February 13, 2011

WOW!!!... From minus 23 on Thursday morning to 46 this afternoon. It took a while for our January thaw to arrive, but it is here for a few days, at least. Then with the cool-down next weekend, that should help control the snow melt and maybe the flooding situation, too. There is open water below the dam on the Mississippi River here in Little Falls. Two gates are open to let the water through.

Our week of meetings is over. It was a good week with lots of prayer and discussion and some decisions made…and LOTS of information. We had Mass at 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. Thursday’s homily is one I will never forget…and not a word was spoken. The opening song was “Gaze upon Christ. Consider Christ. Contemplate Christ.” Carolyn went to the altar and looked at the big San Damiano Crucifix we have behind the altar. She looked at it from several directions. Then she knelt and prayed before the Crucifix and finally bowed low and prayed in silence. It was profound!

Each morning and afternoon session started with a call to prayer by the ringing of the big bowls. Tapping the bowls with a special mallet and/or moving the mallet around the rim of the bowls made such a full and resonating sound and brought our attention back to the work of the week.

Since our theme was around weaving our future, there was a loom set up in the meeting room and whoever wanted, could weave the strands of cloth through the many threads. Quite a lot of work was done.

Evenings were mostly free for visiting, playing cards or board games etc. The planning Committee frequently had meetings during the noon hour or in the evenings. One evening we had a talent show. Many Sisters shared their talents. Here we see Sr. Fran playing her harmonica and Sr. Antonette telling us a funny story. It was a time for lots of laughter and so much fun.

All but about a dozen Sisters were here in Little Falls the past week. Now most have returned to their homes and places of work throughout the United States and Ecuador.

It seems pretty quiet around here now, but not for long.

Tuesday and Wednesday we have a group of about 35 Episcopalian Ministers and their Bishop meeting here. Then on the weekend a Marriage Encounter Group will be coming. Sister Christelle does a wonderful job of hostessing all these groups.

Monday is Valentine’s Day. In our family this has always been a special day as it was Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary. They were married 67 years at the time of Mom’s death in 2000. What an example of love and fidelity they were to us and to so many.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou