December 21, 2010

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF WINTER!!! This is the calendar day, but to my thinking winter has already been here a month! The snow piles are growing wherever one looks.

At Mass this morning we sang the song, “Soon and very soon we are goin’ to see the King… Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.” We are well into the fourth week of Advent and all the candles on the Advent Wreath are now lit. Soon and very soon we will celebrate the birth of Our Lord. Jesus came in history two thousand years ago. Jesus comes again to us in the Eucharist as His Body and Blood. Jesus comes to us in one another, our brothers and sisters. My prayer, for you, my readers, is that Jesus will come to you in the graces and blessings you desire and need in your personal life.

Last Thursday we had our Employee/Sister noon pot-luck luncheon. After the meal we had the drawings for the baskets and other items. All the proceeds from this Caring by Sharing project were donated to the Boys and Girls Club and to Hands of Hope. Each group received approximately $530. Thank you for your generosity, Employees and Sisters. During the meal a group of employees sang some Christmas songs for our entertainment. What talent!

Last Friday evening the group From Age to Age presented a marvelous program in our Chapel. They are a professional vocal ensemble who makes beautiful music together. They sang the Our Father (Otche Nash) and Hail Mary (Bogoroditse Devo, Raduisya) in Russian. (We had the translations.) Except for the music, the Chapel was wrapped in meditative-prayerful silence. Violin, harpsichord, cello and viola added to the beauty of the evening’s music.

In earlier writings I’ve talked about reading to Mrs. Hanson’s First Graders. I brought a box of Christmas mice from my mouse collection to the classroom and they used them to decorate the Christmas tree in their room. I was please to share my treasures with the students.

Our services in the Motherhouse Chapel on Christmas Eve begin at 7 p.m. with songs and Scripture readings. The Mass begins at 7:30 p.m. There will be refreshments in St. Francis Hall after Mass. You are most welcome to come. Mass on Christmas Day is at 8:30 a.m. The next day, Sunday, December 26th is the Feast of the Holy Family. Again, Mass is at 8:30 a.m.

Merry Christmas to you and those you love. Let us pray for peace in our hearts, our world and our universe.

Pax et Bonum.

Sister Mary Lou

November 22, 2010

Happy Feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians. God bless all those who bring music and song into our lives. You be a song, too, and share your love and joy with others.

As I write this, I see tiny flakes of snow falling…and over the icy coat already on the ground, this is not a good sign. I’m not looking forward to going out. The weather prophets give a dismal forecast for Thanksgiving travel. Plans could change. Better to be safe than injured!

Last week I made brief mention of the bilingual Mass last Tuesday. It was to commemorate the martyrdoms of the six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador on November 16, 1989. Martyrdom continues to take place in our life time. We know the name of only a few, but there are nameless other witnesses to the Faith. Let us pray for the many who are persecuted because of their beliefs in our own day.

Yesterday morning we had the pleasure of a half-hour concert by the younger members of the St. John’s Boys’ Choir. What a treat. These 21 young men so joyfully share their musical talents. (They had performed earlier at St. Mary’s Church here in town.) After singing, the boys had lunch with the Sisters.

From Nov. 29 to Dec 15th, the Values Committee is sponsoring the “Caring by Sharing” project this Christmas Season. Proceeds will help support the Morrison County Boys and Girls Club and the Hands of Hope Resource Center. The Boys and Girls Club’s programs promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. The Hands of Hope Resource Center provides, free, confidential services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. For each $1 donation, donors will receive a slip of paper for a chance on many donated gifts. Last year I won a pair of homemade mittens. They are great and I am using them now. I find mittens warmer than gloves.

Speaking of donations, the Morrison County United Way Campaign just concluded. Our employees donated a total of $3,078.50 to the United Way Campaign. Thank you to everyone who contributed. God bless you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to each of you. We have much to be thankful for. Let us remember our blessings.

Have a safe and healthy week.

Peace and all good.

Sister Mary Lou