February 15, 2008

Greetings and peace.
It’s been a while since I wrote anything. Here I am again. We’ve had another cold stretch of weather. Last Sunday’s -20 temps and strong winds brought many things to a screeching halt. Sunday felt like a "snow day" when I was teaching. It was an unexpected free-day. We went to 8:30 Mass at the Motherhouse, had brunch, came home and stayed here the rest of the day—warm and safe. There were three things I could have done…but I didn’t get to any of them. Yesterday’s three inches of new snow didn’t cause any disruptions that I am aware of.

February is "I Love To Read Month." A number of us from the Motherhouse accepted the invitation to read to elementary school children in the local schools. I read to Mrs. Hanson’s First Graders at Lindbergh School. It was a delightful time for me. Of course I read a mouse book— "Country Mouse, City Mouse." I brought a bunch of mice from my mouse collection. While I read the story, the teacher set out the mice on the classroom table. After the story, the children went row-by-row to look at the treasures. I will go back to visit again later this year to read another story.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. For our family this has always been a special day because it was Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary. They were married 67 years when Mom died in 2000. I was asked to give a short history of Valentine’s Day to a local Homemakers group and to the Little Falls Lion’s Club. This was a fun assignment. The celebration is based on a lot of myth and legend. Though there are many Saint Valentine’s, not a lot of facts exist about them. In 1969 the feast was dropped from the Catholic Church calendar. But the celebration continues in many parts of the world. Not everyone believes we should celebrate this day. My belief is that if people spread more messages of love and caring and support, we would have a better world. And the Lord knows that we need a better world.

Today our Mass at the Motherhouse is for peace in the country of Kenya. There have been so many deaths, so much property destruction and so many displaced persons in that country since the elections on December 27, 2007. The two sisters from Kenya living with us are concerned about the safety of their families, friends and Community members. Let us storm heaven with petitions for peace not only in Kenya, but all the other parts of world where fighting and war are part of daily life.
Sheila Perrault, our neighbor, has written a book--Brown Eyes—Adopted and Loved. Tomorrow (Feb. 16) she will have a book signing event at Bookin’ It. I finished reading the little book last evening. It was interesting. Part of the story tells of her stay at the St. Cloud Orphanage before her adoption. Our Franciscans Sisters staffed the St. Cloud Orphanage for many years. A few years ago, Sheila had a joyful reunion with some of the Sisters who worked there when she and her brother lived there.

Tomorrow, we have elections for new leaders for our Brainerd Fioretti Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO). Holy Spirit, guide us. I have been a Spiritual Assistant for this group for the past ten years. It has been good.

Pax et Bonum
Sister Mary Lou

February 4, 2008

We are into February. We are into another round of snow. And the Super Bowl game is now history. So what else is new?

Yesterday I attended the Morrison county Chapter 35th Annual Pro-Life Dinner at the Falls Ballroom. There was a big crowd. Layna Diehl and Isaac Toenies delivered their Oratory Contest winning essays. We can all be proud of these knowledgeable youth and how well they express their ideas. Jennifer Kistler, Development Associate—MCCL, talked about some of the issues we need to be concerned about in the Caucus gatherings tomorrow night.

Yes, the Caucus gatherings in Minnesota are tomorrow, Tuesday, February 5th. I urge you to attend these grass-roots meetings to let your voice be heard in matters that you care about. Please seriously consider going to your local caucus.

This past weekend there was a meeting for all the Sisters 70 years of age and younger. From what I heard, it was a profitable meeting. The first weekend in March, the meeting of those of us 71 and older will take place. Sister Joanne Brazinski was the facilitator.

Plans are underway for the Morrison County Paint-A-Thon, the first Saturday in August, and for the Little Falls Arts and Crafts Fair, September 6 and 7th, 2008. We have our first committee meetings this week. All of a sudden the days will be here and gone!

Work on the Chapel restoration is moving right along. We are into our third week of having Mass in St. Francis Hall and all is going smoothly. The Crosier priest who had Mass here last Friday said, "I feel right at home in this smaller space." They are doing work on their Chapel in Onamia, too, and are in a smaller space for services.

Lent starts on Wednesday. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. There are enough needs to take care of all that we can do!

Pax et Bonum.
Sister Mary Lou