Long before my Awakening at the age of twelve, I had my first encounter with some strange people who came to teach us (Catholic children of our rural parish) the basics of what we were to believe as Christians. These creatures were called “Sisters.” My first encounter with them was scary. They surely didn’t look like any of my sisters, especially my sister, Lil, who took me to church to attend my first class with them. This interesting-looking being, dressed in the most peculiar clot...
Here I am now, the impulsive one, not exactly mindless because I did have a great goal (To acquire holiness). To be sure, I will find out that this goal is a faulty one based on misunderstood information, but it carried me through some long, puzzling and sometimes painful days. Each of my convent days began at what I considered an “ungodly” hour. At the clanging of a loud alarm clock, we (about eight sleepers) arose from our beds with their thin, lumpy mattresses. Heavy white curtains s...
Everyday I see so much negativity on so many blogs. There seems to be a lot of hopelessness when we are faced with our failures. When I read the following thoughts from my daily meditation source, I thought I would like to share it with those who believe in God's Word as revealed in the Bible. Thoughts Taken from the Catholic Magazine The Word Among Us Wednesday, October 13 Galatians 5: 18-25 Want to hear some biblical truths? Jesus Christ "was handed over to death for our trespass...
Postulant training was usually completed in six months but because of our youth and our frisky personalities, Mother Guirec decided that we needed a full year of cleansing before we would be allowed to proceed to the Novitiate training in Spring Valley, IL. There were many days when all I wanted to do was call home and tell my parents to rescue me from this purgatory on earth. On other days, I was convinced that this was God’s Will for me. I still had a deep desire to share God’s love w...
Today I celebrate a lifetime, seventy-five years, of being the recepient of countless blessings. A great-niece sent me this site Link that perfectly expresses how grateful I am for God's constant love in my life and in the lives of all those I know and love. Thanks to everyone who has added so much to my life, all of you bloggers included, especially greywar, one of the great rays of sunshine in my life. I am constantly in awe of the depth of your thoughts on so many subjects. Keep...
It is surprising to me that while I can recall so vividly, the many memories of my childhood, this period of my life (Jan. 1946 – Sept. 1947) seems barren by comparison. I know that I was much less sure of myself as I was about to face this second probationary period than I had been facing the first. When I had the left the boarding school to enter the convent, I had done so, without a great deal of serious thought. I had consulted no one. With about as much stability as a fluttering bu...
To reach Illinois, we boarded the train from Valley City. (The days of nun-driven cars had not yet evolved as an accepted mode of travel.) Since we arrived in the fall of the year, the soggy, humid days of typical Illinois summers were nearly over. Still for me, Illinois was very foreign. I was just a country bumpkin who had rarely left the boundaries of North Dakota. We were to be housed in a part of a huge building complex (huge--at least to my rural-oriented view) known as St. Marg...
Although I took my temporary vows in September 1947, I stayed in Spring Valley until January of 1948. I went to “finish” high school at Oakwood, ND where the nuns of our order ran a Catholic School. I was allowed to sit in the classroom with the other students but I was never called upon to answer questions or allowed to participate in any discussions. At first, the students thought that I was some kind of supervisor because I was never introduced to them. I just appeared one day. They ...
As awed as I was concerning the spacious surroundings of my new home, there were some pressing anxieties that kept me from fully appreciating its beauty and peacefulness. There were scores of new faces and places that would call for many new adjustments. I was feeling very reticent even though I had two familiar companions that would be going through these introductions with me. The three of us who had just come from ND timidly faced the group of probationary nuns who were waiting for us ...
There were several male boarders who were older than I. They flirted with me constantly. One of them was especially obnoxious. One day, after he had made a very explicit pass at me, I lost my temper and slapped him a good one. Immediately, I was sorry and scared. He was a very bright lad and he recognized his chance to hold me hostage. He said that he would be telling his mother about my abuse when she came to pick him up for the weekend. I had learned to bluff like the best of them. I told...
It was no big surprise that at the end of that school year, I knew that I would not be reassigned to teach at St. Cecelia’s again. Was I unhappy about that? Not a chance! I held no grudge against that priest. I had no clue as to what made him act the way he did. It was not my place to judge him. He is now long gone from this world. May he rest in peace. I learned from him to be on my guard against any potential wolf in sheep’s clothing. After the usual two-week catechism session in a neig...
When I approached Mother Provincial with my decision, she shushed me to silence. She reminded me that everyone has doubts from time to time. I wanted to tell her about all the things that had upset and appalled me during the past five years. She would not listen. She told me that when I made my vows in the coming summer, I would be going to France. She told me that she wanted me to see and experience where this community of nuns had its beginning. She assured me that a summer away from coll...
Even though the little town of Oakes, ND was located just 16 miles from where I grew up I knew very little about it. During my childhood, I had been to Oakes a few times to have my teeth tended to by Dr. Lisko. Other than that I knew nothing about the school, the church, the pastor or the people. I thought that I might be allowed to see my parents more often since I would be located so near to them but that was not to be. I was still permitted only one day a year to visit them. I misse...
If you have ever said these words: “I am not a religious person,” what does that mean to you? It is true that there are some “religious” people who are the very dregs of the human race. They ridicule, persecute, kill, maim, mock and try to destroy anyone who does not believe as they do. Perhaps the worst kinds of evils have originated from the many forms of organized religion. Such organizations forget that their true mission is to glorify God. Instead they are intent only on protecti...
Lady Cleve ( this is an edit... my apologies to Lady Cleve who has some wonderful blogs also, but was not the one to inspire this blog. It was the bloag of "lifehappens). had an interesting blog recently where she listed all the things that she doesn’t want for Christmas. Then she listed those really important things that are so dear to her heart. It showed that she has some great priorities. Anyway, it set me thinking about things that people (me included) seem to go after and what those...