On Monday, everyone on the novitiate team went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help. "[The recent] declaration [of church approval] makes the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help at Champion the first and only Marian shrine in the United States that is on the site of an approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (http://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/). It is now on the same level as Fatima, Lourdes, and Guadalupe. It was so nice to go there and have a holy hour. Everyone enjoyed it. There was even a dog there that I made friends with.
Last night, the postulants invited us over to their homeroom for a Mardi Gras party. We first had a Mardi Gras parade in St. Rita's (health care center/infirmary), and later that night we headed back the the homeroom. We played a quick game of Skip-Bo, a few of us danced to Mardi Gras music, we hit a piñata that Rose made, we did the Limbo (Sr. Pamela Catherine won!), and ate paczkis and chips and salsa. It was a lot of fun!
It snowed last night and this morning, and it is perfect packing snow, so in a little bit, Sr. Pamela Catherine, Sr. Therese, and I are going to make a snowman! It will be Sr. Therese's first snowman, because there isn't any snow in Vietnam. We have been waiting for snow like this so that she can experience this timeless activity for people in colder climates.
Since it is Ash Wednesday, tonight we will have an "atmosphere of quiet" at the Motherhouse. After evening prayer, we will grab our "bag suppers" and eat on our own. We can spend the evening in prayer and go to bed early if we wish. I am looking forward to the time of solitude.
I hope that you find time to do something fun this week, even if you are not on Spring Break!
***Update: Here are the snowpeople that Sr. Therese, Sr. Pamela Catherine and I made!
(Photo courtesy of Sr. Julie Ann)
Spring break for me is *next* week -- I think it's absolutely tragic that I have to work through it.... Your snowpeople are adorable!! ;)
ReplyDeleteSr. Monica,
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to read your blog. Spring break for us is next week too. I wanted to let you know about a website that our House of Studies in St. Louis just released, http://www.preachingfriars.org . It is completely student run and will have a lenten reflection series as well as a preaching at vespers.
Thanks,
Br. Francis
Sleepy Girl, I am sorry you have to work during it! Thanks for the compliment on the Snowpeople!
ReplyDeleteBr. Francis, thanks for the website info. I put it in the "Online Prayer Resources" section in the Personal Discernment page. Good to hear from you!
I love the snow people!!!!
ReplyDelete