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 25th 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
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 4th 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
knowing more about religious life. Meet the team of Sister
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
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!
