February 23, 2009

First of all: CONGRATULATIONS TO BEN HANOWSKI, Little Falls High School Senior, hockey player who set the new state record for goals scored. He received a plaque during a break in play after he broke the state’s career points record during last Thursday’s home game. Post season play begins Tuesday evening. Go Flyers, Go.

February is “I Love to Read Month.” Sisters Antonette Ahles, Maureen Blenkush, Therese Lenz, and I went to local elementary schools to read to students. I went to Lindbergh School to read to First Graders in Mrs. Hanson’s Room. It was so good to be back in a first grade classroom again. I read a book about mice. (I have a big mouse collection.) I gave each child a mouse to hold as I read the story, Boom Chicka Rock, Chicka Boom. Next week I want to go back to read, Town Mouse, Country Mouse.

Last Friday morning I went to the Chamber of Commerce sponsored Friday Morning Coffee event at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. I’ve heard about Crane Meadows, but didn’t know where it was or what was there. Now I know. It is an 1800 acre wildlife refuge with groomed walking trails that is only about eight miles south of Little Falls. It was a little too cool to go on the trails on Friday. I saw another sign of spring on my way home. I saw a dead skunk on the highway. Maybe that one should have stayed in hibernation one more day.

Last Saturday, 21st, we had a birthday party to celebrate Sister Maristell’s 90th birthday.
She had a great day with Family, Sisters and Parishioners from the Belle Prairie and Our Lady of Lourdes Parishes. I was sorry to have missed it. I was in Brainerd for our Secular Franciscan Formation Class and Fraternity Gathering.

God blessed us with about four inches of new snow Friday night and Saturday. Everything looks so clean and bright again. Where the snow was cleared, the sun really dried off roads, sidewalks and parking lots.

Kitchen update: Friday the men opened the door so we could see into the kitchen. What I saw was lots of sand and trenches where the plumbers will put in new water pipes. All the concrete floor is removed and after the water pipes are in they will start pouring a new concrete floor.

For us Franciscans at the Motherhouse, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday is Doughnut Day. We will have a 9 a.m. coffee break when doughnuts will be served… and again at lunch time.

Lent starts on Wednesday. Plenty of opportunities present themselves for our Lenten Penances. To fast, pray and give alms are the three practices Christ invites us to during Lent. It is a time to renew our Baptismal commitment to live as Children of a loving God. Scripture study is another good Lenten activity.

On Sunday, March 1st is the 118th Anniversary of the founding of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls. Happy Birthday to us. God bless those original 16 early Sisters who came to Little Falls and began our Community and our Ministries here.

Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Lou

February 16, 2009

I am amazed at how the snow is melting. Most roof tops are clear or nearly clear of snow…and for some, the moisture is leaking into basements, which is not a good sign. I marvel, too, at how there are such nice circles of melted snow around the tree trunks in both the front and back yard. Yesterday, Sister Moe saw a female cardinal eating red berries from the bush in our neighbor’s yard. Spring gets nearer each day. But winter is not over yet. Snow is forecast in the next couple days.

This past weekend we had a large Marriage Encounter group at St. Francis. We had 37 guests. For whatever reason one or two of the last scheduled gatherings had to be cancelled, so this group was large. God bless all married couples and thank you for working at making your marriages succeed.

Saturday the Queen of Peace Regional SFO (Secular Franciscan Order) Council had their quarterly meeting at St. Francis. There were 10 of us present. The Regional Minister, Ed Feiler, was recently diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. We had a short prayer service for him and then presented him with a couple gifts. The Brown’s Valley Fraternity sent him a Prayer Shawl and the Elk River Fraternity presented him a Prayer Lap Blanket for both him and his wife, Pat. We wish you the best, Ed, as you undergo treatment.

When the sibling of a Sister dies and the Sister is not able to attend the funeral, we have a Memorial Service for that person. Last week we had a service for Father Jerry Ahles, OFM, brother of Sister Antonette. The week before, we had a service for Sister Haroldine Malinowski, sister of Sister Mary DeSales.

Our prayers are extended to the families of deceased Sisters Inez, Venard and Helen Niehaus at the death of their brother Edward Niehaus on February 1, 2009. Also, our sympathy to the family of Sr. Janet Kunkel at the death of her brother, Gerald, who died recently.

Oasis Share-A-Meal hosted a fundraiser at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Sunday. Oasis Share-A-Meal, along with many groups, help sponsor a free meal every Thursday at First Lutheran Church for anyone who comes. Carol told me the numbers were down in January because of the severe cold. The Franciscan Sisters and our employees provide this meal twice a year.

Work on the kitchen remodeling project continues. The most frequently used word last week was “noisy.” The men removed the walk-in freezers and cooler and are now in process of removing the floor. The saws cutting the concrete are noisy. The big pieces of concrete are then put on a conveyor belt and lifted out a window and then into a big dumpster in the parking lot. Cooking in the kitchen across the street in Hurrle Hall seems to be going well.

Peace and all Goodness,
Sister Mary Lou