Planting Seeds

Sundays are usually calm for us at St. Ann's Home, but not Sunday, March the 6th! A family member of one of our dear residents asked Sr. M. Gabriela about bringing a group of girls to see us and hear about the religious life. Do you think we were going to say "no" to that?

Well, junior sisters: Sr. Mary Brigid, Sr. Maria Ursula and Sr. Anne Marie put together a special program for them. It included a couple of sing-a-longs, a little skit, some ideas to talk about, and all the usual stuff. Sr. M. Gabriela contributed pamphlets, rosaries and relics of Dear Mother Foundress. At 2:00 they began to arrive at the front lobby, where the director had punch and cookies waiting for them. At 2:10 we knew we would need more copies of our songs. At 2:15 we knew we would need more of everything! All in all there were probably 50 people, including moms, and a dad, with girls ranging from seven to eighteen years of age. I hastily began arranging a big circle in the dining room lounge, which widened as people continued to come. We began with a prayer, in song form, and had the whole group singing along with us, "Only You can fill my deepest longing..."

So our afternoon began! After a little skit and a meditation about the Our Father, we settled down to real business. Instead of lecturing, we took a panel approach. Everyone wrote down her question, and we all gave our input. Part way into our discussion, Sr. Mary Augustine walked through in her apron with her dining room cart. "Speaking of work, here is Sr. Mary Augustine, our best example of a hard-working sister." "Who's she?" Sr. Mary Augustine quipped, and without missing a beat, "I don't see her," as she checked under the water fountain, and we all laughed. Then she spoke of her own vocation and how important it was for her to do the will of God in her life. Coming from young sisters like us who have not yet proved our mettle, such words always seem a little bit empty, but coming from the mouth of one who has made it her life's quest to seek the will of God and do it, they are deeply meaningful.

As usual, the questions were interesting. "Is it fun to be a nun?" We all smiled, it sure is fun to be a nun. The sisters teach young candidates not to take themselves too seriously; people with a good sense of humor are usually humble and flexible in God's hands. Everything from "When do you go to bed?" to "What is the process like to become a sister" to "Do you pray every day" was asked. One mother told us, "My daughter loved it!" She said, "Mom, this was great!" A lovely 18 year old came to us and said, "I would really like to come back, may I?" And we do hope to see her again. Sr. Mary Brigid said, "We plant the seeds, God gives the increase."