It’s time once again to catch you up on our adventures in Boston! This past week has been full of St. Paul, Italian class, and sunshine! The weather has been beautiful, which we appreciated when we went to the North End of Boston on Sunday. Sr. Margaret Joseph, Sr. Mary Frances, and I went to Mass in Italian at St. Leonard’s Church, and then we went to a “ristorante” for “il pranzo italiano” (an Italian lunch). I had ravioli – it was delicious! It was a great way to get a taste of the culture of Italy.
Classes are in full swing! Italian class finished yesterday, but as one sister told me at breakfast, my study of the Italian language has only just begun! One of the reasons that we study Italian is to be able to read the Founder and Co-foundress in their original language. Since Fr. Alberione and Mother Thecla are no longer alive, a primary way that we receive and pass on the charism now is through their writings. So it’s very important to be able to read what they really wrote! I’m looking forward to being able to do that.
Another way that we come to understand the charism is by studying St. Paul. In the class on St. Paul that Celia is teaching, we have been looking at the “Good News” that Paul so passionately proclaimed. What strikes me about this is how convinced Paul was of God’s tremendous love for us, shown in His sending His Son to be one of us. “God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Paul was also convinced that because Jesus lived and died for us, everything is changed. We are now living in “a new creation,” and Christ is living in us. It's incredible, isn't it?
So now you have a little taste of what we’ve been living and learning this week. Sr. Carmen Christi is on retreat at our St. Thecla’s Retreat House until today, so keep her in prayer. I will go on retreat at St. Thecla’s next week. If you have any prayer requests for us, don’t hesitate to send them our way!
Here’s a little St. Paul trivia for you. Complete this quotation of St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live....” For bonus points: what letter of St. Paul is this from?
God bless you,
Emily
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
First Profession, St. Paul Summer Program Pictures
Sr. Lynette Constance, Sr. Karen Marie (novice formator), Sr. Emi Magnificat, Sr. Margaret Christopher (provincial superior), Sr. Ana Maria
Sr. Emi Magnificat pronounces her vows.
Sr. Lynette Constance professes the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as a Daughter of St. Paul for one year.
Sr. Carmen Christi and Emily with the St. Paul Summer Program "team": Sr. Margaret Michael (seated) and Sr. Christine Virginia (right)
Sr. Margaret Michael, national vocation director. Sr. Michael accompanies the young women who are in discernment with the Daughters of St. Paul.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Blogging from Boston
We have been in Boston for a little more than a week now, and we are soaking in all the beautiful experiences of prayers, study, and community. When we arrived, we found the Sisters in the middle of the St. Paul Summer Program. This is a program for high school women to come and stay at the convent in Boston to experience the life and mission of the Sisters. The young women who come live with the Sisters, experiencing the prayer life, attending classes on the spirituality and charism, and joining in experiences of mission. I myself am a graduate of the St. Paul Summer Program, having come for three years in a row! It’s a great opportunity for young women interested in learning more about religious life. You can read more about it on our website: http://www.daughtersofstpaul.com/daughters/vocations/events.html#events.
We were able to join the Summer Program participants for some of their prayer times, classes, and recreation. Sr. Carmen and I taught a class on Mother Thecla.
The next big happening was First Profession! Sr. Lynette Constance and Sr. Emi Magnificat made their first profession as Daughters of St. Paul on Saturday, June 28. The Mass was beautiful, the two newly professed Sisters were radiant, and the whole day was a celebration of God’s love, grace, and mercy. The next day, we joined Srs. Lynette and Emi and their families at our retreat house for an afternoon meal and games. Sr. Lynette left for Singapore on Thursday; Sr. Emi will leave for St. Louis at the end of July; and Sr. Ana Maria (who did her postulancy and novitiate here but will make her first profession in her native country of Romania) will depart in a couple weeks.
On Monday, classes began! The class on St. Paul has been amazing so far. Celia provides so many insights into the character and theology of Paul. It really makes me want to get to know Paul better. I hope to take this year as an opportunity to “make friends” with this great saint who is the true Father and Founder of our Congregation! Sr. Raymond has been joining us for the St. Paul class, and Sr. Frances is one of our classmates for Italian class!
Mercoledi, abbiamo preghato preghiere serale in italiano e poi abbiamo mangiato una cena italiana. Abbiamo parlato soltanto italiano alla tavola. Molto difficile! On Wednesday, we prayed Evening Prayer in Italian and then we ate an Italian supper. We spoke only Italian at table. It was very difficult!
A big gift this week has been the presence of Sr. Filippa. Sr. Filippa is a Daughter of St. Paul from Italy who is here in the States to guide the annual retreats for our Sisters. This past week she has been guiding five of the senior Sisters in reflecting on their life and vocation in the light of St. Paul’s life and vocation. Sr. Carmen and I have been blessed to attend her conferences. Sr. Filippa is truly filled with the spirit of St. Paul, and she communicates that every time she speaks about him. She has helped me to see how rooted Paul’s life was in his experience of the love of God, and how everything in Paul’s life pointed not to himself but to Jesus.
I’m sure that there’s more, but this post is long enough! To conclude: can anyone tell us the meaning of this Italian sentence? Gesu Maestro, Via, Verita, e Vita, abbi pieta di noi. God bless you!
- Emily
We were able to join the Summer Program participants for some of their prayer times, classes, and recreation. Sr. Carmen and I taught a class on Mother Thecla.
The next big happening was First Profession! Sr. Lynette Constance and Sr. Emi Magnificat made their first profession as Daughters of St. Paul on Saturday, June 28. The Mass was beautiful, the two newly professed Sisters were radiant, and the whole day was a celebration of God’s love, grace, and mercy. The next day, we joined Srs. Lynette and Emi and their families at our retreat house for an afternoon meal and games. Sr. Lynette left for Singapore on Thursday; Sr. Emi will leave for St. Louis at the end of July; and Sr. Ana Maria (who did her postulancy and novitiate here but will make her first profession in her native country of Romania) will depart in a couple weeks.
On Monday, classes began! The class on St. Paul has been amazing so far. Celia provides so many insights into the character and theology of Paul. It really makes me want to get to know Paul better. I hope to take this year as an opportunity to “make friends” with this great saint who is the true Father and Founder of our Congregation! Sr. Raymond has been joining us for the St. Paul class, and Sr. Frances is one of our classmates for Italian class!
Mercoledi, abbiamo preghato preghiere serale in italiano e poi abbiamo mangiato una cena italiana. Abbiamo parlato soltanto italiano alla tavola. Molto difficile! On Wednesday, we prayed Evening Prayer in Italian and then we ate an Italian supper. We spoke only Italian at table. It was very difficult!
A big gift this week has been the presence of Sr. Filippa. Sr. Filippa is a Daughter of St. Paul from Italy who is here in the States to guide the annual retreats for our Sisters. This past week she has been guiding five of the senior Sisters in reflecting on their life and vocation in the light of St. Paul’s life and vocation. Sr. Carmen and I have been blessed to attend her conferences. Sr. Filippa is truly filled with the spirit of St. Paul, and she communicates that every time she speaks about him. She has helped me to see how rooted Paul’s life was in his experience of the love of God, and how everything in Paul’s life pointed not to himself but to Jesus.
I’m sure that there’s more, but this post is long enough! To conclude: can anyone tell us the meaning of this Italian sentence? Gesu Maestro, Via, Verita, e Vita, abbi pieta di noi. God bless you!
- Emily
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
We're Back!
Thanks for your patience in waiting for us to be up and posting again. Since our last entry,
much has happened. Our Mother General, Sr. Maria Antonieta and her General Councilors, have returned to Italy after having spent almost a month and a half visiting the sisters of our US/English Speaking Canada Province.
Emily went on vacation to visit her family in Buffalo and Sr. Carmen went on vacation to visit her family in Virginia. This is always a special time to reconnect and spend time with our loved ones.
The big news here in St. Louis is that our community is growing again. We have been blessed to welcome Sr. Mary Joane Caritas, our newly perpetually professed Sister. She and Sr. Jennifer Tecla have been in Rome for 9 months together with Sisters from all over the world who were taking special courses in preparation for their final vows. Both Sr. Joane and Sr. Jennifer pronounced their final vows at our Motherhouse in Boston on June 15th. We hope you enjoy some of the pictures that capture the joy and the beauty of this wonderful celebration. Sr. Jennifer Tecla has been stationed in our community in Philadelphia, PA.
We hope you all have been informed about the PAULINE YEAR declared by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. Yes, on the evening of June 28 of this year, the vigil of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the Great Apostle Paul's birth begins. It will continue through June 29, 2009.We will keep you up to date with the many activities underway to help us celebrate this year.
Like Paul, we will be traveling this week to Boston where we will be until the end of July. What, you might say, will you do in Boston for a month? Let us fill you in!
First, we will have the joy of being present for the first profession of our novices on June 28th. Among them is Sr. Emi Bratt, who has already been assigned to our community here in St. Louis.
We are so excited to have her join us! Then a dear friend of our community and well-known Scripture teacher, Celia Sirois, will be teaching us classes on St. Paul to prepare us to offer animation to parishes on Paul during this great year. We will also be immersing ourselves in the beautiful Italian language under the direction of Sr. Margaret Joseph and spending time with our Senior Sisters who will share with us some aspects of the history of our congregation and their own vocational journeys.
And last but not least we will spend several days on retreat at our Mother Thecla retreat house. In those days, we will have the privilege to be "alone with God alone"--reflecting on His love and action in our lives and being renewed to serve Him and His people. You can count on our prayers for you and your intentions. Please feel free to send them to us if you would like.
Stay tuned for our weekly blog updates!
God bless you,
Emily and Sr. Carmen Christi
much has happened. Our Mother General, Sr. Maria Antonieta and her General Councilors, have returned to Italy after having spent almost a month and a half visiting the sisters of our US/English Speaking Canada Province.
Emily went on vacation to visit her family in Buffalo and Sr. Carmen went on vacation to visit her family in Virginia. This is always a special time to reconnect and spend time with our loved ones.
The big news here in St. Louis is that our community is growing again. We have been blessed to welcome Sr. Mary Joane Caritas, our newly perpetually professed Sister. She and Sr. Jennifer Tecla have been in Rome for 9 months together with Sisters from all over the world who were taking special courses in preparation for their final vows. Both Sr. Joane and Sr. Jennifer pronounced their final vows at our Motherhouse in Boston on June 15th. We hope you enjoy some of the pictures that capture the joy and the beauty of this wonderful celebration. Sr. Jennifer Tecla has been stationed in our community in Philadelphia, PA.
We hope you all have been informed about the PAULINE YEAR declared by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. Yes, on the evening of June 28 of this year, the vigil of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the Great Apostle Paul's birth begins. It will continue through June 29, 2009.We will keep you up to date with the many activities underway to help us celebrate this year.
Like Paul, we will be traveling this week to Boston where we will be until the end of July. What, you might say, will you do in Boston for a month? Let us fill you in!
First, we will have the joy of being present for the first profession of our novices on June 28th. Among them is Sr. Emi Bratt, who has already been assigned to our community here in St. Louis.
We are so excited to have her join us! Then a dear friend of our community and well-known Scripture teacher, Celia Sirois, will be teaching us classes on St. Paul to prepare us to offer animation to parishes on Paul during this great year. We will also be immersing ourselves in the beautiful Italian language under the direction of Sr. Margaret Joseph and spending time with our Senior Sisters who will share with us some aspects of the history of our congregation and their own vocational journeys.
And last but not least we will spend several days on retreat at our Mother Thecla retreat house. In those days, we will have the privilege to be "alone with God alone"--reflecting on His love and action in our lives and being renewed to serve Him and His people. You can count on our prayers for you and your intentions. Please feel free to send them to us if you would like.
Stay tuned for our weekly blog updates!
God bless you,
Emily and Sr. Carmen Christi
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