The purpose of FFB Corpus Ministries is to help people develop and maintain spiritual lives. An increasing number of people in today’s world feel either alienated or disenfranchised from their parish communities, for whatever reasons. And yet there remains in the human heart a longing for the spiritual, for the transcendent, for a faith that can energize life and give meaning and purpose to it.

Many of us are baptized into a faith community early in our lives. We may or may not have had a good foundation of instruction in and practice of that faith. As we grow and mature, doubts and questions about our faith oftentimes arise. Perhaps we feel that our faith community no longer supports us in our life circumstances, or our priest-ministers appear insensitive to our needs. So we become “disenfranchised”, so to speak, and feel that we are left to struggle on our own.

FFB Corpus Ministries is for such people as these. We all need and deserve a spiritual life, a faith life that supports us through the issues and challenges we experience. FFB Corpus Ministries is not in itself a separate church or faith. It offers a spiritual support and comfort to those who are experiencing difficulties finding these qualities in their own churches. While these ministries are offered to any and all people seeking an enriched spiritual life, they are geared mainly towards Roman Catholics and other Christians having a tradition of a faith based upon sacramental life (Baptism, Communion, Matrimony, etc.) and the gospel life and values of Jesus Christ.

In effect, FFB Corpus Ministries is intended as a parallel ministry to help people develop or redevelop a strong faith life, either personally or with their families. The hope is that as ones faith life matures, people will have the option of re-connecting with the faith community of their baptism, if they so desire.

Ministries

Baptism - Baptism is the sacrament of initiation into the life of faith in Jesus Christ. It is our entrance into the community of faith. Through Baptism we enter into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We accept Him as our savior and pledge ourselves to embrace and imitate His gospel values. In and through our faith community, we acknowledge a deeper dimension to our human lives, and a destiny far beyond what the human eye can see. When candidates are fully instructed in the matters of faith, hope, and charity, they may be baptized at a location of their own choosing.

Instruction - Individual or group instructions in the Catholic faith. People who are sincerely interested in learning or learning more about the Catholic faith, are encouraged to begin either individual or group sessions where an honest dialogue can and will take place. Hopefully, these sessions will lead to a better knowledge of and deeper commitment to ones faith life.

Discussions - Periodic meetings relating to spiritual issues in ones life. The topics are many and varied, and oftentimes chosen by the participants. Topics such as how to bring ones faith life into the workplace, into ones relationships, how to pray, how to mend broken relationships, etc. These meetings take place on a monthly basis in a home atmosphere, with all the participants sharing their ideas and insights on the issue.

Premarriage Sessions - When couples are seriously considering marriage and have become engaged to each other, a session with a married minister (and his/her spouse) will help them sort out their feelings and consider the more important issues that need to be discussed. In this way, marriage can be faced realistically; and potential problems can be faced and dealt with.

Designing Marriage Ceremonies - Ones wedding day is a uniquely personal experience. Wedding rituals should never be imposed upon a couple. On the contrary, the ceremony should be an expression of the personalities of the people making the commitment. Thus, the prayers, readings, music, vows, and actions of the wedding itself should be created by the bride and groom, with the help of the officiating minister. In one or two sessions, this can easily be done; and the result is something in which the bride and groom can justly take pride.

Marriage - When a couple obtains a license to marry from the state/county of their residence, the minister of FFB Corpus Ministries will marry them at the time and location of their choice. The ceremony is entirely legal, since the minister is em-powered to marry couples anywhere in the United States. However, the marriage cannot take place in a Roman Catholic church because of that church’s policy. The marriage fee is two hundred dollars ($200). This includes the preparatory sessions, the rehearsal, the wedding itself, and the prayer at the reception.

Reconciliation - As an essential element of ordained ministry in the church, the minister can help people burdened by wrongdoings of the past for which they are truly sorry. Reconciliation is considered by Catholics to be one of the sacraments or sacred moments of life. By confessing our faults, God restores us to His graces and gives us a renewed peace of mind and heart. Reconciliation can be done Either in a group setting, or person-to-person.

Home Liturgies - FFB Corpus Ministries offers people the opportunity to celebrate Mass (the Eucharist Liturgy) at their very home. It may be the occasion of a family get-together, the anniversary of a wedding, an important birthday, or something else. The minister will want to come to the home beforehand for some planning with family members, many of whom will have important roles in the home liturgy.

Funeral Home & Cemetery Prayer Service - At times of bereavement, families are in special need of spiritual support. FFB Corpus Ministries will provide a minister to lead prayer services both at the funeral home and at the cemetery, if needed. The service will be tailored, whenever possible, to the specific beliefs and prayers of the bereaved family.

Visitation - Illnesses, especially prolonged and serious ones, take their toll both on the victims of the illness and their caretakers. Upon request, a minister will come visit the ill person simply to talk, or perhaps to read to them or pray with them. For Catholics, the visit may include, upon request, a blessing with the holy oils, known as the Anointing of the Sick.

Curriculum Vitae, Rev. Francis F. Baiocchi

• Born in Chicago, and raised in its north and northwest side neighborhoods, attending and graduating from Chicago's Quigley Prep Seminary;
• Earned B.A. in philosophy at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois;
• Earned M.A. in theological studies at the same university, taking courses in history, comparative religions, scripture, dogma, moral theology, canon law, pastoral theology, liturgy, pastoral counseling, sacramental studies, etc.;
• Ordained a Catholic priest for parish ministry in the archdiocese of Chicago; this ministry was multifaceted and included presiding at sacramental liturgies, supporting people in their search for spirituality, extensive counseling in personal, marriage, and family issues, parish census work and home visitations, ministering to the sick and elderly, instructing engaged couples, engaging in private and group-centered instructions in the faith, moderating scripture study groups, teaching school children faith-related issues, and moderating a large number of parish rganizations;
• Resigned from the celibate ministry and married Anna Therese Ciamarichello, with whom two children were born, Matthew and Lisa;
• Earned M.Ed. at Loyola University of Chicago, majoring in educational psychology with a minor in psychology, taking additional coursework in mental hygiene of children, human sexuality, child and adolescent psychology, etc,;
• Moved to Hartford, Wisconsin for employment at Hartford Union High School as an instructor of social and behavioral sciences, teaching courses in world culture, global communication, sociology, economics, history, marriage & family living, uman behavior, introductory and advanced psychology, etc.;
• Attended and participated in a number of courses, workshops, and seminars to enhance and maintain instructional effectiveness in the classroom;
• Directed the religious education programs at St. Kilian parish in Hartford, from pre-school through adulthood, with special emphasis on sacramental preparations; and participated in a number of of seminars and workshops tp develop expertise in these areas;
• Coached summertime youthball teams for the Hartford Recreation Center;
• Served on the Board of Directors for the Washington County Friends of Abused Families;
• Recently retired from the instructional staff at Hartford Union High School;
• Now intending to become more fully engaged in a variety of ministerial services locally through FFB Corpus Ministries (ffbcorpus.com).