Mission to Shrewsbury Diocese, UK

This summer, at the invitation of Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, a team of seven of us are going to serve in the Shrewsbury diocese, evangelising those who are despreately in need of the love and hope of Christ in a world that offers increasingly hollow counterfeits. God has given us so much, and now He asks us to give freely from the abundance He has bestowed on us. We wish to respond with joy this summer. In order to do so, we need to raise the money to cover our airfares and some of our expenses while we serve, so please join us, first with PRAYER! And, if you can, with your donation! The entire Church is called to mission; it is the reason for her existence. Christ’s great commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” is addressed to each one of us in person, and your participation in these ways will be a part of the Church’s fulfilment of her calling.


Here are our stories about why we feel called to serve this summer.

(left-right in photo)

Hi, my name is Emmanuel and I was born in Nigeria, but I grew up in New York. I come from a family of six and I an striving to seek the heart of Christ in everything I do. I feel called to minister to people on this mission because my hearts desire is to bring people closer to Our Lord.

My name is Joshua Michael Cordes, I am a former Fire Fighter/EMT also a former member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. I grew up with my five brothers and five sisters in a good Catholic home surrounded by the seemingly endless South Mojave Desert.

I strongly felt the call to do mission work when I was eighteen. As a firefighter for the three consecutive years I saw so many people dying alone, without hope. I witnessed suicides and overdose, dead and dying children, teens, and adults. I saw firsthand, violence, addictions, and abuse. Many times, I prayed the Hail Mary over and over in the back of an ambulance while doing CPR (once on a nine-month old baby). I only wanted to help people and relieve suffering, and yet I felt empty and helpless. I knew then that these people needed more than medical attention: they needed God. I prayed "Here I am Lord. Send me".

 In 2014 I moved to New York and did Inner-city mission work for six months, living among the poor in Harlem and the Bronx, counseling drug addicts, and prostitutes while witnessing God’s love and forgiveness to them. I returned to finish my education, and in 2015 I completed my Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville. I’m now in my second year in the Masters Theology Program, pursuing my MA degree and ongoing formation so that I may love more fully, and give to others all that I have, the greatest treasure being the faith that I receive through the sacraments of Christ. I owe an unpayable debt of gratitude to the Catholic Church and to my parents and family. I look forward to this upcoming mission trip to England this summer and all the people that we will serve there.

Please pray for me.

My name is Charis Willey. I am from England and am in my third year studying for my BA in literature and theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Franciscan has been such a huge blessing to me, far beyond my expectations when I came in 2014. At the time, I did not want to come, wanting to stay in the security of home and feeling that moving to America was abandoning the battle for faith and culture in my own homeland. However, crying and sulking all the way on the plane (yes, really!) God brought me here nonetheless, and I know I have grown in countless ways…

I have been constantly challenged to grow in virtue, my prayer life has been incredibly nourished, and my desire to evangelise, to share the beauty of what I have with our broken world, has increased tenfold. I have come to see with ever more clarity the depths of brokenness in us all that only Christ can reach and heal, and I have witnessed the joy of lives renewed by His love. A new dynamism, a culture of increasing hope and faith, ultimately a culture of sanctity, is what we are invited to shine forth this summer. Under the leadership of Bishop Mark, a truly holy man who has borne much ridicule for his faithful leadership of his diocese, we will embrace Christ’s call to restore the edifice of truth in people’s hearts and bring them to the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. Please join us with PRAYER! This mission will be beautiful, but it will be hard! The battle for souls is real, and it is intense.

And, please, with your donation! The entire Church is called to mission; it is the reason for her existence. Christ’s great commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” is addressed to each one of us in person, and your participation in these ways will be a part of the Church’s fulfilment of her calling.


My name is Steven Diaz and I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior. I nearly died twice, once by almost drowning and once by way of an allergic reaction to marijuana. The reality of my limited time on earth situated me in the position of someone searching for answers, often times, to questions I had not yet formally developed in my mind's understanding.

The way, the truth, the life that I was seeking was made known to me when I encountered the triune God, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Am I anything more than dust blowing in the wind? Yes. With God I am a new creature. Not one that is lost but one that is found. Not one that is invisible but one that is known. Not one that is alone but one that is loved.

This truth about me, is the most important identifiable quality of my existence in reality. My hope is to bring the good news of the kingdom of God to those who dwell in England,
so that whoever doesn't know the intimacy of God's steadfast love and faithfulness, may personally encounter Him through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me." (John 13:20).


My name is Susan Nussman and I am a Junior Theology and Catechetics major at Franciscan University. I am originally from Cincinnati, OH. I applied for this mission out of a desire to continue ministering over seas. Last semester I studied abroad in Austria and being in Europe was a great immersion into a culture that was very different from mine. One that has ties to the Catholic and Christian faith but, with extremely deep wounds. Pope Francis in an interview once said that the Church is like a field hospital during battle. That, as christians, we travel among the wounded and our job is to heal the wounds. England mission is a unique opportunity to help begin to heal the age old wounds people have in their hearts. It is the place to be a witness and missionary of love. Please consider supporting our mission team traveling to England. We "cannot ignore the eyes of those for whom the Good News is still uncharted territory" (Pope Francis Epiphany Homily 2017).

(NOT PICTURED)

Hello there! I am Rebecca McCue. I am originally from Minnesota, and I am currently a student at Franciscan University. I am pursuing a double major in Theology and Catechetics. At a young age, I experienced the love of Christ in a profound way. Ever since then, I have had a great desire to know the Lord more and more. The more I come to know the Lord, the more I love him. This love motivates me to lead others to him, so they can also love and be loved by him. This love is my motivation to go to England, and share the gospel with the people I will encounter.


And last but not least, DANIEL CORDES 
 brother to Joshua, who is currently serving on NET but will join us in May to spend the summer bringing hope and joy to people's hearts.

PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!!! We firmly believe this is God's work, and He will abundantly bless the hearts and lives He wishes to touch through us if we but ask.