Celebration and Sadness

I Hope you had a good and safe 4th of July celebration. I went to West Union for their BIG Parade….at least 60+ units in all. Because this is “small town” and “rural,” we had many tractors from 1910 models to modern, a horse-drawn carriage, the West Union Marching Kazoo Band, some novelty units and LOTS of candy! After the parade everyone went to the City Park for hotdogs and watermelon. The crowds along the parade route were big. Everyone seemed to be having a good time…and the weather was perfect.

We, too, have skies covered with a hazy overcast caused by the uncontrolled fires in Canadian forests. “They say” it will get better in the next couple days.

Our Sister Elizabeth (Liz) Weier died at 8:20 Sunday morning, July 5th. I had her as an English teacher at St. Francis High School and she came with me on my first home-visit after I finished the Novitiate. Our Sister Vianney Weier and Poor Clare Sister Helen Weier are her blood sisters. May Sr. Elizabeth be experiencing joy-filled Life with the Lord. Our sympathy to Sisters Vianney and Helen and their family. The Franciscan Wake for Sister Elizabeth is Friday evening at 7 p.m. and her Funeral is Saturday, July 11 at 10:30 a.m. Burial is in our Cemetery

The other big event on Sunday was the celebration of Sister Fabian’s 100th birthday. She is such a gracious welcoming lady. Many of her family members joined us at the 11 a.m. Mass and for dinner afterwards. And LOTS of people came for the open house from 2 to 4 p.m. When one lives to be 100, one makes lots of friends along the way! She is blest to have such an alert mind and is able to move around so well. (She frequently takes a walk outside by herself on nice days.) One of her gift from family is a marble bench that is now in the courtyard. Happy birthday, Sister Fabian, on July 10th.

Wednesday evening, at 6:30, we have a speaker coming. Kathy Kelly’s talk is titled, “Can Earth Survive Endless Wars?” (In my head, when I read the title, I said, “NO.”) I look forward to hearing her.

Last Thursday we had the funeral for our good friend Rosemary (Rosie) Boehm. She had been a member of our Community at one time until she went home to care for her aging parents. She once had her own band and was an excellent drummer. So the entrance procession at Mass was to drumming done by Sr. Maurita. In 1996, Rosie came to St. Francis Convent to set up a rehabilitation department for the care of our Senior Sisters. She knew how to make people happy. On her memorial card she used St. Augustine’s quote: “The Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot.”

This week we are having Sisters Driving Road Tests and a Driving Awareness Class. I will do both.

There will be no blog next week. I will be on vacation with my family. Please pray for safe travel for us. Thanks.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou