Sister Servants of the Eternal Word

[Sixtina87]

okay not even a week ago i came into contact with the Sister Servants of the Eternal word. i was telling them abit about myself and i said that i have been teaching CCD and organizeing confirmation retreats for 3 yrs now.....Sister seemed highly impressed in which i was invited to come down and meet and attend a retreat there in Birmingham Al.

I have ben watching flights and asking what time would be best...as of this morning there was only 6 seats left...then 5...then 2!!!! ONLY 2!!! so i told my mom i have to buy my ticket now if i am going. well...i was half way through purchaseing the ticket..and my parents were trying to tlak me out of it. I was shaking from head to toe and still am but i purchased the tickets anyways. i have heard from a few sisters and people from here that they are a awesome community. I am so excited to be going but so sacred that my dad is upset with me for purchaseing them....i came out of my shell and i now made an adult decision!!!!

YIKES!!!!

does anyone else have commnes about the commuity or about this in general!!!!

[benedictaj]

They are lovely. A couple of people here at looking at entering there (I'll let them identify themselves, if they want too.)

The Franciscan/Dominican balance seems to work really well for them, too.

[Sixtina87]

hey girl...i love the idea of the franciscan/dominican balance..its different and very interesting. i really love their mission...i do the same thing that the sisters do at my own parish....which i have been doing so for 3 yrs now...which seems to be a plus. They also invited my parents to come down which i didnt mention to dad but only to mom. i hope my dad forgives me!!!

[Guest Rick777]

I've never heard of a anyone combining the two like that. It sounds very interesting. Good luck Sixtina.

[Sixtina87]

thanks rick....i'm kinda with you..i havent either but i talked to a couple sisters, one franciscan and she seemed really excited about them...for some reason...evidently they are a very awesome group!!!

[benedictaj]

[quote name='Rick777' date='Feb 7 2006, 05:30 PM']I've never heard of a anyone combining the two like that. It sounds very interesting. Good luck Sixtina.
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Yeah, I find it really interesting how they have combined the two spiritualities. Heres an extract from an email from them, starting to explain it:

[quote] the Franciscan focus on devotion (Crib, Cross and Eucharist) is a way of living out the doctrines of our Faith. That is why it dovetails so completely with the Dominican emphasis on study of the Faith. We find the two go best together! (And apparently we are not alone in that because St Dominic himself, as we understand it, wanted to merge the two orders, although St Francis did not agree!) [/quote]

Also, both orders really love the Eucharist, and Mary, so it overlaps there, as well.

: God bless.

[Andrea348]

the cousin of a good friend from college is a sister there. she always wanted to go down to visit to see her, but i don't think she's gone yet.

[Mary-Kathryn]

[quote name='Sixtina87' date='Feb 6 2006, 11:07 PM']okay not even a week ago i came into contact with the Sister Servants of the Eternal word. i was telling them abit about myself and i said that i have been teaching CCD and organizeing confirmation retreats for 3 yrs now.....Sister seemed highly impressed in which i was invited to come down and meet and attend a retreat there in Birmingham Al.

I have ben watching flights and asking what time would be best...as of this morning there was only 6 seats left...then 5...then 2!!!! ONLY 2!!! so i told my mom i have to buy my ticket now if i am going. well...i was half way through purchaseing the ticket..and my parents were trying to tlak me out of it. I was shaking from head to toe and still am but i purchased the tickets anyways. i have heard from a few sisters and people from here that they are a awesome community. I am so excited to be going but so sacred that my dad is upset with me for purchaseing them....i came out of my shell and i now made an adult decision!!!!

YIKES!!!!

does anyone else have commnes about the commuity or about this in general!!!!
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My home state !

I don't believe they are too far from Mother Angelica's shrine and monastary. Form what you have said, I know it took alot of courage to go where you think God is asking you to...your Dad will come around. I'll pray for you. Oh, and check the local weather. For some reason people want to think Alabama is like a Carribean Island: warm, tropical and bathing suit time.....Alabama does have winters!!

[Lilllabettt]

Sixtina:

This is the community I'm going to apply to (if I can convince my spiritual director, lol. He's reticent about me not finishing college first.)

My sister just got back from a retreat with them, and they were awesome as usual. Sr. Louise Marie will be taking care of you probably, and she is lovely to say the least and very easy to talk to.

My advice: don't worry about packing towels or an alarm clock (they have them)
Are you getting there a little early? Like the Thursday or Friday before? Then be sure to bring comfortable shoes (for cleaning duties and rosary walks!)
Be sure to talk to Sr. Ave Maria if you can (she is a holy riot!)
Be open and honest with them and with yourself!

By the way, just wondering ... who is doing the conferences for the retreat on March 16th?

[jgirl]

My advice: don't be too hyper! They are more quiet, joyful Sisters than the giddy, joyful ones in Alton (although they do have fun and can get loud, like this one time that we played Apples to Apples). I love the Sisters to death, which is why I applied to enter!

Also, when you go on retreat, hang out with some of the Southern women. They are always a blast and so sweet. This one time, there was a group of women from Memphis on retreat, and one of them told the rest of them that Sr. Greta (the Summit Dominican postulant who was visiting before she entered) and I were "foreigners." Apparently they heard us talking, and I said something like, "In this country..." and she took it to mean that we weren't from America (plus we didn't have Southern accents). So at Sunday lunch, they complimented us on how well we spoke English. We laughed pretty hard about it!

My advice is that when you go, don't go just with the intention of discerning. Really take the time to just be with God. It's not like a discernment retreat where you are always with the Sisters. You will see them, and they will probably sit at your table when you eat to get to know you, but you won't necessarily get to hang out with them during the retreat because they are doing their duties. That's why I always go down on Thursday and leave Monday morning (plus the tickets are usually cheaper). On the Friday you will get to work with one or a few of the Sisters. Last time I did weeding, barbecuing, and shrink wrapping. It was funny because I never know what I'm going to be doing, so I bring different clothes for different scenarios. I didn't know what my task would be, so I put on nice clothes, and then Sister Louise Marie looked at me, and said, "You look lovely, but you might want to change because you're going to be pulling weeds!" And you can bring jeans to wear on Friday and Saturday, but nice clothes for Sunday (although I usually change after Mass). It's really cold in the conference room/chapel, so you probably want to bring a sweater.

Edited February 7, 2006 by jgirl

[jgirl]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' date='Feb 7 2006, 06:33 AM']
My advice: don't worry about packing towels or an alarm clock (they have them)
Are you getting there a little early? Like the Thursday or Friday before? Then be sure to bring comfortable shoes (for cleaning duties and rosary walks!)
Be sure to talk to Sr. Ave Maria if you can (she is a holy riot!)
Be open and honest with them and with yourself!

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Very good advice!

Especially talking to Sister Ave Maria because she is one of the funniest people I have ever met! She's an amazing artist, too.

[OLAM Dad]

Sixtina,

They are awesome. I've visited them several times. I hope you like to work, they are hard workers. Every time we go to EWTN or Hanceville we go say hi to Sr. Louise Marie and the other sisters. We visited them in December after Sr. Lauren's entrance. Sr. Lauren discerned with them as well. They really enjoy it when we bring our kids, the kids enjoy it too.

They are very close to EWTN, about a mile.

I agree about Sr. Ave Marie, she's a nut! I agree with Jenny, she is a great artist. She painted the big Our Lady of Guadalupe display in their meeting room.

You're going to love it there. [b]Be yourself[/b], they need to see the real you just as you are going to see the real them.

Edited February 7, 2006 by OLAM Dad

[Laurentina1975]

[quote name='jgirl' date='Feb 7 2006, 07:46 AM']My advice: don't be too hyper! They are more quiet, joyful Sisters than the giddy, joyful ones in Alton (although they do have fun and can get loud, like this one time that we played Apples to Apples). I love the Sisters to death, which is why I applied to enter!

Also, when you go on retreat, hang out with some of the Southern women. They are always a blast and so sweet. This one time, there was a group of women from Memphis on retreat, and one of them told the rest of them that Sr. Greta (the Summit Dominican postulant who was visiting before she entered) and I were  "foreigners." Apparently they heard us talking, and I said something like, "In this country..." and she took it to mean that we weren't from America (plus we didn't have Southern accents). So at Sunday lunch, they complimented us on how well we spoke English. We laughed pretty hard about it!

My advice is that when you go, don't go just with the intention of discerning. Really take the time to just be with God. It's not like a discernment retreat where you are always with the Sisters. You will see them, and they will probably sit at your table when you eat to get to know you, but you won't necessarily get to hang out with them during the retreat because they are doing their duties. That's why I always go down on Thursday and leave Monday morning (plus the tickets are usually cheaper). On the Friday you will get to work with one or a few of the Sisters. Last time I did weeding, barbecuing, and shrink wrapping. It was funny because I never know what I'm going to be doing, so I bring different clothes for different scenarios. I didn't know what my task would be, so I put on nice clothes, and then Sister Louise Marie looked at me, and said, "You look lovely, but you might want to change because you're going to be pulling weeds!" And you can bring jeans to wear on Friday and Saturday, but nice clothes for Sunday (although I usually change after Mass). It's really cold in the conference room/chapel, so you probably want to bring a sweater.
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I'm with jgirl on this one! After all she's been there, done that! God will lead you. Spend lots of time in QUIET prayer and adoration.

Hugs, Lauren

Edited February 7, 2006 by Laurentina1975

[Sixtina87]

[quote name='Mary-Kathryn' date='Feb 7 2006, 07:18 AM']My home state !

I don't believe they are too far from Mother Angelica's shrine and monastary. Form what you have said, I know it took alot of courage to go where you think God is asking you to...your Dad will come around.  I'll pray for you.  Oh, and check the local weather.  For some reason people want to think Alabama is like a Carribean Island: warm, tropical and bathing suit time.....Alabama does have winters!!
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i woje up this moring and asking myself did i really purchase those tickets?? Yes i did but man i feel so great about it. I'm sure my dad will come around and i'll make it a definate to check the weather before i go!!!

[Sixtina87]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' date='Feb 7 2006, 07:33 AM']Sixtina:

This is the community I'm going to apply to (if I can convince my spiritual director, lol. He's reticent about me not finishing college first.) 

My sister just got back from a retreat with them, and they were awesome as usual.  Sr. Louise Marie will be taking care of you probably, and she is lovely to say the least and very easy to talk to.

My advice: don't worry about packing towels or an alarm clock (they have them)
Are you getting there a little early? Like the Thursday or Friday before? Then be sure to bring comfortable shoes (for cleaning duties and rosary walks!)
Be sure to talk to Sr. Ave Maria if you can (she is a holy riot!)
Be open and honest with them and with yourself!

By the way, just wondering ... who is doing the conferences for the retreat on March 16th?
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Yes i am getting there early...I'm getting there thrusday the 16th of march at 4:31 pm central, the retrea doesnt start until friday evening and goes through Sunday. However i wont be leaving until Tuesday afternoon because its cheaper to fly out and in on tuesday and thursdays. what woulds you consider as comfortable shoes?? jw i work in retail so flip flops and slippers count as my comfortable shoes instead of high heels and "hooker" boots!!!