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.

Shared by Sr. Christina’s mother, Kathy Neumann
 
In 1957-59, my first and second grade, I attended a Catholic grade school In Karlsruhe, North Dakota. This school was run by the Franciscan Sisters from Hankinson, ND. I have very fond, clear memories of these sisters teaching me, along with our pastor, Fr. Zimmerman.
 
These were very formative years in my spiritual life.
 
The Sisters prepared me well for my first Holy Communion and Reconciliation. They were strong, kind, compassionate, and loving teachers.  I looked up to them and admired them for who they were and how they lived their life.  Back then, they were somewhat of a mystery to me in their long black habits, veils, high black boots and large rosaries at their sides…also the white stiff things around their face (coifs).
 
I often thought how hot they must have been in the hot summer days, especially when there was not even the slightest breeze blowing and no air conditioning!
 
About 50 years later, the Lord led our daughter Christina to Hankinson, ND where she joined these Franciscan Sisters.
 
I had no idea, when she went there to visit for the first time, that they were the same group of Sisters that had taught me in first and second grade at St. Peter and Paul Catholic School which I attended so many years previously.  
 
A few of these same sisters were still living in Hankinson when she entered: Sr. Fidelis, always smiling, Sister Mary Sand, with her strong but gentle way, and a few others. They had so much integrity, faith, compassion, kindness and love for the Lord which seemed to radiate from deep within their being.
 
In 2006, the Lord called our daughter Christina to her beautiful vocation with these Franciscan Sisters.  Watching closely her growing and blooming in this place with these Sisters, I've learned what sacrifices, challenges and joy, and real love look like in the vocation of religious life.
 
When visiting our daughter and the Sisters, I have heard many stories of their lives: stories of challenges, sacrifices, hardships but most of all, the love which seem to speak volumes of these beautiful women of faith and their journey that the Lord has taken them on.
 
The charism of teaching they seem to have done very, very well all done with compassion and understanding and also strong morals and ethics, not to mention the joy that radiates from these Sisters I have been privileged to see first-hand.
 
I am blessed, the Church is still blessed by this very critical and important vocation.  A religious vocation, along with the pope/priests and rest of the faithful who make up the three components of our rich Catholic Church. Where would we be without each one?
 
I praise and thank God for all his many blessings, especially this order of faithful servants, the Franciscan Sisters.
 
Sisters, thank you for your Fiat!

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.