​​As we approach these holiest days of the year, memories surface from Passiontides past­- both recent and from years ago. 

My understanding is that the last two weeks of Lent fall under this sub-seasonal category.

We are on the cusp of a somber, yet beautiful time, a particularly holy time. Soon, crosses will be covered.  

Things are going to be so different for me this year, living in a different place and not being sacristan anymore.  I can remember, in the past, wishing that I could just participate in the liturgies of Holy Week without having to coordinate or prepare for them.  Now, I am feeling somewhat nostalgic and almost wishing that I were still in that position. 
 
I can remember getting our brown suitcase down from the top cabinets in the sacristy; it held all the special things we would need: violet-colored cross covers, the wooden clapper, things for the Easter candle, and more. 
 
Even outside the liturgy, there are so many special and unique things tied to Holy Week  Two of my favorites are dyeing Easter eggs on Holy Saturday afternoon and making Hot Cross Buns to serve on Holy Thursday. 
 
I can also remember doing a thorough cleaning of the sanctuary and of candles and the vigil light rack during the last days of Holy Week.  The timing was perfect in more ways than one.  
 
It will be interesting to see what customs arise here for me.  

Have a blessed Passiontide!

Just a few days ago, I found myself reflecting that I haven’t been asked to help in the kitchen for a while.  I regretfully wondered if those days were over.  Although it’s a lot of work, these duties are kind of fun, too.  I like to be helping and don’t enjoy twiddling my thumbs.
 
My musings were soon put to rest when Karen, our retreat center coordinator, asked if I could help out on Monday and Tuesday. 
 
I was happy to do so.
 
Appropriately, I had recently come across the following passage from Colossians, which is a wonderful inspiration to direct my steps: “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
 
On Monday, after making apple bread pudding and serving breakfast, I had decided to make chili for supper the next day.  When I shared this with Karen she kind of chuckled and informed me that chili was, in fact, already on the menu for Thursday when the team would be here for the upcoming retreat. 
 
At this point, I already had a 5 lb. package of hamburger thawing in the fridge.  I quickly decided to make meatloaf instead.  Remembering the abundance of already-peeled potatoes in the cooler, I decided upon a cheesy potato casserole for a side dish. 
 
For dessert, I made a family favorite, pistachio pudding.  I had been given several boxes, first from my aunt and then from my mom when she visited last month.  This was the perfect opportunity to use a couple of them.
 
Things went well, and I was also happy to be able to use some oregano from my plant in the windowsill of our hobby room.
 
Today, now, I’m back to some of my other duties, helping in St. Mary’s (our infirmary unit) and working in the library. 
 
One never knows, though, what the day might hold!
 
The next time I find myself musing about not having done something for a while, it may just be a little nudge from above preparing me to reenter this area of service.  

Today, the Church celebrates the conversion of Saint Paul to the Christian faith.  Needless to say, it’s a very important day. 
 
On this day, though, my mind often drifts from this first goes to our Sister whose birthday was also January 25th. 
 
She loved playing Pinochle, and would have a card party with cake and ice cream to celebrate her birthday. 
 
While St. Paul used pen and preaching to spread the gospel, Sr. Mary used her gift for art.
 
When I was in formation, I used to clean in her art room every week.  Boy, was that a job!
 
There were so many knickknacks and projects to dust around.  The floor (what you could see of it) was bubbled in one place so the dust mop would catch. 
 
It was definitely an interesting place to clean! 
 
Now, years later, on this feast of St. Paul, I remember her fondly and ask the intercession of the great “Apostle to the Gentles” for her and all of our Sisters. 
 
I would appreciate your prayers as well.

Sr. Sara Marie wrote the following reflection for our diocesan magazine.  I'd like to share it.





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December 10th was the 95th Anniversary of our Sisters moving into St. Francis Convent, Hankinson. The group of twelve didn’t even have steps up to the front door yet, approaching over wooden planks to the landing, then up 8 or 9 more steps to the main level. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about them for over a week as I had the privilege of knowing several of them who lived to old age. Sister Mary Joseph (front left seated) was the youngest and only a teenaged postulant when she volunteered for the then historic mission to America.
A few weeks after the Sisters moved in, on January 10, 1929, the first American vocation for our congregation arrived at the front door, by wagon from Mooreton. Clara would become Sister Angeline Althoff and one of the first teachers. How those first Sisters all sacrificed and worked to build up this province for the Lord and his people. Some began the Vestment Department, others taught, some served as cooks and housekeepers—all of them prayed...all of them weeded...all of them, for the glory of God, did more than their share.

Sister Mary Joseph became a teacher and was warmly remembered by the alumni for standing at the door and commanding every student to wipe the mud and gravel from their shoes before walking on the floors the housekeeping Sisters had worked so hard to make shine. Sister Jean Louise always called her the memory of our Province, and that she was. We were blessed that she lived long and was mentally strong to the end. In her retirement years, she dreamt of the day we would be teaching again in our building and would walk the halls with her rosary, praying for the alumni. As it has developed, we now see our young Sisters “teaching” in our former school rooms, offering adult retreats and youth programs. Sister Mary Ruth and Sister Christina, powered by prayer, are as generous and hard working as our pioneers ever were. Sister Susan Marie heads our retreat center which now hosts several hundred people a year for private and group retreats led by other organizers.

Since 1928, women have entered the consecrated life here at Hankinson, trusting God for the whole of their lives. Not all persevered, but all tried, and for that they deserve credit. Father Thomas Nelson, O.Praem., well known among Religious in this country, believes that every young Catholic should be encouraged to, or at least not impeded in any way from, exploring a call to religious life or priesthood, opening themselves to God’s will. If their call is not to a vowed consecrated life, the experience will only make them better Catholics and better people...

The Church needs every vocation, and it is generous parents who God and the Church depend on to give us Priests, Sisters and Brothers. We would have nothing without our Priests, but consecrated Sisters and Brothers bring something different to the Church because of their vowed state. It is a mystery, but the fruits born by religious men and women through the centuries are plentiful, even if hidden.

Now we live in a different time than 1928: small families, largely uncontrolled materialism, confusing messages from some in leadership now and then, increased media control of information, world chaos, .... Pray for young men and women to be able to generously discern God’s call as our early Sisters did, and that He will call more for the Diocese of Fargo. The good news is that, recently, we have seen young communities “dipping their toes” into North Dakota. Let us pray they will persevere here for the Church and put down deep roots like our pioneer Sisters did — flourish the way they did a hundred years ago — so greater numbers of Religious may again help in the parishes. And, pray for young women to respond to God’s call here in Hankinson. Each community has its own unique charism and we hope to see ours go on for another 95 years, along with the new ones!
To paraphrase Father Nelson again: The Church belongs to God. He has a right to call individuals out of the general laity to serve in these vocations. God is calling young people to serve in Church vocations. How can we help them discern? Teach them to love the Church and Jesus in the Eucharist. In this year of Eucharistic revival, there are many ways to do that.

Today, along with being the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ rule by Pope Honorius III, is the annual feast of all the saints of the Franciscan order!
 
Although we mark the feast of All Saints on November 1st, most Catholics probably aren’t aware that we, as Franciscans, have a special celebration this day as we near the month’s end.  
My work at this time, as we remember the dead and celebrate the holy members of our order, has been very appropriate.  
 
Yesterday, I finished digitalizing one of our gems: the book of our province’s history compiled by Sr. Patricia Forrest entitled Prairie Praise.  Now, we have an electronic copy which we can easily search for names or topics, and which can easily be shared.  
 
As I was nearing the end of this project, Sr. Donna came in with a brown box, asking me to re-type the cards contained in it.  
 
A card is made for each Sister in our community, detailing her important dates and details of her various assignments in religious' life.  Over time, many cards had been amended in handwriting and could use freshening up.  Also, having these  on computer, as well, will be adventagous in the future.  
 
I am happy to be able to help the community in these ways, but equally so, for this opportunity to immerse myself in our history.  
 
It is wonderful to be reminded of all that our Sisters have done over the many years of their collective religious lives.  It is an inspiration and impetus for me, whose years in community pale in comparison to theirs.  
 
I trust that these Sisters who have gone before us, and all the saints of the Seraphic Order, will intercede for us.  
 
We need their prayers.  

This afternoon, I received a phone call from someone who works here, asking if I could take care of cleanup after supper again this evening.  

I really don't mind KP duty, and told her as much.  She said I didn't have to do dishes if I didn't want to, but I figured I'd might as well. There was no sense in leaving dirty dishes sit overnight for someone else to have to deal with in the morning.  

This isn't my first time helping in this capacity since moving back to Hankinson, but I kind of enjoy running the dishwasher.  It’s kind of fun in its own way.  
 
So after supper, I put things away in the dining room and wiped off the counters before proceeding to the dish room.  

Doing dishes here brings me back to my days as a postulant, under the watchful eye and instructional supervision of Sr. Sara Marie.  She taught me pretty much everything I know about running this wonderful piece of equipment, about how to put the plates in the right way so that no space is lost, how to wipe down the counters afterwards to make sure the stainless-steel stays looking nice and untarnished, and more!  
 
I was glad for this thorough instruction again this evening, as I did the dishes by myself.  
 
All those times of doing dishes with her and the other Sisters during my “initial formation” served me well.
 
I’m not saying that I did a perfect job, though…
 
For one thing, I forgot to put the dish and spoon fsed for ice through the dishwasher!!
 
It will be seed for tomorrow.  
 
At least the sink and drain are cleaned, the counters are wiped, towels are taken to the tunnel for laundering, and the dishwasher is turned off and airing out.
 
I hope I did a satisfactory job.   

Recent circumstances in our chapel here made me think of the gospel passage of the “Greeks” who came to the apostles, wanting to see Jesus - and - of Zacchaeus climbing a sycamore tree to this end...
 
As I unpacked last week, I happily removed the pair of binoculars from a suitcase, realizing that they could come in handy for me here in my new home.  
 
In fact, they could come in handy in chapel!
 
The chapel where we pray our common prayers is very large, and I sit quite far away from the tabernacle.  Actually, the sanctuary and space in front of the high altar is large, so anywhere one sits in the pews is at a distance.
 
During the week, we have simple exposition every day, in which the tabernacle is open and Jesus is visible.  
 
However, with my limited vision and the distance, I can’t really see Him.  I can’t distinguish or make out the form inside.  (From where I sit, I had thought I was simply seeing the ciborium containing the Blessed Sacrament.)
 
Having been told that Jesus is actually visible in a special pyx (the exact term escapes me now), I had been wondering about this.  However, I couldn’t just walk up close during this time of prayer together, so my lack of clarity and curiosity remained.
 
Now, though, with my binoculars which had been given me when I was gardening in Grand Forks, I was prepared to finally see Jesus at this time of prayer.  
 
I brought them to chapel in the morning, and was able to see clearly where Jesus was visible in the tabernacle.  This was really neat!
 
I’m still faced with a dilemma, though.
 
I’d love to be able to use the binoculars to look at Him in adoration, but I don’t want to distract others or draw attention to myself.  (I don’t want to look silly, either, I must say.)  Maybe, I sound silly writing this!
 
I guess that maybe I should learn a lesson from Zacchaeus, though, who didn’t let any pride stop him and found salvation for his house that day.
 
What a gift we have as Catholics, especially in places where there is frequent or perpetual Eucharistic adoration.  We can see, can have an audience with our King, without any special appointment.  Even if we can’t see Him, we can still visit and spend time with Him!  
 
What a gift!

It’s been a most unusual summer (and year, for that matter).  
 
I find myself, now, trying to settle in to new surroundings and a new routine.
 
I spent the day yesterday unpacking suitcases of items I just brought back from Grand Forks to our provincial house in Hankinson.  
 
I was surprised and almost embarrassed by how much “stuff” I’ve accumulated over my fourteen years there.   
 
I try to live simply, and take my vow of poverty seriously but, somehow, time marches on, and with it comes any number of items.  
 
Some things I had forgotten I even had.  They sat quietly on my bookshelf while the hours, days, weeks, months, and years passed by.
 
The strangest item I found on my shelf was a big saw! Rather than bring it with to Hankinson, I offered it to our maintenance man in Grand Forks.  I had been gifted it several years ago by one of our apartment residents for the purpose of “butchering” pumpkins.  
I have since learned an easier technique of using a hammer to push the back of the knife down into the hard flesh of these orange cucurbits.
 
Anyway, yesterday as I unpacked and put things away, St. Francis’ example of poverty was in the back of my mind.  
 
I tossed some useless items, brought unneeded notebooks down to the common office supplies area, etc.  I’ll have to do more sorting, organizing, and tossing, though, in the days to come.  
 
Satisfied with yesterday’s progress and having other things on my mind, I haven’t done any more of this today.
 
I have been thinking, though, of Sister Rebecca, whose birthday was today, and remembering the chocolate zucchini cakes I used to make for the double celebration of her birth and Order’s founder.  
 
As I write this, I am grateful for the many blessings that surround me, for community, family, friends, faith, and the wondrous fall afternoon outdoors, to name a few.  I’m also very pleased with the new arrangement of the room here, which is so cozy and homey.