The Vocation Team was excited to host an “Inquirers’ Get Together” at the Mother House in Lemont the weekend of August 7th and 8th. In attendance were four women that have been on the path of discernment with our Sisters for the last several months. One has in fact moved from “inquirer” to “affiliate” – the next step in the process of joining the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago.
We began the weekend with lunch with the Sisters and then paid a visit to Franciscan Village where we were treated to a tour of the various retirement living options. It is a beautiful facility and everywhere we looked, we saw tangible evidence of how the Sisters’ Franciscan values and charism of caring for the elderly are brought to life everyday by the dedicated associates lovingly going about their ministry.
After the tour, we had some time off before joining Sr. Diane Marie for a barbecue – for which she was gracious enough assume the role as “Head Chef”! The hamburgers and hotdogs were delicious – to say nothing of her own special potato salad prepared from one of her time tested recipes. The evening presented us with an opportunity to reflect on our discernment journeys – what it means to choose religious life and how we are called to be people of passion fit for the Kingdom of God. We ended our day with prayer – asking that we be mindful of God’s call.
Sunday, we shared Morning Prayers and Mass with the Sisters and breakfast. There was more time for visiting, laughing, and hearing stories from the Sisters about their own journeys – which are always blessed with joys and challenges. Some of our visitors stayed for lunch while others had to head home – but only after making plans to join us for our next “Come and See” that we are planning for October 15-16, at St. Anthony Convent, 201 Franciscan Drive, Crown Point, IN 46307. We will begin Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. and conclude at about 6 p.m. on Saturday. If you would like to join us to experience first hand and spirituality, ministry and community of our Sisters, we can be contacted at: lrossi@franciscancommunities.com (Sr. Lois Marie Rossi, Vocation Minister) or clackie@chicagofranciscans.com (Ms. Carol Lackie, Vocation Coordinator).
Carol M. Lackie
Vocation Coordinator
August 18, 2010
