Following God's call

Too much happening, so little time to blog!  But here I am! 

This week our parish, San Ramon, has been celebrating its patronal feast...a week's celebration with a special Mass for each day: Monday: pregnant women; Tuesday, children; Wednesday, youth; Thursday, consecrated life and priesthood; Friday, the elderly; Saturday, family...with a parish picnic on the church grounds: two bands, food stands, and the ENTIRE parish...or so it seemed!

We went over after Mass to joind in the celebration.  Started out by standing in line for about 45 minutes for a treat: a slice of pizza!  We live across the street and my bedroom faces the parking lot...so you can imagine me "being" at the picnic until they called out the winners of the raffles...12:00 midnight!

My favorite Mass was, of course, priest, brothers, and sisters.  We had the seminarian choir and a variety of religious orders join us.  The presider was excellent!  Most inclusive!  In his homily he claimed that for young people to follow God's call to consecrated life or priesthood, they need to experience three important qualities in their family and in their parish: faith, love, fidelity, and service.  I found that most interesting and I guess I could not disagree with him.  Let's pray that those being called to these vocations do have those experiences.  A challenge for us, as well.

The other day we celebrated the feast of St. Rose of Lima.  Our choir was asked to sing for their parish patronal celebration.  Here in the Dominican Republic it is a custom to celebrate the feast of the saint for whom the parish is named.

Being a member of my parish choir (San Ramon), I went to help in the celebration.  What faith-filled people!  What joy-filled people1  What welcoming and grateful people!  What a wonderful impression they made on me!

The presider was a priest from Spain and I was overjoyed to be able to understand him.  He had a most meaningful and challenging homily on RESPECT and HONESTY, two values that he applied to FAMILY...from the young to the old, from children to parents...to leadership in the country.

I have kept his homily "pondering it in my hearrt"---praying about my respect: for myself and for others, my respect for God's creation, my sense of honesty with myself and with others.

What about you?  On a scale of 1-10, where are you with these two values?  Happy weighing!

Gratitude!

Today, the 23rd,  is the feast of St Rose of Lima, known for her life of penance and contemplation.  Good opportunity to ask ourselves:  Where am I with penance?  How is my prayer life?

Today I am grateful that Irene has not done more damage, did not become a hurricane.  It has done enought damage with the heavy rains, left 1000 homeless, so far...and they are the poor whose homes are makeshift shacks.

The rains continue...rained all night, heavy.  Today it has rained continually, but not as heavy.  Thank the Lord!

We continue to pray  for God's compassion on these islands and their poor.  Join me, please.

BLESSINGS.......

Morning of Reflection

This is Saturday....seems not as hot...or am I imagining...that's good too!  As long as it keep me cooler!

Our parish, run by the Eudist priests, sponsored a morning of reflection today at La Delgada (translated the skinny one [f]).  The Eudists are building a house and a seminary there.  Talk about FAITH!

I thought it would be a good opportunity for renewal for me, so I decided to participate. We were about 70 in attendance.  Began with morning praise from the feast of St. John Eudes, their patron, whose feast was yestereday.

Fr. Miguel, our pastor, led the day.  He is an excellent presider and homilist and, of course, he was great in his presentations.  The theme was: Route/Itinerary for the Christian Life.  He presented the steps as: the encounter with Christ, conversion or change, discipleship (to which conversion leads), communion/community (to which discipleship leads....sharing our Christ-relationship, and mission: sharing by our lives the results of our encounter with the Lord...evangelizing. I need to spend some reflection time.  The morning ended with sharing Eucharist.

It was a good mini-retreat of which I would have liked more, but am grateful for the experience.

Hope your Saturday was just, and more, profitable!

BLESSINGS.......

Greetings!

This is my first experience at blogging, so I begin by sending you greetings from Santiago, Dominican Republic, where we are "enjoying" horrific heat and mugginess!  However, the good Lord had mercy on us this afternoon and we had a bit of a rainshower which cools things down...then migginess, but we enjoy and are grateful for whatever coolness we get.

Thank lots for dropping in...do visit me often.  Not sure how often I will be writing.  It all depends on our precious gift of TIME.  And what a gift it is, right?  Of course, right.  It is one of our most precious of our generous God's gifts.  And such a challenge for us to use it wisely and generously....hopefully not always for the almighty trio: me, myself and I!

I say it is a challenge to use time wisely, because for me, with all my "precious to-do's" I can get involved with these and not take advantage of time for others.  My "todo's" will always be there....but the person who needs me "now" may not be there by the time I am there.  So my need for wisdom and generosity.

I pray and wish you these two gifts of wisdom and generosity.

BLESSINGS............ 

Welcome to my new blog!

Hi, I'm Sister Lucille Flores. I am a Provincial Councilor and am newly missioned in the Dominican Republic for the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. Join me on my spiritual journey by following this blog. Check back soon for stories about the daily lives of Sisters--how through work and prayer, we bring fuller life to others. Thank you for visiting!