We've Gone Public!

[Spem in alium]

2 hours ago, Francis Clare said:

Spem,  It's been a joy to follow you on your journey!  It appears that most of the "puzzle pieces" are coming together and you can move forward debt free.  It's difficult for anyone to pay off educational debt. Congratulations on your next steps with your community.

It's been a great joy to share my journey! Much is falling into place. I know I wouldn't have been able to pay it off without my scholarship, which has been such a massive help in many ways even though it does limit me considerably in terms of paid work. And my superior and formator have really helped me a lot and shown such generosity. I really see all of this as being a sign of God's grace. 

 

[Spem in alium]

Please pray for our upcoming provincial chapter (end of this week). Our provincial is in her final year of her term, and so at this chapter all sisters will be voting for a new administration. It's kind of bittersweet - while I know my provincial is really looking forward to stepping down, in my view she has been such a wonderful leader. I won't be attending chapter, as I don't have voting rights yet, so please join me in praying for my sisters -- for wisdom and for clarity.

In other news, yesterday I went to a reflection evening on the Examen prayer. It was so encouraging and cleared a lot of things up for me. I'd tried praying the Examen on and off, but discovered you need to do it every single day in order to reap the benefits. I tried it last night and it was amazing -- there were so many things in my day that I was grateful for.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Spem in alium

[NadaTeTurbe]

Saint Joseph, 
You were pleased with an obscure life, 
you used your joy to love with all the tenderness of your heart Jesus and Mary, 
Please, pray for us, 
so we can find our delight in the shadow and silence of the hidden life, 
and, looking only at Jesus, 
Listening only Him, 
following only Him, 
And burning of a tender love
for his divine Mother, 
We can live and die in the sweet union of the fraternal charity, 
and in the perfection of the religious spirit, 
Amen 

This is a prayer to St Joseph I like to say. Thought you'll like it. Feel free to correct the english. 

[Spem in alium]

14 hours ago, NadaTeTurbe said:

Saint Joseph, 
You were pleased with an obscure life, 
you used your joy to love with all the tenderness of your heart Jesus and Mary, 
Please, pray for us, 
so we can find our delight in the shadow and silence of the hidden life, 
and, looking only at Jesus, 
Listening only Him, 
following only Him, 
And burning of a tender love
for his divine Mother, 
We can live and die in the sweet union of the fraternal charity, 
and in the perfection of the religious spirit, 
Amen 

This is a prayer to St Joseph I like to say. Thought you'll like it. Feel free to correct the english. 

Thank you so much. It's a beautiful prayer!  

[Spem in alium]

Prepared everything I needed for chapter. I'll be going with my provincial to the retreat centre to help her set up. Proceedings begin today. Please continue your prayers! We need God's will to be done.

[Spem in alium]

Chapter is now finished. Now we move forward. Thank you for your prayer over the last few days; please continue to pray for clarity and openness for the future.

13 days until my entrance!!!

At the closing Mass of our chapter three sisters (who are celebrating their Silver Jubilee this year) renewed their vows. It was beautiful to witness, but at the same time I couldn't help thinking and coming to terms with the fact that I'll never have someone to journey with me in that way, that my milestones will be celebrated alone. It made me a bit sad, in a way, because I can't even begin to imagine the great joy and comfort that comes in having someone accompany you in religious formation. Honestly, I am so happy with my sisters and feel like I belong with them, but although they are the most considerate people imaginable they can't understand what I am experiencing because they didn't experience that themselves. My life experiences and situations have made me accustomed to being alone, and so perhaps that is a grace in that it's helped me to deal with this aloneness now.  

While I experience this, though, I'm also aware of God's tremendous love and mercy. He has shown me great mercy, and I trust that with Him everything will be alright. The main things to do are to trust God and to be ever thankful for what He has given me.   

 

 

[Feankie]

Spem,  You are most eloquent!  Refresh my memory.....are you in Australia?

[Spem in alium]

3 hours ago, Francis Clare said:

Spem,  You are most eloquent!  Refresh my memory.....are you in Australia?

Oh, thank you! Yes, I am.  

[Spem in alium]

Tomorrow I am starting volunteer pastoral care work at our aged care. I did some work like this last year, but only a very limited amount...and tomorrow my plan is to work around an eight-hour day. Working with the elderly is something I find very challenging and sometimes way outside my comfort zone, and I'm looking forward to it tremendously. 

Oh, and also...10 DAYS Y'ALL!!! I had a really nice conversation with my dad this morning about my postulancy. It really hasn't sunk in properly yet that I'm at this stage. This might seem silly - I mean, it's not like I'm taking vows yet or anything - but it's really mind-blowing. Yet I'm so peaceful. And that's a sign for me of God's grace at work. 

[Spem in alium]

9 DAYS!

An amazing experience today was praying the Rosary, very slowly, with a woman who is quite sick (almost completely bedridden, needing oxygen support, and unable to talk very much). About halfway through our prayer, she turned in her bed to look into my eyes and I held her hand. How strongly I felt God's presence in her and with her, and God's mercy!

Edited March 10, 2016 by Spem in alium

[Spem in alium]

EIGHT!!! DAYS!!! I'm feeling so jittery with excitement. Maybe they're similar to pre-wedding jitters  

Today I decided to do my washing and ironing as I have several commitments on my normal washing day next week. One of my sisters saw me ironing and asked why I was ironing again this week (she'd seen me washing only a couple of days before). I explained to her, and she said "Wow, Spem! Six months ago you wouldn't have done that!" And I wouldn't have. I've really grown a lot in managing my time, through God's grace. She told me to write down my progress so that any time I'm feeling stressed or down, I can just look at those and thank God. Throughout my time living with her, this sister has always seemed to put a real effort into making me feel respected and valued, and in paying attention to my human formation in particular. She's really shown me a kindness.

 

[Pax17]

What a blessing, to have such support from one of your sisters.  You are in my prayers.

 

 

[Spem in alium]

5 hours ago, Pax17 said:

What a blessing, to have such support from one of your sisters.  You are in my prayers.

 

 

I am so blessed each and every day to be with my sisters. I can't express it well enough. Thank you for your prayer; know you're in mine also.  

 

[Jennifer]

Many prayers as you prepare for your entrance.

  God Bless you Spem.

[Spem in alium]

4 hours ago, Jennifer said:

Many prayers as you prepare for your entrance.

  God Bless you Spem.

Thank you so much, Jennifer. It's an interesting time. People keep asking if I'm excited to become a postulant...yes, but more amazed that it's actually happening, and tremendously peaceful --- I truly feel like I'm where I'm meant to be. I can't believe it's only one week away. With God, nothing is impossible.