The Secret Life of the Franciscan Candidate 8-12-12

This past month has been amazing!! I have been learning many new things including how to use a grill, thanks to Sr. Mary Michael. I do still need a few more lessons though... I have almost learned all of the community prayers! Woohoo! That means one less book I have to try and juggle during prayer and we all know how uncoordinated I am! Jussayin'

I have also been told I will be working as a high school faith formation teacher/volunteer on Sunday mornings and a middle school teacher at a neighboring parish on Wednesday nights. I just can't seem to get away from that age group, but we all know I love them all! I am looking forward to this!

One of our dear Sisters renewed her vows yesterday on her feast day. It was such a beautiful ceremony- and yes, I cried. I am a sap. The vows are so beautiful!

So a list of things I wonder about.
1- Why do things get so dusty in TX? I could dust my room on Saturday and it's dusty by Tuesday.
2- Why can't I keep white shirts white? Something always manages to get on them.
3- How does one keep nylon black knee high socks up?! Mine are ALWAYS falling down! ALWAYS!!!! The only ones that stay up are the cotton ones from Target but I only have 3 pairs of those. (insert note from Lori- I think I'm about to go do a Ari shopping trip, hehe!)
4- Why does God love us so much???
5- Where are all my letters from home.... ie, Fergus Falls? Haha... I love mail!


Well... it is time for bed (9:10pm) Know that many of you... at least all the one's I know, are in my prayers!

Prayer Requests:
1- Continued discernment.
2- The health of my soon to be Uncle, Shawn, and all my family.
3- For the other candidate and all the Sisters on the Formation Team.
4- All the Sisters who are about to get back to school.

God bless you!


Your Sister in Christ,

Ari

Feast Days and the Like- 8-7-12

The last few weeks have been a flurry of feast days. A feast day is when we, as a community, celebrate the saint that a Sister is named after. For example, if a Sister's name is Sr. Mary Claire, her feast day would be August 11th which is the day the Church celebrates St. Claire.

As a community, the Sister whose feast day it is, gets to pick/suggest her meal, a paticular recreational activity, and a mass said for her and her intentions. It is such a fun day! This day is celebrated more than her birthday.

On August 5th we celebrated our superior's feast day... a day late though. Now her feast day is a bigger deal- she gets all the normal things but..... she also get's entertainment provided by the other sisters. This time was a flash mob/games hour at lunch time. *Cue corny "The Dating Game Show" theme song* A bunch of the junior (in temporary vows) and us two candidates get up and start dancing and set up for a silly game show. It was a blast.

So yes, Sisters like to celebrate and have a little fun too!!!

God Bless,

Ari :)