, Texas, during the 2019 National Chapter.

‘WHAT IS AN ANIMATOR?’

During her RCIA studies, she learned about the Secular Franciscan Order. Carolyn began the formation process and was professed in 2000. Carolyn volunteered with many ministries at St. Francis Church in Manhattan. When the need arose for a Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) animator at the church, the pastor encouraged her to accept the position. No one really had an answer for her when she asked, “What is an animator?” Carolyn ended up defining it for herself as “someone who gives life to social justice issues, thus leading people to take action.” She started an Animator Notes newsletter to educate the people in the pews and often spoke from the pulpit on social justice campaigns.

When the National Secular Franciscan Order transitioned from the Apostolic Commissions to JPIC in 2007–08, she had experience from working at St. Francis. Having moved to South Carolina in 2011 to be with her mother, she was appointed as JPIC animator for the Southeast region. When the national animator position opened, she was offered it and took it on as well.

National incidents around racial inequality like Charlottesville, Charleston, and the murder of George Floyd sparked a different fire with Carolyn. “My phone and emails were inundated with messages and questions like, ‘What can we do?’”

Her response was always the same: “Listen to the stories of people of color. Don’t try to fix anything; don’t tell them how you think they can fix things; just listen.” This, she found, was easier said than done. Carolyn took the Secular Franciscan leadership through a 10-week course on racial equity in mid-2020. This led to a series of sessions and virtual book discussions on systemic racism in our country.

Carolyn is happy to lend a voice to discussions on racial equity and diversity. She has a gift of being able to tie things together with the Gospels and Francis and Clare in a palatable way. No one likes to talk about politics, but Carolyn says, “We need politics to change the laws, so what can help is to adjust the way we talk about politics.” She recognizes that the Secular Franciscan Order has a great need to discuss issues around diversity. “Black and brown people have been uncomfortable for 500 years; it’s time to talk about it,” she says. Using her gifts, Carolyn presents new ideas in a gentle but firm language that invites people to reconsider their thoughts. “All I can do is plant the seed. The Holy Spirit does all the watering.”

ST. ANTHONY BREAD

The National Shrine of St. Anthony is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Consecrated in 1889, it includes a first-class relic of St. Anthony and serves as a center for daily prayer and contemplation.

The Franciscan friars minister from the shrine. To help them in their work among the poor, you may send a monetary offering called St. Anthony Bread. Make checks or money orders payable to “Franciscans” and mail to the address below.

Every Tuesday, a Mass is offered for benefactors and petitioners at the shrine. To seek St. Anthony’s intercession, mail your petition to the address below. Petitions are taken to the shrine each week.

viSit our webSite to:

StAnthony.org

mAil poStAl communicAtionS to: St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498