Today is the Day

Our Mother of Good Counsel Home Golf Tournament is today at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis! We are excited about our friends who are participating! We are grateful for their support.

Please pray that the weather will cooperate. Hopefully there will be some photos to share with you here.

The Answer Is...........

Sister M. Stephanie prepares for a hole in one!

So... you may have seen the poll on the right side of this blog... with the question: "When is the Mother of Good Counsel Home's Golf Tournament?"

If you guessed May 17, with 6 people, you are WRONG.

If you guessed August 31, which is tomorrow, with 13 others, YOU WIN!!!

Well, we aren't sure what you would win, except the satisfaction of getting the answer right!!

Please pray that the weather cooperates and that all of the friends of the Mother of Good Counsel Home - who are participating - will be blessed for their support of our Sisters' mission of service to the elderly in our care!

Go, Sister M. Stephanie and Sisters, go!!

Answers to Great Questions

Dear Grateful Reader,

Thanks for asking the questions you did on the comment to the post entitled, "Enter In"! Glad you like the "amazing picture." Here's my response to your excellent questions!

"Is this all of the provincial motherhouse Sisters?"

No, there are some of the Sisters who live at St. Francis Convent in Alton, Illinois, who are not in the photograph, but there are many Sisters from our mission houses in other parts of the Province who are in the photo. Many Sisters were in Alton for the August retreat and our August 15 feastday. St. Francis Convent is the provincial motherhouse, that is, the headquarters for the entire province and not just the convent for the Sisters living and working in Alton - at Saint Anthony's Health Center, St. Francis Day Care Center, St. Mary's Grade School and in the convent itself. The convent in Alton is also the place where our young Sisters have their novitiate formation. Needless to say, it is a very busy place in the summer time!

"That is your new Bishop, isn't it?"

Yes, Bishop Thomas Paprocki was with us for the very first time. He was Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago before being installed on June 22 as the Bishop of Springfield. We enjoyed so much meeting him. We look forward to many more visits in the future.

"Do your sisters work in his chancery offices as well?"

Yes, Sister M. Maximilia is a canon lawyer and works as the Defender of the Bond in the Office for Tribunal Services in Springfield.

"What does the symbol mean on your sign?"

It is the official seal of our Province. I included a larger photo of the seal - along with Sister M. Rosalinda and Sister M. Talitha - on the day the seal and sign were installed. The Franciscan symbol of the hands crossed represent Jesus and St. Francis. Both have the mark of the nail wound - Christ received His on the Cross; St. Francis received the Stigmata. The three large red circles represent our vows of consecrated chastity, poverty and obedience. "Pax et Bonum" - often translated as "Peace and All Good" - is the motto of the Franciscan order.

Grateful Reader, please feel free to ask questions anytime you like! We are happy to share the good news of our Franciscan way of life with you and all our visitors. We are praying for you!

Gratefully in Christ,
Sister Eva-Maria, FSGM

Enter In!

The new entrance to St. Francis Convent in Alton, Illinois - the provincial motherhouse of our Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George - was completed in time for Bishop Thomas Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield-in-Illinois to bless it after the Mass of First Profession and Initiation into the Novitiate on August 15.

This is the new entrance into which our postulants will "enter in" to their new home with us on September 8. Please pray for all our Sisters, especially for our "new ones" who will join us in a couple of weeks.

Give Thanks to the Lord!

We are grateful for the gift of our newly Professed Sisters and new Novices who stepped across a new threshold in their religious lives Sunday, August 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption.

Meet our new Professed Sisters (top photo, from left): Sister Mariela, Sister Marysia, Sister M. Chiara and Sister Mary Benedict. Our new novies are (bottom photo, from left): Sister Karol Marie, Sister Cordia Marie and Sister M. Lucy.

Please pray that these young Sisters will be filled with all the graces they need to radiate the merciful love of Christ in all they do for Him and His Church! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His Mercy endures forever!