Grateful! Joyful!

I am greatly grateful and full of joy after having attended a retirement party at Sacred Heart School of Theology where I was Associate Director of Human and Spiritual Formation for nine years.  I left when my community asked me to go to the Dominican Republic.

This was the most diffiult "obedience" I ever had!  There were LOTS of tears!  I loved my ministry at this seminary for second career men...men who were career men, who had been married, widowed, divorced and some single.  They were a wonderful bunch to work with.

I was invited to the retirement Vespers and dinner for three of my former faculty "buddies".  It was wonderful to go back, to visit and catch up.  It was such a "shot in the arm for me.  Both faculty and students happy to see me and let me know how I am missed. 

How we all need this kind of a message, this kind of encouragement.  Most of the tme it is just "business as usual".  We need to remember how important it is to praise, to pat on the back, to encourage, to affirm. 

Let's you and I start an epidemic of this!

Rain, rain, go away....

We have had rain for days, now....overcast, foggy, terrible driving.  Then for a treat, just to let us know of its presence....out theer...the sun peeks, literally peeks.  Hope in the midst of darkness!  Light at the end of the tunnel?  Sun at the end of these dreary days.  It is amazing how the weather can impact you.  LikeI told one of my friends at work:  We have to be the sunshine!

Remember:  Yesterday is history.
                     Tomorrow is mystery.
                     Today is gift.
                     That is why it is alled the present.
                     Live and savor every moment....this is not a dress rehearsal.

Not sure where I read that, but it cerainly is great advice.

Easter Fallout

I read a wonderful "Easter fallout"--(my naming)
We celebrate a broken Christ who makes us whole. 
We remember a poured out Christ who heals our wounds. 
We rejoice in a dying Christ who gives us life.

If that isn't good news!  That is so healing for me  And so life-giving.  What more could I want?  Except to share it and pass it on so others also experience the healing and the renewal of life.

I would  also like to share with you a wonderful online resource.  An old friend and his wife are the creators.  I had him at our parish for an Advent renewal evening.  He is wonderful  Go to
www.thefiveloaves.com.  It provides a brief but very creative reflection on the Sunday reading.
Enjoy it and I hope you find it renewing.


EASTER BLESSINGS......

Provincial Assembly

Our entire US/Caribbean Province is gathered here in Oshkosh, WI. We have come from the east, the south, the midwest parts of the US and from Trinidad, Grenada, St. Lucia, the Dominican Republic.

What is a "provincial assembly"?  A gathering to plan for the next four years and to elect new leadership.  We have met for a week...and closed our assembly today. 

It has been wonderful to see all my sisters whom I have not seen for four years...to catch up with their lives, their ministries.  It is like a shot in the arm...lots to be abuzz about.

It was renewing to pray together...and in all the languages of the various parts of our Province....I did not understand some...but God did!

Now we return to our areas and our ministries renewed, with a song in our hearts and a skip to our comings and goings.

I thank God for each and everyone of us...what a gifted bunch.  I ask God's blessings for our next four years as we BEGIN ANEW!