Bringing the Pieces and Colors Together

Transcription

1 Bringing the Pieces and Colors Together A Newsletter for Glenmary Sisters Adopters and Prayer Associates Jenkins/Screven County, Georgia Sister MargaretLola My work has remained the same in Millen whenever I am there. However my vocation work has taken me to Perry, Georgia, as a presenter at the Diocesan annual youth conference, the Here I Am National Vocation Conference in St. Charles, Illinois, University of Mary at North Dakota, and currently in Oklahoma at St. Gregory University, at Shawnee. I will return tomorrow to be home for the joint Sunday Mass, which we are experimenting to reduce our Pastor's driving back and forth to Millen for health reasons. Last Sunday was a wonderful and joyful day having Sr. Aida with us for her birthday but not for free as we had to put her to work. The Pastor could not make it for the second Sunday experimental Mass. Sr. Aida and I had to do a shared Communion Service in English and Spanish languages. It was a huge success for both of us as we had very little time to prepare for the task. The service concluded with our usual meal together with assorted birthday cakes for Sr. Aida. On Monday the 11th of April, we joined Sr. Darlene to bid final farewell to her father in Augusta, Georgia and to commiserate with our Presley family. May his loving and generous soul rest in perfect peace. Amen. Please continue to pray for vocation to our Glenmary communities. Sister Mary Ellen We are now in the 3rd week of celebrating Easter. The year is flying by. Sr. MargaretLola and I had a very nice Holy week and Easter celebration. We were both home for Holy week and Easter and attended all the services in spite of a rainy night on Holy Saturday. We were still able to light the new fire for the Easter candle outdoors. The Holy Saturday service (the Easter Vigil) is very long but very beautiful. We had just one person entering the church. She was already baptized but received the sacrament of Confirmation during the service. The next day after Easter Sunday Mass, we were invited to the home of one of our parishioners for dinner. The whole family was there and I enjoyed celebrating with them. The children of the family (all grown up now) I had taught during my first years of teaching religious education in Millen. Our thrift shop was closed during Easter week but has now reopened. We have a young woman working with us now doing service work to help make up for a traffic fine that she was unable to pay. She has been out of work for a few months after an injury at work. She received insurance payments until her arm healed but could not get back to the job because it was seasonal work. I ve been trying to help her understand that speeding is very dangerous and can endanger not only her own life but also that of others. Right before Easter, I had a visit from a former volunteer, Diane Griffin, who worked with me in Millen when I first moved here about 16 years ago. She was outstanding in her service here. She was wonderful in reaching out to people, especially to the Hispanics. She had learned some Spanish which was very helpful. Although we had kept in touch over the years, this was the first time we had been able to get together. She was also able to arrange for one of our former Mexican parishioners to meet us here. So we enjoyed a wonderful reunion that day. We have just begun having a combined Mass for the Spanish and English on Sunday mornings. It seems to be working out well so far. Our pastor, who is fluent in both languages, was having a morning Mass in English and a Spanish Mass in the evenings. This will save him a second trip to Millen on Sundays. He also has a Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass in Sylvania where he lives.

2 Menifee County, Kentucky Sister Kathleen Greetings and peace to you. Since my last correspondence, life is good. Praise God for the spring, the sound of the lawn mowers, people planting their gardens, and signs of new life. All is well at our Catholic Outreach Center. God bless our workers and volunteers who have done a super job of cleaning and organizing the place for spring and summer. People are so generous with sending wonderful supplies of good clothing, household supplies and other needs. The local areas do appreciate our friendly atmosphere. Pray for some folks who have gotten the word of cancer. Wish we had a cure for this sickness. One woman called me in tears saying she had cancer and it was going to kill her. Her daughters have never come to visit. Her son, who does not have very much, has offered to take her in. This whole family has had a tough life. I hope to do all I can for her and get the neighbors involved. The past week I made a trip with Sr. Sharon to Georgia. Sr. Darlene s father died and we went to support her and her family. He was a wonderful person, made several visits to Sr. Darlene wherever she worked. He made beautiful furniture even made her an altar and other items for her place of prayer. It brought back memories of my time in Georgia missions and driving through the area I thanked God for the years I spent there. I know all of us face death and times like this make us aware to be ready when the time comes. In February, I had the pleasure of making my official visitation with the sisters in our Georgia mission. Then in March I visited with Sr. Kathleen in our Eastern Kentucky mission. Each year, the president is supposed to make an official visit with each sister to discuss with them how they are faring in mind, body, and spirit. Part of the discussion is to make sure each sister has begun planning for retreat time and their home visit, as well. During these visits, I especially enjoy hearing about the ministries the sisters are involved in as they serve the folks in their mission areas. When time allows, we visit with some of the families that the sisters work with. It always warms my heart to see how, through your goodness, they bring joy and hope to those who seem to be lost and forgotten in this world of ours. During the Easter Vigil, my 9 year old great-niece, Kayla, was welcomed into the Church. It was such a joy to be there with her and the family for this great event. In April, Sr. Rosemary and I went to St. Louis, Missouri, to the White House Retreat Center run by the Jesuits for retreat. Although the sun was out for several of the days, the weather was very cold and windy, so we spent much of our time inside not able to walk the beautiful grounds. The time was truly blessed, but short-lived as we had to cut the time short and hurry home to attend the funeral of Sr. Darlene s dad in Augusta, Georgia. As I write this I am packing so that I can take Sr. Catherine to Michigan for her brother Buck s funeral. I am so glad that we were able to get back from Georgia in time to get her up to Michigan. God has a wonderful way of making things work out. Let s continue to pray for the millions who are persecuted for their faith. Let s pray for our church leaders. God love you. Owensboro, Kentucky Sister Sharon Spring greetings! I love this time of year. Here in Owensboro the tulip trees and Bradford pear trees have just finished dropping their blooms. Now the dogwood trees and azaleas are blooming and spring is in full view as we drive around town. The trouble is most of my traveling has been out of town, therefore I haven t been able to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful sight as much as I would have liked. I hope you and yours can find time during these next few months to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us before the weather turns scorching hot. God Bless you for all you do in support of our mission efforts. Ohio Co/Butler Co, Kentucky Sister Aida Life in Ohio and Butler Counties is busy and blessed. I continue to serve the people in whatever they need. Some people will tell me of others they know are in need and I go, meet them, and see how I may be able to assist. I am still teaching adult religious education and preparing some young people for first communion.

3 In our Diocese of Owensboro, we have a young man originally from Guatemala who will be ordained a priest for our diocese. Everyone is excited about that. We are planning to be at his ordination in May. Last week I joined the Hispanic ministers of our diocese at St. Joseph Monastery in Whitesville, Kentucky, for a time of prayer and sharing. We all had a wonderful time. This retreat is done once a year. In April, we had planned a Come and See weekend in Tybee, Georgia. Unfortunately no one signed up, so Sr. Darlene and I used the time to rest, play, and pray. We invited our financial consultant to come and she brought her daughter and her friend. They too had a wonderful time. We all enjoyed it very much. Only God knows if we ll ever get that opportunity again. May God's blessings be upon you now and always. next issue. Retired Pemiscot County, Missouri Sister Darlene Please pray for Sr. Darlene and her family as they mourn the loss of her father, Fred. Sr. Darlene is currently on retreat and will return with an article in the Sister Catherine Things are going on as usual here at Carmel Home. I have participated in the usual routine: exercises and bingo 3 or 4 days each week; half hour exercises and one hour bingo: I won a cover all card last week, my 8th since I came here on Apr 24, I play cards "Kings in the Corner" with my friends, Bobbie, Elizabeth, Miller, Philip Carrico, and Fr. Joe Mills every day (not all of them at the same time). I'm looking forward to warm weather permitting me to go outside for a long walk up the hill. I have gone to eye and ear doctors, dentist and osteopath for checkups. Fr. Charlie Hughes, Sr. Ann Miriam, Margie Slack, Hazel Sanders, Don Hall. I went to the funerals for Catherine and Fr. Charlie Hughes. In February, one lady celebrated her 104th birthday! I went to her room and sang Happy Birthday along with her younger brother and sister and next door neighbor who were there. Libby Osbourne and I put calendars on doors in people's rooms in the infirmary and I also put them up in the rooms on the second floor. Sr. Sharon took me to an early surprise birthday party, my 88th, at our Center on Feb 12th, and the co-workers and John Calhoun's parents were there to celebrate with us. Sr. Sharon took me to Applebee's on my birthday, February 17 th, and Greg and Irene Longtine and their friend were also present. I was the only one who had dessert - a delicious piece of cake and ice cream!! Yummy! On March 3rd, Sr. Darlene took me to O'Charley's restaurant for a belated birthday gift. Sr. Sharon and I helped with a pancake breakfast at the Cathedral Undercroft one Sunday morning. Sr. Sharon and I went to a delicious fish fry meal on another day. I went to our Center before Easter to help Sr. Sharon address and stamp many Easter Cards for friends and benefactors of the Glenmary Sisters. On St Patrick's Day I won first prize for my picture of "Danny Boy" a little green cup full of jelly beans. I stayed at Carmel Home for Holy Week. Palm Sunday Liturgy, one and a half hours long, was very beautiful. During the week I addressed, signed, and mailed Easter cards to family and friends. On Holy Thursday I took cards to the infirmary to two of my friends there. I attended Mass on Easter Sunday at Carmel Home then went to the Center for dinner cooked by Srs. Sharon and Rosemary. I cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, then we played cards, and I stayed overnight. On April 2nd my sister Terri called to tell me that my brother, Buck, was transferred to Charlevoix, Michigan, to a nursing home because he had pneumonia. His son Brian was with him. On April 5th I got a call from Terri that he was having breathing problems and then he died on April 6th. Several of my dear friends have died, especially Catherine Simon here at Carmel Home. Also

4 Sister Rosemary What is the latest for me? Well, on April 3 rd I am leaving for retreat with Sr. Sharon at the White House Retreat center in St. Louis, returning to Owensboro on the 10 th. I am going to retreat with the assistance of a cane that supports me in all my walking here and is a requirement for me to take with me wherever I go. There are times when the distance for me to walk is much less than what I ordinarily have to do so I can ignore the cane and cover the slight distance without it. In my next issue for Kaleidoscope, I can let you know if my muscles in my back are fully recovered from my falling and if I am cane free! At that time, I should be able to give you an update on my archives work. Sister Bernadette November was quite a time of celebration here with the Glenmary Sisters. Sr. Mary Ellen and I celebrated jubilees! 60 and 70 years, respectively. We had a wonderful mass at Blessed Sacrament Chapel and our Guild hosted a wonderful dinner to celebrate. Much to my surprise, better than a dozen of my nieces, nephews, and cousins came to celebrate with us. It truly was a wonderful gift of celebration. The New Year came rather quickly it seems. Christmas time was a busy time here at the mother house. This year I had some assistance with making my coffee cakes. I had the assistance of two young ladies and a young man, along with their mothers, from our church to make a round of cakes. The help was greatly appreciated as it takes several days to make 95 cakes! The first of the year is always a busy time for me. It is time for my annual checkup. My doctor has given me another thumbs up for another season of Harley riding! Again, same advice. wear your helmet! After my visit with him, I seem to have caught a little bug, but as of now my health and strength is near 100%. Besides, it is warming up nicely. Ways of Giving Outright Gifts or Recurring Gifts Includes sending checks made payable to Glenmary Sisters, recurring gifts made through VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or PayPal. Gifts of Life Insurance, Retirement Plans or IRAs Naming the Glenmary Sisters as a beneficiary for life insurance, retirement plans, or an IRA may offer donors and/or their families some tax benefits. Gifts of Appreciated Securities or Closely Held Stock Gifts of appreciated securities or closely held stock are easy to make and may offer significant tax savings to the donor. Bequests A provision in a donor s will or estate plan can ensure a specific percentage of your estate or other assets are bequeathed to the Glenmary Sisters or can establish a trust that can be transferred to the Glenmary Sisters after a specified amount of time. Life Income Gifts Charitable Remainder Trusts allow donors to make significant contributions while also receiving life income from the gift. Matching Gifts Many employers offer matching gift programs to the charitable organization of the employee s choice. Check with your Human Resources/Finance Department for availability and participation guidelines. For more information, contact Janet: / or janet@glenmarysisters.org

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6 Glenmary Sisters The Glenmary Center P.O. Box Owensboro, KY NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID OWENSBORO, KY PERMIT NO. 217 Please pray for our Sisters as they travel around the country on Mission Appeals to share the works of the Glenmary Sisters. Also, as the summer travel season draws near, please pray for everyone traveling by land, sea, and air to reach their destinations and return home safely. glenmarysisters.org