September 28, 2010

“Praise God from whom all blessings Flow.” These words come to my mind as ponder the blessings that are ours. We had only a couple inches of rain last week…and a promising dry and sunny weather most of this week.

Saturday I went to St. Paul for the SFO Regional Fall Retreat. Then I drove to Waseca for a SFO Visitation for the Fraternity there. Oh, all the water everywhere in that area! They had 7 to 10+ inches of rain in that area last Wednesday and Thursday. In every low place there was standing water…road ditches, farm field drainage ditches, fields, lawns, pastures, everywhere. Coming home on Monday, I stopped in Owatonna to get gas before I got on the freeway. I asked if the gas was good or if water had leaked into the tanks, because water had covered that whole area, too. The tanks had been checked on Sunday and because of good seals on the tanks there was no water in the gas.

The business place across the street had a big pile of water soaked merchandise outside the building. And in the roadside the park alongside the highway the tops of picnic benches were sticking out of the water. My prayers are for farmers and all those who are dealing with flood damage.

Saturday, October 2nd, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Orphan Train Riders of New York. Between 1854 and 1927, an estimated 200,000 children were put on trains heading west and south. Our Sister Justina was one of those riders who came to Minnesota in 1913 as a 22-month old child and was adopted by the Bieganek family. We are expecting 140+ participants at this year’s reunion. The afternoon program will be a one-woman show created by Pippa White of One’s Company Productions titled Story of the Orphan Train.

Sunday, at 12 noon, there will be a Blessing of Animals at Washington Park—across from the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.

Sunday evening, at 7 p.m. in our Sacred Heart Chapel, we will celebrate the Transitus, a commemoration of the death of Sr. Francis. It is a moving and prayerful ceremony.

Then, on Monday, we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. We start the day with Morning Prayer at 8 a.m. followed by brunch. Mass is at 11 a.m. and evening prayer at 4:15 p.m.

Come, join us. St. Francis, pray for us.

A week from Thursday, Oct. 7th, we have the Employee/Sister Flu Shot Clinic. I will be there. All our precautions last flu season paid off. And I wish the same thing again this year.

Our State Governor will be coming to Little Falls for the Deer Hunting Opener this fall.

Maybe more on that later. May everyone be safe.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou