Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Greetings,

The snow was beautiful today! It fell in large, fluffy flakes frosting all the buildings, shrubs, and grass. The evergreen trees and Christmas greenery seemed so much more cheery when flocked with snow. Small trees all over campus were speckled in little red berries...I love the university campus in the winter time.

The campus Mass was held in the Holy Family Chapel in the union building. Joan of Arc was too small for the Holy Day crowd. Father Jesuit had a wonderful homily. He explained that Mary should be our guide to Advent. She waited in hopeful expectation for nine months. If we allow her, she can lead us through our Advent of growing with Christ. Past the fear what new Call God might ask us to live; to the hope of what gifts that new Call might be in our lives. During the preparation of the gifts, the woman leading the music sang "Ave Maria, gratia plena...". It was the same Gregorian chant tone we use at home. I admit, it brought a tear or two to my eye, knowing that tonight you would be singing it too.

Oh Sisters, say a little prayer for guidance. One of my courses was cancelled due to low enrollment and now I'm trying to find another course. My advisor might turn the course into an independent study; I'm also working with another professor about some possible study/volunteer positions. I tried the theology department,
but they bumped me off to the the undergrad list that is already filled...ah well...

Blessings,

Advent Joy

Greetings,

This week of Advent Joy started out with the Old Testament prophet Baruch, "Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever: wrapped in the cloak of justice from God."

It was a beautiful morning here to reflect on throwing aside my cloak of sorrow, sin, and all that holds me back that I may follow Jesus. Fr. Jerry's homily similarly called on the people to consider what they wrap around themselves that keeps God from touching our lives or the lives of others through us.

With only ten days remaining before I fly home for Christmas, I need to focus on my studies without letting them overwhelm my anticipation to be home. There are a variety of due dates within the next week and a half. I have a completed rough draft of my study written! It has topped out at just over 40 pages! Now my professor will look through to check the newly added sections to be sure it all makes sense. The history prof is currently checking out the rough draft of his paper. And I'm finally getting the differentiated education case study presentation put into a power point. But, all is good, and I will be home soon.

Blessings,

A View from Home

Greetings,

This beautiful image from home was a welcome gift from Sr. Marielle! I love how the photographer (P&D) was able to catch our Chapel roof low peak and the full moon in the same frame. The two birds on the cross just make me smile. It could work well as an Advent meditation...waiting upon the Lord...

A December homework update: I have turned in a rough draft of my policy history paper. The Prof is willing to preread student work to make editing and revision recommendations. He is the third former English teacher I've had in the College of Education! I am still working on formulating my discussion of the findings for my study. It has been interesting to peek into the perceptions of first year teachers, but I'll be glad to jump back into some practice of my own.

Speaking of practice, I had a good chuckle while volunteering today. The sixth grade boys were writing directions for making one of their favorite foods. One young man was explaining tamales. When I pointed out the need to be more specific in telling others how to wrap the tamale, I admitted that I had never made a tamale. He just looked at me for a moment and then said, "Miss, you've NEVER made a tamale?" "Well," I responded, "have you ever made pigs in a blanket?" His only response to this was laughter...as if I had just made the name up.

Blessings,

Advent Awareness

Greetings,

It is a gorgeous day here in Milwaukee. The sun is beaming down brightly and there is a light breeze with just a hit of autumn coolness. The little chapel was locked up until just before Mass; so I sat out in the sunshine to listen and look for Advent.

The trees have lost all their leaves here, but the smaller (decorative) trees are covered in little red berries. The cool breeze waved through tall grasses planted between the flower beds. The grounds crews here at the University were driving about with pickup loads of evergreen branches to cover many of the flower beds for the winter...the whole of campus smells like Christmas already. The squirrels do not seem to appreciate this new development. They bounced all throughout the beds and bushes like little silver balls of fur. I wonder if they were searching for a way to their treasured buried far beneath the evergreens?

I was a wonderful break to just sit in the sunshine to look and listen. It is a beautiful day here, but now I go to the library to face papers, computers, and pages and pages and pages of reading.

Blessings,

Advent Begins

Greetings,

A new year has begun and seems like I was just here yesterday. I've always enjoyed Advent; the music, the colors, the candles and greenery. The hope and challenge that fill all the readings...If we're attentive, Christ is calling us all to keep alert for the next four weeks!

Thats all for today...
Blessings,

I just found this prayer on the monialesop blog (Dominicans) and wanted it share it with my family and friends. They offer this 'novena' of St. Andrew 15 times a day from his feast on November 30th to Christmas Day. I might not get to the 15 times a day, but I think it's a beautiful way to remember Advent in the midst of the commercial pre-Christmas blitz.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.
In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer
and grant my desires, (here mention your request)
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.
Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Greetings,

I wish all a happy and holy day of Thanksgiving! This morning the two sister parishes (St. Eugene's & St. Monica's) held Mass together at St. Monica's. The church is beautiful and large enough to house all those gathered to say thanks this morning. Fr. Jerry's homily began by roaming up and down the church to ask parishioners to share that for which they were thankful. My favorite was this little girl's voice chirping over the mic system, "Mommies and Daddies".

I believe our Benedictine background helps us celebrate this day of national Thanksgiving. He reminds us that all we have is gift, all our goods are to be treated as vessels of the altar, and to be grateful for what we have but to not seek for more than what we need. The sense of gratefulness that is all throughout the Rule can hopefully keep my heart open to living out a thankful life every day and not just this commemoration in November. So today, I've been trying to challenge myself to think out ways to share my gratitude with others to make my thanksgiving more visible.

I have much to be Thankful for today. I have the opportunity of education at a wonderful Catholic university. Our community has given the chance to go back to school to improve my education about education; hopefully, I will have a chance to share this will a new classroom next fall. I've been blessed with a family; a loud, crazy, overwhelming crowd--but I love them. They are gathering at Mom and Dad's tonight and tomorrow. One great aunt (Aunt Marcine is going shopping with the girls tomorrow), three boys between 4 & 5, three girls between 7 & 8, one little girl who turns 1-year-old today, and four parents, plus Nana and Grampa! Maybe it's not so bad that I'm out in Milwaukee? I'm grateful for our Benedictine Community. They have helped me develop strengths and shore up weakness that I never would have been able to do alone. In vocation talks, I tell the kiddos that Community is the greatest blessing as well as the only sacrifice Benedict asked his monks to perform. Still--I couldn't imagine living any other way. I've been blessed with friends in my life who have been supportive and challenging. They have picked me up, dusted me off, and pushed me back on track...and they know I'd do it for them...God has blessed me.

Thanksgiving Blessings!

Thanksgiving Generosity

Greetings,

The students at the middle school have been gathering non-perishable foods for a couple weeks. At the start of the food drive, a speaker came from an area food bank to talk about why they need the food and the many people that come to the food bank. The school backed up the speaker with a challenge to each class (5th through 8th) to bring in 500 cans or other non-perishable items. The prize--middle school remember--for each class would be a Marquette Basketball and participation in a school wide basketball tournament!

I was present for the final can count this morning. There was a flurry of counting and recounting in the 6th grade classroom as students came in with their final additions to the cause. A cheer would come from the boys every time another classmate came in with a bag or box to add, and then they would start counting all over again. The final total for this one class?...650 items!

The teacher sent his students down to the morning assembly, but he was stopped by a 7th grade emissary in the hall. They hadn't raised enough cans to join in the school-wide basketball game, and would the 6th graders share some of their surplus? The teacher said he would have to ask the students who had gathered the goods for those in need. The assembly upped the pressure on the 6th grade boys...the 8th grade and 5th grade students had given their surplus goods to the 7th grade class, but they were still short by almost 70 items! The boys met quickly but denied the request. Their reasoning?...They were raising cans to help the food bank and not just play basketball...so no ball playing for the 7th grade boys. Unless the principal had mercy later on.

The generosity of the school was overwhelming. This school of about 80 or 90 boys gathered over 2,000 items for the area food bank! The students of this school are not privileged, they are part of the Latino neighborhood on the South Side. This generosity came not from their excess, but from their own need in some cases. The boxes of ramen noodles and slightly dented cans that were donated so willingly will be welcomed by another family in need in the same neighborhood.

Blessings,