One thing that our Superior General of the MSCs (Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart) told us was – we need to be willing to be disturbed, to reach outside our comfort zone. I’m becoming increasingly aware of the fact that if I don’t bring you all up to date soon, I’m going to be talking about the past for a long time!
One thing that many people know is that I struggled greatly in the beginning with the challenge of community. The blessing, coming to live at the convent, with a currently existing community, is that Crystal, Michelle and I had an unbelievable (really, you have to see this) foundation. Not having each other would have definitely hindered the transition process.
Complications that I had adjusting to the community can, looking back be summed up in the understanding that when we moved in, all of the community members were not at the house. For a day or two, I became comfortable with, what I thought, was the dynamic of the community. Once everyone was here, I was a little shook up because the dynamic wasn’t as clearly understood as I thought. The transition process to the community has come though understanding, at least generally, everyone’s personalities and tendencies. These are personal tendencies/habits, as well as how certain individuals in the community react to one another. I can say that today, six and a half weeks later, I really do love the community. The community in itself is a blessing, and the dynamics are constantly changing as we are a 'house of hospitality' inviting guests from all over…
The Structure….
We live in a 4-floor building. On the first floor we have a kitchen, dining room, chapel, office, and sitting room. On the second floor we have a living/community room and a computer room as well as three sisters residence. On the third floor Crystal and I live with two of the sisters, and Michelle is on 4 with one more sister. The missioners are in rooms that are connected by a bathroom, while the sisters occupy both sides, one side for sleeping, and one for and office, etc.
The other structure...
Everyday, we all eat breakfast and leave to do our own thing and return to community. In the evening we have dinner together at 5:30pm, followed by dishes/clean-up and prayer. Then we scatter again. Community is like living in a family. We try to eat together every day, but the reality is that many of are often busy. I love when we’re all home for dinner and prayer! I also enjoy when we do things together outside of the convent. It was nice when we first moved in because, since we hadn’t started work, I was able to go to church with Sr. Alberta (we’ve also gone to a movie and out to lunch with her), go to CCNR with Sr. Angie, and we went to a performance of a one-man play and to Cabrini Home in Dobbs Ferry with Sr. Dianne and Angie. We’re going bowling next week at the “Bowling for Cabrini” event!
The girls…
Sr. Angie cracks me up. She was one of our orphans in Philly. She is incredible thoughtful and genuine. This girl runs around all day, almost always traveling by foot. I have walked around with her and secretly she made me tired! She is part of our main comic relief as she often just shrugs her shoulders. She’s kind of sassy when she talks and I love it…too funny. She is very generous and always considerate. Whenever she says something smart to me, it makes me want to throw my arms around her! Ask her if she likes it and she'll be like, like it? ...love her!!
Sr. Archangel, aka ‘the Mayor.’ I told someone that her nickname was ‘the Mayor.’ Their response – “Archangel isn’t a big enough name, she needs the Mayor too?!” Yes. Common phrases are “Oh giiirrrlllss,” “Big deal,” and “Hello, Darling.” She said that she can’t remember everyone’s name, so she just calls them Darling. Archangel is quick to give you a compliment, but she’ll always contradict it with something else. “You didn’t think that I was going to let your head blow up like a balloon, did you?” haha Love her!
Sr. Alberta is a sweet person with the very best of intentions. She usually is at home, but very frequently attends mass around the corner. She also leaves to run errands close to home and to go to prayer services. When at Columbus, she has ELS students that come Mon-Thursday for a couple hours a day. Her sessions are always one-on-one. After Crystal, she is my closest neighbor, so I see her a lot. This girl calls me “Maria,” which I love…and sometimes Marie. She is very thankful and observant when it comes to recognizing the gifts of individual people. She'll be moving in December, after Christmas.
Sr. Pat works with me at Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehab (CCNR). There she helps coordinate the masses, and also does one-on-one pastoral visits with the residents/patients. She is very straightforward, and a great worker. She is definitely a doer, and is one of the most thoughtful people that I have ever met. She has such a beautiful heart, and I am very grateful to have had time in community with her. She never seeks any recognition for her good deeds, and consequently, I think that she can be under appreciated! She is done working at CCNR at the end of this month, and she will be leaving at the end of December also, as she is being transferred to Colorado :(
Sr. Consolata is a gem. I LOVE her little Italian kisses! She has a very quiet presence, and has been quoted a saying that “Living in this community will bring you to sanctity.” We’ll see ;) She too, is leaving. When we moved in August, she was at the Senior Residence in Philly. When she left here, she didn’t move out because Philly was temporary. Once she is ready, she will be moving into Sacred Heart Convent with all of the other sisters that have just moved up from Philly. Many of you know about that transition as well. Consolata is too sweet. Every day when I see her she gives me about five kisses on the cheek. She will get you with her cute little smile. Her Italian accent also is a little infectious!
Sr. Dianne is incredible. She is our point person for the community. If we have questions or concerns we go to her. Likewise, members of the community can go to her if they have questions or concerns related to us. She is such a peaceful and present woman. She is incredibly well educated…when talking about higher education she has masters, plural! She has an amazing gift and sensitivity to people with any disability, handicap, disease. That is how she was raised, and that is how she lives out her ministry. She had many passions, deafness, dementia, Spanish, to name a few. I think that’s why I relate well to her :)
There will be much more to come, but this is more or less the skeleton of our community’s composition!
No comments:
Post a Comment