His Love Endures Forever! This refrain rang out from the hearts of participants in our annual Mother Daughter Days in various ways throughout the event, which was held Jun 27-19, 2019. Squeals rang through Marian Hall as the girls were reacquainted with friends from previous Mother Daughter Days, some of whom they hadn’t seen for awhile. As each new family arrived the clumps of people visiting in the hallway grew and the volume increased until everyone was settled in and Sister called the group to attention.
Visiting continued as the girls hunted for hearts before praying together and sharing some of our gifts and preferences. Listening to the girls tell about their moms revealed clearly the great love and admiration these 24 girls have for their mothers, and now, after spending a couple days with them, I share an admiration for them as well. This weekend was a chance for moms to spend time with other faithful Catholic mothers who face similar challenges in passing on their love of Christ to their children in the midst of the many contrary messages and temptations which surround them. Much sharing of struggles and advice was accomplished over meals, during recreation time, and in formal sharing times too. For the girls, it was not only a chance to see some of their friends but also to spend time with Religious Sisters, whom some of them see only at Mother Daughter Days each year. Getting a taste for the life of the Sisters is always an enjoyable part of the event as participants follow the Sisters’ schedule for prayer and meals while they are at the convent. Propelled by their love for Jesus and their desire to participate in Holy Mass, participants arrived in chapel by 6:35 Friday morning. Following morning prayers and Holy Mass breakfast was served with an opportunity to visit with the Sisters. After breakfast a group of Sisters shared about their personal experiences of God’s love as well as their favorite things about being Sisters; they also answered questions from the mothers and daughters. A recurring theme was that each Sister nurtures her individual relationship with the Lord and supports her fellow Sisters in doing the same such that they can take Jesus into the world through their various apostolates. The Sisters expressed sincere gratitude for the privilege of having the Blessed Sacrament in each of our convents along with the possibility of participating in daily Mass, regular Confession, and Eucharistic adoration – all of which were part of Mother Daughter Days. The value of living in community, supporting each other, and keeping a common schedule were mentioned as important for the Sisters. Finally, the joy of sharing Jesus with the people we serve was communicated through the Sisters’ stories. Now that our legs were rested and we were nourished both physically and spiritually, it was time for a tour of the convent and grounds. Beautiful weather allowed us to enjoy the gardens, cemetery, and fish pond as well as both chapels, heritage rooms, and the gift shop. This being Friday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, after lunch Sr. Jean Louise taught us about devotion to the Sacred Heart; families worked together to make a banner with images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary for their homes. She spent some time discussing the symbols we use to depict Jesus’ heart that portray his love for us. Eucharistic Adoration was a special treat that afternoon as we had an opportunity to come face-to-face with the heart of Jesus we had been talking about and experience his love in a very direct way. Another treat came Saturday morning when Fr. Scott Sautner visited with the moms about the great love of Jesus symbolized in the image of the Sacred Heart and how they could make that part of their family life. He touched on guardian angels as well as the importance of intentional penances and devotions in every home. The mothers were very grateful for this touching presentation. Meanwhile, the daughters were reflecting on how they experience God’s love through their moms as they each created a small gift for their moms before demonstrating their ability to overcome obstacles with the help of Jesus. All too quickly, it was time to say good-bye. We promised to pray for each other and hope to meet again…at next year’s Mother Daughter Days if not before. Now that the mothers and daughters have departed the Sisters recall their enthusiasm, devotion and faithfulness. We are reminded of the members of the group when we see the chalk drawings on the sidewalk of everything from rainbows and cats to the Cross and Sacred Heart. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – We place our Trust in You! Sr. Mary Ruth Huhn, OSF
1 Comment
Rhonda Hanson
4/21/2021 09:58:53 am
We're interested in a mother-daughter weekend. Where can we get more information?
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AuthorSr. Christina M. Neumann Archives
December 2019
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