Monday, August 29, 2011

School is in Session









Dear Friends,

School is back in session! Some of the Sisters came home last weekend for the first time since school started. It was so awesome hearing all of their stories again about funny things that the children said or did . . . or to hear about cool things they're doing in class and to see the excitement and joy on their faces as they talked. That was awesome.

The top picture is from one of the Masses the children attend. To be an integral part of these children's religious formation is such an honor. What a great calling we have!

The bottom picture was taken on Sr. Josita's 87th birthday! Happy Birthday, Sister!!!

Lord, help us in our call to evangelize your people. Fill us with your light and your truth! Amen.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Love, Love, Love -- It's Where it's At!

3 visitors (on the right) -- We just had a good weekend with them!


Theology of the Body Conference in Amarillo!!! Pictured above: 3 TOB "Nuts"
Marcel LeJeune and Monica Ashour


Sisters at Chimayo Shrine in New Mexico



Sisters on Vacation in Taos, NM . . . visiting our old friend, Fr. Dino



A mother bear and her babies in Red River (Sisters' Community vacation).
This is in the back yard of the cabin we stayed in.



Sr. Rita learning how to fish in Red River with one of our good friends there!


The title of this post is about LOVE. Reflecting over the past 2 weeks or so since the last post, that's the word that comes to mind.



  • Love is what moves young ladies to visit here and to have a good experience while they're here.


  • Love is what moves speakers like Marcel and Monica to spread the message of the Theology of the Body all over the country and world. (TOB always leads to a deeper understanding of what love really is...)


  • Love is what moves the Sisters to visit shrines and to go on vacation together!

Hopefully love is all about every life! God is love and He's sharing it all over the place through His children. Isn't He awesome?!


God bless you all!


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Visitors Galore - Awesome Time!









This past weekend was a bit exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. We had a family spend the night on their way to vacation in Colorado (not pictured above). They have 6 children and that was fun having them, even if it was a short visit! We always enjoy having them here (even if they beat Sr. Mary Michael in Knock-Out)!


Top 2 Pics: We had 2 Youth Directors bring 5 (total) teens to "visit a convent". They're pictured above at the "Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" in Groom which is not far from our house. We had a great time with them -- see bottom picture of the young ladies helping Sr. Louise bake bread.


The picture of the two young ladies with the Infant of Prague: Crystal (on left) who is our new Candidate that entered this past month is from Baltimore; Ariel (on right) has been accepted to Enter next summer and she is currently living in Minnesota. She is one of more that are applying to Enter next summer.


Keep all the young ladies in your prayers as they are very excited to follow God in this awesome vocation of Love with God and His People!


We're gearing up big time for our last few days of vacation before school days are here again. We appreciate all prayers to support our apostolates and all the people we touch. God is SO good!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Golden Jubilee, Renovation, and Annual Retreat!!!








Wow, what a great 3 weeks (since our last post)!!!


Top Picture (and most exciting): Sr. Mary Celine celebrated her 50th Jubilee in Vows! If you would think about the hundreds (thousands?) of people that she has touched with her love, the multitudes she has touched with her prayers, and the awesome beautiful fruits of her love with God -- Wow. We humans cannot really imagine the awesomeness of this, but we can try! Congratulations to Sr. Mary Celine for her 50 years of faithful Love to Her Spouse!


No Picture (yet): Congratulations to our new candidate, Crystal Sewell, who entered our Community on the Feast of St. Bonaventure, July 15th! Our prayers are with you as you enter this journey of love!!! Pray also please for the others who are applying to enter next summer! May they all be FILLED with the Fruits and Fire of the Holy Spirit and of the Love of the Holy Trinity and the Motherly Love of Mary!!!

Middle Picture above: Hallway Renovations -- we have been sheetrocking, painting, and decorating our Main Hallway for the last several weeks and months. To get all that done before Sr. Celine's Jubilee was . . . a challenge. Thanks to all who pitched in to make our hallway beautiful! This renovation was made possible by a recent Scanlan Foundation Grant.


Bottom Picture: We had our Annual Community Retreat with a very good friend priest friend and mentor -- May God continue to stir in us and in him the beautiful and awesome goodness of God for ourselves and those we serve. May God be praised!


Not Pictured: Imagine two cute little kids (relatives of one of the Sisters, so of course they're CUTE) on the sunporch with Sr. Mary Louise -- the little girl is about 2 and the little boy is about 3 (and they have 5 older brothers and sisters), mopping and sweeping the floor. This family came for our 4th of July picnic -- we love the children and the children love us! It's a great fit. Did you imagine it? Okay, make them 10 times cuter -- children are so precious!


SAVE the DATE: Saturday, November 19th -- our FUNRaiser is coming up! Put it on your calendar!


Guess that's all the news for now! We remain united in prayer, your sisters in Christ!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Sisters' Fun Day Out!










Do Sisters ever get to go to the movies??? The answer is . . . yes. On "home visits" for sure, many of us make our way to a theater to see a movie on the big screen.


So, for our recent fun day, we went bowling (see top picture), went to the mall for the $2 movie "Soul Surfer", out to eat, to a Holy Hour and finally to the Life Teen Mass at St. Mary's. It was a great day! (all thanks to a benefactor)


God bless you all! Praying for you!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Retreats -- Renovations















Sorry to put so many different kinds of pictures on this blog, but it'll give you a taste of what our lives are like. However, there is always a constant -- Jesus's Love in the Eucharist and in each other!


Top picture is from the WTAMU Catholic Student Center Leadership Retreat held here at our Guest House. We always love having them here to share with us!


Middle pictures are from the recent ACTS retreat in Amarillo -- awsome experience of God's ways of working and His Grace!


Bottom pictures are from the current renovation going on in our main hallway. We have received a grant from the Scanlan Foundation to help with some renovations. We are finally sheetrocking and painting a hallway that was started over 10 years ago (half was sheetrocked and the other half was not). Yea!!!


These renovations have a lot to do with the retreats. As we strip the walls, make sure every inch is perfect, and so on -- it takes time. It takes care and thought. It takes patience. It takes working together. It takes planning. It takes collaboration.


How long has it been since you've been on a retreat? How long has it been since you've recharged your spiritual battery? Do you take time every day to be with the Lord of Love? Oh, how we medicate ourselves with so many things (alcohol, TV, movies, coffee, friends, texting, Facebook, etc.), but we're really longing for Communion with God and with each other! (Not that those things are bad in themselves is used correctly." The truth is -- mot people who "don't have time to pray" really have their priorities out of place. Is God first in your life?

Have a great day! We're praying for you!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Renewal of Vows - A Time of Grace




The summer is one of our favorite things as a Community -- everyone is home, time to be renewed from the school year, time to catch up on some things, our annual Community Retreat together, and time to just be together. Prayer time is a constant -- that's always important.


Today, Sr. Mary Grace renewed her vows this morning for one year! It was a very beautiful ceremony. Pray for Sr. Mary Grace as she continues on this journey in Religious Life! "Jesus, I want to be your Beloved Spouse for all eternity!"


Sr. Mary Celine is preparing for the celebration of her Golden Jubilee in July. Congratualations to both of you!


Our FUN Raiser has been set for November 19th -- Save the Date!


God bless you all! We're united in prayer for all of you and your intentions!