Troubadour Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George + April 2015
SEIZED BY LOVE “in season” all the time – these experiences have tamed life for most of us. We feel very much in control of life. But does control make us happy? Catholic author, Walker Percy, tells us that man feels most alive when he is confronted with the question of the meaning of his life. He further states that this does not happen when he is comfortable, but when he faces circumstances that he cannot control. This tells us something about man. Fulfillment is not found in exercising dominion, but in an exchange of love. An essential part of this exchange of love is the experience of surprise – that sudden jolt of the unexpected or the quiet delight that steals into the heart when one is not looking. The word “surprise” means to be seized or overtaken. We resemble God in our capacity to be surprised because it means that we are open to others, open to a giving and receiving that has the potential for bringing something new into the world. by Mother M. Maximilia I was a first semester senior in college when I turned twenty-one years old. I remember the day vividly because my father showed up on the doorstep of the residence hall with a vase of red roses. He had come unannounced and unexpected. As I stood face-to-face with my father and the riot of red blooms between us, I was awed by the love that had moved him to travel great distances to deliver a bouquet of flowers that would last but a few days. At that moment I felt seized by something that transcended us both. We live in a world that offers us the illusion of being in control. Seemingly unlimited access to news and communication, choices galore when making the simplest grocery purchases, and a global market that makes the most exotic items
What about those roses I received many years ago? What seized me then? A father’s love and, in this love, the Father Himself. This month we celebrate the great Solemnity of Easter, the Resurrection of the Lord! The disciples were seized by the sheer wonder of Christ’s return, not as a biological fact, but as the event in which their hopes and dreams were saved. Do not be afraid! Blessed Easter!
ALLELUIA! HE IS RISEN! by Mother M. Ingeborg “Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John high up the mountain. There He was transfigured. . . On the way back He told them not to tell anyone until He had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant” (Mk. 9:2, 9-10). I took many Theology courses from Dr. Irvin Arkin at Saint Louis University. He was an excellent teacher. The last course was St. John. He told us that the last class was about the Resurrection. I got all excited and was ready with my notebook. Dr. Arkin entered the classroom, sat down, and said: “The Resurrection! Either you believe it or you don’t! Class ended.” He was right. How do you lecture on some topic that is an absolute mystery? In our parish church, the pastor had set up a real, pretty big cave. On Easter morning the cave was lit up inside and two angels
were standing at the entrance. I must have been four years old. The people went up to the cave, knelt down, and prayed. My parents took us to the cave also. I was wondering what they all saw because I saw no one, but I did not want to ask because I thought I was the only one not seeing anything. I wondered, but not too long, because I wondered even more if the Easter bunny had been in our home and had hidden a lot of Easter eggs. Jesus said to Thomas: “Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed” (Jn. 20:29). He said that for all of us. At Easter we celebrate purely on faith. Lent actually makes it easier for us. We meditate on His suffering and cruel death, and are glad for Him that it is over and He is with His Father in heaven. We gladly believe that His suffering is over. Every year I discover some things that did not stand out for me before. One is: Who folded the cloth that covered His face?
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Why mention it specifically? “The piece of cloth which had covered His head was not lying with the other wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself” (Jn. 20:7). The disciples saw no one in the tomb, so they had to search for some evidence. My question is: Who rolled it up? Was Jesus so calm that He started cleaning up because Mary had trained Him so well? Or did the angels do it? It is somehow important enough to be mentioned in Scripture. After His Resurrection, when Jesus had prepared breakfast for His disciples, they still took the time to count the fish they had caught: 153! One would think that they were so overwhelmed that they would not care about the fish. But Jesus and His apostles were so normal and did their normal things. One more observation: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. She is so overjoyed to see Him that she falls down and embraces His feet. Jesus said to her: “Do not cling to Me, for I have not as yet ascended to My Father” (Jn. 20:17). We would love to embrace His feet and be with Him. But we have to live by faith. We have to believe that He is Risen and is always with us. No one was an eyewitness to the Resurrection. No evangelist can describe it. It remains at the very heart of the mystery of faith. “Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed” (Jn. 20:29). That is us!!!! ALLELUIA! HE IS RISEN!
In Loving Memory of Sister Margaret Mary, FSGM Sister Margaret Mary was born on February 11, 1958, and died on March 6, 2015. Reverend Thomas Donovan was the Main Celebrant for her Funeral Mass on March 10. During his homily, Father spoke of Sister Margaret Mary’s artistic gifts. Since 1998, she has beautifully decorated our Easter Candle every year. The last candle she decorated in 2014 was lit and placed near her casket. The following article, A Look At Our Paschal Candle, was written by Sister Margaret Mary for the April 2014 issue of the “Troubadour.” I have been decorating the Easter candle since 1998. Each one has borne a special theme expressed through color as well as symbolism. This Easter I thought I would share a synopsis about this annual project with emphasis on this year’s Paschal candle. I spend the months ahead thinking and praying about what theme to follow and how to depict it in wax. When we have a theme already given by the Church, I work on representing that. After this, I search for appropriate symbolism to express the theme and work out how to incorporate it into the candle. When Lent draws near, the actual work of cutting and applying the wax begins. Colors for the wax are chosen according to the candle’s theme and artistic presentation. The focus of this year’s Paschal candle is centered on the spirituality of our Congregation and the mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The colors red and gold play an integral part of this theme. Red was chosen to symbolize Christ’s love as well as His most Precious
Blood. Gold represents the glory of His Resurrection as well as His eternal kingship. The red and gold together signifies the never-ending love and majesty of the Holy Trinity. Progressing from the bottom, the symbolism this year begins with the Sacred Heart. The wound and thorns depict the suffering our Savior endured for our salvation while the flames enveloping the entire image illustrate the allconsuming and never-ending love that He has for each one of us. The next image up is the Cross, which is usually depicted within the flames coming forth from the Sacred Heart. Here it is higher in order to double as the Cross of the Pasch, from which issue golden flames of 3
triumph. There are also the usual symbols of the Alpha and Omega for Christ, the beginning and end of our faith, and lastly, the 2014 for this year. Ascending further you reach the representation of the Holy Eucharist. The host is surrounded by golden rays of glory, which also symbolizes a monstrance for adoration. It is imprinted with the golden letters “IHS,” the first three letters of Jesus’ Name in Greek. The “H” is surmounted by a golden Cross and beneath lie three golden nails. Collectively, these represent the mystery enclosed within the host – the Crucified yet Risen Lord Jesus. Above the Eucharist are the crown and Cross that represent Christ the King. The crown is bejeweled with rubies and diamonds with a Cross directly behind – Jesus is our eternal King, but He is also the suffering servant. The rubies are for His Precious Blood and the diamonds on the tips of the crown are for His purity and royalty. Thus, all put together, the candle speaks of our spirituality in the Sacred Heart, Cross, Eucharist, and Christ the King: “They shall look on the One Whom they have pierced.” It also speaks of our mission to bring Christ’s merciful love to the world. Praised be Jesus Christ!
“Here I am, Lord. Send me!” School. We spent the nights in the Bronx and went to Manhattan, Harlem, and Brooklyn for “Then I heard the voice of mission activities. the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I There is no way to include send, who will go for us?’ ‘Here here all the miracles and encounI am, Lord,’ I said, ‘Send ters that took place during this me!’”(Is. 6:8). week-long Mission Trip. I had Throughout the month of February 2015, these words were never before seen the Gospel come so alive! We stepped foot found on my lips over and over into New York City and were again. The Lord had brought to my attention very many hurting souls in our world, and I burned with the desire to bring Jesus to them. Yet, I knew my current mission in my religious life, being a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, did not allow it in the way I desired. I wondered why God gave me such a desire. I channeled that desire into a prayer of begging God to send men and women to the souls I could not reach. That week, a student from Franciscan University who was in charge of the New York City Mission Trip approached me. She asked me if I could accompany their Mission team to New York City over Spring break, March 7-14. Something deep inside told me I was going to be sent . . . and so I was! Mother M. Maximilia gave me her permission. Our Mission team was made up of twenty men and women Sister M. Bernadette from Franciscan University. Our in New York City plan of evangelization was to soon riding the subways. When encounter and minister to the people of New York City on the we entered the subway cars, there subway system and streets as we was a sterile silence . . . until we traveled each day to work with a overcame our fears. One by one, we began to speak with the peoreligious Community or organization. We were blessed to work ple near us. By the time we left with the Franciscan Friars of the the subway, the atmosphere was Renewal, the Little Sisters of the transformed and the faces of the children and adults were filled Poor, the Missionaries of Charwith a fresh light. They were ity, Hearts Home: a missionary loved. This was a daily event. organization, and Our Lady of Thankfully, each ride on the subMount Carmel K-8 Catholic by Sister M. Bernadette
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way could take up to an hour, so we had plenty of time to encounter people of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds. A 50-year-old man from Romania had never received his First Holy Communion or been confirmed. He shared the great things God was doing in his life. He is going to talk with his pastor soon. My first encounter was the most memorable. I met another 50-year-old man, but this time, he was homeless. Immediately his face caught my attention. When I smiled at him, I could see that he was surprised. As I introduced myself to him, I realized he was three times my size. He seemed mystified that I was talking with him. Two men on our team stayed with me. Over an hour later, we had learned that this man went from being a millionaire to living on the streets of New York City. He tried to give us a glimpse of the suffering he had endured and the dark places he had been. I discovered that he was Catholic! That morning I was inspired to place into my pocket a guide to Confession. We talked about the sacraments, and the joy and relief he would discover in Confession. I gave him the Confession guide and told him: “Today is the day of salvation for you. You are the reason why we are on this sidewalk today. Jesus is after you.” He literally kissed my hand as if I were the queen of heaven. I will never forget my brother, and I believe he will never forget that day. He was changed. We were changed. Whether he goes to Confession soon or many years from now, I believe God sent us to help him on his journey home. “Here I am, Lord. Send me!”
The Spirit and the Bride say: “COME!” by Sister M. Gemma Since 2003, over 425 young women have been responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to attend the Veni Si Amas (Come If You Love) Retreat, a weekend spent discerning their vocation with our Community. There are talks on discernment, times of silent prayer, an opportunity for the sacrament of Penance, participation in the prayer life of our Community, and a one -on-one conversation with Sister M. Alexandra, our Novice Directress; Sister M. Agnes, our Postulant Directress; or Sister M. Consolata, our Vocation Directress. Sisters also join them for meals and recreation. In October 2010, I was one of those young women. Looking back, it seems like yesterday and forever all at the same time. Not sure what the weekend would hold, I arrived at St. Francis Convent. I was warmly welcomed by our Sisters. Through the talks,
Sister M. Gemma (left), Sister Maria Teresita, and several retreatants: “The young women generously gave the mercy they received by serving alongside the Sisters, helping us to clean our St. Francis Day Care Center.”
silent time for prayer, and sharing in the life of the Sisters, the Lord cast out my fears and beckoned me to “Come.” Beginning with the Veni Si Amas Retreat, He ever so gently revealed to my heart His call for me to be His Bride. If I were to describe that weekend in one word it would be wonder. I was filled with wonder that the Lord would choose me, that He loves me so deeply, and how the Sisters radiated joy. Now it is a blessing to serve the young women when they come. This weekend, March 13-15, 2015, was filled with joy. The theme of the retreat challenged them to allow the Lord to pour His mercy out upon them. They received His mercy through daily Mass, prayers with the Sisters, the sacrament of Penance, talks on discernment, the vows and our charism, and our Lady. The young women genSilent prayer in our Adoration Chapel erously gave the mercy they 5
received by serving alongside the Sisters, helping us to clean our St. Francis Day Care Center. The retreat is truly a community experience. The Novitiate and Professed Sisters serve and participate in both seen and hidden ways: praying for a young woman by name, planning a time of recreation, setting up for meals, sharing a pew in the Chapel, putting out a sleeping bag, putting a name on a guest room door, having a conversation, or giving a talk. These acts of charity work together to provide a beautiful experience of Christ’s love. It is encouraging to see how the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of these young women. They are transformed from being a little anxious about what to expect the first night to being joyful in the parking lot, lingering to say good-bye on Sunday morning. To encounter the face of Christ and to know His love will last throughout their lives in whatever vocation the Father is calling them!
Province News Please pray for those who are ill: Sister M. Kateri’s niece, Kathleen Powers; Sister M. Theresita’s sister, Karen Cooper; Sister M. Alexandra’s mother, Rita Morrison; Sister Mary Gianna’s father, Lawrence Nazar. Please pray for those who have died and for the consolation of their families: Sister Margaret Mary; Sister M. Jacoba’s aunt, Ann Fifelski.
Welcome, Father!
Province Calendar April 2015 1
1925: Founding of St. Francis Convent in Alton Anniversary of Sister M. Saloma’s death (1997)
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Holy Thursday Anniversary of Sister M. Norbertine’s death (1999)
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Good Friday
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Holy Saturday
5
Easter Sunday Namedays: Sister M. Julia Sister M. Anastasia Sister M. Juliana
6
Anniversary of Sister M. Sanctia’s death
(1986)
9
Anniversary of Sister M. Catherine’s death
(2005)
11 Namedays:
Reverend Stephen T. Sotiroff is the new chaplain for St. Francis Convent and OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, as of March 23, 2015.
Sister M. Elena Sister M. Gemma
12 Renewal of Vows for our Junior Professed Sisters Divine Mercy Sunday Namedays: Sister M. Isidoris Sister M. Clementia Anniversary of Mother M. Isidoris’ death (1981) 15 Anniversary of Sister M. Silvana’s death
(2001)
16 Common Renewal of Vows for our Sisters Sister M. Bernadette’s Nameday
Troubadour Editor Sister M. Anne, FSGM Associate Editors Sister M. Kateri, FSGM Sister M. Agnes, FSGM Special Contributors Mother M. Maximilia, FSGM Mother M. Ingeborg, FSGM
22 Sister Mary David’s Nameday 23 Sister Mary George’s Nameday 28 Anniversary of Sister M. Ansgaris’ death Sister M. Catherine Sister M. Caterina Anniversary of Sister M. Florentia’s death
(1985)
29 Namedays:
April 2015
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(1954)