October 2, 2009

Feast of the Guardian Angels.
I thank God for the heavenly angels that watch over, care for and protect us. I am also grateful for the many angels in human form who also care for us in ways we may never know in this life. Thank you for ways you have been an angel to me.

What a busy week. Last Saturday I was in Bloomington all day for the Fall Retreat for the Secular Franciscans. Our speaker was Father Lester Bach, OFM, Cap. We were a group of about a 100 Franciscans. It was a good day.

Here at the Motherhouse on Saturday was also the funeral for Sister Roberta Zimmer, age 84. Sister Roberta was one of the very first of our Sisters who drove a car, and as such, served as chauffeur for the sisters at the Motherhouse for a time. May she be enjoying life with the Lord.

On Sunday we hosted a Dad’s Belgian Waffle Breakfast. Approximately 468 guests came. This fundraiser brought in $2,491 for the St. Francis Music Center and St. Francis Health and Recreation Center ministries. Everyone enjoyed the delicious waffles, sausages, beverages and the array of toppings that were available.

Sunday evening my brother Nick picked me up and we went to our brother Richard’s home near West Union, MN, overnight. Then early Monday morning we were on our way to Kandiyohi to pick up our sister, Cecelia, and then on to Dubuque, IA, for our aunt’s funeral on Tuesday. Sister Mary Agnesine Rosonke, age 95, was the last of the generation ahead of us to die. (Now we are the “old folks!”) Sister’s funeral was a true celebration of life. Almost all of us first cousins were in attendance along with the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters for the funeral. In her many years as teacher and principal she touched many lives.

We started our homeward trek late Tuesday afternoon. One thing that impressed me was the large number of wind turbines along I90 across southern MN…hundreds of them. At night each one blinks a red light to warn airplanes that they are there. And as we traveled Highway 71 there is another BIG bunch of wind turbines. I Googled “Wind turbines” and found out that Minnesota is third in the nation for using this source of energy production. Ten years ago Minnesota had very few wind turbines. One article said wind turbines have “sprouted like dandelions” across the landscape. I am always amazed that they seem to move so slowly and yet produce so much energy.

As we drove along we noticed quite a bit of soy bean harvest going on as well as some corn harvest. We saw LOTS and LOTS of corn…some looking strong, green and healthy and some very short and shriveled.

Yesterday was “Flu Shot Day” at the convent. Sisters got their seasonal flu shots in the morning and the lay employees got theirs in the afternoon. My hope and prayer is that no one gets either the seasonal flu or the H1N1 flu. There are hand sanitizers everywhere. I joke that this is the new “holy water” as we enter the dining room. Let’s hope that all the precautions are effective.

This Saturday evening we have the Transitus. This is a commemoration of the death of Francis as told with acting, song and narration. Sunday is the Feast of St. Francis. It is our patronal feast…and so a very special day for us. Sunday noon there will be a Blessing of Animals at Washington Park here in Little Falls. We will again see lots of dogs and cats and maybe a few other animals. One year I blessed a little turtle. And another time some baby pigs.

That’s enough for this time.
Happy Feast of St. Francis.
Sister Mary Lou

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