+JMJ
Praised be Jesus Christ! Greetings to you and your holy angels! It is a wonderful Monday and the birds are chirping and things are green. It is certainly wonderful to see. Thank you most merciful Lord for this gift! Well, I had a busy weekend! Sometimes I wish I had less to do, but it was all wonderful all the same. Friday evening I was blessed with going to see the Daughters of St. Paul here in Chicago with Lauren, whom I met in person for the first time. It was wonderful to see and talk with her and also meet the Daughters as well! We were there for First Friday Movie Night and saw The Mission. It was a beautiful movie, but very deep and inspiring as well. If you haven't seen it, I would suggest it!
Saturday afternoon (I slept in, I was going to leave in the morning) I left to go home to drop some things off, including the suitcase that my mom needed for today. I also brought home somethings from my dorm so there is less to take home when I leave next week. We went home, my sister and I worked on her project that was due today, and we had some leftovers and watched some TV. The thing that really disturbed me was that the show she was watching on DiscoveryKids was teaching the kids how to make their own ouija board! I think my sister may have fallen asleep by then, thank God,
but it is disturbing that they encourage children to play with these things of the occult!
Sunday morning I got up maybe about 7 or 8. I cannot remember currently, but I hopped in the shower and got ready to head back to school. I left about 9:40 and got back about 10:30ish. Then I just had to wait for Mr. Zak to call about picking me up and bringing me to
Imago Dei. He called, and about 11:45 picked me up in the St. Pat's school bus. It has been forever since I've ridden in one of those! It was also very cool because of the Catholic stuff in it.
So we got there a-okay and unloaded and helped set up. Then some of us were sent on a McDonald's mission to get lunch for the 20+ kids that had came with Mr. Zak. Sadly, I think they may have forgotten a few of the drinks and fries, but everyone did have something to eat. After that, things kinda got kicked off.
There were many Sisters, Brothers and Priests there. It was fun just to walk around and see who was what and from where. Sisters would always be coaxing me over to chat with them. It was nice to hear about them all and they were all wonderful. I did take a few pictures, and I'll share them with you, but I may have to explain some of them.
As for the pictures, I did not get any pictures of Fr. Stan, the (NEW) Auxilary Bishop of Chicago,
Gerard, or of the Nashville
Dominican that had spoken. I just felt that I shouldn't because no one else was. But I did get some pictures of the set up and the church (Very beautiful church I may add!) along with just some Sisters that were hanging around. Now, there is a picture of a Sister who is dancing like a mad woman. The picture does show the extent of the madness, but oh my goodness. Wow is all I have to say. So that may explain things, so enjoy the pictures!
It was a wonderful event and seeing Sisters and talking to them, and also getting their prayers was great as well! I got to see Joe, a friend of mine who I haven't seen in a loooong time, and that was great itself! (I hope he doesn't see this, it might inflate his ego some more, lol) I think Mr. Zak may have been telling some Sisters about my own discernment and such and the plans to enter the Poor Clare Colettines, but it was wonderful to have so many praying for me. Last night before leaving and after Mass was probably the best part of the evening. I was just filled with so
much joy and love. It was a wonderful blessing to be reassured and have courage to do what needs to be done in these coming weeks. I also thought about how many religious I have praying for me! I am sure it may be nearing 50! Another thought to blow one's mind away. Fr. Stan Fortuna also blessed my Franciscan Crown which also made me very happy. I'm extra happy it was a Franciscan that blessed it too.
This afternoon, I was also checking out a few websites of some of the communities there, and one of them in their 'recommended readings' section had recommended a book of Sr. Joan Chittister's. That was a little unnerving. It was also wonderful talking to one of the Sisters who said 'Bingo!' when I had explained to her the joy and the peace from visiting the Poor Clares. She was so sweet and so lovable!
One last things before I am through! The Summit Dominicans have some lovely medals comemorating 800 years of the first foundation of Dominican Nuns! Here is what their site says about it:This lovely medal, designed by our postulant, Sr. Greta, 
depicts our founder, St. Dominic de Guzman, accepting the vows of the first nuns at Prouilhe. The inscription (in Latin) encircling the top of the medal is "MONIALES ORDINIS PRAEDICATORUM" ("Nuns of the Order of Preachers") with the foundation year, 1206, and the eighth centenary year, 2006, at the bottom.
other things tend to get the better of me and my time. Today, I wanted to share some of the great insight from a recent reading of the very short The Wonders of the Mass by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, O.P. Fr. O'Sullivan has written a number of beautiful short books, one of which is one of my favorites, All About the Angels. The Wonders of the Mass is more or less a 'pamphlet' rather than a book considering it has only 42 pages and is about 6 inches tall, but it is still an awe-inspiring book.
