It is offical. I have now reached 100 entries of "Habitually Speaking." I must say it is exciting to reach this milestone!
In honor of this occassion, I would like to ask, you, the reader, if there are any topics that you would be interested in reading about on here. Please write them in the comment box. Thank you!
I have been thinking about what else I can do to celebrate, and I have noticed that one tradition for bloggers is to write 100 things about themselves. So I decided to simply write 100 things:
1 Great Franciscan Movie:
Clare and Francis
(2007)
1 Favorite Devotion of Our Community:
The Sacred Heart of Jesus
3 Words to explain the Rule of St. Francis:
Live the Gospel
3 Upcoming Discernment Retreats:
-November 4-6, 2011
-February 17-19, 2012
-May 18-20, 2012
Our 3 Apostolates
-Education
-Healthcare
-Parish/Community Services
4 Charisms of our Community:
-simplicity, built on faith in a loving God
-joyful acceptance of poverty
-love for the Church
-selfless dedication to the service of others
5 Things You Might Not Know about St. Francis:
-His birthname was John (Giovanni), but later his father renamed him "Francesco," because of a good experience in France.
-He had dreamt of becoming a knight and failed at his attempts.
-Before his interior conversion, he was often seen partying and carousing in the streets of Assisi.
-He became friends with Sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil during the Crusades.
-Late in his life, he experienced two years of depression and was tempted to give up on what he had started (the Franciscan order).
The 5 Foundresses of our Community:
Sophia Fessler --> Sister Seraphica
Mary Ann Graff --> Sister Hyacinth
Josephine Thoeing --> Sister Coletta
Rosa Wahl --> Sister Odelia (Later Mother Odelia)
Teresa Gramlich --> Sister Gabriel (Later Mother Gabriel)
7 Decade Rosary for the 7 Joys of Mary (The Franciscan Crown):
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Adoration by the Magi
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
The Resurrection
The Assumption and Coronation
8 Locations of Our Missions:
Wisconsin
Michigan
Ohio
Nebraska
Hawaii
Arizona
Rome
Mississippi
9 Awesome Franciscan Saints:
St. Francis (founder of the Franciscan order)
St. Clare (foundress of the Poor Clares)
St. Pio (a.k.a. Padre Pio)
St. Maximillian Kolbe (gave up his life for a stranger at the Auschwitz concentration camp)
St. Veronica Giuliani (deep devotion to Christ's Passion)
St. Joseph of Cuppertino (patron saint of test takers and of people with learning difficulties)
St. Elizabeth of Hungary (patroness of the Secular Franciscan Order)
St. Anthony of Padua (Are you missing anything?)
St. Bonaventure (Great philosopher!)
20 Mysteries of the Rosary
"Finally, I exhort all consecrated persons, according to their own traditions, to renew daily their spiritual union with the Blessed Virgin Mary, reliving with her the mysteries of her Son, especially by saying the Rosary."
-Blessed John Paul II, Vita Consecrata
31 YouTube Videos by our Community:
*And counting!
http://www.youtube.com/user/calledtobeFranciscan
100
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Why Are Prayers at Mass Going to Change?
***Note: I wrote another entry on this topic on October 16, 2011: The Mass Explained (And More About the Changes)
English speaking people from eleven different countries will be experiencing changes in the Mass beginning the First Sunday of Advent, this year. (November 27, 2011) Yesterday, during our community meeting, Sr. Pamela explained why what we say at mass is changing.
Note: Scripture readings, prayers of the faithful and favorite hymns will not be changed.
Here are some questions and answers based on her talk:
Why is there a new translation?
The translation we have been using has served us well. It was based on a method of translation called "Dynamic" Equivalence. This means that translators are free to paraphrase in order to get across the intended meaning of the original Latin text.
This method, while making the prayers more understandable to the general population, has also left out specific scriptural sentences. For example:
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed," will be changed to "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and I shall be healed" (See Matthew 8:8).
The new method of translation that is used for the Roman Missal (formerly called the Sacramentary) is called "Direct" or "Formal" Equivalence. This means that the translators made the wording as close as possible to a literal translation of the Latin prayers.
The purpose of the new translation is to enrich what we say by examining the original texts in Latin. The goal is to make the translation better.
Will the Church go back to using Latin at Mass?
No. English (or whatever language you speak) is here to stay.
What if I have trouble getting used to it?
We have to be patient with each other and especially with our priests as we get used to it--it will take awhile to get used to the new translation.
Our priests have using the same words ever since Mass was said in English for the first time. Many of them celebrate Mass several times throughout the weekend and at least once a day. To all of a sudden change what one says will be a challenge.
At the same time, it will be challenging for the rest of us. We need to give it time, and everyone learns new things at a different pace.
Why are there more words in the Gloria?
We cannot say enough to praise God. We are so in awe of Him! In fact, the new translation of the Roman Missal is a more humble translation, acknowledging that we are in the presence of an awesome God! God is both imminent and transcendent. The new translation includes both of these realities on a deeper level.
Why are we going from saying "We Believe" to "I Believe" in the Nicene Creed?
Each of us takes responsibility to profess our faith. When we recite the Pledge of Allegiance in a group of people, we say, "I pledge allegiance to the flag...."
What does "consubstantial with the Father" mean?
Jesus and the Father are one and the same. They have the same substance.
If you would like more information....Sr. Pamela recommended the following booklets, which I now recommend to you:
Please, if you have any questions, write them in the comment box! I love questions, and if I don't know the answer, I will look for it.
English speaking people from eleven different countries will be experiencing changes in the Mass beginning the First Sunday of Advent, this year. (November 27, 2011) Yesterday, during our community meeting, Sr. Pamela explained why what we say at mass is changing.
Note: Scripture readings, prayers of the faithful and favorite hymns will not be changed.
Here are some questions and answers based on her talk:
Why is there a new translation?
The translation we have been using has served us well. It was based on a method of translation called "Dynamic" Equivalence. This means that translators are free to paraphrase in order to get across the intended meaning of the original Latin text.
This method, while making the prayers more understandable to the general population, has also left out specific scriptural sentences. For example:
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed," will be changed to "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and I shall be healed" (See Matthew 8:8).
The new method of translation that is used for the Roman Missal (formerly called the Sacramentary) is called "Direct" or "Formal" Equivalence. This means that the translators made the wording as close as possible to a literal translation of the Latin prayers.
The purpose of the new translation is to enrich what we say by examining the original texts in Latin. The goal is to make the translation better.
Will the Church go back to using Latin at Mass?
No. English (or whatever language you speak) is here to stay.
What if I have trouble getting used to it?
We have to be patient with each other and especially with our priests as we get used to it--it will take awhile to get used to the new translation.
Our priests have using the same words ever since Mass was said in English for the first time. Many of them celebrate Mass several times throughout the weekend and at least once a day. To all of a sudden change what one says will be a challenge.
At the same time, it will be challenging for the rest of us. We need to give it time, and everyone learns new things at a different pace.
Why are there more words in the Gloria?
We cannot say enough to praise God. We are so in awe of Him! In fact, the new translation of the Roman Missal is a more humble translation, acknowledging that we are in the presence of an awesome God! God is both imminent and transcendent. The new translation includes both of these realities on a deeper level.
Why are we going from saying "We Believe" to "I Believe" in the Nicene Creed?
Each of us takes responsibility to profess our faith. When we recite the Pledge of Allegiance in a group of people, we say, "I pledge allegiance to the flag...."
What does "consubstantial with the Father" mean?
Jesus and the Father are one and the same. They have the same substance.
If you would like more information....Sr. Pamela recommended the following booklets, which I now recommend to you:
Please, if you have any questions, write them in the comment box! I love questions, and if I don't know the answer, I will look for it.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sister Water is Playful!
"All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure."
-St. Francis of Assisi
Sunday was Sister Leslie's birthday, so Sister Regina Rose and I put together a surprise water games party for her, which we had the day before. The weather really cooperated....it was really hot that day! We had water balloons and a slip 'n slide that we made from a tarp. Later that night, we had a Holy Hour together. Then on Sunday night we played "Minute to Win It" which Sr. Natalie and Sr. Kathleen organized. Later that night, some people on the other side of the lake shot off some really beautiful fireworks, and we joked that they did that for her birthday.
Fourth of July was awesome....my best Fourth of July's have been at the convent! It was fun the whole day. We got to sleep in and go to a later mass, we had a flag raising ceremony, dancing, badminton, croquet, sparklers, singing, hamburgers and brats, and simply hanging out with each other. It was a blast!
Tonight some of us just got back from picking strawberries. We picked about 180 pounds of them! They are delicious, and I am looking forward to having strawberry jam and whatever else they make from it.
Tomorrow is the last class for an English class we have been taking these past two weeks. It is called Franciscanism in Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Sr. Renita teaches it. Hopkins was a Jesuit but he was influenced by Franciscanism and this comes through in his poetry. I enjoy poetry, so it has been nice to be introduced to his work.
We also learned something very interesting today about Blessed John Duns Scotus, OFM (circa 1265-1308):
Scotus had been advocating for a feast of the Immaculate Conception. Some people in Rome did not approve of this and voted against his beatification. He was already called "Blessed" by the people who knew him/knew of him almost immediately after his death.
The Immaculate Conception was declared to be a dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II beatified him.
God has entrusted the workings of Church to human beings (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit), and none of us are perfect.
I think a good thing that situation this shows about the Church is that there are no rash decisions, especially when declaring dogmas. Matters of faith and morals are not taken lightly.
I hope and pray that you all are doing well! God bless!
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