Insights from the Life of a Franciscan Sister

[sr.christinaosf]

Variety’s the spice of life, mix it in with ‘Spoons’

OUR FRANCISCAN FIAT  JULY 27, 2015 / LEAVE A COMMENT / 

Saturday evening, I biked five blocks to a private home for a gathering of the St. Michael’s (Church) Young Adult Group.  I have participated in several of their events in the past, but this time it was for an ethnically themed, potluck-style dinner, “Mexican Night.”  The evening was complete with taco fixings, margaritas, enchilada bake, mariachi background music and a horse piñata.

We felt kind of sorry for the poor little caballo (Spanish for horse) as we swung a baseball bat at him, and watched our comrades do so. The borrowed suit tie only did a partial job in serving as a blindfold, so I found myself having to also close my eyes.  Even after our little amigo was “busted open,”  he remained somewhat intact.  (Check out a video of the escapade!)  There was some talk of adopting him as the mascot for our young adult group.

I so enjoy these gatherings.  They add variety and a time of relaxation with people from my peer group that is very refreshing.  It’s a time away from the daily ins and outs of my life, serving here at St. Anne’s.

We finished off the evening with a rousing tournament of “Spoons,” a game I’ve known and played for years.  Actually, one of the young ladies at this gathering remembered when we had taken part in this non-violent diversion years ago when she was visiting our convent in Hankinson.

It’s interesting how my potential for competitiveness can really come out as the spoons disappear from the middle of the table and I find myself grabbing wildly for the nearest spoon, before an opponent can get it and I am eliminated.

At first as we played, everyone stayed in the game, simply adding a letter in S – P – O – O – N – to their tally if they lost. After some time, however, the group decided to start single elimination.  It wasn’t too terribly long before I was eliminated from “Cucharas” (Spanish for spoons, in keeping with our Mexican theme).  Dusk was starting to fall so I took that as an opportunity to head for home.  It was already about 9:30 p.m. and I had to be at work early in the morning.

[sr.christinaosf]

Sorry....the video link is: https://goo.gl/photos/tK39WhjmVtxoJ3oC7

The one I had doesn't work.

[sr.christinaosf]

If anyone has an extra prayer, that'd be great.  I am facing a situation here that is very difficult.  Also, your prayers would be appreciated for all the needs of our facility, St. Anne's.  Thanks and May God reward you!  

[vee]

at your service

[:o)Katherine:o)]

Praying Sr.Christina! 

[sr.christinaosf]

Thanks so much to those who have promised prayers!!!!

[sr.christinaosf]

Book Review: “…And You Are Christs”

JULY 30, 2015 / OUR FRANCISCAN FIAT / 

Have you ever found that you watch a movie two or three times and catch something different at each viewing?  You might say, “I never noticed that before.”  In a similar way, spiritual reading can “speak to us” differently at different stages in our lives.

I have read Fr. Thomas Dubay’s book, …And You Are Christ’s three times since I first found it in our convent library in Hankinson (probably as a postulant).  I just finished it again this past week.

I am still impressed at this beautiful discourse on consecrated chastity.

The book, to quote its chapter titles, covers:

• Our Milieu (background/context),
• Presuppositions,
• What is Gospel Virginity?
• Understanding the Vocation
• Permanent Fidelity
• Virginity and Frugality
• Virginal Human Love
• Who Is a Consecrated Woman?
• An Integrated Lifestyle
• Prayer/Love
• Virginity and Totality
• Signs of the Vocation
• Witness ~ and ~
• Charism

It is only 148 pages but contains a wealth of insight into this charism of consecrated chastity which religious and other consecrated people live in the Church.  It brings the reader beyond the shallow ideas our society has about celibacy to insight into the beauty of this gift of self. Although it was written in the 1980s, it provides rich insights just as pertinent today.

I would recommend …And You Are Christ’s to anyone discerning a vocation to the consecrated life or wishing to gain further insight into it.

[sr.christinaosf]

I just got finished putting together our paper.  Tonight I'll finish distributing it up on the floors.  

Here at St. Anne's Guest Home, we have a fun little monthly newsletter, The Broadcaster.  I work with several of our residents to put it together.  We print copies for our residents and email it out as well.  If you'd like to see our latest issue (for August), it's hot off the press.  We cover a variety of topics and include a saint of the month, a thank you corner (for residents and staff to express gratitude) and cover other topics pertinent to the month as well as news of our Home.  If you'd like to get it, you can complete our online form.  We sometimes cover famous historical figures with birth anniversaries, health concerns recognized nationally in the month, and other topics of general interest.  

Just wanted to add...our saint this month is St. Clare who has been a favorite of mine, especially with the story of her with the Blessed Sacrament and because I was received and made vows on her feast day.  The full size picture that one of our very talented residents drew is beautiful.  If anyone wants to see if full size, you can let me know.

It's neat to see everyone's work come together, even if layout is challenging at times.

Edited July 31, 2015 by sr.christinaosf

[TheresaThoma]

"And You are Christ's" is an amesome book, I have also read it multiple times and each time I discover something new and beautiful in it. Definitely a good read for anyone discerning or even just those that want to understand the charism of virginity better.

[beatitude]

I want to read that book. I've heard good things of it before but I'd never got round to reading it. I'll see if it's in the chaplaincy library.

[sr.christinaosf]

Taste and see the goodness of the Lord!

AUGUST 5, 2015 / OUR FRANCISCAN FIAT / 

 

 

 

 

 

I put together our resident newsletter here at St. Anne’s, and in our recent August issue, we featured St. Clare as our St. Clare as our “Saint of the Month.”  Thinking of her upcoming feast day reminds me of my reception into novitiate and profession of first vows, which both took place on her feast, August 11.

Next Tuesday, it will be seven years since the beautiful, touching, and amazing day of my first profession.  Today at Mass, as Msgr. Vetter held up the Host after the recitation of the Lamb of God, the words of Psalm 34, which we used as the responsory at both my first and final profession, came to my mind: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”  I remember Sr. Sara Marie (who had been my postulant directress) so beautifully cantering the refrain from the ambo in the chapel at our provincial house in Hankinson.

The inspired words of this psalm were a reminder to me today to be grateful to Our Lord for His goodness, regardless of the occasion.  I may be having a hard time, dealing with challenging issues, or whatever, but I need to remember to “bless the Lord at all times,” as we promise when praying this psalm.

Psalm is such a beautiful scripture passage, and so good to remember, that I will quote part of it here.  You may wish to join me in praying it, with a heart stirred to gratitude.

Sister Christina M. Neumann

I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD;
let the poor hear and be glad.

Magnify the LORD with me;
and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him and be radiant,
and your faces may not blush for shame.

This poor one cried out and the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and he saves them.

The rich grow poor and go hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Come, children, listen to me;
I will teach you fear of the LORD.
Who is the man who delights in life,
who loves to see the good days?

The righteous cry out, the LORD hears
and he rescues them from all their afflictions.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted,
saves those whose spirit is crushed.

[sr.christinaosf]

Guess what?...I was looking ahead and I noticed that this Sunday's psalm is "Taste and See" - that's cool!!!

I'm trying to think of what would be a good topic to cover next...any ideas?

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by sr.christinaosf

[NadaTeTurbe]

I have two questions for you, sister : 

a) What is your prayer life, in your community ? I mean, do you have to say divine office, rosary, etc... ? Is there any particular customs ? 

and 

b) Does the prayer life of each community change according to the apostolate ? Or does every sisters of your congregation have to say the same prayers ?

[sr.christinaosf]

A.  In common, as a rule we pray morning prayer and evening prayer from the liturgy of the hours.  Night prayer may be prayed privately (as is done in our convent).  We pray the rosary in common for vocations on Saturday.  In addition, each sister is to devote one half hour daily to meditation and a further half hour to other private prayer.  During Lent, here at St. Anne's, we do the stations of the cross with our residents weekly.  Some houses have a couple times a week that they do not pray in common (like weekend mornings). 

B.  We do have a few prayers we pray in common (e.g., morning offering, guardian angel prayer, consecration to Mary in the morning; prayer to St. Anne, Franciscan blessing, etc. in the evening).  Some of these are prayed throughout our province here in the US, but others are particular to our own convent (for instance, the prayer to St. Anne). 

I should add that Mass is the pinnacle of our prayer together. 

The schedule for prayer (times) does vary from convent to convent; here we pray at 6:30 in the morning and about 6:15 at night, but at other houses, there are different times.  I hope this explains it alright for you.  Thanks for asking.  

 

 

Edited August 8, 2015 by sr.christinaosf
addition

[sr.christinaosf]

Topsy Turvey Days

AUGUST 9, 2015 / OUR FRANCISCAN FIAT / 

Have you ever wondered whether you were coming or going and which way was up?  This past week, the course of events at St. Anne’s has been such that produces this kind of feeling.

Between catching a little bug (complete with a bit of a queasy stomach) and schedule modifications, its amazing that I still know which way is up!

After not feeling well already Tuesday morning, Wednesday was an interesting day.  I had know a couple weeks before that the day’s schedule would be different.  I was supposed to work until ten that night, training in a new employee (I normally don’t work the front desk Wednesday evenings.).  Then, there was a funeral one of our other receptionists needed to attend, so I ended up working a fifteen hour shift.  It went fine, however, with a couple of breaks in between.

In order to accommodate schedules yesterday, the week’s “topsy turvey” theme continued.  The receptionist who normally works the mornings worked the “flip side” instead, beginning at noon and staying until ten.  This was so that I would be free to fill in as p.m. aide in the evening.  Actually, three of us split the p.m. aide shift, due to scheduling issues.  (If nothing else, this is a great way to liven things up and confuse the residents.)

When doing the aide work, my stomach was still a bit queasy. I enjoyed teasing our residents that they better not have any messes for me to clean up.  I did not think my stomach could handle it.  I joked that if they had a mess for me to clean up, I would probably end up having a mess myself, due to the limitations of my temporarily weak and queasy stomach.  Here at St. Anne’s, we enjoy incorporating humor into the little details of the day.

I am so grateful that, as today’s Mass readings clarify, we can depend on God’s nourishment and provision for our daily needs.  In the daily reception of our Eucharistic Lord, we can receive the strength and assistance to keep us straight amid the sometimes topsy-turveyness of life.

Sr. Christina M.. Neuman