Franciscan Sisters TOR Community News

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December 2009 & January 2010

Christmas Surprise & Joy


	Christmas is always a time for much joy! Our spouse Jesus Christ has become one with us! In our community during Advent we pick the name of a sister in the house and pray for her during the Advent season and during the upcoming year. It is a secret and the sister who is being prayed for does not know who her "Advent angel" is until Christmas. After celebrating Christmas Mass (the greatest joy of Christmas!) we return home where we open a gift that our Advent angel has made. The gift is primarily a spiritual bouquet (prayers) yet there are often very creative ways of presenting this gift. The picture to the right is a paper mache pinata bird filled with prayers for Sr. Tina Marie.

Postulant Entrance

January 18 was a very exciting day for our community. Our three candidates, Caroline, Anne, and Katie, entered a new stage in formation by becoming Postulants. They received the postulant habit and were presented with the Tau Cross, a symbol of penance that St. Francis adopted. Katie is pictured below receiving the cross from Sr. Katherine. Below right, the postulants rejoice with Sr. Mary Ann, the Sister Servant of Postulants.

"This period of formation fosters the maturity needed for readiness to enter novitiate, provides a fundamental understanding of Catholic life and doctrine, and introduces the postulant to Franciscan spirituality, consecrated life, and our community spirit, charisms and mission." (Constitutions 112)

March For Life

Once again, some of our sisters traveled to Washington D.C. for the March for Life on January 22. It is always a blessing to join with so many others in standing up for life. While there, the sisters were also blessed to spend time with some of our TOR Brothers. Below left are all the TOR postulants - Brothers and Sisters!. Below right, some sisters pause for a picture while marching to the capital.

Other Events

	Some of the young women who visited us this January were able to experience one of our favorite recreations - sledding! Some of the sisters and guests are pictured to the right as they take a break from sledding down the big hill behind our house.


At the end of January, eight young women joined us for a Vocation Discernment Retreat. It is always a blessing to see how the Lord continues to call many young women to be totally given to Him as bride. We are always renewed in our own call to be His bride when we have these retreats.

Upcoming Events

Feb 19-21: Born of the Spirit Retreat with Franciscan University Students.

March 7-12: Our novices will participate in the Franciscan Internovitiate in New York.

March 13-20: Two sisters will be advisors for Franciscan University Spring Break mission trips.

March 17-21: Two sisters will travel to Florida State University to speak at their Spring retreat.

March 25: Sr. Therese Marie will be speaking at a Diocesan youth conference in Wisconson.