Monday, January 31, 2011

Being, Dreaming, Loving, Thriving

Last year for my birthday, I received an Americans Greeting card from one of our sisters, Ellie Shea, osu that had a very powerful message that I'd like to share with everyone today.

We didn't come here to fit in.

We came here to be who we are.

We didn't come here to work.

We came here to live our dreams.

We didn't come here for the stuff.

We came here to love each other.

We didn't come here by accident.

We each came here with a purpose

that is uniquely our own.

Be Dream Love Thrive Always.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Thursday, January 27, 2011

St. Angela Merici Feast Day


Happy Feast Day!!!
Today is the Feast of St. Angela Merici. She was an amazing woman. At the age of 65, in 1535, she founded the Ursuline Sisters. Angela gathered woman together for prayer, community and reflection. The woman were to serve others by meeting the needs of the times.
Angela's wonderful words of advice to us:
You need not be anxious if you do your best.
Be kind and compassionate to another.
Give good example-teaching more by what you do than what you say.
Prayers and blessings to all those who have been touched by the Ursuline spirit and charism.
Thank you Angela!!
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Service, Prayer and Reflection Sharing - Ursuline Companions In Mission

Greetings Everyone!!!!

Are you interested in service among the poor, reflection and prayer, housing, meals and sharing with the Ursuline Sisters. in the spirit of the Gospel. Then check out this out!!!

The Ursuline Sisters are offering two service, prayer and reflection opportunities over this summer of 2011. One will be in New Orleans, LA and the other in New Rochelle, NY.

We are hosting a mini Ursuline Companions in Mission program.


Check out the following link if you are interested.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YH-A20eVjTRmzVMz4X43scOIvMNYTchLg9oRyHzLGMg/edit?hl=en

We would love to have you join us in this endeavor!!

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

BUZZ

I just finished reading for my professional book club the book titled BUZZ- A Year of Paying Attention by Katherine Ellison. It is a memoir in which Ellison shares the story of a year in her life as parent of a twelve-year-old son, Buzz who is diagnosed as having attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) along with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). She herself too is diagnosed with ADHD. The story tells the story both through humor and truth.

It really opened my eyes to the challenges of being a parent and then the extra pieces that go with being a parent of a child with special needs. Buzz isn’t the only child; there is a brother named Max. You hear a bit about his struggles too living with all this; but you don’t hear too much. Thus, it made me think of the many siblings of children with special needs and how their lives are affected too. Plus there was a husband to all this-Jack. You heard about him at various times throughout the book.

I saw how this diagnosis not only affected the child who had it, but also those around him daily. It is quite a challenge. The family struggled through the maze of doctors’ views, the medicine battles and the school system’s challenges. The book provides great insight into how it is to live with ADHD and ODD.

I pray for all those affected and hope we continue to search for ways to prevent or lessen these conditions.

I thank God for teachers and places like the Cooke Center for Learning and Development which work to help children with special needs and their families.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Arizona

Today I arrived in Phoenix, Arizona for the annual Janaury Giving Voice weekend for women religious in their 20s and 30s. This will be my last year since I'll be 40 in May. Yikes!! Scary thing though I'm still "young" in religious life.

My friends and I have dubbed this Young Nun Weekend. It's great to share prayer together, spend time in contemplation, relax with one another, converse about our dreams and struggles and just have FUN!!!

For the 2nd year, we are at Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Phoenix, Arizona. It is quite beautiful. There are many places to sit outside and enjoy the sun.

I'm struck that I'm here in Arizona considering the great tragedy that has hit Tucson, Arizona. I pray for all the victims. So awful!!! I pray that Representative Giffords continues to improve. I also remember the shooter and pray that he gets the mental help he needs. What a disaster!!

I know that our Young Nun gatherings provide peace to my soul. I hope one day that peace can reach all people and the senseless violence in our country, nation, world, planet and Earth can end.

Sr. Jeannie

Saturday, January 8, 2011

475th Prayer

Just received our Annual Report for the Year 2010 from the Ursuline Provincialate in New Rochelle, NY. It contains the gathering prayer used in October for our 475 Anniversary of the founding of the Ursulines.

O, God, we thank you for bringing us together to celebrate 475 years of Ursuline History.

O, God, all your creating praises you in its diversity and its oneness; may we embrace our call to be co-creators and gather all to you.

May our lives be filled with wonder and awe, recognizing you, our God, in all creation.

May your church, as your promised, move through good and bad times toward completion in Jesus.

Help us to grow in awareness of all we can be and do to contribute to the healing of the universe.

Help us to embrace new opportunities to reveal your love for the world.

Amen. Amen.