Deep Bonds Help Navigate

Change is both exciting and terrifying. I experienced both feelings during our delegate assembly meetings in Little Falls last week. Our Franciscan Community forsees a future marked by fewer members and fewer material resources. We've been preparing for these changes; this meeting helps us continue to prepare for them. We understand being small and poor is not a bad outlook for Franciscans following Christ. The trust in the assembly room was tangible even though we don't have all the answers.

One resource I became more deeply aware of as I looked over the gathered congregation in our chapel is just how powerful is the gift of our relationship with each other: these women are as truly sister to me as are my own blood family members. We are siblings in the best sense of the word. Our history is filled with shared experiences of life, death and finding the way through previous large changes. I know we can count on our relationship with each other to help us faithfully navigate the changes yet to come.

The Journey Into God

I was privileged to spend a week of solitude in retreat the end of January. An annual (at least) spiritual retreat is one of the perks of being a Franciscan Sister. For my guide and nourishment for prayer this year, I took notes and a book from a previous retreat I had made with Josepf Raischl and Andre Cirino, both of whom are Franciscan. Their book, The Journey into God, is based on St. Bonaventure's work, The Journey of the Human Person into God. Joseph and Andre provide reflections and exercises which are very helpful in unpacking the depth of wisdom Bonaventure shares.

The Journey takes the one desiring God from the signs of Goodness and Beauty in creation, through those mirrors of God found in our own memory, intellect and desires, and beyond through what we might know of Grace, Truth, Being in contemplation. I am grateful for the time to be with God in this way.

F a i t h f u l Fools - S Carmen Barsody

There are times I wish Kay and I would have kept the newsprint that hung on the wall in her office in early 1998 out of which came forth our name, Faithful Fools Street Ministry, and our mission statement, (which S Jan published in her previous blog.)

After walking the streets of the Tenderloin each day and sharing stories of what brought us to this place and time, we'd head back up the hill to Kay's office at the Unitarian Universalist Church and make notes on newsprint of the people, places, poems, books, beliefs, observations and longings that had come to us as we walked and talked, and encountered people throughout the day. In a magical sort of way our name and our mission statement formed itself on the newspring.

We set out as a Unitarian Universalist Minister and a Catholic Franciscan Sister aspiring to be Faithful Fools. We had both come to a place in our lives where we longed to be faithful to a way of being and seeing in the world. Our many and varied experiences in life led us to one, simple truth - we are all human. No amount of wealth or education, nor any particulr place or religion protects us from suffering or assures us of joy. We have an unabashed belief that everyone has the potential to change and be changed and the work is for a lifetime.

Faithfulness is required for us to accompany a person through deep-seated and unimaginable pain. The patience and compassion we need must be in direct proportion to the amount we allot to ourselves through a lifetime of failed attempts to change our own unhealthy behaviors and ignorant ways of thinking.

To be faithful requires that I walk with a mirror ever before me and practice constant reflection. When judgments or frustrations arise I often say to myself, "you who have never sinned throw the first stone." I've discovered over time that it ultimately takes less energy to put down the stones than to repeatedly hurl them. It is a greater gift to someone to patiently stand still and be a witness rather than to throw stones toward something or someone I ultimately know little about.

Almost 13 years of walking the streets with many Faithful Fools may not have changed the world, but lives have been changed, including my own. Faithfulness has meant never giving up on anyone or anything. If I were to name one gift I have received it is that my mind and heart have been enlarged, and my love has increased so as to have room for the vastness of human experience, and for this I am grateful.
(reprinted from Fools Fables, Annual Edition 2010-2011 with permission)

Fools Fables

I just read the latest edition of Fools Fables published by our friends, Faithful Fools. I was very moved to read the many reflections on faithfulness. Coming from them, this quality has depth and significance beyond the ordinary. Sister Carmen and Rev. Kay have been walking soul to soul with men and women of the tenderloin since 1998, at least. Sister Susan has been with them many years. Carmen reminded us of their mission statement:

We are called to a ministry of presence that

acknowledges each human's incredible worth.

Aware of our judgements, we seek to meet people where they are

through the arts, education, advocacy and accompaniment.

We participate in shattering the myths about those living in

poverty, seeing the light, courage, intelligence, strength and

creativity of the people we encounter.

We discover on the streets our common humanity,

through which celebration, community and healing occur.

For more about these folks, see http://www.faithfulfools.org/ Your spirit will be enriched.

Merry Christmas to All

Everything there is to be said about Christmas was already in the many cards and letters exchanged this month. . . . or was it? Is there something else I would really like to have someone hear?

As we gather with a small group on Christmas eve, I want everyone in the whole world to hear how precious are the ordinary things we do with each other. Our community chatted about the past many years we have gathered to honor this event which marks the union of Divine and Human. The holiday's emphasis is on the Human, God's choice to live a human life. This is a day which proclaims that our ordinariness is very good. We decorate our plants in gratitude for what we already have. My prayer for you today is that you enjoy the gift of your everyday life. Merry Christmas.

St. Cloud Franciscan Life Group

Our St. Cloud Franciscan Life Group has a new member: we are happy to welcome Jadzia Olson to this faith-sharing and study community of Franciscan Associates and Sisters. Jadzia has been an Associate for over 6 years and was active with the community in Morris, MN where she lived prior to coming to St. Cloud. She brings enthusiasm and a great love for community.

Present for our December meeting were S. Cordy Korkowski, Yvonne Warzecha, Geri Dietz, Kathie Pflueger, S. Janice Wiechman, and Bonnie Przybilla in back row. In front are S. Jan Kilian, S. Carol Virnig, and Jadzia Olson. Several other members were unable to be present this day. (Sorry, we took only one picture and so not all of us had time to open our eyes!)

Our St. Cloud group meets monthly and shares leadership responsibility for our gatherings. This year we have decided to not only study and reflect on some Franciscan readings but to also record some of our reflections for others to use some day. Murray Bodo's book, Francis - the Journey and the Dream, forms the basis of our current sharing. We find food for our spirits as we hear how these stories not only framed Francis' life in the 13th century but also provide a map for our 21st century lives. We find a great deal of joy as each of us shares her insights into current applications.