O Emmanuel, Ruler and Lawgiver, Desire of all nations, Savior of all people:Come and set us free, O God.

The Collage of Events of 2011

Friar Steve Kluge OFM, blessed the new grave stones for Sister Marge and Sister Shirley.


Sister Nelia and Sister Karen received the Poor Clare habit on January 15th and January 17th  respectively .  Roberta Peters is a young woman who is interested in our Poor Clare Life.


Friar Michael Lasky was celebrate for our Holy Week Services.  Saint Clare began her way of following Francis on Palm Sunday 1212 so it is 800 years that the Poor Clare Life has been part of our world.  The picture with the Sisters holding Palm Branches is symbolic of this beginning.


Book Club:  Sisters Agnes, Mary Frances and Natalie are discussing our book "The Poor Sisters of Saint Clare:Their Form of Life and Identity,by Sister Diana Papa OSC


Friar Kyle came for our Saint Clare Transitus and the Mass next day. His picture is small and pious looking.  Can you find it???


August Picnic:  to celebrate the beginning of our 800 Celebration of our way of life The Capuchin Poor Clares of Wilmington, Delaware joined us for a day of Prayer and Play.


Celebrations"  Sister Miriam celebrated 50 years of Poor Clare Life and Sister Donna celebrated 25 years.  Thank you for witness to us and to the world our Gospel Way of Life.


Workshop: Friar Jim Van Vurst OFM from the Cincinnati Province , shared with us "Life as a Journey" and also showed us how to do watercolor paintings.


Friar John O'Connor OFM Provincial of the Holy Name Province came for a visit and we were all glad to meet him.


Our Sister Mary McCourt's memorial is on an older post.

A Musing on Christmas and the Incarnation

The coming of the Peace of Peace,

The coming of His reign.
Enough-

for the dumb to speak

Enough

for the deaf to hear.

But wait

no one seems to care.

The poet of the season stands

The poet of the season bids

All Creation

leap for joy-

All the beasts

dance with gladness

But wait

we're busy at the malls.

The God of peace looks down

The God of mercy waits

For the world, 

weary and wayward,

For us...

who poke around in darkness.

But wait,

many begin to see.

Love comes down as a Babe-

Love comes down for us.

It looks

so good on paper-

it passes for the Truth.

But wait,

The Truth -
God does dwell with us-

Our Emmanuel.

FV

Chriatmas Window Sills decorated for Christmas

Memorial for Sister Mary McCourt OSC

Our Sister Mary loved Rainbows and the morning she died, Saturday December 3, 2011 there was a rainbow over our woods and it had not been raining.

Sr. Mary died peacefully in her sleep and now is in His presence for all eternity and interceding

for us here on earth.

Remember, Mary, to send us two good women to be Poor Clares and if you want, send a dog like Maggie whom you loved very much.

Here is the musing from Sr. Mary's 25th Anniversary of her Profession 1984:

The Mosaic of a Life

Moments of joy, pockets of pain

fuse with all the yesterdays-

held together by right faith, firm hope,

perfect charity, the ideal.

the mosaic of your life.

Dark colors and shadowy hues,

place in relief

the contrasting brilliance of goodness,

bringing before the world

and announcing to all

the light comes from Him.

Who else could do it.

Fashioned by events,

Your parents, family, friends,

you burn to be earthy colors

at one with the Son of Man

"who did not deem equality with

God something to be grasped at."

He chose and you  choose in

profound humility

to be simply life the rest of humanity-

to be no more or no less than

who you are,

with your feet firmly planted on the earth,

with flights of fancy now and then

to the sky of blue.

Your love of the rainbow

reveals your hidden desire

to be, in wisdom and perception,

"All things to all people"

The mosaic of your life-

the rainbow -

Behold this rainbow

and Bless your Maker,"

For that s where

Glory belongs

S Florence OSC