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It has been about three and half weeks since I last posted right before I headed to the east coast for a week of meetings and Community gatherings. The picture here, taken a couple of weeks ago at a retreat for single women kind of shows what the past few weeks have felt like - full and a blur!
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so since I still seem a little pressed for time to write too much right now I am adding pictures of my life the past few weeks ...
On June 25
th Sr. Mary Beth
Antonelli - the
other vocation director in my Community - and I gathered six of our Sisters together for our annual Congregational Vocation Committee. We had an excellent meeting with prayer and some wonderful sharing of ideas.
I was back in Aston, PA at our
Motherhouse for a week which not only included this meeting, but a beautiful Jubilee celebration for our Sisters marking 25, 50, 70, 75 and 80 years of commitment as
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia ~ wish I had a picture to share, but didn't have my camera :(
Our Jubilee celebration was followed by our Community Assembly in which almost 400 Sisters gathered for three days of prayer, input with some excellent speakers, sharing and celebrating
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDen1WgqUyy3iP0Gq_sHJrq7x9-MsxaSFT0lSL9FijU1GWGJ7YBat-4ZNzL8lPJfTvxBknFrZboZsUpMhuAfrSgKRFGMoZ_O6C6WIPX_DovRam0Day6xmr6HzDq0KR8zX7EST5sbA1qZi/s200/Vince+%2526+a+lazy+day+at+the+cabin+july%252711.jpg)
around the theme
"From Blessing to Blessing"! ... and it was indeed a blessed time together!
I returned back to the west in time to take a little break in southern Oregon to celebrate the 4
th of July with some members of my family. Here my nephew enjoys a bit of relaxation after several of us took a fun canoe ride ~ it was a beautiful day up at Rocky Point! It actually was a wonderful and needed
ahhhh time for me.
Then it was off to Olympia, WA for the first annual
VIVA retreat for women interested in
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4AIfi5hE35HH4hNFuxVIb6kVuAbBCFKe9Jgr88ZjBYR7eAImMte-xQzPwGd_1zb8s3OYHuULV-I3ov4BVfu_GdYBd1sApS6_umUgLBmlojOQydY0q-wOZyu0D6s-TKGVOtRI4kLr895G/s200/Viva+team+2.JPG)
knowing more about religious life. Meet the team of Sister
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpA4V_MSnHDDZ5brChTo6KAsfhAGYLTnF3CRy1IrnB1z2DJoK0rwqgdUhXxEcOFaoPgvf6BrYOEdwzlFCm7nfrxw-9YKd4qMZiSG4lIcW-S59phCrKEypHt2djcnGZ-l1P1lH36U7-T9c/s200/VIVA+retreat+july%252711+grp.JPG)
s
from various Congregations and the participants .... It was a wonderful weekend and event!
Finally, this past weekend I went to a potluck picnic with our
Franciscan Companions ~ those who belong to our Associate program here in Portland. It was
kind of ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyrKjEvr0Jg7ltTf5ISarSM1gGJUk9-25N9YRQeiHyHa4qd0Z40cwsxvD5BVjpJgSIcmFb4X7YWKg0qy1U0btDYHWMEJCbe6HDjGKZdyhA-f91NuIWu-ERaN2Kp056Y6IjPRdrXEPmofr/s200/Companions+with+Francis.JPG)
rainy here in Portland, so the picnic was indoors, but that did not dampen the spirit of this group. The sun did shine a little bit and we could go outdoors. Meet Sisters Theresa, Florence and Companion Marti with St. Francis!
So, I would say it has been a busy few week! None-the less, it has been good ... filled with many blessings! In the Franciscan spirit I say,
Pace E Bene ~
Peace and All Good for now!