As we prepare to embark on the jubilee year in a little over a month, I wanted to share with you reflections that I presented this past fall to women at a day of reflection at St. Anne's in Grand Forks.  Together with Sr. Mary Ruth, much of this material was also presented for a weekend retreat here in Hankinson.

Rather than share it all at once, I will be dividing the reflections over several weeks' time.  
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Session I: Introduction
Song for reflection:  Cornerstone

In today’s world, we don’t hear a lot about hope, but it’s an extremely important virtue.  We will say, “I hope you have a safe trip.” Or “I hope we don’t get caught in the rain.”  But, do we say in earnestness, “I hope to see you in heaven.”? 
 
When the idea for this day of reflection, centering on hope, came to me this past July, I didn’t realize that the Pope’s theme for the upcoming Jubilee is hope – how appropriate!  It will begin on Christmas Eve and go until Epiphany, 2026.
 
I invite you to pray the Jubilee prayer. 
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To be more accurate, this coming year’s theme isn’t just hope – but pilgrims of hope.  We are on a journey. 

As I began the day, I let the participants know that my impaired vision would probably affect the way I presented and lessen my ability to maintain eye contact, etc.  In this context, I went on to share the story of an experience I had during my high school years.
 
The summer after my sophomore year of high school, my parents made me attend a nearly three-week program for kids with vision impairments.  From even before the camp started, I had a very negative attitude, giving it the name “Torture Camp.”  I even went so far as to ride bike aimlessly around town to avoid going, when the dreaded day arrived.  This program was intended to give us more real-world experience and skills for doing daily activities after graduating.  We took a city bus to a part-time job, for example. 
 
You might say that, during that time, I had hope -  I had a goal in mind – the end of that camp!  June 26, 1997 – when my exile would be over and I could leave that place of torment. But it really wouldn’t have been that bad – If I had had a better attitude – If I had recognized that our Lord was with me – if I would have seen it as an opportunity to learn and grow – if I had seen the humor in the troubling incidents, like getting squirt with a water gun by a “drive-by shooter” and getting knocked in the ankles by canes.  Unfortunately, though, I didn’t.  I was not exercising the virtues of my baptism terribly well.  I was not utilizing the virtue of Christian hope.
 
Even though our life on earth can be very difficult, if we approach it with the eyes of faith and hope, we can find joy in the midst of the sorrows.   We can realize that life is a pilgrimage of hope more than a torture camp.
 
In the reflection to follow, I will share what the Catechism teaches about hope as a theological virtue.  I will explain how Jesus is our hope, I will share how the sacraments are sources of hope, and also explain how Mary and the saints inspire our hope as well.  As you may notice, the Holy Spirit is very important as we speak of the virtue of hope.  His action will come up again and again as we study what the Church teaches us on this topic.  I will conclude with some thoughts on how we can share a reason for our hope with others.
 
I’d like to put theme verse, “A Reason for your Hope” from 1 Peter 3:15 in its context (14-17):
“But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,  but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
 
I shared a beautiful story a certain mother shared with me last summer:
 
Her youngest was born 10 weeks early, and needed to be on a feeding tube for a year and a half.
They did feeding therapy with her every day with the hope that one day she would eat on her own.  They let her play with food, taste different foods and take small bites.  This mother found herself often fearing that she would never eat; she struggled with her own interior battle to accept her lovingly as she was, her beautiful baby girl with hope that she would one day enjoy eating.  Thankfully, her daughter eats everything now.  This beautiful woman closed by reflecting, “Maybe that’s how our Father in heaven looks at us, lovingly accepting us with the knowledge of the heavenly banquet that awaits us.”
 
I hope that these reflections will help you to be more aware of what we mean when we talk about hope and help you to cultivate this virtue in your own life. 
 
As I close this session, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite scripture passages that speaks to hope, from Romans 8:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: “For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
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Stay tuned in the next week or so for the second segment of this series!

Wow!  It’s been a long time since I’ve written…I’m sorry about that.  It seems that, between life getting busy and me not feeling inspired, the weeks have passed by.
 
I guess, to be honest, I’m in a better position to write today than I would have been for a couple of weeks. 
 
​I’ve been really struggling with a certain situation, wondering what I should do (if anything) and how it would all turn out.  It’s been a difficult time for me. 
 
I had been bringing it to prayer, trying to surrender and trust, but I’d been finding very little peace. 
 
A couple of days ago, I started praying more just for the grace to trust in this situation.  All along, though, I had been handing it over to Our Lord, sitting before Him in the Tabernacle and also at Mass. 
 
However, I wasn’t finding myself really able to trust that He would take care of the situation and make it work out ok. 
 
I had also, of late, renewed my efforts of praying for the intercession of “all the angels and saints.”    In particular, I called upon St. Pio (in light of his recent feast day and other circumstances) and St. Francis. 
 
Either late last night or early this morning, though, something changed.  I had a distinct realization which I am now struggling to put into words. 
 
It became clear to me that Jesus would make the situation work out as He saw fit, as He knew best.  As I had been reminding myself, He is all-powerful, all-wise, and all good.  He is totally able to take care of it and make things fall into place in the way that is best for all concerned.  I realized anew that it is not my job to take care of this situation.  I just need to step back, take a deep breath, and let Him work it out. 
 
I’m not promising that I will do this perfectly, but I am praying that I can persevere in this attitude, whatever comes. 

Sr. Christina M. Neumann, OSF

Today’s reading from Acts continues the theme from last week’s reflection here about unlocked doors. 

St. Luke’s description here is quite vivid. 

As I read it, I find myself picturing the scene in that Philippian prison two-thousand years ago. 

I can almost see Paul and Silas there, singing hymns at night. 

I imagine the scene of the jail shaking and the doors flying open. 

I almost cringe as I read the words about the soldier, as the picture of a uniformed man unsheathing his sword in despair, comes before my mind’s eye. 

Thankfully, Paul’s voice catches him in time, and the story takes a positive turn as we learn of the soldier’s subsequent hospitality, care, and conversion. 

What started in the darkness and uncertainty of that night ends in a bright new day of hope, joy, and new faith. 

A lot happened within the course of the night!

As the days of this beautiful Easter season speed so quickly past us, I pray that our faith, which has been thus renewed, may bear fruit in our lives in the world today. 

You and I probably won’t convert a soldier or be miraculously released from prison, but I suspect that Our Lord has a mission today for each of us. 

As we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit, perhaps one of our intentions might be that He would help us to be open to that mission and attentive to His promptings. 

Don’t you love the Easter stories of how Jesus comes to the disciples, offering them peace, despite the fact that the doors are locked?  That little detail was no hinderance for our Lord, in His glorified state, that Easter evening. 
 
The cold reality that I don’t share this ability was made abundantly clear to me this chilly Sunday morning.
 
I had decided to make the most of this day of rest, having worked a twelve hour shift in the kitchen and being scheduled Sunday afternoon in our infirmary.  I stayed in bed until after seven! 
 
I gave myself just enough time to get dressed and unlock the doors for visitors while still being a little early for morning Office at 7:30. 
 
Thus, around 7:20, I came down the stairs from chapel and checked the door.  It seemed like it might already be unlocked.  Maybe Sr. Sara Marie had been there ahead of me, I mused.  I decided to test it to make sure, and opened the door. 
 
I stepped outside and let the door close.  I’d like to blame my foolishness on the fact that I had just crawled out of bed. 
 
Too late, I realized that the doors had NOT been unlocked.  I was locked out!
 
Now I had to make tracks or I’d be late for chapel!  I hurried off to another door for which I had a key fob so I could get in. 
 
In my sleepy haste, I headed west instead of east and ended up going the long way around the building! 
 
Finally, I made it inside out of the cool spring air and unlocked the doors.  I was in chapel about two minutes before morning prayer began, and all was well. 
 
This unplanned situation involving locked doors may have been a little blessing in disguise by which I got fresh air and exercise which I would have otherwise missed out on. 
 
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the hidden gifts you give us, even through locked doors

​​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.