Written by Sister Jan Kilian, this blog will give an understanding of what it’s like to be Franciscan. Living out the spirit of Saint Francis, we see all God’s creation as brother and sister. We, Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, are committed to building relationships and community, ministering wherever there is greatest need, promoting justice and healing Mother Earth’s wounds. My writings will give a glimpse of the compassion, spirituality, interconnectedness and goodness of living Franciscan.
Yesterday, 5/22/2010, was Clare's Well Spring workday. The forecast was for a perfect day to work outside -- so the heavy downpour of rain, with thunder and lightening, lasted from 9:00 a.m. til noon!! Some people blamed me for not praying right. Since when does God make things easy?
Rain-soaked Paul Soenneker and Chuck Pelzel finally brought the broken mailbox into the garage to fix it. Not everything was so portable.
Would you have continued to work outside in such weather? Ron Brown and Cory Tenor continued to plant the flowers from Ron's greenhouse into the hanging pots; the men bringing a new dock to the end of the Sacred Path continued to lug it on its way, and as the 1/2 inch of rain made mud in the yard, volunteers (about 60 in all) continued to come to the work-list posted on the garage door to see what else needed to be done. What do you think about commitment to task come rain or come shine?
In a recent discussion with Jeff Odendahl concerning how to impact attitudes toward immigrants, I was deeply moved by Jeff's conviction that we use arguments based on gospel values and not on financial economy. It is true that "immigration stimulates economic growth by creating new consumers, entrepeneurs and investors", as pointed out by Doris Meissner in her op-ed, Four Myths About Immigration, in the Mpls Tribune May 7, 2010(
http://www.startribune.com/) This is fine. However, it is not a Franciscan reason for supporting a welcoming attitude toward immigrants. Though much of the current debate is based on popular myths, the most powerful supportive arguments are those flowing from deep-seated belief that we are profoundly connected to everyone else. What is done to any person, matters to all of humanity.
In about 2004 the government of Spain moved to legalize immigrants who were in Spain illegally. Some reasons for legalization were economic. I read at the time, however, that a large concern was what happened to Spanish citizens when they were bent on ridding their country of "those people." They were truly bent humans, bent out of shape, distorting God-made wholeness and dignity. I want to work with Jeff, who is putting his shoulder to the wheel to lead U. S. citizens to stand tall in the fullness of wisdom, faith and humility in regard to our place in sharing the God-given gift of Earth.
May Day has been a day to remember workers. There are marches I'd like to be part of to show my support for laborers, and in the Catholic church we commemorate St. Joseph, the Worker. As I walk the ditches of our gravel road to clean up tossed garbage, I think of laborers who do what is sometimes called "stoop labor."
Slaves did stoop labor in the fields of our country at one time and some of those who do it today are treated no better than slaves. I think of our migrant workers -- you all know the stories. Today is a day to say thank you to them for much of the produce trucked to our grocery stores. Let's stop tolerating racism and to go out of our way to welcome new immigrants into the mainstream of our communities. No one stopped me to ask for my ID as I worked.
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