Celebrations!

We are well in the second full week of August already!

From all my years in the Catholic school system, I think in terms of the beginning of the School Year. It is coming soon. God bless all the teachers and students as they prepare for the new school year. I again look forward to reading to First Graders at Lindbergh School.

Well, we’ve had some very busy days around here. The first of two BIG events were on Saturday, the Feast of ST. Clare and the commissioning of the Franciscan Community Volunteers. Each of the six volunteers has a praying Sister. Shannon is my young woman, a wonderful lady. I gave her a journal and a little gift of two pins of little green turtles wrapped in green paper, in a green cloth bag. Later I found out that green is her favorite color and turtles are her favorite animal! One day I showed Shannon a picture on my camera of the little girl dancing at the Green Fair. Yesterday she gave me a drawing of that little girl. WOW!

Then Saturday evening we had a special Evening Prayer for the 25th and 50th Jubilarians followed by a festive dinner…then a slide program showing pictures of their lives. Sister Michelle’s Uncle and Aunt came from Texas by way of New Mexico, Idaho, Colorado, Banff and Jasper, Canada, North and South Dakota and other states. They travelled on a 3-wheel motorcycle and have been on the road for six weeks. Anyway, after dinner on Saturday, they gave me a ride on their machine. What fun!

Sunday we celebrated our Silver and Golden Jubilarians. Many family members and friends were here for the event. The Mass was a great celebration with lots of music and many instruments. For me one of the highlights was to have the composer of the first and last songs at the piano…Kathy Tisel Nelson. She and Father Anthony, also, beautifully harmonized in singing the Blessing of St. Clare toward the end of Mass. It was a great way to show honor and glory to a God who greatly loves us. The one picture shows how you can best handle too much visiting and talking!

Yesterday Larry Anderson, from Morris, MN, brought us a pickup load of vegetables from his garden. He brought 3 boxes of cantaloupe, 3 boxes of peppers and 10 boxes (582 pounds) of cabbages. In a week or so Sr. Ruth will be very busy making sauerkraut! God bless you and thank your, Larry, for this generous gift. We will keep you in our prayers. Today Larry is having foot surgery in the St. Cloud hospital. Let us keep him in our prayers for complete and quick healing.


At the EnLUNCHment this noon I will be talking about the Secular Franciscan Order (SFO). Fifteen years ago, I would have been finished after two sentences. Now I know a lot about the SFO’s and will give a longer presentation.

Saturday and Sunday we are hosting for the first time, a meeting for the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs). May your meetings be good and may you find this a good place to meet.

The weather forecast talks about rains today, tonight and tomorrow. We are grateful. May the rains be gentle and free from severe storms.


Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou

The Green Fair and more

The Green Fair Folk Festival last Wednesday evening was awesome. 

 

There were so many people, estimated again about 1,000.  I saw many friends that I’ve not seen for some long time.  The weather was perfect—in the shade.  Those big trees on the west side of the Motherhouse do an excellent job of providing lots of shade. 

Terry said we used 32 loaves of bread—sliced into 23 slices per loaf—for the peanut butter and jelly slices of bread, sold at a quarter a slice.  We used a gallon of peanut butter and a gallon of grape and ground cherry jelly.  The pop corn sales were good, to: we used 25 pounds of un-poppped popcorn! 

The music was good.  Children had so much fun.  Sixty–nine people enjoyed the Chapel tours.  It was a good event.  Thanks to the Environmental Services Staff and the Community Relations Staff for all the hard work they did in setting up and taking down. 

 
Next year’s date for the 7th Annual Green Fair Folk Festival is August 7, 2013. Save the date!

August 2nd was the Franciscan Feast of the Portiuncula.
Portiuncula means “Little Portion.”  It is said that this very little church was given to St. Benedict in the 6th century.  Its name is St. Mary of the Angels. To St. Francis this was a very special building and one of the first churches Francis rebuilt.  He frequently prayed here.  Later on the Benedictines gave this church to St. Francis.  Every year since then the Franciscans give the Benedictines a basket of fish in thanksgiving for their gift.  Now this little church sits inside the very large Our Lady of the Angels Church at the foot of the mountain on which Assisi is situated.  Sister Alice Doll made this little replica of the Portiuncula after she saw the “real thing” when she was in Assisi many years ago.

There were two events on Saturday. We had the Funeral for Sister Cordy Block.  She was a great lady with many talents that she used so well in service to others.  Many Sisters were here for both the Wake and the Funeral.  Many of her family members were here to share in the day.  Sr. Cordy, pray for us.

The other Saturday event was the 19th Annual Paint-A-thon.  It started with a breakfast to feed the volunteers who painted 6 homes. The breakfast was served at First United Church, across the street from the Motherhouse.   Sisters Georgine, Kizzie and Maurita came to help wash dishes and clean up after the breakfast.  Franciscan Sisters furnished six pans of cinnamon and caramel rolls for the meal.  I took pictures of one house near here at 9 a.m. and at 3 p.m. when it was all painted.  Besides painting the 6 homes, four other homes had fix-up work done on them.

Saturday, August 11, 2012, we will have Mass and the Commissioning of our six new Franciscan Community Volunteers who arrived the past weekend.  Franciscan Community Volunteers  (FCV) is a ministry which accompanies your men and women, ages 21-30, to grow in Christian discipleship and leadership through Franciscan spirituality, service and community life.  Volunteers make a 10 month-long commitment to serve full time with local nonprofit agencies that serve the needs of the poor and marginalized while accepting the challenge of living Gospel Values.  Each of the six volunteers has a Sister who is their “Praying Sister” to support them during their time with us.

The big event this coming weekend is the celebration of two Golden Jubilariains and one Silver Jubilarian. We will welcome many family and friends to celebrate with us for the Sunday Mass and festive meal afterwards. We Sisters will honor the three Sisters Saturday evening with a special Evening Prayer, festive meal and program.  Congratulations for persevering these many years.  Keep it up.

Let us continue to pray for needed rain without sever storms and flooding.
May the Lord protect us from fires.

Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou

Tuesday, August 14th is Primary Election Day in Minnesota.  Vote.