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Thursday, October 20, 2016
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Monday, October 17, 2016
News and Events: Sister Mary Hils
Sister Mary Hils was one of those sisters who worked in the background all her life. She was one of the sisters who joined Mother Ellen in founding the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker. She never wanted to stand out or be in the limelight. She only wanted to do God's will.
She was born in Newport, Ky. She entered religious life as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth in 1927 at the age of 18. After completing her novitiate, she was assigned to work in various convents as a housekeeper. In the early 1930's she was in charge of the Dormitory in the Orphanages run by the community at that time.
She joined Mother Ellen in forming the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker in 1973. She wrote "I knew that God was asking or telling me to do this in His own way. Since I had never to my knowledge refused Him anything down through all the years so now I had to do not my will but yours. No matter what. "
Sister was known for her outspoken ways. There was rarely a doubt as to what sister thought about any situation. She would make sure her opinions were heard. She was also very talented at embroidery. She was able to take a small picture and, using graph paper, enlarge it by hand. She would then make a beautiful cross stitch picture from her pattern.
When her health failed, she retired at Taylor Manor. She spent her time praying, reading and working on her cross stitch patterns. From her earliest days, even when she was in good health, Sister expressed the desire to die on a first Saturday in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. God heard her pray. She passed away on June 2, 2001. It was the first Saturday in June.
She was born in Newport, Ky. She entered religious life as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth in 1927 at the age of 18. After completing her novitiate, she was assigned to work in various convents as a housekeeper. In the early 1930's she was in charge of the Dormitory in the Orphanages run by the community at that time.
She joined Mother Ellen in forming the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker in 1973. She wrote "I knew that God was asking or telling me to do this in His own way. Since I had never to my knowledge refused Him anything down through all the years so now I had to do not my will but yours. No matter what. "
Sister was known for her outspoken ways. There was rarely a doubt as to what sister thought about any situation. She would make sure her opinions were heard. She was also very talented at embroidery. She was able to take a small picture and, using graph paper, enlarge it by hand. She would then make a beautiful cross stitch picture from her pattern.
When her health failed, she retired at Taylor Manor. She spent her time praying, reading and working on her cross stitch patterns. From her earliest days, even when she was in good health, Sister expressed the desire to die on a first Saturday in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. God heard her pray. She passed away on June 2, 2001. It was the first Saturday in June.
Monday, October 10, 2016
News and Events: Franciscan University and retreat
This week Sister Patricia Jean and Sister Mary Catherine will be going to a vocations fair at Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. It is a great school and the sisters are looking forward to meeting everyone there. If you are in the area stop by and see the sisters. They will have our nun cut-out so you can see what you would look like as a Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker.
I am on retreat this week. Making a retreat is such a good way to grow spiritually. We live in a very busy world. How many of us have phones, computers, ipads, ipods, radios, televisions, etc. There is noise all around us. When we go shopping, the store has music playing in the background. When we go out to eat, there is music playing while everyone is talking. Waiting in the doctor's office, waiting on hold or just standing in line, there is always something playing in the background.
And then there is the everyday noise that surrounds us. As I am writing this I hear my printer working. The window is open, so I hear the cars going past. There are sirens, people talking, a plane overhead and the door bell ringing. We are surrounded by noise.
I'll just stop with the noise and not even talk about how busy everyone is nowadays. One of my favorite scripture passages is from the 1 Book of Kings 19:12. Elijah was waiting for God and there was a wind so powerful that it was breaking rocks, but God was not in the wind. After the wind there was a earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but God was not in the fire. All that noise and power, but God was not there. After the fire there was a gentle whisper. God was in the gentle whisper.
During our retreat we spend the time in silence. We are able to hear that gentle whisper of God because we not only turn off all of the outside noises but our interior noises as well. We try to turn off the worry, the planning, and the thinking about all the busyness in our lives. And we tune into the tiny whisper of God. He is speaking to all of us, if we just take time to be still and listen.
I am on retreat this week. Making a retreat is such a good way to grow spiritually. We live in a very busy world. How many of us have phones, computers, ipads, ipods, radios, televisions, etc. There is noise all around us. When we go shopping, the store has music playing in the background. When we go out to eat, there is music playing while everyone is talking. Waiting in the doctor's office, waiting on hold or just standing in line, there is always something playing in the background.
And then there is the everyday noise that surrounds us. As I am writing this I hear my printer working. The window is open, so I hear the cars going past. There are sirens, people talking, a plane overhead and the door bell ringing. We are surrounded by noise.
I'll just stop with the noise and not even talk about how busy everyone is nowadays. One of my favorite scripture passages is from the 1 Book of Kings 19:12. Elijah was waiting for God and there was a wind so powerful that it was breaking rocks, but God was not in the wind. After the wind there was a earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but God was not in the fire. All that noise and power, but God was not there. After the fire there was a gentle whisper. God was in the gentle whisper.
During our retreat we spend the time in silence. We are able to hear that gentle whisper of God because we not only turn off all of the outside noises but our interior noises as well. We try to turn off the worry, the planning, and the thinking about all the busyness in our lives. And we tune into the tiny whisper of God. He is speaking to all of us, if we just take time to be still and listen.
Monday, October 3, 2016
News and Events: Sister Margaret David
Sister Margaret David was one of the sisters who joined Mother Ellen in forming the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker. She was also one of the pair of sisters who were in the community. She was a sister to Sister Mary Rosalie who was also a member of our community.
Sister Margaret David entered religious life in 1929. She earned her high school diploma in the convent. After graduating from high school, she began to work on her college degree. When she completed her novitiate, she was assigned to teach for five years. By her own admission, she was not a good teacher. Since teaching was not something she had a talent for, she was assigned to work in the Medical Records department at various Catholic hospitals. This was a work that she loved and was very good at doing. Sister Margaret David said her years working in Medical Records were 'completely happy'. She used to tell the story of leaving notes for the doctors who needed to sign their charts. She would sign the notes with her initials, Sr. M.D. The doctors began calling her 'Sister doctor'.
In her later years, she spent time at Taylor Manor answering the phone and greeting visitors. When her health began to fail, she retired at Taylor Manor. She was a woman of prayer. In her retirement years when she could have relaxed and slept in just a little, she would rise early and be the first one in chapel. She would get up at an early hour so she could spend time alone with Jesus and pray for all her special intentions.
Even though she was retired, she kept busy visiting the residents, keeping up with the news and making quilts. Sister had a gift for colors and her quilts were works of art. She was a great fan of University of Kentucky basketball and Cincinnati Reds baseball. She wrote of her retirement years,
" I am spending a very happy senior citizen's life, making one quilt after another. I would not change my life for any other. May God be praised."
Sister Margaret David passed away at Taylor Manor on Sept 3, 2001 at the age of 91.
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| Sister Margaret David as a young woman before entering the convent. |
Sister Margaret David entered religious life in 1929. She earned her high school diploma in the convent. After graduating from high school, she began to work on her college degree. When she completed her novitiate, she was assigned to teach for five years. By her own admission, she was not a good teacher. Since teaching was not something she had a talent for, she was assigned to work in the Medical Records department at various Catholic hospitals. This was a work that she loved and was very good at doing. Sister Margaret David said her years working in Medical Records were 'completely happy'. She used to tell the story of leaving notes for the doctors who needed to sign their charts. She would sign the notes with her initials, Sr. M.D. The doctors began calling her 'Sister doctor'.
In her later years, she spent time at Taylor Manor answering the phone and greeting visitors. When her health began to fail, she retired at Taylor Manor. She was a woman of prayer. In her retirement years when she could have relaxed and slept in just a little, she would rise early and be the first one in chapel. She would get up at an early hour so she could spend time alone with Jesus and pray for all her special intentions.
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| Sister Margaret David after her retirement from Medical Records. |
Even though she was retired, she kept busy visiting the residents, keeping up with the news and making quilts. Sister had a gift for colors and her quilts were works of art. She was a great fan of University of Kentucky basketball and Cincinnati Reds baseball. She wrote of her retirement years,
" I am spending a very happy senior citizen's life, making one quilt after another. I would not change my life for any other. May God be praised."
Sister Margaret David passed away at Taylor Manor on Sept 3, 2001 at the age of 91.
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