July

From volleyball camp to summer school to St. Paul...

Last week I was in St. Paul, MN for Ho'olaule'a, which in Hawaiian is akin to a family reunion of sorts. We are having inter-provincial gatherings at all of our different provinces in an effort to get to know more sisters and associates/consociates from around our congregation. I went up a few days early to spend some time with the sisters with whom I had lived when I was there as a novice. It was so easy to pick up where we had left off. One of the memories my body holds is of the smell of the kitchen there; always something wonderful cooking. The event was based on our congregational "communions"--with each other, earth, the dear neighbor, and the church. We sang and prayed, painted and ate, laughed and toured. I was invited to act out the resurrection Gospel from Luke as Mary Magdalen for the prayer service hosted that day. A beautiful service for the apostle to the apostles. I had dinner with some of our sisters from Hawaii, one of whom is working on a water project in Kenya. Amazing pictures and amazing work. I got to see the new center for the school the sisters sponsor for immigrant adults. What a beautiful building. Wonderful for the opportunity to surround myself with a week of beauty of all kinds.

We hit a crazy-bad storm on the way home. The rain wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the wind blowing sheets of rain, and attempting the same with our car. It was great to get back home.

(For more information and pictures on the Ho'olaule'a events going on check on the blog at: http://csjhoolaulea.wordpress.com/)

This week we are mostly preparing for our yearly nun meetings that start on Thursday. I am on a committee that is planning Thursday. It will be mostly a day for us sisters to talk about what it looks like to live the Consecrated Life today. I have a little presentation piece on which I'm still working, but today is only Tuesday, so there's still plenty of time. Friday will be a larger provincial day on non-violence, leaving Saturday for the general business agenda. We're also putting on a Bunco social with root beer floats and attendance prizes, to which I am looking forward.

I managed to sprain my ankle playing volleyball on Saturday. It was a great tournament. Forty-eight women signed up ranging in age from 22 to 72. We were split semi-randomly into eight teams and took turns playing each other. The secretary at school had invited me, and hopefully I can get in on another tournament or two this year. Hopefully by then the pretty purple and black patterns on my foot will be gone.

Although I am looking forward to it, school starts too soon. More later.