August 30, 2010

Saturday was the anniversary of the “I Have a Dream“ speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. We have a ways to go to reach the ideal he spoke of. I like his quote saying, “The time is always ripe to do right.” Let’s go for it. Dr. Valeria Elverton Dixon says, “The words spoken on August 28th, 1963, remain our charge, to speed up that day when ALL God’s children will be able to sing, ‘Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.’”

Saturday a number of us went to The Crosier Communiy in Onamia, MN to celebrate the 50th Jubilee of Religious Profession of Fathers David Gallus and John Hawkins and Brother Robert Mandernach. Congratulations. It was a great afternoon and evening.

At our Sunday Mass yesterday, we had the commissioning of our five new Franciscan Community Volunteers (FCV). They will be serving the marginalized in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare at the St. Cloud Children’s Home, Hands Across the World, Boys and Girls Club, Place of Hope and at Lutheran Social Services. Thank you, young people, for the good works you will be doing.

Our one-day Red Cross Bloodmobile stop last Thursday, was a GREAT success. Basically it was for type O blood, but they took all blood types. Our goal was 85 and we had 92 donations! Thanks to all the donors who came. Our next drive is November 3, 4, 5th. Mark your calendars.

The other day, as I was going home after work, I got a picture of Steve Januschka as he was heading out to mow some lawn area. He is a wonderful groundskeeper and does a great job of keeping the lawns and flowers looking good on our campus. With all the rain this summer he has not had to do as much watering, but had done a lot of lawn mowing. Thank you, Steve for the way you model generous service.

God bless him! Yesterday Larry brought us another 400+ pounds of cabbage. Tomorrow is sauerkraut-making-day in the Convent kitchen! They will be a busy crew. I’ll have a picture next week.

Yesterday the parish in Flensburg had a party to celebrate Sr. Bernarda’s 75th jubilee. After Mass they sang a blessing on her and had a pot-luck brunch with lots of goodies and a big cake with two pictures on it—one of her wearing the habit and one from now.

Today is the death anniversary for our Sister Rufina, “the Bee Lady.” She knew the art of bee keeping and provided lots of honey and beeswax for the convent. She would ask, “Have you seen a white bee?” When you said, “No” she would invite you to come to the candle shop and she’d remove the lid of a super and show you a white painted “B”. And then we’d all laugh.

Next Monday we celebrate Labor Day. Let us thank God for the ability to work…and let’s keep in prayer the many people who are looking for work and would love to have job.

And then the next day school starts for many students and teachers. May you all have a good year. I can hardly wait to go over to Lindbergh School and read to Mrs. Hanson’s first graders. I really like that volunteer job.

Then the Saturday and Sunday after Labor Day are the days for 38th Little Falls Arts and Crafts Fair. We are expecting about 600 vendors this year. We have 29 vendors staying at St. Francis Center and Sr. Christelle says we have three rooms yet available. I will again be a block hostess and look forward to meeting the vendors on my two blocks. Please pray for favorable weather. See some of you there…I hope.

The puzzle-putter-togetherers finished this puzzle last week. It was titled “One Hundred Chickens and One Worm.” I’ve looked and I still haven’t found the worm. I’m wondering if it isn’t inside some chicken!

God bless you. Keep safe and healthy.
Do something good for yourself and for someone else.

Peace.
Sister Mary Lou

August 24, 2010: Feast of St. Louis

It looks like we will have a week mostly of sunshine and no rain. We did have ½ inch of rain last night. Crops are looking so good. I do appreciate this lower humidity.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we have a one-day type O Blood Drive in St. Francis Hall…1 –7 p.m. Call 632-.0663 for appointments.

Wednesday is also the Feast of St. Louis of France. Born in 1214, he became King of France at age 21. He sought to rule by Gospel standards. He was a solicitous father to his children and a devout Third Order Franciscan. He died of typhus in 1270. He is the patron of the Third Order…so he is also our patron. St. Louis, pray for us.

Last Saturday I attended the wedding of employee Carol Schirmers. They looked so happy.

Then on Sunday two of us went to her brothers’ farm near Pierz, MN to see cows being milked by robots. Quite different than when I milked cows using the bucket milking machine we had when I was a kid. They milk 217 cows and have four robots that do all the milking…milking goes on 24-hours a day. Computers play an important part in this work. Computers recognize the cow’s collar number, record the poundage of milk given by each teat, when the cow was last milked and other information. Amazing.

At the north edge of the south woods on our property, we have a lovely, quiet meditation garden. Sister Mary Matthias’ sister, Kay, started work on this garden some years ago. Now Bev looks after the garden and makes it a beautiful spot. Thank you, ladies.

The other day the Sisters and Employees finished another puzzle. Now they are working on another puzzle. There is always one on the table where one can spend a few minutes or a few hours.

Friday we have a bilingual liturgy in remembrance of Dom Helder Camera of Brazil. We have a bilingual liturgy four times a year.

God bless and care for you.
Sister Mary Lou