I have much to write about. So much, that I am conscious that this blog entry could be pages and pages if I don't use some self control. First and foremost on my mind, a friend of mine at the convent, Sr. Sean Marie, is preparing to enter Heaven, after a long battle with cancer. Sr. Natalie, my novice directress, has taken us to see her a couple times. I am convinced that she will go straight to heaven. She is already a living saint.
We currently have four postulants coming in August, which everyone is excited about, but Sr. Sean Marie says that there will be a fifth one, and she is offering up her suffering for that one, whoever she is. What a powerful prayer from a powerful woman. When she first told me about the 5 postulants, she saw right through my lack of faith that I was trying to conceal, and gave me a lecture about that. She said, "Don't pray for it if you don't believe that it can happen."
When she was missing her rosary, she used my plastic white and light blue one. I hadn't thought much of it before that. When Sr. Anne returned it to me, she told me that Sr. Sean Marie told her to tell me that she prayed lots of rosaries on it. Now it's an extra special rosary to me. I even have my double-sided blanket flipped over so that the Packer side is the one showing. (The Lions are on the other side.) Sr. Sean Marie is the Packer's biggest fan, and even got to go on the sidelines during a game because of it! She and I would go back and forth about our friendly rivalry, and she would affectionately call me "Detroit." I am so glad that I joined this community when I did, so that I have the blessing of knowing her.
Now I am on a different stage in formation. I am a novice. I have a white veil, and my name was changed from Kara to Sister Monica at the reception ceremony- here is the link to read more about it and see pictures from it. A lot of people ask me, "Why Monica?" Well, when I came here, I had intended on maintaining my baptismal name, and being either Sister Kara or Sister Kara Michelle. Someone advised me to be open, just like I was open to coming to the convent. A few days later, on August 27th, it was St. Monica's feast day. She stuck out in my mind, but I figured that the same would happen with other saints on their feast days as well. It didn't. My mind kept going back to St. Monica. Whenever someone would mention her or her son, St. Augustine, I would be excited. I just couldn't get it out of my head. I prayed to God to give me other names to choose from. He kept giving me Monica. In the spring, I asked one of the sisters to pray for names for me. I liked the name Monica, but I thought I should have more options. I did not tell her what name God had been revealing to me. A couple weeks later, she told me that she was sorry, that she wanted to give me a few options to choose from, but the only name that came to her was Monica. When I submitted my name choices, I submitted Monica, Thérèse, and Kara, in that order.
Now it doesn't happen this way for every sister. I don't want anyone to think that it does. The fact that it happened to me says nothing about me, and everything about God and His powers. But I know that God doesn't just do something like that to benefit one person. I am sharing it with you because I want to share with you His awesome powers at work in us. Also, some sisters keep their baptismal names, which is very good, because becoming a religious is a deepening of baptism.
Since this blog entry is getting pretty long, and I am trying to practice the self control I mentioned at the beginning of the entry, I will quickly write what else has happened in the past two weeks in the novitiate. Sr. Isabelle, formerly Marie and I joined Sr. Pamela Catherine and Sr. Natalie in the attached building reserved for the novitiate. We spent the first week helping out at Camp Franciscan, which was a blast, and the second week getting trained in sacristy and everything else involved with being a novice. We are also taking an iconography class, and we are looking forward to making our own icons!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Growing in Intimacy with God
Yesterday was a very big day in our community....Sr. Chiara had her first profession of vows! It was so cool! She looked so radiant and so beautiful! I was pleasantly surprised to see that the ceremony was a lot like a wedding ceremony. Her family seemed to enjoy it, too. She is on her home-visit right now, so I am sure her family is thrilled. We were all just so ecstatic for her!
There will be another big day in our community next Sunday. Marie and I will be received into the novitiate! We will receive our white veils and our new names! If you want to see pictures and/or find out what our names will be (we don't know what they'll be either- we gave the administration 3 choices though) you can go on our community's blog, Franciscanized World. They should be up by the night of June 13th or June 14th at the latest. Feel free to add comments to it or look around at the rest of the blog. I always have a link to my community's blog on the upper-right corner of my blog.
As I wrote on my last entry, I spent five days in retreat. I was wondering how I would write about it, because I cannot do it justice. It was about the "Vowed Franciscan Way of Life as a Pathway to Intimate Union with God." Fr. Jeff began the retreat by giving talks on developing an intimate and loving relationship with God, and the last 3 days were spent on how poverty, chastity and obedience help develop this intimacy.
At first, I felt a little strange taking all that time out for just the Lord and me. It seemed a little self-centered. But after talking with Fr. Jeff in a private conference on the first day, I learned that it is quite the opposite, and in fact, necessary for a life of serving others. It strengthens us for our ministry. In fact, after his conversion, St. Paul spent 14 years in solitude before preaching and spreading the Good News. St. Francis spent a lot of time praying in a cave and on a mountain. Even Jesus spent forty days in the desert before He began His ministry, and throughout His ministry He would frequently tell His disciples to "Come away for awhile and rest.
During one of his talks, Fr. Jeff shared the story of Martha and Mary to illustrate our society's need to always be productive and accomplish things. We are depriving ourselves by giving in to this pragmatism.
Here's the passage from scripture:
As they continued their journey He entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at His feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." (Luke 10: 38-42, NAB)
I love that line, "it will not be taken away from her." The Lord delights in us, as we are, without considering anything we have done or haven't done. It reminds me of the feeling of wonder we get while watching a baby....all the baby has to do is yawn, and we think s/he's cute...or, at least I do! So this is how God sees us.
He also shared with us this scripture passage, which beautifully expresses God's love for us:
"Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away the judgments against you,
He has turned away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will renew you in His love;
He will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival."
(Zephaniah 3: 14-18a, NRSV)
As I wrote earlier, the last three days were spent on how the vows help us with intimacy. On Wednesday, he taught us that poverty is about detaching/dispossessing in order that God can fill our lives, and that humility is a sister to poverty- it's even included in the vow of poverty. On Thursday, he talked about the vow of chastity that enables us to have an undivided love with God and emerses us more completely to Him. Lastly, on Friday, he taught us that through the vow of obedience, every time we unite ourselves with the Father's will, we are in deeper intimacy with Him.
It was a wonderful retreat and made me even more excited for the novitiate!
There will be another big day in our community next Sunday. Marie and I will be received into the novitiate! We will receive our white veils and our new names! If you want to see pictures and/or find out what our names will be (we don't know what they'll be either- we gave the administration 3 choices though) you can go on our community's blog, Franciscanized World. They should be up by the night of June 13th or June 14th at the latest. Feel free to add comments to it or look around at the rest of the blog. I always have a link to my community's blog on the upper-right corner of my blog.
As I wrote on my last entry, I spent five days in retreat. I was wondering how I would write about it, because I cannot do it justice. It was about the "Vowed Franciscan Way of Life as a Pathway to Intimate Union with God." Fr. Jeff began the retreat by giving talks on developing an intimate and loving relationship with God, and the last 3 days were spent on how poverty, chastity and obedience help develop this intimacy.
At first, I felt a little strange taking all that time out for just the Lord and me. It seemed a little self-centered. But after talking with Fr. Jeff in a private conference on the first day, I learned that it is quite the opposite, and in fact, necessary for a life of serving others. It strengthens us for our ministry. In fact, after his conversion, St. Paul spent 14 years in solitude before preaching and spreading the Good News. St. Francis spent a lot of time praying in a cave and on a mountain. Even Jesus spent forty days in the desert before He began His ministry, and throughout His ministry He would frequently tell His disciples to "Come away for awhile and rest.
During one of his talks, Fr. Jeff shared the story of Martha and Mary to illustrate our society's need to always be productive and accomplish things. We are depriving ourselves by giving in to this pragmatism.
Here's the passage from scripture:
As they continued their journey He entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at His feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her." (Luke 10: 38-42, NAB)
I love that line, "it will not be taken away from her." The Lord delights in us, as we are, without considering anything we have done or haven't done. It reminds me of the feeling of wonder we get while watching a baby....all the baby has to do is yawn, and we think s/he's cute...or, at least I do! So this is how God sees us.
He also shared with us this scripture passage, which beautifully expresses God's love for us:
"Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away the judgments against you,
He has turned away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will renew you in His love;
He will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival."
(Zephaniah 3: 14-18a, NRSV)
As I wrote earlier, the last three days were spent on how the vows help us with intimacy. On Wednesday, he taught us that poverty is about detaching/dispossessing in order that God can fill our lives, and that humility is a sister to poverty- it's even included in the vow of poverty. On Thursday, he talked about the vow of chastity that enables us to have an undivided love with God and emerses us more completely to Him. Lastly, on Friday, he taught us that through the vow of obedience, every time we unite ourselves with the Father's will, we are in deeper intimacy with Him.
It was a wonderful retreat and made me even more excited for the novitiate!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Back to the Convent
My last week of my homevisit went by very fast. My mom and I finished the skirt...surprisingly, using the sewing machine is the easier part for me! It's using the pattern that takes the most time. It involves a lot of cutting and pinning. I hemmed the sides of the skirt. She hemmed the waist and bottom, because those are for more advanced sewers. I just found out that we will be taking a sewing class this summer at the motherhouse, so this has been great practice for it.
I visited with a few more friends and family members. I unfortunately didn't get to visit with everyone I had wanted to, but in actuality it shows how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. By the way, my maternal grandma said, "Say hello to everyone I don't know!" So she says hi to most of you! She's so funny! I told her that I am praying for her, and she said (with a jokingly serious face), "Well you can do more than that! Pray for your other relatives, too!" :) Yes, Grandma.
Marie picked me up from the airport and her family had us over for dinner before we came back to the motherhouse. We feel as if we have been gone a long time. It has been a month away...the sisters gave us a warm welcome back. It has been nice not to have any homework to do while we've been back. Marie and I got out our bikes from the barn, and rode around the property for a while.
This weekend is jubilee weekend for those celebrating their diamond jubilees (60 and 75 years professed!) This morning was a nice breakfast in honor of them, and this afternoon there will be a special mass with the Bishop. I was thrilled to see a couple of the sisters from the St. Peter's Indian Mission in Arizona. I miss all of them.
Tonight those of us in initial formation (and some other sisters who also signed up) will begin our 5 day silent retreat. It is called "Living the Evangelical Counsels in the Franciscan Tradition."
This is the retreat's description: "One of the profound aspects of the vowed consecrated life is growing in intimate union with God. In a way that is unique and penetrating, the evangelical counsels [of poverty, chastity and obedience] lived in the Franciscan tradition facilitate and enhance a deeper intimacy with God."
Our retreat master is a Capuchin Franciscan from Colorado, and we will be able to sign up to meet with him. We can also go for bike rides, walks, read, and other quiet activities. Sr. Mary Ann (one of the vocation directors) gave Marie and I some watercolor paints and a little book of prayers, readings, and reflections. The Sisters all advised us to create a schedule for our days, so as soon as I receive the itinerary tonight I can figure out how I will spend my days.
I visited with a few more friends and family members. I unfortunately didn't get to visit with everyone I had wanted to, but in actuality it shows how blessed I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. By the way, my maternal grandma said, "Say hello to everyone I don't know!" So she says hi to most of you! She's so funny! I told her that I am praying for her, and she said (with a jokingly serious face), "Well you can do more than that! Pray for your other relatives, too!" :) Yes, Grandma.
Marie picked me up from the airport and her family had us over for dinner before we came back to the motherhouse. We feel as if we have been gone a long time. It has been a month away...the sisters gave us a warm welcome back. It has been nice not to have any homework to do while we've been back. Marie and I got out our bikes from the barn, and rode around the property for a while.
This weekend is jubilee weekend for those celebrating their diamond jubilees (60 and 75 years professed!) This morning was a nice breakfast in honor of them, and this afternoon there will be a special mass with the Bishop. I was thrilled to see a couple of the sisters from the St. Peter's Indian Mission in Arizona. I miss all of them.
Tonight those of us in initial formation (and some other sisters who also signed up) will begin our 5 day silent retreat. It is called "Living the Evangelical Counsels in the Franciscan Tradition."
This is the retreat's description: "One of the profound aspects of the vowed consecrated life is growing in intimate union with God. In a way that is unique and penetrating, the evangelical counsels [of poverty, chastity and obedience] lived in the Franciscan tradition facilitate and enhance a deeper intimacy with God."
Our retreat master is a Capuchin Franciscan from Colorado, and we will be able to sign up to meet with him. We can also go for bike rides, walks, read, and other quiet activities. Sr. Mary Ann (one of the vocation directors) gave Marie and I some watercolor paints and a little book of prayers, readings, and reflections. The Sisters all advised us to create a schedule for our days, so as soon as I receive the itinerary tonight I can figure out how I will spend my days.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
My Home Visit (and good news from Congress about a bipartisan issue!)
Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. -1 Timothy 4:12, NAB
One of my main causes that I support in prayer is Invisible Children, a grassroots movement to help end the Africa's longest running war in which children are forced to be soldiers. Over the years, during my activism days, people would ask me how protests are actually going to help. I said that I have to believe they do, just like Dr. King had to believe that his protests would help. In fact, Rob Siltanen wrote something that was used for a computer ad that was circulated frequently during "The Rescue" protest: "[T]he people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
I was very pleased to return home to find a letter from Senator Carl Levin, letting me (and the others who wrote to him- politicians do write back) know that the Senate unanimously passed the LRA Disarmament Bill and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067). I checked online and discovered that the House of Representatives also passed it. Now we are just waiting on President Obama to sign the bill!
5/25 update: the President signed it! You can read his statement here.
The following is a two-minute excerpt from the House of Representatives. It is very inspiring!
This is a spiritual issue, because Joseph Kony thinks he is god. We are doing more than we think by praying for those involved. St. Therese of Liseux is patron saint of the missions, and she never left the convent.
In other news, I am enjoying my home visit. The first day back, I wore pajamas until I had to get ready for Sunday evening mass. I have been enjoying going to the 12:05pm daily mass at the Cathedral, too. It's interesting, I can already feel the sense of community there...it's nice. It has been great to share my time with family and friends, play with the cats, relax a bit and play games, such as Monopoly Deal. Seriously, that game's a blast! My dad and stepmom taught it to some of us at the convent, and now it's a favorite there, too. When you play it, remember that there's no charity in cards, so don't feel guilty about stealing property from your friends.
I have one more week of my home visit. Last week I was with my dad and Ginny, and this week I am with my mom. It's nice that I can spend a week at each home. My mom is going to teach me how to make a skirt. We bought the pattern and fabric from Jo Ann Fabrics. I am excited to learn how to do this, and to wear the skirt!
One of my main causes that I support in prayer is Invisible Children, a grassroots movement to help end the Africa's longest running war in which children are forced to be soldiers. Over the years, during my activism days, people would ask me how protests are actually going to help. I said that I have to believe they do, just like Dr. King had to believe that his protests would help. In fact, Rob Siltanen wrote something that was used for a computer ad that was circulated frequently during "The Rescue" protest: "[T]he people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."
I was very pleased to return home to find a letter from Senator Carl Levin, letting me (and the others who wrote to him- politicians do write back) know that the Senate unanimously passed the LRA Disarmament Bill and Northern Uganda Recovery Act (S.1067). I checked online and discovered that the House of Representatives also passed it. Now we are just waiting on President Obama to sign the bill!
5/25 update: the President signed it! You can read his statement here.
The following is a two-minute excerpt from the House of Representatives. It is very inspiring!
Congress Passes LRA Bill: Highlights from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.
This is a spiritual issue, because Joseph Kony thinks he is god. We are doing more than we think by praying for those involved. St. Therese of Liseux is patron saint of the missions, and she never left the convent.
In other news, I am enjoying my home visit. The first day back, I wore pajamas until I had to get ready for Sunday evening mass. I have been enjoying going to the 12:05pm daily mass at the Cathedral, too. It's interesting, I can already feel the sense of community there...it's nice. It has been great to share my time with family and friends, play with the cats, relax a bit and play games, such as Monopoly Deal. Seriously, that game's a blast! My dad and stepmom taught it to some of us at the convent, and now it's a favorite there, too. When you play it, remember that there's no charity in cards, so don't feel guilty about stealing property from your friends.
I have one more week of my home visit. Last week I was with my dad and Ginny, and this week I am with my mom. It's nice that I can spend a week at each home. My mom is going to teach me how to make a skirt. We bought the pattern and fabric from Jo Ann Fabrics. I am excited to learn how to do this, and to wear the skirt!
Friday, May 14, 2010
How to Make Egg Salad and Other Stories from the Desert
I've had hat hair, I'm expecting to have veil hair soon, but I did not anticipate having crown hair! During the school's morning prayer, whenever it it someone's birthday, they get to wear a beautiful paper crown. They are decorated and the person's name is written in a fancy way with glittered lettering. They also receive a bag stuffed full of goodies, like brand new toys! The whole school sings "Happy Birthday" and "May our dear Lord bless you" to them. My birthday isn't until September 17th, so I was very surprised to hear my name called off for the birthdays! :) I also surprised to get my own bag of gifts. I wore the crown all day.
I've learned a lot this week. The sisters at the mission want me to make sure to include that I learned how to make egg salad. While I was figuring out what to prepare for myself, I saw a sister mixing together a hard boiled egg with mayonnaise. I then realized that the mixture was starting to look like egg salad. My jaw dropped with disbelief as I stared at the concoction. I said, "That's it? That's all you have to do to make egg salad?! I have been paying so much money at the deli for that stuff!" :) They told me that some people like to add a little bit of mustard or a little bit of relish. So I made egg salad for myself with a little bit of mustard, and sure enough, it tasted like egg salad. :)
I also learned how to use a sewing machine. It was really fun, and I am looking forward to developing this new skill. I finished the inventory of the school uniforms on Monday, so since then I've been helping around in the school library: picking out books, shelving books, screening new (donated) books for their appropriateness, and reading at story time. I liked reading at story time the best. It was fun to hear them laugh about Amelia Bedelia's silliness and say, "Uh-oh!" whenever she did something she wasn't supposed to do. I have also continued to walk with the kids around the track in the morning before school and helped with grading assignments...good practice for the future!
Today I shared my vocation story with the fifth graders, and it was so much fun! They were excellent listeners and they were so funny! During the Question and Answer time, they were amazed that I knew who all their favorite music artists were and how to dance all their favorite dances. Whenever they asked me if I knew a dance (e.g. the Cupid Shuffle) I would dance it for a couple seconds to prove it as I said, "Yeah, I know it." They thought that was so funny! They also asked really good questions about what it is like to be in formation. After the "Going Home Prayer" at the end of the day, a group of the fifth graders crowded around me for a big group hug. It was so cute!
I have really enjoyed being at this mission site. The school has such a family atmosphere, and that's nice to see. As I have been telling the kids, I don't know where the community will assign me in the future, but I would be happy if I was assigned here.
Here are a couple YouTube videos of the St. Peter Indian Mission (where I've been):
Franciscan Sisters Arizona Mission Ministry Part 1
Franciscan Sisters serving in Arizona Missions Part 2
It is bittersweet to know that I will be leaving tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone here, but I am also happy that I will be going on a home-visit to see my family for a couple weeks.
I've learned a lot this week. The sisters at the mission want me to make sure to include that I learned how to make egg salad. While I was figuring out what to prepare for myself, I saw a sister mixing together a hard boiled egg with mayonnaise. I then realized that the mixture was starting to look like egg salad. My jaw dropped with disbelief as I stared at the concoction. I said, "That's it? That's all you have to do to make egg salad?! I have been paying so much money at the deli for that stuff!" :) They told me that some people like to add a little bit of mustard or a little bit of relish. So I made egg salad for myself with a little bit of mustard, and sure enough, it tasted like egg salad. :)
I also learned how to use a sewing machine. It was really fun, and I am looking forward to developing this new skill. I finished the inventory of the school uniforms on Monday, so since then I've been helping around in the school library: picking out books, shelving books, screening new (donated) books for their appropriateness, and reading at story time. I liked reading at story time the best. It was fun to hear them laugh about Amelia Bedelia's silliness and say, "Uh-oh!" whenever she did something she wasn't supposed to do. I have also continued to walk with the kids around the track in the morning before school and helped with grading assignments...good practice for the future!
Today I shared my vocation story with the fifth graders, and it was so much fun! They were excellent listeners and they were so funny! During the Question and Answer time, they were amazed that I knew who all their favorite music artists were and how to dance all their favorite dances. Whenever they asked me if I knew a dance (e.g. the Cupid Shuffle) I would dance it for a couple seconds to prove it as I said, "Yeah, I know it." They thought that was so funny! They also asked really good questions about what it is like to be in formation. After the "Going Home Prayer" at the end of the day, a group of the fifth graders crowded around me for a big group hug. It was so cute!
I have really enjoyed being at this mission site. The school has such a family atmosphere, and that's nice to see. As I have been telling the kids, I don't know where the community will assign me in the future, but I would be happy if I was assigned here.
Here are a couple YouTube videos of the St. Peter Indian Mission (where I've been):
Franciscan Sisters Arizona Mission Ministry Part 1
Franciscan Sisters serving in Arizona Missions Part 2
It is bittersweet to know that I will be leaving tomorrow. I am going to miss everyone here, but I am also happy that I will be going on a home-visit to see my family for a couple weeks.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Make Way for Ducklings!
Hello from Arizona! I have been in Bapchule, AZ since Sunday, at St. Peter Indian Mission. It is at a Pima Indian Reservation. I was greeted by my first ever dust storm! While the descent of the plane was turbulent, and the road conditions were similar to a blizzard, it was a bit exciting to experience something new. I also was amazed at the height of the cacti! I had no idea they were so big! They even grow flowers.
The Sisters took me IHOP, and someone paid for our meal! That was so nice. People treat sisters so well. Since then, I have been experiencing life at the mission site. I have been helping out around the elementary school: walking with the kids around the outdoor track, doing the school uniform inventory, sharing my vocation story, listening to the kids prepare for the Spring Program, and reading to them. I have also been helping prepare meals and run errands. It has been wonderful to be here! I would love to be assigned here someday. I love weather too.
The convent here has two ducks, Ben and Aflack. (Sounds like Ben Affleck!) Aflack is having ducklings! They are so cute! So far, 2 have hatched: Cuddles and Ducky. We hope that Eggbert arrives tomorrow. We have been so amused by these ducklings. I looked up how to care for them on the internet, and we have been very careful to keep them safe. When the ducklings are ready, they will be moving to the local petting zoo.
Here's Cuddles with Aflack:
It has been nice to have prayer with the school. Every morning, we pray a decade of the rosary and sing songs, and in the afternoon there are more songs and prayers. Until now, I did not realize how perfect it is that there are 5 decades, and 5 school days. I think it would be great if more Catholic schools took advantage of that, and prayed a mystery a week. Yesterday was a very special day...it was May Crowning. The seventh and eighth grade girls wore traditional dresses and processed up to Mary with bouquets of flowers. The 8th grade girl with the best church attendance got to crown Mary. They did so well and looked so beautiful! We also prayed the rosary for a greater respect for human life from conception to natural death. The school is going to do something great next year: they are going to have Reconciliation once a month. The graces from that Sacrament cannot be overestimated.
Today, we went to a House Blessing for the kindergarten teacher and her family. It was great to be apart of that. Father Edward put me in charge of the holy water, and he gave me very specific directions to shake the holy water liberally everywhere. We had two bottles of it. The prayers were really cool, too. We also had a great lunch, watched the Yankees for a bit, and played with her four-year-old son. He is so smart and outgoing.
I feel like I have so many more things to share, but perhaps another time. I am really enjoying being with the sisters here. They have been so nice and welcoming. It's been a great week. I am glad I have another one here.
The Sisters took me IHOP, and someone paid for our meal! That was so nice. People treat sisters so well. Since then, I have been experiencing life at the mission site. I have been helping out around the elementary school: walking with the kids around the outdoor track, doing the school uniform inventory, sharing my vocation story, listening to the kids prepare for the Spring Program, and reading to them. I have also been helping prepare meals and run errands. It has been wonderful to be here! I would love to be assigned here someday. I love weather too.
The convent here has two ducks, Ben and Aflack. (Sounds like Ben Affleck!) Aflack is having ducklings! They are so cute! So far, 2 have hatched: Cuddles and Ducky. We hope that Eggbert arrives tomorrow. We have been so amused by these ducklings. I looked up how to care for them on the internet, and we have been very careful to keep them safe. When the ducklings are ready, they will be moving to the local petting zoo.
Here's Cuddles with Aflack:
It has been nice to have prayer with the school. Every morning, we pray a decade of the rosary and sing songs, and in the afternoon there are more songs and prayers. Until now, I did not realize how perfect it is that there are 5 decades, and 5 school days. I think it would be great if more Catholic schools took advantage of that, and prayed a mystery a week. Yesterday was a very special day...it was May Crowning. The seventh and eighth grade girls wore traditional dresses and processed up to Mary with bouquets of flowers. The 8th grade girl with the best church attendance got to crown Mary. They did so well and looked so beautiful! We also prayed the rosary for a greater respect for human life from conception to natural death. The school is going to do something great next year: they are going to have Reconciliation once a month. The graces from that Sacrament cannot be overestimated.
Today, we went to a House Blessing for the kindergarten teacher and her family. It was great to be apart of that. Father Edward put me in charge of the holy water, and he gave me very specific directions to shake the holy water liberally everywhere. We had two bottles of it. The prayers were really cool, too. We also had a great lunch, watched the Yankees for a bit, and played with her four-year-old son. He is so smart and outgoing.
I feel like I have so many more things to share, but perhaps another time. I am really enjoying being with the sisters here. They have been so nice and welcoming. It's been a great week. I am glad I have another one here.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Pilgrimages and Retreats...love it!
I found out that I will be able to write in this during the novitiate. :) Check back monthly. I could write more than once in a month, but I am writing in this monthly as a minimum.
April has been flying by fast. There have been so many things...we have been cleaning out our rooms, sewing numbers on our clothes for the laundry, and doing presentations and papers. We also each picked 3 names for the council to vote on, and learned how to pin our veils! We actually got to wear them for a few minutes yesterday for pictures, but those won't be up until after reception on June 13th.
Today, we went on a pilgrimage to Holy Hill. It was wonderful to go there. I had never heard of it before I moved to Wisconsin, but it's actually kind of a big deal. Even Pope Leo XIII knew about it and declared it a shrine. Now it is a Basilica. It was really cool to look at all the crutches people left behind next to the Marian Shrine after they has been miraculously healed.
I loved it there. There is an ambiance of joy and peacefulness there, and I just wanted to stay. I would love to go back to spend more time praying throughout the area, and going on a hike in the woods surrounding it. They also have an outdoor stations of the cross that I would love to do. If anyone is able to go, I saw a flyer for an awesome event happening there on Saturday, October 2, 2010. It is called St. John Bosco Youth Day 2010. Click here for more info. Fr. Stan Fortuna is going to be there, along with Lila Rose, Martin Doman, and Bishop William Callahan. The event is free, and if you want to get a boxed lunch, that is $7.00. I won't be able to go, but my blessings on anyone who can attend!
I am looking forward to finishing up this last week of school, but I am going to miss everyone at Silver Lake College! They are incredible people and I feel privileged and honored to know them. The college is a real gem. Saturday is May Crowning, and Marie gets to crown Mary! :) Then we will spend two weeks in Arizona at separate mission sites, and another two weeks on our home-visits. When we come back, we will have a weeklong retreat on living the evangelical councils and deepening our intimacy with God. Then reception is June 13th! It's a lot to look forward to!
Just to let you know, there will be a discernment retreat for young women at our community from May 21-23, 2010. Registration ends a week before the retreat. The retreats are all very wonderful and Holy Spirit filled....this one coming up especially because the theme is Pentecost. Find out more info here. And you can register here. Seriously, Marie and I loved these retreats so much!
Also, while you are browsing the internet if you would like, my community provides a free song download every month as well as blog entries about the going-ons of our community in the webpage Franciscanized World.
Just in case you were wondering I was not asked to advertise for these things. I am free to write about anything in my blog. I am sharing these things because they are awesome and I just wanted to share them with all of you.
April has been flying by fast. There have been so many things...we have been cleaning out our rooms, sewing numbers on our clothes for the laundry, and doing presentations and papers. We also each picked 3 names for the council to vote on, and learned how to pin our veils! We actually got to wear them for a few minutes yesterday for pictures, but those won't be up until after reception on June 13th.
Today, we went on a pilgrimage to Holy Hill. It was wonderful to go there. I had never heard of it before I moved to Wisconsin, but it's actually kind of a big deal. Even Pope Leo XIII knew about it and declared it a shrine. Now it is a Basilica. It was really cool to look at all the crutches people left behind next to the Marian Shrine after they has been miraculously healed.
I loved it there. There is an ambiance of joy and peacefulness there, and I just wanted to stay. I would love to go back to spend more time praying throughout the area, and going on a hike in the woods surrounding it. They also have an outdoor stations of the cross that I would love to do. If anyone is able to go, I saw a flyer for an awesome event happening there on Saturday, October 2, 2010. It is called St. John Bosco Youth Day 2010. Click here for more info. Fr. Stan Fortuna is going to be there, along with Lila Rose, Martin Doman, and Bishop William Callahan. The event is free, and if you want to get a boxed lunch, that is $7.00. I won't be able to go, but my blessings on anyone who can attend!
I am looking forward to finishing up this last week of school, but I am going to miss everyone at Silver Lake College! They are incredible people and I feel privileged and honored to know them. The college is a real gem. Saturday is May Crowning, and Marie gets to crown Mary! :) Then we will spend two weeks in Arizona at separate mission sites, and another two weeks on our home-visits. When we come back, we will have a weeklong retreat on living the evangelical councils and deepening our intimacy with God. Then reception is June 13th! It's a lot to look forward to!
Just to let you know, there will be a discernment retreat for young women at our community from May 21-23, 2010. Registration ends a week before the retreat. The retreats are all very wonderful and Holy Spirit filled....this one coming up especially because the theme is Pentecost. Find out more info here. And you can register here. Seriously, Marie and I loved these retreats so much!
Also, while you are browsing the internet if you would like, my community provides a free song download every month as well as blog entries about the going-ons of our community in the webpage Franciscanized World.
Just in case you were wondering I was not asked to advertise for these things. I am free to write about anything in my blog. I am sharing these things because they are awesome and I just wanted to share them with all of you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)