by Sr. Mary Emmadoña Lee | Sep 10, 2023 | Newsletter
The days of summer are behind us, and you may have wondered, what do Sisters do in the summer? Here’s a little glimpse for you of what we Parish Visitors have done this summer.
Our annual eight-day retreat was in June and our jubilees in early July, as was mentioned in our last newsletter. Much else has happened since then.
Apostolates continued, sometimes in a different form, such as Vacation Bible Schools in various parishes, Camp Wildfire for middle schoolers, and so on. Three Sisters went on a temporary mission to Northern Ireland for two months. There are so many ways to reach out to God’s people, all year round!
Our Arizona Sisters sent us this Vacation Bible School photo; below is from Ireland.
Our World Youth Day Not A World Away was another outreach. This one-day event for high school teens was held at Marycrest at the same time as the big World Youth Day in Portugal, with Mass, Adoration, confessions, a rosary walk, talks, food and fun! The World Youth Day theme for this year was “Mary Arose and Went in Haste” (to visit her cousin Elizabeth), which was expressed on the T-shirts.
In the tent in front of our Chapel
Rosary Procession; listening to a talk by our local Bishop
Fun at World Youth Day, Marycrest
Our Ohio convent, in conjunction with their diocese, directed a World Youth Day weekend there for young adults. Let us pray that all the young people at all these events continue faithfully in their walk with the Lord.
Ohio World Youth Day, with Sr. Debra Marie and novice Sr. Marie Michelle in the above photo
World Youth Day, Ohio
We also had time to have some extra relaxation, of course. Games and picnics are always favorites with us. We even had a marshmallow roast right in front of our Chapel for the sake of the Sisters who aren’t well enough to travel to a picnic!
Our Sisters may visit their families once a year for two weeks (every other year for four weeks for those whose families are in faraway countries). Summer is usually the time for these visits.
Of course our contemplative prayer life continues, in all of our convents. Here is a photo of the Chapel in our Bronx convent.
Some of you may have been wondering what is happening with the cause of our foundress, Servant of God Mother Mary Teresa Tallon. Her cause is still in Rome, awaiting the next step. Meanwhile we have a number of reports of answered prayers through her intercession. Pray to her for your needs, and about your vocational discernment!
May God’s continued blessings and guidance be with you. We’re praying for all of you!
In Jesus,
Your Parish Visitor Sisters
by Sr. Mary Emmadoña Lee | Jul 1, 2023 | Events
We began the month with the celebration of two jubilees: Sr. Eileen Marie Laird, originally from Montana, has been in religious life for 75 years, and Sr. Carmen Rivera, from Puerto Rico, celebrated 60 years. We rejoiced with them as they renewed their vows in Chapel at a beautiful Mass and later celebrated with family and the Sisters. May God bless them both in abundance for their years of generous and loving service to Him!
by Sr. Mary Emmadoña Lee | Dec 23, 2022 | Magazine
In every Mass the Preface dialogue ends with “Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God,” to which we respond, “It is right and just.” Nearly every Preface begins, “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.”
Always and everywhere to give thanks seems to imply not just at Mass, or on a national holiday. To give thanks is “our duty and our salvation” and it is “right and just.”
John Henry Cardinal Newman’s Meditations for Advent and Christmas were recently quoted in the October Magnificat. “It would be well if we were in the habit of looking at all we have as God’s gift, undeservedly given, and day by day continued to us solely by his mercy.” He urged us to “thankfully commemorate,” and “dwell upon” the many ways God has gifted us.
This might be a good resolution to take up during these years of Eucharistic Revival and beyond. Let us give thanks “always
and everywhere.”
We certainly give thanks for the graces of our temporary mission in Ireland and our newly opened convent in Warren, OH that you will read about in this issue.
Read more
by Sr. Mary Emmadoña Lee | Dec 16, 2022 | Newsletter
Jesus is the Light of the World! He has come to dispel the darkness of sin, and the darkness of not knowing Him.
We know how much the world needs the Savior. He came into our world! He came to save us!
Let’s let the people know that God so loved the world, that He sent His only Son, who came to save us!
Let’s spread the Good News, to His people everywhere, to young and old.
Let’s be His instruments in helping to turn darkness into light
Hustle and bustle and anxiety into peace,
Sin into grace,
Bickering, arguing and hate into love,
Fear into courage,
Sorrow into joy.
We ourselves need Him, too. Let us love Him deeply and show Him our gratitude for His coming. And may any uncertainty you have about your vocation be turned into certainty, in His own good time.
The wise still follow Him!
May you have peace, joy, and many graces from our newborn Savior!
God bless you and your loved ones at this holy season and throughout the new year.
The Parish Visitor Sisters
by Sr. Mary Emmadoña Lee | Sep 4, 2022 | Magazine
Jesus’ great commission at the end of Matthew’s Gospel tells
us to go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Pope Francis has reminded us in “The Joy of the Gospel” that we are all called to be Missionary Disciples because of our Baptism. This call is not just for Priests and Religious but all the baptized.
As Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, we help and encourage those we meet to be faithful as Missionary Disciples. Mother Maria Catherine’s article highlights this point.
It may seem like “Mission Impossible,” as Archbishop Perez put it in the article by Sister Theresa Marie, but with God’s grace, we can do much more than we could ever imagine.
During our retreat this year, we learned that each time someone lives the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, others see a glimpse of God through them. Be that glimpse of God for others
Read the Summer 2022 Issue
Jesus is the Light of the World! He has come to dispel the darkness of sin, and the darkness of not knowing Him.
