Sr. Consolata's Visit! :)

On Friday Marin Catholic celebrated the Feast of St. Francis (yes, 3 days early!)--and it was such a treat to have 2 Capuchin Franciscans at Mass and 1 Sister of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyrs St. George! 

Fr. Daly (President of MC), Sr. Consolata, Br. Hai, Br. Peter

 

 

 

The liturgy was beautiful.  I really wanted a "Franciscan" feel to the Mass---so, since St. Francis is the Patron Saint of Animals & Nature, I wanted this reflected in the environment.  Here's how it all came to life!  

1. I emailed all of the MC parents this info: "This Friday our MC community gathers to celebrate Mass in honor of St. Francis, the co-founder of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  Since St. Francis is the Patron Saint of animals and nature, we are hoping to decorate the altar on Friday with a beautiful display of flowers and plants.  If you could spare some flowers and plants from your garden to adorn the altar, please deliver the plants and flowers to Lynn Gray at the front office by 3 pm this Thursday.  Your plants and flowers can be in a vase or not; we will put them all together in a wonderful display around the Eucharistic table."

2. I asked 2 of our school landscapers to borrow plants from a nursery.

Here's the final product!

They didn't bring the plants until Thursday afternoon, so next time I will be sure to get some burlap to "swaddle" the containers!

3. Although I do not love EVERY part of the Los Angeles Cathedral; I love the tapestries!  (Remember Mom that you gave me a poster that featured one of the tapestries?)  It is very moving to "see" the Communion of Saints--facing the altar--in communion with us.  I asked one of our senior students to draw St. Francis so that he would be facing the altar.  I was almost speechless when I saw what she created:

We hung the poster from a basketball hoop.  Here's the "full picture", but the poster was blowing at this point because we had yet to turn the air off:

4. For the offertory--I asked a staff member to bring up his parakeets--they are blue, like Bert!--and they sang sweetly during the liturgy of the Eucharist.

Sr. Consolata spoke at the end of Mass and throughout the day to various Theology classes.  A few things that stuck me from talking with her & listening to her talks:

a) She began thinking of being a nun in the 2nd grade.

b) She has quite a devotion to the Sacred Heart--the pierced Christ.

c) Compare=Despair

d) Everyone should spend more time reading God's word--even just 5 minutes in reading the Bible.

e) When "Good" is coming/growing, be on guard against "evil" that will try to tear down the good.

f) Religious life really is NOT THAT DIFFERENT from married life!

All in all, it was a privilege to spend so much time with Sr. Consolata!  :)