These are the sisters who have come to our little parish to teach the children in the school. Nothing but blessings has come from their being here and it's inspiring just to see them walk across the school yard in their habits. They even walked with us in the San Francisco Walk for Life. Ann Arbor's Dominican sisters flourish and expand The Cathoic News Service (CNS) reports that the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, are expanding to California. As one of the fastest-growing religious orders in the country, it has outgrown its motherhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Twenty-two women entered the religious order in August, and there have been between 10 and 20 new vocations each year for the past five years. The sisters can't build fast enough: “We’re not turning anyone away. We’ll sleep on the floor. We’ll live in kitchenettes, closets and landings. We have in the past,” Sister Thomas Augustine said. According to the CNS article, the sisters will build two new houses of formation -- one in California and the other in Texas. This is in addition to the new House of Studies being built near the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. The sisters -- now affectionately called "Oprah's nuns" due to two appearances they made on the Oprah Winfrey show last year -- celebrated their 14th anniversary on February 9. It was in 1997 that four sisters from the Nashville Dominicans founded the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and now 31 of 110 sisters have made final vows, with the remaining religious in various stages of formation and discernment: The religious’ primary apostolate is teaching. Sisters are sent out in small groups. They are teaching and administering Catholic schools in California, Texas, Arizona, South Carolina, and Michigan. A new mission will open next year in Columbus, Ohio, Sister Thomas Augustine said. Fifteen sisters are obtaining their teaching credentials this year and will go out to teach next year. You can read more about the sisters' plans for expansion at their website.
There is alesson in all of this. Those who cling on to the old ways flourich , those who invent new paths dissolve and decay. Many orders from the '60's onwards have gone, but now many Orders are going back to the old paths that were abandoned with contempt. I noticed lately that some Churches which have adopted the most 'Progressive' and 'Liberal practises are experiencing a huge loss of membership, such as the Epsicopalians and Presbyterians in the USA while more traditional Churches such as the Latter Day Saints and Catholics appear to be flourishing. There's a lesson there. I like a Doctor to look like a Doctor a plumber to look like a plumber and a nun to look and act like a nun.
Oh and these sweet sisters do! You should see them in action. Often when I'm in front of the Blessed Sacrament one of the sisters brings in her 8yr olds. They are all over everything, poking, talking... doing exactly what they were asked not to do. And Sister, kind and sweet, reminds them who they are visiting and why and to genuflect, kneel and pray and maybe write a bit while in His Presence. I notice my interior reaction :x and compare it to hers ...those children are so lucky I'm not the nun! But she is producing a great little crop of believers, tending to each flower.
I always loved this scene from ,'The Nun's Story'..you can smell the incense..and also the scene from, 'The Sound of Music' were the Abbess sings , 'Climb Every Mountain'..I have to say Whoopee Goldberg didn't do bad either. :lol: :lol:
