Norfolk Priory Newsletter September November 2018

Transcription

1 Norfolk Priory Newsletter September November 2018 From the Desk of the Prioress Hark the herald angels sing; glory to the newborn King The song is so familiar. But perhaps most of the time we don t sing verse three, or we don t realize that it refers to the message of a little-known prophet, Malachi. Verse three of the song rings out: Light and life to all He brings, Ris n with healing in His wings. In the midst of laxity and unfaithfulness, the Prophet Malachi spoke words of hope: The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. (Malachi 4:2) Malachi s encouraging words of the coming Savior immediately evoke a sense of light, justice, healing, and new, fresh life. The joy of rebirth is obvious in the image of the vibrant, skipping calves. Our day might not be much different form the time of Malachi the first century before Christ. We long for a fresh start, new life. In a world of dark injustices and oppression, we need the sun of righteousness. When violence and natural disasters flood our daily news brief, we wish we could somehow reboot the world and start over. We need peace and healing in our world, in creation, our nation, our families, and in ourselves. It is advent a new beginning. Advent is the season when we prepare for The Light of the World; it is our opportunity to reboot, to start again but not only for ourselves. Like St. Paul, we have been entrusted with the message (1 Thes. 2:4); like the prophets of old, we have the responsibility to point the way. We give courage to the despondent when we speak of the promises of The Peacemaker, The Healer. We become the voice of hope to a people who live in darkness. In fact, Jesus said, we are to be the light of the world. (Mt. 5:14) Dear Sisters, family and friends, may your Advent and Christmas days be a time of reconciliation, peace, healing and light, for you, your families and loved ones, for the earth and for the peoples of the world. I thank you for all the big and small ways you share these same gifts with me and encourage me to live in the healing wings of God s mercy and love. Gratefully in Christ, Sr. Rosann Three New Oblates In the context of the Oblate Retreat Day on November 11, three of our long-time friends became oblate-members of the community: Ree Reiley, Rose Ann Rogers and Christine Zachmeyer. We welcome them to our family and pray a blessing on them and their families. Page 1

2 The General Chapter, From Our Perspective By Sr. Rosann Ocken, OSB The days of the XIII General Chapter (September 23-October 25) were certainly days of grace and hope. One could sense the presence and power of the Holy Spirit as we explored together our theme, We are different yet one. The way of Jesus to walk united with our differences. We applaud the prepco for their careful preparations. The history room displaying the past General Chapters was commendable such hard work to put the history together so beautifully. What an amazing experience for our sisters from all over the globe to come together with one purpose. Even though our priories differ so vastly, our belonging together and our common focus was clear. We found the rituals especially meaningful and the liturgies uplifting and inspiring. The election of our M. Maoro Sye and our new Generalate is the Spirit s sign of promise that all will go well for our Congregation as we face the many challenges of our times. Personally, I feel particularly grateful for the Chapter Secretaries who worked intently to produce quality minutes in such a timely fashion. I also felt encouraged by the cooperation, openness and positive spirit during the coordinating committee meetings. Sr. Gabrielle Marie and I received a special blessing with a delightful Sunday dinner and visit at San Anselmo with our dear friend, Abbot Primate Gregory Polan. He is ever-gracious and energized for his ministry among the Benedictines of the world. From Sr. Gabrielle Marie I was privileged to be our priory delegate to the 13th General Chapter. Meeting old friends and developing new and wonderful friendships was certainly a highlight of our gathering for me. Our deeper sharing of insights during the commission work, I believe, brought clearer understanding of the various issues our sisters are facing throughout the congregation, and contributed to lively discussions and thoughtful decisions in the chapter assemblies. The Holy Spirit was definitely present, not only for our election process but also throughout all of the Chapter. Needless to say, the Papal Audience and being so close to Pope Francis was one of my favorite experiences. Echoing the General Chapter at Home We returned home tired yet energized and ready to bring the message to our sisters. Thanksgiving holiday weekend was the perfect opportunity for sisters to give thanks and receive the Message of the Chapter. Sr. Gabrielle Marie prepared beautiful PowerPoint presentations. With grateful hearts we begin the next level of implementation at the priory level, trusting again that the same Spirit will guide all our decisions. Certainly, we are united in prayer with our sisters around the globe, different yet one, strengthened and enhanced by our differences. Page 2

3 Community Picnic at TaHaZouka Park On September 10 th, 22 sisters were able to enjoy the day at TaHaZouka Park for our Community Picnic. The handicap-friendly shelter with tables and chairs inside and out and a refrigerator to store food were a few of the conveniences enjoyed by our elder and younger sisters. Having water nearby to view, a walking trail, playing games at tables, and a grassy area to play games added to the enjoyment. Pack Away Hunger Day Sr. Mary Joseph holding a monarch butterfly that emerged from its chrysalis at the picnic. October 7 th was Pack Away Hunger Day at Divots DeVent Center here in Norfolk. Our team had 9 volunteers, including sisters and lay persons. They packed food for 1 ½ hours. The goal was to pack meals to feed 175,000 people. Srs. Michael Marie, Cecilia, Frances, Hilda, Gabriella, Novice Laura, Postulant Jenna, and two lay persons were packing at our reserved table. The fortified rice-soy chicken flavored meal with seven dried vegetables and over 20 vitamins and minerals was created by a team of food scientists to fight the effects of starvation and cause the body to begin recovery from malnutrition. Each bag that is packed contains six meals at the cost of 12 cents per meal. It was possible for our team to package 10 boxes or 2160 meals during the time period. Fall Theology Institute By Sr. Sarah Elizabeth Sr. Sarah Elizabeth and Postulant Teresa from the Winnebago community attended the Fall Theology Institute sponsored by the Yankton Benedictine Sisters. The topic was Human Trafficking: a Christian Response presented by Sr. Teresa Ann Wolf, OSB from Watertown, SD. She presented a lot of the facts about Human Trafficking in South Dakota and in the US/World at this time including who does the trafficking and who is trafficked, where trafficking happens and how the interstates, Sturgis Bike Rally and Pheasant Hunting Season are large contributors to the venues for sex trafficking in particular, and what we can do to help. She also gave us many different resources to aid discussions in our own communities. We also worked to plan what a liturgy/prayer service might look like to pray for this particular issue. I did not realize how prevalent sex trafficking is in truck stops. I presented this information to my 8th grade students as I was very inspired by this talk and the need to be educated about this issue. Anti-Human Trafficking Forum On October 16 th an Anti-Human Trafficking Forum was held at the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. About 200 were present. Srs. Michael Marie, Catherine, Hilda, and Postulant Jenna also attended. Speakers were: Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, Stephen O Meara, former NE Human Trafficking Coalition Coordinator, and Madison County Sheriff Mike Bowersox. According to O Meara and Bowersox trafficking is also active in and around Norfolk. It is estimated that human trafficking generates $40 billion annually. The Rotary Club of Norfolk sponsored this event. Page 3

4 Vocation Trip to Benedictine College, Atchison, KS by Postulant Jenna Sr. Fidelis Marie from Sioux City, and Sr. Gabriella, and Postulant Jenna from Norfolk went for a vocation trip on October 9-10 to Benedictine College, Atchison, KS. The Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica accommodated us in their guest house. It was wonderful to have a Benedictine monastery to stay in while we were there. Shortly after arriving we went over to the college campus and I gave the sisters a quick tour of campus, focusing mainly on the Abbey Church of St. Benedict s Abbey. Being a 2013 Benedictine graduate it was wonderful to be back in Atchison on campus where I was formed more deeply in my faith and came to know the Benedictine way of life for the first time. That evening my parents and siblings drove from Kansas City (about 45 minutes away) to take us out for supper. After a delicious meal we went back to Benedictine College and went to St. Scholastica Hall, a freshmen women s dorm to spend the evening just hanging out and getting to know young women as they stopped by for snacks. It was a very relaxed and fun evening. We met a lot of young women who were very eager to hear about our life, mission and charism. We spent the next day, October 10th, at the college in the St. John Paul II Student Center. We had a table set up with various items for people to take and learn about our community. Many of the women we had met the night before came to the table throughout the day to reconnect with us and several mentioned wanting to come for a visit! Sr. Fidelis Marie was invited to attend a Christian Marriage class where the chaplain of the college, Fr. Simon Baker, OSB, would be talking about celibacy for the kingdom. Then Sr. Fidelis Marie, Sr. Gabriella and I met at the Abbey Church. We had attended mid-day prayer with the monks and stayed for Mass as well. After Mass we went to the college cafeteria where we ate dinner with several young women and just got to know them better. We made a holy hour at the Abbey and prayed in thanksgiving for a blessed trip and asked the Lord to continue to bless our efforts with vocations. We then made the drive back to Norfolk. Overall, it was a very good trip. We all enjoyed getting to meet some wonderful young women and being able to share with them our Benedictine way of life. We are excited to see what fruits come from this trip. Pear Party by Sr. Catherine On September 13 th a dozen sisters and formation members helped together to wash, core the pears (the most tedious part), steam them, steam jars and lids, grind in food processor, fill the jars with the new pear sauce, and steam the jars in the electric canner. We ran out of jars so we filled a few bags to freeze. All-in-all we processed about 50 quarts. This kind of pear needed a little extra flavor so Sr. Kevin added cinnamon and lemon juice. Try the new pear sauce! Postulant Jenna arrived just in time from Winnebago to pitch in and help for a little while. We acquired these pears from a good neighbor who invited us to pick his pears. Since he was at work another neighbor brought a tarp so the pears could actually rain down. Srs. Andrea, Frances, Gabriella, and Catherine had gone to pick the pears but were surprised with the helpful tarp instead. God s blessing to these good neighbors. Page 4

5 News from our New Mission: Holy Cross Convent, Sioux City, Iowa Sr. Gabrielle Marie arrived home from the 13th General Chapter on October 26th. She hopes to begin a Bible Study on the Old Testament Women at that time. Sr. Pia continues to give Holy Communion daily to those who are not able to come to Mass. She travels over most of Holy Cross Parish which is a large part of the city. Sr. Fidelis Marie has begun her ministry in Holy Cross Elementary School. She tries to visit the theology classes of each teacher once a week. Sr. Carole Ann keeps busy in the office. She plans to begin a book club January She plans to use the book: Jesus, a Pilgrimage by Fr. James Martin. S.J. In Advent, the Sisters of Holy Cross Convent will begin Lectio Divina with the Sisters. They will have a beginning get-together on November 28 with people who wish to participate. At that time they hope to instruct and practice this art of prayer. THE UNLIKELY STORY OF THE NATIVITY SET Early this fall, Sr. Gabrielle Marie and Sr. Pia Portmann from our Sioux City community were busy setting up a small chapel in their convent area. The Diocese of Sioux City at the same time was busy downsizing and combining parishes in the Diocese which led to a lot of furniture and religious articles being gathered in one place from the churches that had been closed. The Sisters were invited to look the things over and see if there was anything they could use. Well, they did indeed find many things for themselves but, in addition, they also saw a beautiful Nativity set and immediately thought that Immaculata Monastery would be the perfect place for it so they brought it to Norfolk and presented it to the community on Thanksgiving Day. There were questions about its origin, what church it came from etc. Sr. Kevin offered to do some research because on the lid of the boxes was a name and the date of the donation. After Googling the name she found that the lady was from Carroll, Iowa, which is in the Sioux City Diocese. She then asked Sr. Ann Terese who grew up in Carroll if she knew the lady and she responded that she did not know her, but perhaps her friend would know. After calling her friend she got the telephone number of the daughter of the lady who donated the crib set! It came from the church in Lidderdale, Iowa, which had been closed. There were also two more donors who gave a few pieces of the set and Sr. Kevin also got their names and addresses. So, mystery solved and the donors or their descendants will be notified and thanked. As an aside, the husband of the daughter of the donor has many relatives in the Norfolk area! We realized what a small world we live in and thank Google for helping! Page 5

6 Month Long Postulant Exposure Winnebago, Nebraska During September, as part of her formative experience, Postulant Jenna went to Winnebago for a month long exposure. The following are some of her experiences: The first two weeks of my time in Winnebago I spent helping around the house with various tasks. I spent time cleaning and organizing the kitchen and drove a few sisters to doctor s appointments. The second two weeks I spent in the grade school helping as an aide in the third grade classroom. I really enjoyed my time in the classroom. Even though I don t have a teaching background, I loved being able to help the kids learn a new concept and seeing that lightbulb moment for them as they learned something new. During my time in the school, I was also able to sit in on a few of their language classes. It was really neat to see how the Winnebago tribe is striving to maintain their culture and language and want to pass that on to their children. I also spent time helping at the food pantry. I was impressed by how many people are served through this ministry and how grateful the people are for what they receive. Finally, I was able to help with the thrift store. We received quite a large donation before the store opened for the weekend, so I helped organize and sort through that and then helped get the store set up. It was very fulfilling to be able to play a small part in helping so many people find clothes, kitchenware, or bed linens. Again, I was struck by how grateful they were for anything we were able to help with. Overall, I loved my time in Winnebago! It was wonderful to get to be a part of a small community/house. I enjoyed getting to cook a few meals and just get to know the sisters there better. Living in a small house with so many active ministries is a bonding experience for the community. You really come to learn that you can t do it all on your own and learn to depend on all of your sisters to jump in and help wherever needed. During October Postulant Teresa followed Jenna and also had a month long exposure as part of her formative experience. This is what she had to relate: In October, I was able to experience living in the Winnebago community. I lived with Sr. Deana, Sr, Suelene, and Sr. Sarah. I enjoyed living in the smaller community. It gave me the opportunity to get to know each of the sisters very well. I was able to cook supper many evenings during the week and take on other duties in the community. I spent most of my days helping in the 3rd grade classroom at St. Augustine s. I learned much about the culture and the struggles that the students have. I loved being with the students on a daily basis and getting to know them. I also helped with setting up and attending to the thrift store on two weekends. I got to see the new store drive up on two trailers, and the beginnings of its set up in Macy. It will be a great blessing when On the Float: Sr. Deana, Sr. Suelene, and Postulant Teresa it is ready for use. The other outreach I was blessed to be a part of was the food pantry. It is opened at the end of the month and assist those in emergency situations. It was very moving to receive the gratitude the people showed to us for our help. In Winnebago, I learned a lot about the culture and history of the people. I also experienced the difficulties that the people face. It was eye opening to me, too. I really loved my experience and I hope to be able to return to Winnebago in the future. Page 6

7 Refurbishing our Gazebo Carter Hattery, sophomore student at Norfolk High School and son of Connie, our business office employee, asked permission to refurbish our Gazebo as his Eagle Scout Project. The Sisters gladly accepted the offer! Carter s Dad, Bill and other Boy Scout Troop members helped with the project. They completed the remodel of the Gazebo in September. We are most grateful for the generosity of this family and the donors for the project. Surely the sisters will enjoy the renovated space in our beautiful garden! Norfolk Area Serra Club Sister Appreciation After Midday Office on September 8th the Serra Club held its Sister Appreciation at our Monastery. They served Lunch in St. Gertrude s. Sr. Pat, Franciscan sister from Elgin, and four sisters from West Point joined us besides the Serra Club members from the area. The Serra Club makes efforts to promote priestly and religious vocations. Regional Oblate Gathering September 8 th September 9 th Sr. Celine attended and was a presenter at the Regional Oblate Gathering at St. Benedict s Retreat Center in Schuyler, Nebraska. The Region includes Kansas, Missouri, Yankton, SD, Colorado, and Nebraska. About 30 attended. Some of our oblates also attended. Comings and Goings September 18 th - Sr. Rosann departed for Frankfurt and Rome; Sr. Rita to Frankfurt for home visit; Sr. Jane to Kenya for home visit. She found her mother is in serious health condition. September 20 th - Sr. Gabrielle Marie, General Chapter delegate, left for Rome on Sept. 20th. September 23 rd - October 25 th - Opening and Closing of the General Chapter of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Rome. Page 7

8 Comings and Goings Continued September 23 rd - With the opening of the General Chapter, sisters and formation members in the Priory began taking turns in spending a half hour adoration each day through the chapter. September 11 th -13 th - Sr. Michael Marie attended a reunion retreat with members of her Spiritual Direction class at the Peace Center of the Yankton, SD Benedictine Sisters. The Spiritual Direction course was completed in May. September 14 th -16 th - Community Days were held with the sisters from Sioux City and Winnebago in attendance. Our topic was Monastic Traditions and Practices. We began Fri, the 14th, with Vespers and concluded with Vespers on Sat., the 15th. October 7 th - was Pro-Life Sunday. At 1pm Srs. Cecilia, Frances, Ann Terese, and Gabriella were part of the Pro-Life Chain on the corner of Norfolk Ave. and 13th St. (Hwy 81) to be silent witnesses. October 13 th - Sisters and formation were invited to the Oktoberfest at Hashke s home west of Madison, Novice Laura s home. Fourteen sisters and formation enjoyed the evening along with family and friends. Sisters also came from Winnebago. October 19 th -21 st - Fr. Xavier Nacke and two novices, Novice Cole and Novice Greg came to visit from Conception Abbey. Fr. Xavier gave our 9:00 a.m. Desert Day conference. He based the conference on the 5th chapter of Pope Francis Apostolic Exhortation entitled: Gaudete et Exultate. Fr. Xavier and novices left for Schuyler after the conference. In the evening they attended the 50th Jubilee celebration of Br. Tobias. The next morning they left for Conception. Sr. Jania went with them in order to make a 30 day retreat in Conception Abbey. October 21st - Brother Tobias of Schuyler celebrated his 50th Jubilee of Profession. Several sisters and formandees attended the celebration. The Sioux City and Winnebago sisters were also represented. The celebration consisted of Solemn Evening Prayer followed by reception and dinner. October 31st Our Halloween party was held after supper in St. Gertrude s. During the party the formation members portrayed different saints. The community guessed who they were. Each sister also said what her costume represented. We had an enjoyable time. The entire Norfolk Priory community pray a blessing on our sisters, oblates, family and friends around the world. May Christ strengthen you inwardly through the working of his Spirt. May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith and may charity be the root and foundation of your life. (Eph 3:16-17) Christmas blessings and peace to all of you. Page 8