Saint Joseph the Worker

Quote:"The time is always right to do what is right."



Martin Luther King, Jr



The Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker! What a wonderful way to start out Mary's month. Though it is often said that Mary points always to her son, I think sometimes she finds ways to point to her good husband as well!



In our community we have a deep devotion to Saint Joseph. I think perhaps with Catholics that is a universal thing. He may have been a quiet figure in the history pages, but their is always a warm place in our heart for him. I think like Saint Joseph some of those who leave the deepest imprint on our hearts on those who are quietly known and loved, such as family members or dear friends. People who make us smile just to remember them. Wouldn't this make a nice epitah? "He loved much and was loved much."




Blessings of Peace and All Good,

Sister Patricia and all the Sisters



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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage "Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you." Mt 7:7 God wants to be a gracious and generous Abba to me. However, he wants me to ask for whatever I need, not to make him aware of my needs, but to bring me to a deeper appreciation of my dependence on him. Jesus instructs me simply and clearly how to pray with perseverance and patience. Furthermore, he gives me the assurance that I will receive and I will find. All Jesus asks is faith and trust in him.

Journeys - Near and Far

To send today's card: Easter Thursday.

Life always has its changes. Tomorrow will be the last day for our Chaplain, Fr. Larry, as he prepares to move onto a new assignment. We won't be getting our new chaplain until July so in the interim we will be having one of our wonderful diocesan priests, Father Lorge, coming each day. It's funny even though we don't move onto new places and see new things - having different chaplains from time to time takes us into different spiritual journeys as well.

When I was younger we moved and moved and moved. I loved it. Then when we finally settled down in this area, I graduated and went into the Navy and moved and moved as well. When I came to the monastery I wondered how I would ever manage only staying in one place. But in the twenty-five years I have been here I have never gone further than Seattle the one time when my brother was sick. You know I don't mind in the slightest. It seems like God always brings new adventures into my life without even going off the block. Pretty amazing.

Trouble for Pi and Pizza

To send this card: Today's Card

Music: Your Smile

Quote:God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"

William A. Ward



It's Monday evening and I just got back from making my bed and rescuing Pi. It wasn't a big rescue to me but a very BIG one to him. When I took Pi up to bed about an hour and a half ago, I closed him inside his cage for the trip up (he stays in my office during the day and goes up to my bedroom at night). So that part is normal. The unnormal part is that I forgot to open the cage door again when I got upstairs. Pi spends only enough time in his cage to eat and drink - so being stuck there for an hour and a half was way beyond his limits. When I casually walked in a bit ago to make my bed (sheet washing day) he was racing back and forth like he was in a boat about to go over Niagara Falls. "Get me outta here! Somebody save me!" Poor guy. I opened the door and he scrambled to the top of his cage and onto his perch like he only had seconds before those rushing falls would have totally done him in. Whew.

Tonight we had a fire in the oven. Ron Belter, our radio friend was over today to do some work on the equipment. He stopped in the kitchen before going up to the studio, to talk to some of the sisters. He saw some action in the stove window that looked a bit unusual. "Do you have a fire in your oven?" he asked. We looked. No we did not have a fire in the oven. What gave him that idea? But we took a second look and "THERE IS A FIRE IN THE OVEN!" Once we got the fire out with a bit of soda we continued with food preparations. We had pizza (which we cooked in another oven) but forgot to remove the cardboard. I'm sure it has nutritional value but doesn't add a lot to the taste. Just one of those days where one exciting thing happens after another. I wonder if you could call this Holy Triduum burnout?

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage "Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little" Mk 6:31 With this invitation, Jesus is teaching me how to handle the busyness of life. He invites me to come by myself to meet him alone in prayer. Here together we can determine what should occupy a high priority on my list and what is of lesser importance. Only in prayer can I internalize and integrate all those things which are essential to my spiritual growth and which will help me become a committed disciple. With St. Paul I can forfeit everything else and count it as rubbish so that Christ may be my wealth (Phil 3:8).

Holy Thursday - and thoughts of Jesus

To send this card: Holy Thursday.


Quote:Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Mother Teresa

Lent has now ended and we begin the Triduum. It starts this evening (Holy Thusday) with the Mass of the Lord's Supper and continues until night prayer on Easter Sunday. The day of our Salvation is at hand!

Can you imagine what it will be like to really meet Jesus? Truthfully, I don't even think I can comprehend that at all. It is like out of my orbit of understanding. I feel I would absolutely have nothing to say. I would just stare with my mouth open. "Wow! It's Jesus. Wow. Now what do I do?" If I was a little child I would run up and jump into his arms and say, "Hi Jesus, I love you!" But as an adult with all sorts of baggage of thoughts and ideas and misunderstandings, I think I would just say, "Wow, It's Jesus. It's really you."

I think I am having these thoughts because across the street from the monastery a dear friend and neighbor just went to see Jesus. She was a mother who loved. I know Jesus will be glad to see her. It will be beautiful. I wonder what it will be like when I get to see Jesus. With no one around to note whether I say the right things or do the right things or anything but just be there before God. I wonder what it will be like. I wonder who I will be like before God? I wonder if I will be sad because I didn't do better or maybe I will just say, "Who cares about me! It's wonderful to see you, to be with you!"

Often times I think of Jesus as Savior of the whole world... but I think maybe I need to spend some thought time thinking more of, "Jesus, Savior of Me!"

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage "Lord teach us to pray" Lk 11:1 Prayer is my relationship to God. My prayer is Trinitarian. Jesus says: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (Jn 6:44). "No one comes to the Father but through me" (Jn 14:6). "No one can say: 'Jesus is Lord,' except in the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor 12:3). I augment my relationship when I pray: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . ." and "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. . . ."

Card Site Changes and Votes

To send this card: Today's Card



Quote:God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
St. Augustine



Thank you, thank you for everyone who participated in the card site poll and especially thank you for everyone who took the time to share a comment or two. They are very helpful. And guess what? I already started making some changes. Don't groan those who didn't want the changes. You know its in my blood, I just can't help myself. But really I think its much, much better. Do please take a look. Franciscan Card Site.

Oh, and besides that I have also entered in the Easter Card contest! If you like you can visit my Easter Card Page and vote. Easter Page. The way you vote is by writing a review. Sorry, but that's just the way it works. Even two or three words qualifies as a good vote! Thank you for those who do!

VOTE for this siteat the Cardmasters World Championship

Well, these are busy radio days in Seattle and Spokane as we join the Sacred Heart Radio team in their three day Spring Radiothon. I am asking Saint Joseph to help and bless all those who join us in making it possible to continue. It is such an overwhelming testimony of God's love I think to have Catholic radio and I know he blesses all those who make it possible for others. We don't usually have the radio on all day in the monastery but during these days we are praying and listening all day! Well, except prayer and meals of course.

Sister Rita Louise and myself talked a little on the air. Sister Rita Louise's first time and she did marvelous! I talk on the radio more than she does, but I was much more tongue tied and twisted than she was. (I think she prayed more - will have to remember that!) Tomorrow perhaps Sister Colleen and some others will join in the fun!



Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation. Is 52:7 By striving to live very close to Jesus in mind and heart, I bring glad tidings and peace to many hearts. As I try to keep myself experientially aware of Jusus' abiding presence with me and within me, all my actions and attitudes will reflect the good news of salvation. I am reminded that actions speak louder than words.

New Possibilities

To send this card: Today's Card

Music: The Light of the Spirit

Quote:Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles," 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech)




Isn't that quote above so wonderful? I am sure like me, you have read it many times, but its one of those I think we need to read over and over. At least I do.

It has been some time since I spent some quality time working on the card site. So that is my next focus for a bit. (I am taking a break from the book for a while) anyway I would love to receive some input from you as to any changes you might like to see, new cards you might like. How I might make it easier to use, etc. I made a new poll Sed Joynotes. I would love for you to take a few moments to check your preferences. Also you can leave a comment when you click on the view results line. Thanks so very much, your thoughts and suggestions will be invaluable!

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage Christ suffered for you . . . and left you an example, to have you follow in his footsteps. (1 Pt 2:21) Lk 5:27-28 Jesus, as you know, I have my favorite crucifix prominently displayed in my room. If I am tempted to indulge in self-pity, a casual glance at your image is a surefire remedy. When I am angry, offended, discouraged, lonely, or tired, a contemplative gaze at the outpouring of your love on that cross lifts my spirits to new heights. Thank you for being there, Jesus. Thank you for reminding me of the total gift of your love.

Pi is on the Move!

To send this card: Lent Card

Quote:How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Anne Frank

Just in case you were wondering, the clock did staighten itself out today - and seemed to stay the course even for evening prayer tonight. Guess even clocks can have their moments!

Almost stepped on Pi this evening! I had to go to the store with Sister Colleen and when we came back in I started going down the hallway and I noticed this little thing bobbing along near my feet. Pi was on the move. Whenever he hears my voice and I don't come right, smack, this moment back to my office he feels he has to see what's the hold-up. He is really lucky he didn't get stepped on because it was that time between daylight and dusk before we had put any hall lights on and it was pretty dark. Sister Jane went out the kitchen and into the hall before I did, don't know how she missed him, but that would have been bad cause she is much taller and bigger than I am and could have really got some toes!. Guess Pi's guardian angel was on duty, thanks be to God. I do pray for his angel to watch him! Will have to start making doubly and triply sure I keep my office door closed when I leave.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters
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Follow Me by Msgr. David E. Rosage "No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; no, he shall possess the light of life." Jn 8:12 Jesus is the beacon of my journey through life. When fears and doubts, misunderstandings and rejections tend to darken my path, I can always depend on Jesus, my guiding Light. At times he guides me gently, like the reflectors along the highway. At other times a low-beam headlight will amply illumine the way. On still other occasions I may need the high beams to give me a more cosmic vision. Be that as it may, no follower of Jesus will ever walk in darkness. Thank you, Lord.