A Christmas Message

The following message is found on the Christmas card from our Province Leadership. It touched me so I wanted to share it with everyone.

The living God is

unimaginably near,

pouring out merciful love

in the midst of our

darkness, injustice,

sin, and death.

May God's gift to you

this Christmas

be renewed faith

that trusts

this is true.

Prayers and Blessings to All!!

Sr. Jeannie

Homelessness

I know I haven't updated this blog recently. But quite honestly, I am unsure of what to say right now. Through one of my ministries, I have come up close to the issue of homelessness. One of our children, her mother and sister were kicked out of a cousin's house recently and went to live in a shelter. They just found out they were not approved to stay there and had to leave again. I really don't understand the system or honestly know much about it. All that keeps going through my mind is that it stinks and I wish I could do more for this family and the countless others who are affected too.

This Advent season, my community is Journeying with a Companion-this means we each have taken a figurine from the creche scene and are asked to pray with this "person", "animal" or "object". I happened to pick a shepherd who is playing bagpipes. I keep praying with him daily and thinking of this family.

Jesus was in a sense "homeless" when he was born. Joseph had to ask for a place for his family to stay. The innkeeper had no room, but offered him the barn. That's where Jesus was born and then he was laid in a manger. What a poignant scene that I look at every year.

However do I really reflect on it. What is this simple action saying to us today? How are we receiving the homeless people right in front of us?

St Angela says to us "For in these troubled times, you will no other refuge than at the feet of Jesus Christ".

Jesus, I'm turning to you right now asking what to do and how to best help this family. Plus teach me how to live more gratefully with all that I have and not to complain or want more.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

NUN BUILD- NEW ORLEANS

Building homes in New Orleans are Phyllis Kemper, (4th from left), a Brown County Ursuline from Cincinnati, and Stephanie, (1st on the left), a friend/former student of Regina Marie Fronmuller (last on the right. Regina Marie is an Ursuline from New Orleans. The rest are Ursulines (Teresa Byrne, Marie-Ce Miranda, Terry Eppridge, Carole Marie Keaney, and Dee Yanshak) from the New York area.

New Orleans was abuzz two weeks ago as approximately 87 sisters and lay colleagues, took part in Nuns’ Build under the aegis of the St. Bernard Project.

Our Ursuline group of seven was assigned to the same two houses throughout. The first was a real challenge, large (five bedrooms), dark, filled with dry wall waiting to be put up. Fortunately sisters of other communities there were with us. The second house, where we were for only one day, was a joy, small and bright with plenty of indoor room. We specialized in insulation this year, and by the end of the week all of us were quite adept in measuring, cutting, and installing.

Beyond the building skills is the sense of community this work engenders, along with the conviction that we are truly assisting in getting someone or a family “home.” Particularly touching was our encounter with Robin who with her daughter has lost three homes in the last five years: one to Katrina, one to Gustav, and one to fire.

The St. Bernard Project is making every effort to get them and others “home for the holidays.”

The time in NOLA was not all work. Several were able to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, beautiful, yet with painful reminders of the oil spill as well as Katrina. And no visit to New Orleans is complete without time in the French Quarter. Sunday was highlighted by a wonderful Mass near Basin Street complete with music, song, impassioned preaching, and great spirit, as well as a visit to St. Jude’s Community Center, an amazing multi-faceted outreach facility across the street.

Finally, we went on a Swamp Tour. There are pictures of several of us holding an alligator to prove it!

Sr. Teresa Byrne, OSU
Malone, NY

An Advent Acrostic

All creation is waiting and

Desiring a sign of hope

Voices are raised in prayer

Excitement is building for the

News that will be good and soon

The wait will be over as a baby is born.

Sr. Jeannie