Come, Holy Spirit!

Sunday,
May 31:
We had a special morning prayer for the feast of Pentecost. We prayed in a few different languages, and Sylwia prayed in Polish. Emily and Kelly chose and played the music for Mass. Kelly played the drums, which added a lot of excitement to the music. It was nice to be involved in the liturgy of this feast. Even the weather reminded us of the Holy Spirit – it was sunny and very windy. “The Spirit blows where He wills,” and we feel Him in Boston!

Feast of the Queen of the Apostles

Saturday,
May 30:
This Saturday was the Feast of the Queen of Apostles. This is an important feast for the Pauline Family because our Founder gave us the devotion to Mary as Queen of the Apostles. Before the feast, we prayed a novena for nine days. On Saturday we had a special Mass and Hour of Adoration together. During the Adoration, we each chose a gift of the Holy Spirit. Sylwia chose Wisdom and Emily chose Understanding.
In the afternoon, Sylwia and Emily went with some of the sisters to St. Thecla’s, our retreat house in Billerica, MA. We enjoyed seeing St. Thecla’s, the beautiful weather – and the ice cream! :)

Postulants' Presentation for Boston Community

Wednesday,
May 27:
The postulant group gave a presentation to the Boston community about our year of postulancy in St. Louis. We shared with them a presentation about our families and backgrounds. Then we showed them pictures, and a couple videos, of the many events and community celebrations that happened this past year. We also showed them our blog! The sisters were very happy to see everything that we have been doing.

Happy Memorial Day!

Monday,
May 25:
We celebrated Memorial Day by having a picnic in our backyard! We had beautiful weather, great food, and wonderful company.

A young woman from Vermont named Laura was visiting us. In the afternoon, she went with us for a walk on the beach. We enjoyed the weather, the shells, and the good view of Boston.
P.S. We are waiting for you! Boston has a lot of beaches, and we want to show you! :)

Sunday in Boston

Sunday,
May 24:
On Sunday we saw a display of the artwork of some of our sisters. They showed beautiful sketches, watercolors, paintings,
and even one piece made from yarn. We have many talented sisters here!

In the afternoon, the novices gave a presentation on their apostolic experience. (As part of their novitiate, each of them spent six months in one of our smaller communities.) It was interesting to hear about their experiences.

Sunday at the Atlantic Ocean

Sunday,
May 17:
We went to the beach, because after all week in school and the bookcenter, Sylwia and I (Emily) needed to breathe the ocean air. :) (The Mississippi and Missouri River are just not the same as the ocean!) Also, Sylwia wanted to see how the ocean looks from the other side. ;) We spent a few hours walking on the beach (about forty minutes from our house in Boston). We saw many shells, brought a few home, and Sylwia took a hundred pictures. The weather was not the best, but we were prepared for anything! It was too cold to swim, but I (Emily) am from Buffalo, and cold weather is good weather, so I walked in the ocean. It was a very peaceful and relaxing Sunday.

Last Sunday we went to a beautiful park very close to our house for a walk. They had a Lilac Festival, and we enjoyed beautiful weather and the smell of the lilacs! (Sr. Emi recommended this festival to us, and we are very glad that she did!)

P.S. Come and spend Sunday with us sometime!

Visit to the Boston Bookcenter

Saturday,
May 9:
We went to the bookcenter in Dedham, MA with the novices: Neville, Julie, and Kelly. Emily will help at this bookcenter during our time in Boston. There is a beautiful, small chapel with the Blessed Sacrament that the customers can visit. Sr. Regina gave us an excellent tour and showed us everything, and we even saw pictures of the car-wash fundraiser that the sisters did last year.

Boston is Beautiful in the Spring

Friday,
May 8:
We arrived in Boston, where we will spend two months at our motherhouse. Boston is where our publishing house is, so many sisters live and work here. Sylwia will study English at school, and Emily will help in the bookcenter and in the editorial department. Our house has a beautiful location between two parks, where we have been walking every day. It is nice to meet many new sisters and see all the exciting things that are happening here.
P.S. You can meet us in Boston for the St Paul Summer Program for High School Women
July 6 – July 11, 2009
At the Daughters of St Paul Motherhouse in Boston, MA
Women ages 14-18 years old are welcome

Visit to Czestochowa

Sunday,

May 3:

On Sunday we celebrated three feasts: the Polish constitution, the feast of the Queen of Poland (Our Lady of Czestochowa), and the day of Polish immigrants. It was also our free Sunday. We went to Polish Mass at St. Agatha in the morning and after Mass we spent a few minutes with the people in the cafeteria. In the afternoon we drove to the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, twenty-five minutes away. After our visit to Czestochowa, we went to the reservation for a hike.

Kentucky Derby

Saturday,
May 2:
We went to the Kentucky Derby, Franciscan style! Sr. Carolyn, one of Sylwia's English teachers, invited us to her community's Kentucky Derby party. Forty Franciscan sisters and two Pauline postulants were there to enjoy this twenty-year-old Franciscan tradition. We paid $4 to choose four horses to cheer for. One of Emily's horses won third place, and she won $3. :) This was a lot of fun and we enjoyed meeting all the sisters.

Adoration for Vocations

Friday,
May 1:
Every first Friday, there is an Hour of Adoration to pray for vocations at Holy Redeemer parish, close to us. We went this Friday at 7:30. There were many sisters and seminarians there. After Adoration, we had refreshments and a chance to speak with the young people there.
P.S. We are praying for you!