Harvest of Blessings Gala 2013, Advent, and the Passion Garden!

Passion Garden path is on the way!

A Future Gazebo?

Boy Scouts helping with their fellow Eagle Scout Project.

Gala 2013 --Getting ready with last minute details!

We had pictures of our Mother Foundress and from our apostolates

 and some special Sisters.

The famous "Just-a-Bite" Dessert Table!

The Passion Garden is well underway (see pics above).  We're getting excited!

The Harvest of Blessings was a great success thanks to so many friends and volunteers!  All of these pictures were taken before the guests arrived.  We had an ice storm, and there were still almost 400 people there!  It was awesome.  (Our photographer didn't come because of the ice . . . )

God bless you all! We're praying for you during this time of Advent and Christmas with a Novena of Masses.  Pray for us too!

Calling All Alumni with a Story!

www.panhandlefranciscans.org/alumni

 

 

 As we prepare for the "Harvest of Blessings Gala" 2013, we are hoping to connect with students who have been taught by us in the last 60 years!  See link below the top picture for more information!

God bless you all!  Pray for us as we pray for you!

The Beauty of Saint Clare

Dear Friends,

Today (usually Sept. 23, but was transferred to Sept. 24) is the Feast (Optional Memorial) of "Finding of the Body of St. Clare of Assisi", observed by the 2nd and 3rd Orders of St. Francis.  The 2nd Order is the Poor Clare's who are cloistered women.  The 3rd Order is what we belong to as School Sisters of St. Francis.

Thought we'd share of couple of her quotes.  Today in the Franciscan Office of Readings, she asks us to let go of what is good for what is better, from virtue to virtue, "...so that he whom you serve with all your heart may deign to grant you the reward you long for."  Look up her writings - they are quite beautiful.

We are all called to let go of what is "good" for the goods of Eternity!  She calls it a "laudable exchange".  She was an amazing woman of faith and love!

Sorry it's taken so long to update the blog.  Time is flying by unmercifully.  We were very busy while our Superior General was visiting at the beginning of this month.  Here are just a few pictures below from her visit (this is in a classroom that we work in).  Accompanying her was Sr. Maria Irina, a General Councilor from Vienna as well. 

Sister leading the children in a song.

Sister telling the students the story of St. Francis and the wolf of Gubbio.

Austrian Sisters singing a song from their homeland.

The following "signs" are from the Amish Furniture Store on I-27 near Amarillo. 
(Take the Sundown Lane exit, I think.)
We're advertising for them because they are graciously donating something to our fundraiser this fall.
May God bless them for their generosity.

Amen.  Awesome signs to remind us to put our priorities in order.  May the Lord bless you and keep you all!

(P.S. Check out our website to learn more about our upcoming fundraiser and also our new project the Passion Garden.)

Las Obras Mission Trip

2 Sisters just returned from a Mission Trip to Antigua, Guatemala to help
at Las Obras, a Franciscan-led orphanage / hospital / clinic.

Here Sr. M. Celine is feeding children in the orphanage.
She said she especially enjoyed being with the people at Mass.
Many of the disabled would talk all day long, but at Mass, they'd be quiet
until the songs -- that is when they sang with all their souls to God!
It was a very inspiring experience for them.

Our summer was full of activity / retreat / home visits, etc.
Here the Sisters are relaxing at a cabin in Red River for vacation
where some friends of ours allow us to borrow their cabin.

One of the highlights of the summer is helping with summer camps.
This is from the St. Therese Vocation Summer Camp in Rockford, IL.
This year we concentrated on Theology of the Body ideals.

Summer Camp group

Summer Camp Sisters that led the camp

"Rosary Walk" at the summer camp

Sorry it has been 2 months since the blog was updated!  It's been a busy summer. However, we haven't forgotten to pray for you all in the middle of our interesting activities.  God is SO good!

Congratulations to Sister!

Sr. Francesca Marie was received into
the Novitiate on June 19th -- Congratulations!

Sr. Francesca Marie

Sister celebrating

Priestly Ordination, Jubilee, Vows, Passion Garden, and the Texas Show

Deacon Scott Schwind was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on May 24.
From now on, he will be known as Fr. Christopher.
Congratulations!!!  We will support you in prayer and friendship.

We are very excited about our new "Passion Garden" project -- outdoor Stations of the Cross.
We will be working with a young man that has made this his boy scout Eagle Project.
We have "Naming Opportunities" for those who would like to have their names
remembered where we are praying!  More details to come soon on our website.

Sample brick -- for the Passion Garden. One can buy a brick for $100. 
See our website for more details.

Example of an outdoor station that will be installed soon!
"Jesus Meets His Mother"

This is the location in our backyard where we hope to have all the names of our
friends, benefactors, and relatives in our new Passion Garden.

"Dinner with the Sisters" auctioned off at our Gala last year --
We had a blast with a family that bought the dinner.
God sure made people fun -- always great to make new friends!

Bishop Patrick Zurek celebrating Mass for our big 25th Jubilee, Final Vows, and Renewal of Vows.
May God be praised!

Sr. Mary Magdalene professing her Final Vows.

Sr. Mary Grace renewing her vows.

Packed chapel for the Vow Ceremonies on June 5.

From left to right:  Sr. Jean Marie (Regional Superior),

After the Vow Ceremonies, we enjoyed a great lunch and fellowship,
including basketball with the children.

We were given free tickets to see the "Texas Show" in Palo Duro Canyon.

Here we are right before the show. Awesome as usual.

Even though the Vow Ceremonies are in the middle of all of these pictures, they are the most special to us.  It was a great day to celebrate and be together.  May God be praised for His faithfulness in the past and His constant companionship on the way. May we be instruments to build the Kingdom of God!

These pictures only represent a portion of what's happening in our lives. We're also preparing for a Summer Camp, Vacation Bible Schools, and several other things. Most importantly, we are growing in the Love of the Lord.  May you also receive that desire and grace.  Amen.

May is the Month of Mary -- our Beautiful Spiritual Mother!

May is Mary's Month -- On Mother's Day, we process into the chapel holding candles for our
earthly Mothers, asking Mary to pray for them.  We also crown Mary as our Queen.

Picture taken at the Bishop's Gala 2013.
We had a delightful time - a couple invited us to sit at the table they bought.

Mother's Day Meal with everyone home!

We're in the process of creating a "Passion Garden" in our back yard!

  Memorials available soon!!!

Amen.  Learn to dance in the rain!

Thanks to the Mary E Bivins Foundation in Amarillo, we're able to finish our Sunporch with a new floor and new blinds (not pictured here).  They were installed yesterday though.  They already made a huge difference in the room.

Fr. Francisco is a man of many talents. We invited some priest friends to eat with us, and he entertained us with his basket making out of newspaper.