Last week of March

The 10 ½ inches of new snow last Tuesday/Wednesday made for many big snow-mountains at the ends of all parking lots. Snow from parking lots and roads on campus has been piled in the field behind the barn all winter. It is a long mountain range.

I wonder how long it will take for all that snow to melt. Ice cycles.

Last Friday evening we had a wonderful concert by the St. Cloud State University Chamber Wind Band and the Symphony Band. One number that we enjoyed immensely was Rhapsody in Blue with piano soloist Junko Masuda and clarinet soloist Samantha Riehle. They moved a baby grand piano into chapel for the concert. The piano soloist used all the keys on that keyboard! Eleven students from the Little Falls High School band were privileged to join the 26 University players for a few pieces. We are so lucky to have such great events right here at the Motherhouse. We invited them to come again.

Last Wednesday we invited Carl Vaagenes, CEO of Unity Family Health (UFH) Care and St. Gabriel’s Hospital in Little Falls, to lunch at the Motherhouse. Carl has accepted the CEO position at Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria. Carl has been at St. Gabriel’s for over 10 years. We wanted to thank Carl for his good leadership at UFH. His biggest accomplishment was his leadership in building the new hospital. We thank you, Carl, for your leadership at the hospital and we wish you well in your new position.

On Saturday, Sister Maristell was the presenter for the full-day Lenten Retreat day for about 50 Associates, Sisters and friends. We all marvel at her mastery of the power-point presentation to add to our understanding of her topic. Thank you, Sister Maristell, for sharing your truth and talent with us. We are grateful.

Tomorrow we will celebrate Sister Alice Doll’s 90th birthday. Some of her family members will come to join us in this celebration.

On Thursday we will have another bilingual liturgy in remembrance of Cesar Chavez, a Mexican-American, who worked with farm workers in California. The Franciscan Sisters celebrate bilingual liturgies four times a year in keeping with our commitment to our Hispanic brothers and sisters. For many of us it a good challenge to learn some Spanish in order to sing the songs at Mass.

Friday evening through Sunday we will have a marriage encounter at St. Francis Center (used to be St. Francis High School). We have many and varied activities at the Center.

I see on the weekly calendar an item for Saturday for Seeds of Kindness from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. I’ll need to find out more about what that is. More about this, too, next week.

Next Sunday we will have an Oasis-Share-A-Meal fund raiser concert in our Chapel.

The end of March is coming soon so the Food Shelf Drive will end soon. Thanks for all who support this drive. Every department has a donation box.

Please keep us in prayer as we prepare for election of new leadership Sisters for our Community the weekend of April 8th to 10th.

This morning Sister Ruth Lenter made fresh donuts for lunch.

God bless you. Keep safe. Pray for the needs of the world.

Sister Mary Lou

Welcome to the First Full Day of Spring!

Everyday the past week I’ve driven across the Mississippi River in downtown Little Falls, checking to see if the ice is breaking up yet. The ice is still solid north of the dam, but the pool of open water below the dam has been getting larger and larger every day. Three gates are open, water is coming through pretty fast and water is coming over the top of one spillway. Soon the river will be wide open below the dam. And tomorrow “they” are telling us we could get significant snow! The garage where I park my car is just about dried out from the last time we had snow and slush.

In reading the Morrison County Record, the local weekly newspaper, I noticed that the Boys and Girls Clubs of America are this week, celebrating 150 years of caring for youth.

Our local club is open five days a week unless school is cancelled. They average about 80 students a day and have lots of activities for young people. I am so glad we got a club going here in Little Falls.

Several of our sisters will exhibit their artwork at St. Paul’s Monastery, the Benedictine Retreat and Conference Center, in St. Paul MN. The exhibit opens March 27th and runs through May 29, 2011. Those participating in the multi-community event are Sisters Blanche Fyle, Sharon Fyle, Lillian Kroll, Tonie Rausch, and Mary Zirbes. Sister Mary Christine Wiener and Associate Julia Barkley, both deceased, will also have art on display. Congratulations, Sisters, and thank you for sharing your talents.

Students from St. Cloud State University wind ensemble, “Chamber Winds” will be visiting Little Falls Schools during the day and will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. in our Sacred Heart Chapel. All are invited to come hear the brass fanfare music. Friday, March 25th.

Last Saturday was the Feast of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. Sister Joel put up a lovely icon display for the occasion.

“Sweet Tooth,” is the name of the puzzle being worked on the last couple weeks. It is a thousand piece and all jelly beans. I am amazed at the progress being made. I would never even attempt starting one like that!

March is Food Shelf Month. I did a call to Party Line on the local radio station to remind listeners to support this worthy cause. Twenty dollars cash or check given to the Food Shelf can purchase $180 worth of food through the Second Harvest program.

Let us continue to pray for the many displaced persons of Japan that they receive the help they need in their desperate time.

God bless you.

Sister Mary Lou