May 10, 2010

The two inches of rain in the past week really greened things up. With the colder temps, I am surprised at how good the flowering trees and plants look. The flowering trees seem to be keeping their flowers a long time. Great! Trees are almost fully leafed out—except for the oaks, and they always take a long time. My Grandma used to say, “When the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel’s ear, then you can plant corn.”

My little trillium at home is blooming beautifully. So I thought I’d better make a trip over to Pine Grove Park. There are trillions of trilliums blooming there! What a wonderful sight to see.

We had an unusual visitor on campus last Wednesday afternoon—a big porcupine! Several people noticed it lumbering along the road side not to far from the Motherhouse buildings. What a surprise. Someone said porcupines like pine trees. We have lots of those on campus.

Last week we invited Associates Jim and Alice Blake to noon lunch before they moved to an apartment in Elk River. Several other Associates and the Associate Directors joined us for the meal. Besides being our Associates, they are neighbors and I will miss them.

Last Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. we had our “Appreciation of Our Volunteers” event. Terry set a table of great treats that everyone enjoyed. And there was a live band!

The band’s name was The River Breeze Band from Sauk Rapids. They played Old-Time music. There was a lot of dancing. What a fun event. (If anyone wants to hire them call Mel Hauck on his cell phone: 320-223-9217.)

About a year ago we started using a couple tables in the outer mailroom area for jigsaw puzzles. I have no idea how many different puzzles have been assembled. But a lot! All have been very pretty. Some have been really hard, but the “puzzlers” persist and get the job done. Sisters and employees stop by for a few minutes on their break time and put in a few or a lot of pieces. Always there are one or two boxes waiting their turn on the side cupboard. Getting the tables for jigsaw puzzles was one of the best ideas we’ve had.

The development Office recently sent out a letter for Memorial Day. Our Sister Cornelia Lee served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during World War I both in England and France. Honorably discharged from the Army in 1921, she entered the convent in 1923 and died in 1943. Two other of our Sisters were also involved in service. Sister Marcella Schuller served as a nurse during the height of the Vietnam War and Sister Mercita Pipp served for 11 years with Project HOPE, a peace-time hospital ship bringing medical care to people in the South American waters. We will remember all military persons and our donors on May 30th and on Memorial Day.

May is National Bike Month. Enjoy your bike…and the beautiful outdoors.

Peace and God bless you.
Sister Mary Lou

May 3, 2010

We received about a quarter inch of rain the past several days. Lawn mowing can’t be far behind. There are so many beautiful blooming trees and shrubs. Makes it a joy to go for a ride.

Last Wednesday, about 30 Crosier Priests and Brothers were our guests for prayer, dinner and a trivia game. It was a joyful evening filled with much story telling and laughter. We are grateful to have their Community as friends of our Community. It was so good to see Fr. Ray, who is recovering from a nasty fall and bump on his head. At the end of the meal we sang our Franciscan Blessing over our guests. Then they sang their Crosier Blessing over us…first in Dutch and then in English. It was the first time I’ve heard Dutch sung.

St. Gabriel’s Hospital sponsored a Health Fair at the Little Falls Middle School last Friday. The Franciscan Life Office had a table with materials showing help for nurturing one’s spiritual life. St. Francis Health and Recreation Center had a table displaying the opportunities available there to nurture ones physical health. I spent an enjoyable hour + visiting all the displays. Thank you to all who work to keep us healthy and active.

Sunday afternoon several of us Sisters attended the St. Camillus Place Dinner and Dance at the Falls Ballroom, for mentally challenged adults and their families of our county. I don’t know exactly how many people were there, but it was a lot. They all seemed to have a good time. And I am sure there are many very happy, tired people today. I know that it is quiet at St. Camillus Place today as the residents rest from all the dancing and excitement of yesterday. This was the 25th dinner and dance. The first one was held in Rainbow Hall at St. Otto’s Home. We’ve outgrown that small space by many times.

The other big event on Sunday was the Spring Concert by the St. Francis Community Chorale. Those singers are so generous in all their practice time to put on such a beautiful concert! Besides making lovely music, one can tell they have a good time, too. Barb Stumpf is the director and they are accompanied by Vicki Spofford. Thank you for sharing your talents with a chapel full of enthusiastic listeners. Now they will have a summer break and will be back together next fall.

Before the Chorale sang, we were privileged to hear four Folk Songs sung by thirteen members of the newly formed Sestri Na Mir (Sisters of Peace) Choir directed by Celo V’ec. They sang Croatian, Bulgarian, Georgian and Macedonian Folk Songs. We have marvelous musical talent in our Little Falls area.

I close with a blessing of St. Francis: May knowledge of God become cleared in us that we may know the breadth of God’s blessings, the length of God’s promises, the height of God’s majesty, the depth of God’s judgments.

Peace,
Sister Mary Lou


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