January 9, 2019

As I typed to line above, I had to stop and think, “What year is this?” It was a good year, with a few bumps in the road. A few days ago I read a little piece that reminded me that the challenges, bumps, we meet are the things that help us to grow and become better persons…bit by bit.

We’ve already had two funerals this year. Sister Mercita Pipp, age 94 died on January 2^nd here in Clare Residence at the Motherhouse. And Sister Hope Uphoff, age 81, also died on January 2^nd.  Sister Mercita’s funeral was on Saturday, January 5, 2019.  Sister Hope’s funeral was Monday January 7, 2019.

The Bloodmobile will be here in St. Francis Hall, Tuesday, January 22^nd (1 to 7 p.m.), Wednesday, January 23^rd (12 noon to 6 p.m.) and Thursday, January 24^th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

You can make an appointment by going online to www.RedCrossBlood.org/give. If you would like to Volunteer to help with the Blood Drive please contact our volunteer manager Mary at mthomas@fslf.org or 320-632-0691. Thank you.

Saturday, February 2, 2019, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. we will have a SOUP SUPPER here at the Convent. It is an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT event. The menu is as follows: Four varieties of homemade soup: Chicken Wild Rice, Beef Barley Vegetable, Tomato Tortellini and Bean and Ham, fresh baked cracked wheat and white bread, bars, beverages. Proceeds benefit St. Francis Music Center and St. Francis Health and Wellness Center, Little Falls. All are welcome.

Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Let us take a little time to thank God for the gift our own Baptism. Do you know the date of your baptism? Baptism is the beginning of our life as a Christian. Let us be grateful.

God bless you and the activities of you week.

Peace,

Sister Mary Lou

November 7, 2018

Happy Fall Day: Chilly, overcast and a good day to stay inside!

A little snow on the rooftops and grassy areas. This looks like it will stay awhile.        

I suppose it should not surprise me as we are into November.

Last week we had another very successful blood drive. Generous donors donated 227 units of blood.  Thank you, donors, for your generosity. Many recipients will be grateful for your gift. God bless you.

This Saturday, November 10^th, we have our Harvest Supper—4:30 to 7 p.m., at the Convent. The menu is: Chicken breast, sausage, garden vegetables, coleslaw, bread-sticks, homemade bars and beverages will be served. Adults $10, children (5 to 12 years) $5, Children under 5 years—Free.  Come and join us.

On Sunday, November 11, Ladies from Princeton and Zimmerman will be here for a day of retreat.  May God bless you during your time with us.

Veteran’s Day will be observed on Monday, November 12^th.  May God bless all Veterans and their families and give them peace and good lives.

Give to the Max day is Thursday, November 15^th.  Please consider giving a donation to support our ministries. Here is the information.

Make your donation today by clicking the link below.

https://www.givemn.org/organization/Franciscansisterslittlefalls

May all your days be filled with blessings from God and from others.

Peace,

Sister Mary Lou

October 23, 2018

Sister Annella Bieniek, age 95, died Sunday evening at St. Francis Convent. She requested a Natural Burial, so we had a prayer service yesterday afternoon and then the burial. We will have a Memorial Mass at a later date.

Starting this afternoon until Friday noon we have “All Community” meetings. After Mass today, we took a picture of all the Sisters who could be gathered in Chapel.  Here is what we look like!

                                  

Enjoy these nice fall days.

Peace and blessings on you and your family.

Sister Mary Lou

September 12, 2018

One thing many of us think of when we say. “September 11” is the event in New York which took place 17 years ago…the bombing of buildings in New York and Washington, D.C.

The event in Little Falls the past weekend was the 46^th Little Falls Arts and Crafts Fair. We welcomed over 120,000 guests and 500+ vendors to our city for this gathering. God gave us perfect weather and all were pleased with that. I always enjoy looking at all the creative and beautiful things people make. I bought a massage pillow, a bar of goat milk soap and this “My Minnesota Wall Eye!”

The amazing thing to me, is that the clean-up crew is so efficient that by 6 p.m. Sunday evening, everything is put back in order and you’d never know we had all that activity the past two days.

All the vendors that I talked with seemed pleased with the sales they had and that they planned on coming back again next year. 

St. Francis Center hosted a number of vendor guests Saturday night and a few Sunday night. (The ones that didn’t want to start the long trip home after a busy weekend stayed an extra night.)

According to the weekly calendar, this should be a quiet week. Other than a speaker at noon lunch on Thursday, I didn’t see any other activities. And that is OK, too.

God bless you. Blessings on the activities of the week.

Enjoy this beautiful weather…and pray for those in storms’ way.

Sister Mary Lou

August 13, 2018

Happy hot August Day.  It was 90 degrees at noon! And will get warmer as the day goes on. “The corn should grow good.”

At Mass yesterday we had the Commissioning of the 5 Franciscan Community volunteers. Such a nice group of young people who are dedicating a year of their life to doing volunteer work. I am including their pictures and a bit of information about each of them.

We have a retreat going on here this week until Friday afternoon so it is very quiet around here these days. The retreat director is Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM.

Peace and blessings on your day and on your week.

Sister Mary Lou

July 30, 2018

Not many days left of July! Tomorrow it will be 65 years that I became a novice and an official member of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Community. Oh, all the people that have been part of my life in those 65 years! (Sisters, students, parents of students etc., etc.)  May God bless them ALL!

Yesterday we celebrated the 60^th Jubilee of Sister Marjorie Bischoff, Sister Joanne Klinnert, Sister Juanita Mauer, Sister Rose Margaret Schneider and Sister Christelle Watercott. Congratulations, Sisters. It was a great day!

Most evenings, Sister Mary Fabian Schneider, age 103, enjoys the gentle breeze as she sits outside praying her rosary. She is such an example of how to age gracefully.

Wednesday, August 1^st, we celebrate the 12^th GREEN FAIR FOLK FESTIVAL. There will be booths displaying environmentally friendly products and activities. Come. join us on the west parking lot of the convent. Enjoy some food and fun time with us.

                        

                                                                                                       

Father Ilo, a priest from Indonesia, will be celebrating our Motherhouse Mass at 11 a.m. on ‘Friday.  Since my sister, Rita, was a missionary in Indonesia for 33 years, I am always interested in things about Indonesia.

This beautiful raised garden of flowers is outside the convent front door. This picture does not do it justice. What a great way to greet visitors.

Peace and blessings on you and your family.

Sister Mary Lou

July 11, 2018

The big news of the day is that today Sister Mary Fabian Schneider is celebrating her 103^rd birthday!  Oh, the many blessings and gifts she given to so many people along the way. She is so alert and interested in everything that is going on around here. Just a couple years ago she was still answering phones in the reception office! I can’t imagine how many lives she has touched with her gentle voice and sweet smile. God bless you, Sister. May the Lord continue to keep you in His Loving Care.

Over the weekend we had about 2 inches of rain in our area. The gardens look great…and the weeds are doing well, also.

On June 24^th, we celebrated the 75^th Jubilee of Sisters Sharon Fyle, Mercita Pipp and Mary Zirbes and the 50^th Jubilee of Sister Janice Wiechman. Thank you for the 275 combined years of service you have given as a Little Falls Franciscan Sister…and all the lives you have touched! Congratulations, Sisters, and just keep on going.

Sister Mary is and artist. The Mass program featured 5 of her beautiful drawings. Here is one of them.

Here we had a low-key 4^th of July and God provided some mighty fireworks during the night. No storm damage that I am aware of—at least nothing that I saw here on campus.

Last evening I was out and about on my scooter and took a couple pictures of places on campus that I want to share with you.

May all be well with you and with those you love.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou

May 21, 2018 

Yesterday was the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.  And next Sunday is the Feast of The Most Holy Trinity.  I just read the following pray to The Trinity and want to share it with you:  “Grant to us, O Lord, this day to walk with You as Father, to trust You as Savior, to worship You as Lord; that all our works give You glory.”  I guess that’s the most important agenda item in our life here on earth.

Yesterday or 11 a.m. Mass was a Memorial Liturgy to pray for our deceased Donors…and of course, to remember all our living Donors, too.  We are grateful for all our donors and remember them in our daily prayers.  May God bless and care for all who support our Franciscan Community.

The following are a few pictures from around campus:

an apple tree,

the well from Clare’s Well,

new growth on the pine trees

 the trees have so many beautiful flowers on them

We will have a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Thursday evening, May 24^th.  We are most appreciative of the many people who give of their time and talent to assist us in so many ways.  God bless you.

I just read a very sad note on our bulletin board:  “Sister Annella Henger’s niece (age 48) and her husband, from Wisconsin) were in Iceland fishing.  Janet fell into the river and Brian went after her to save her and both of then drown.  Help was gotten, but too late to save them.  Please keep them and their families in your prayers.  They live in Wisconsin.”  Yes, please keep them in your prayers.

Blessings on the activities of your week.  Peace,

Sister Mary Lou

Holy Thursday, March 29, 2018

May these last days of Holy Week fill your heart and soul with many blessings of peace and gratitude for the many blessings the Lord give us today and every day.

We had three Sisters die in March: Sister Donna Guyott, (age 77), on March 11^th, Sister Donna Zetah (age 88) on March 15^th and Sister Janet Kunkel (age 86) on March 21^st,.  May they all be having a joyous Holy Week and Easter in Heaven.

Our Holy Thursday Services is at 7 p.m. tonight with adoration until 10 p.m. here at the Motherhouse.

The Silent Walk for Peace through down town Little Falls for tomorrow—Good Friday--have been cancelled because of impending rainy/snowy weather.

We will have Stations of the Cross in our Chapel at 11 a.m.  Good Friday Services will be at 2 p.m.

Easter Vigil Services on Saturday evening start at 8 p.m. with the blessing of the fire and the lighting of the Easter Candle. I would say this is my favorite night of the year because of the wonderful Liturgical Services…darkness, then the lighting of the Easter Candle, the lighting of the small candles that the people hold during the procession and the first part of the service, the joyous music and the glorious Easter Vigil Mass!  May God be praised through our worship this holy night.   Our Easter Sunday Mass is at 8:30 a.m., the usual time.

My Easter Prayer for you is:  May Christ, Our Risen Savior, bless you and those you love with peace and joy.

Happy Easter,

Sister Mary Lou

March 6, 2018

By looking out the window today, you’d never know that everything was shut down yesterday because of a blizzard. All schools were closed. Snowy, icy roads made travel difficult and not safe.  We had about a foot of snow and there was a 40 mph wind pushing it all about.

National Catholic Sisters Week starts March 5^th, on International Woman’s Day which is based at Saint Mary’s University of MN in Minneapolis. Because women religious are not as visible and tend to be older, many Catholics have never interacted with Sisters and this is a chance to get to know them.

Last week we had Community Meetings from Tuesday afternoon until Friday afternoon. The main agenda item was to elect new Leadership Sisters. The two pictures below tell the results of our work.  We are happy about the outcome and we pray for them as they prepare to assume their new responsibilities—which will happen mid-June. 

Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday. Set the clocks ahead one hour sometime before Sunday morning.

Peace and blessings on your day.

Sister Mary Lou

December 28, 2017

Merry Christmas.  I hope it is a good one for you. The Christmas season goes on for another couple weeks—until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday, January 8, 2018. So keep on celebrating! My sister, Rita, came to spend the day with me. Then she needed to go to the farm to feed the kitties.

Winter came with a blast the other day. Today’s high temperature is about minus 2 degrees with a couple inches of snow forecast by the morning. I’m glad we didn’t get the 5 feet of snow they got some places in the East.

We had beautiful liturgies on Christmas Day With lots of singing. For our Christmas Eve Mass, the chapel was full and then after Mass most people came to St. Francis Hall for cookies and hot chocolate and visiting. Pope Francis said, “The joy of Christmas…comes from Faith and from the encounter with Jesus Christ, the reason for out true happiness” (12-19-2017).  May Jesus be near to each of us with His love and caring support.

These two trees are covered with the prayer intentions that our donors have asked us to pray for. So we pray every day of the year-for our generous donors. May God bless and care for each of them in the ways God knows best. 

We have a Blood Drive scheduled next Wednesday. Thursday and Friday, January 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th.  I hope others step up to the plate to cover for the “snow birds” who are trying to keep warm in southern parts of our country.

I’ll write again next year.

I and we Franciscan Sisters wish you good health, peace and loving relationships in the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Sister Mary Lou

December 21, 2017   

Third Week of Advent

Christmas is in the air and all around us! Saturday I was at the Cathedral in St. Cloud for the Concert of the St. John’s Boys Choir. That director knows how to get great sounds out of those young men.  The Cathedral is a big church and it was full! It was a great concert. My brother’s grandson, Ethan, is one of the singers.

We’ve had several wonderful concerts here, too. St. Francis Music presented the Choral Christmas Concert on the 10^th and the Orchestra Christmas Concert on the 15^th. The Beginners Orchestra played a few numbers to start the evening off. Lots of talent there!

We have had many Sisters serve as missionaries in Mexico, so the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated in grand style here. This is a picture of the display in the dining room.

Last Tuesday we had a retirement party for Jeff Odendahl, who has served as our Peace and Justice co-coordinator for many years. Thank you, Jeff, for keeping us updated on peace and justice issues and reminding us to write letters when issues demanded it.

That same evening the Dandee Lion Club ladies came to help decorate Christmas cookies. Everyone had fun.

On Thursday, we had a Retirement Party for Donna Field. She has worked as secretary to the Leadership Sisters for about 27 years. Thank You, Donna. (You probably know more about our Community than we do!)

Then that same evening the Lions Club came caroling…and have pizza with us. For them it was supper because they had been singing since 5 p.m., at 5 or 6 other places before they got here about 7:30.

One evening a group of Girl Scouts came to sing to us as we were finishing dinner. Having worked in elementary schools for nearly 50 years, I always really enjoy have youth come to perform for us. The other day the employees sang us a revised version of The Twelve Days of Christmas: On the first day of Christmas: One Franciscan Blessing, 2 flying bats, 3 yoga poses, four Tech HELP requests, 5 Sisters praying, 6 dozen cookies, 7 guitarists strumming, 8 urgent E-mails, 9 brand new donors, 10 sweepers sweeping, 11 maintenance requests and 12 balanced budgets.

The Christmas Eve Mass, Vigil of Christmas December 24^th, is at 7:30 p.m. with singing starting at 7 p.m. Come join us if you are in the area. 

Our Christmas Day Mass is at 8:30 a.m.  Again, come and join us if you are in the area.

May the GIFT of HIS LOVE bring you JOY this Christmas Season and throughout the New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Sister Mary Lou

December  6, 2017

Happy Feast of Saint Nicholas.  He came to visit us in the dining room this noon and gave us each a little bag of peanuts…a nice little treat.  I remember him coming to our home when we were children.  There would be a big racket on the porch, but when we went to look there was no one there, but we’d find a bag of peanuts and apples & oranges in the wood box.

There are many activities come up in the next couple weeks. On Sunday December 10^th at 2 p.m. the St. Francis Community Chorale will present their Christmas Blessings, Concert in Sacred Heart Chapel.  There will be a reception in St. Francis Hall.  This group is directed by Barb Stumpf.

The other noon, Jeff and a group of ladies did an enlunchment presentation, telling us about the work a group of them did wile in Haiti.  I am always impressed by the great works volunteers do both in our own country and in other countries.  Thank you for sharing your faith by putting it into action.

On Friday, December 15^th at 7 p.m. the St Francis Chorale and Chamber Orchestra will give a concert, Joyful Yuletide, in Sacred Heart Chapel.  The concert is directed by Bobbi French.   

The Little Falls Lions Club will come for Christmas Caroling and pizza on Thursday, December 14^th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in St. Francis Hall.

There will be a retirement party in the dining room for Jeff Odendahl at 2 p.m. on December 12^th.  Jeff has served as director of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation department for the past 13 years.  Thanks, Jeff, for a job well done.  We will miss you.  Do come back to visit.

Friday, December 8^th, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the patronal feast of our Community.  It will be a special day for us.  We will have Morning Prayer together at 8:15 followed with brunch.   At 11 a.m. we will have a festive Mass with lots of singing .  Following 4:15 Evening Prayer we will have a special dinner.  A little statistic:  We are 117 living Sisters and 338 deceased Sisters.

The Give to the Max collection was a little over a week ago.  From our generous donors our Community received over $54,000 to support our ministries.  Thank You.  We are grateful and we do pray for you.

We have a bit of snow on the roof tops but not enough on the ground to make mention of.  The temperate is cold—but I guess we should expect that since we are into December.

May your Advent days be peaceful (unstressful) as we get nearer to Christmas.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou

November 1, 2017     Feast of All Saints

We have an interesting crew of “characters” around the building yesterday. They bring smiles to lots of faces.

Our week of Community Meetings is now over. We gather again in February 2018. What do I carry with me? I carry a sense of gratitude for the 16 women who founded our Community and a sense of gratitude for the 124 women who now make up our Franciscan Community. 

One day when I was distracted, I took the word “assembly” and found 34 words using the letters in that word!  Now isn’t that profound?

Sister Helen Hassler, age 83, went on to her new life in heaven the first day of our gathering, October 21, 2017. Her funeral was at 3 p.m. the last day of our meetings.  I am sure she was watching over us each day.

I fund this poem among my treasures:

TRAGIC CHOICE

On the table, side by side

The Holy Bible and the TV Guide.

One is well worn, but the other cherished with pride.

Not the Bible, but the TV Guide.

One is used daily to help folks decide.

No! It isn’t the Bible, it’s the TV Guide.

As pages are turned, what shall we see?

Oh, what does it matter?  Turn on the TV.

So they open the book in which they confide.

No.  Not the Bible, it’s the TV Guide.

The word of God is seldom read.

Maybe a verse when they fall into bed.

Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be.

Not from reading the Bible, but watching TV.

So then back to the table, side by side

Are the Holy Bible and the TV Guide.

No time for prayer, No time for the Word.

The Plan of Salvation is seldom heard.

Forgiveness of sin, so full and free,

Is found in the Bible, not on TV.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow we have a Blood Drive going on. Our goal is 220 units.

We are grateful for all those generous people who come to share the gift of life.

Today is the Feast of All Saints. Happy Day to all you living Saints of God.

Thursday we remember in prayer all the Faithful Departed on  All Souls Day.

Today we had many wonderful volunteers come and help us stuff envelops for the Christmas Appeal.

Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday. Set clocks back.

Next week is National Vocation Awareness Week. If you are not sure what that means, google it.

Peace and blessings,

Sister Mary Lou

August 30, 2017

For a quick second, I wondered what I would write about today. One look at the bulletin board and I had plenty of items.

August is almost over…and soon the new school year starts for many students…but not for those students in the hurricane area in Texas, if they even have a school left for them to attend. I cannot imagine such devastation. For them we pray.

Sister Mary Alice Doll, age 96 and a Franciscan Sister for 75 years, died Saturday morning, August 26. 2017. Sister Alice was Director of Religious Education for the Saint Cloud Diocese for many years. As an example of her influence, when she began her diocesan ministry only 15 parishes had a religious education director while at the time of her retirement, 74 parishes had developed religious education programs. Her Franciscan Wake is at 7 p.m. this evening and the Mass of Christian Burial is tomorrow, August 31^st, at 11 a.m. Sisters had been sitting with her during the night for several days before she died. During the day, her niece, Patty Doll, stayed with her. Eternal Life give to her, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.

Sister Alice was also a gifted artist. She drew pictures for the Stations of the Cross that line the pathway to the cemetery. Here are a couple of her paintings.

We had another very successful American Red Cross blood drive here Monday and Tuesday. We collected 196 units of blood. God bless and care for all the generous donors and the staff who worked the drive.

Another note on the bulletin board asks us to pray for a donor, Greg, who will have a bone marrow transplant tomorrow (31^st). The donor is a 100% match and lives in Germany. That takes teamwork between doctors, pilots and others to carry that off! For Greg it is a matter of life and death. Again, let us pray for the success of this endeavor.

I’ve been watching the news about hurricane Harvey. Thank you to all who are helping out there.  The need is great. One news article said that in a 1927 hurricane the Mississippi River was 600 miles wide. Could that be true?

Yesterday our friend, Larry Anderson, from Morris, brought us 585 pounds of cabbage. That will make lots of coleslaw and sauerkraut! God bless you, Larry.

Last week, the folks in the Development Office sent out a bulk mailing of 3,000+ appeal letters. The proceeds from this appeal will benefit our Franciscan Ministries. Because of your generosity and love of the Gospel, we are able to provide assistance and care to people who are poor, marginalized and forgotten. Again, we are praying for all our generous donors. Thank you.

How about this for a beautiful tray of little tomatoes from our convent garden.

While filling in for lunch-break this noon, I picked up the little book from the Music Center that describes their many offerings. They have a staff of 26 people and offer many types of lessons:  piano, organ, guitar, music therapy, violin, viola, brass ensemble, orchestra, cello,  bass guitar, banjo, mandolin, gymnastics, dance, voice, theory, accordion, percussion, etc. Sister Cecilia Schmitt was instrumental in establishing the Music Center 38 years ago.

That’s enough for this week.

God bless and continue to care for you.

Sister Mary Lou