Tod Laverty, OFM, resides in Detroit, Mich. As a board member of Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, he supports efforts to make the new building on campus environmentally friendly. The homeless or very poor are the focus of his counseling practice. As local and regional spiritual assistant to Secular Franciscan fraternities, Tod encourages efforts to dispel the fear of Muslims in the area, valuing differences in culture and religion as Francis did. Tod leads pilgrimages to Assisi, pointing out the parallels between the time of Francis and our own times, sharing how Francis challenged systems and how we are called to do the same. He encourages pilgrims to bring social issues to the fore and to implement practices that reflect Franciscan values.