This fall, our Community began a new apostolate which has its goal to share the mission and charism of our Congregation to all we encounter. The new Office of Mission Advancement will be sharing with you the prayer, apostolic work, and life of our Sisters and informing you of the needs of our Province in the United States. We have begun by publishing our first newsletter entitled “Flowing From His Side.” This comes from our charism which is “to make the Merciful Love of Christ visible in our service to Christ and His Church” and from our spirituality which stems from Sacred Scripture, “They will look on Him Whom they have pierced” (John 19:37) We hope you enjoy this first issue and look forward to seeing our future issues posted on our Blog and on our “Happenings” page. This quarterly newsletter will be just the beginning of our work in “advancing the mission” of our Community in our American Province St. Elizabeth. If you would like more information about how to support our Sisters in anyway, please contact Sr. M. Stephania Newell, FSGM by email at oma@altonfranciscans.org or by phone 618-474-6193. May God bless you during this holy season of Advent.
Recently, I found a reflection I had written during my first retreat as a postulant. The last conference that had been given was on Spiritual Motherhood. As I approached the 4 th Station where Jesus meets His Sorrowful Mother, this is what struck my heart: What is the sacrificial love of a mother? It is the self-sacrifice made to love her children. Mary’s self-sacrifice to be there with Christ, her Son, in His passion was the selfless love that united her with Him. Her heart was pierced with 7 swords in the agony of watching her beloved Son endure a cross that He did not deserve, but which He embraced for the love of the Father and mankind. Could she not have said to Jesus, “You don’t have to do this, there are other ways. Do you know how much pain You are causing me and those who love you?” She knew He could have chosen any other way t...
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