The Bible and the 4th of July!

So, like I started to comment in the post below, I've been reading Sr. Maxine's post over and over again this week, and I don't really see what the kids did that was so wrong? I thought Sister Maxine did a wonderful job. I mean, the kids learned about Jesus and Mary and the Magna Carta...what's wrong with that? The Magna Carta was a REALLY important document, although I didn't realize that Blessed Mother Mary said it before it was signed in the Medieval Age.

(I wonder if she knew Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot? And King Arthur? I know Mary fled from the Dragon but I can't find the Knights in Revelation...is there another word for "knight" in biblical terms?)

But of course, anyway, we'll all be obedient to what you say, Mother Frangelico. I guess maybe I'll also do what Father told me and read over the scriptures again. Earlier this week I went to talk to him because I know he's taught scripture, so I asked him about where to find the knights in Revelation, thinking maybe the Magna Carta was there.

I STILL don't understand why, when I ask questions, people start coughing and wiping their eyes! When I asked Father about these things this week, he started coughing and turned REALLY REALLY red and I handed him a kleenex when he started wiping his eyes. I was really worried about him and almost went to get Mother Frangelico because I thought maybe he was dying or something. I don't think Father was ever a smoker, but he sure was coughing like my Grandma used to, and she had Tuberculosis. Except that Father wasn't spitting up blood.

And Father is SO polite when he coughs, he always turns away; Grandma never did that, so we always wore HEPA masks when we were in her hospital room. I asked Father if I should go get Mother Frangelico, and he managed to say he was fine and it wasn't necessary, and just asked me to wait a minute. So I did, and when he finished coughing, his eyes were still watering but he told me that I should go over the scriptures Sister Maxine covered during VBS and read them for myself, and then maybe I'd see where the kids were wrong. But I'm just not SEEING it!

But maybe it's just that we've been so busy and every time I've had the chance to read, we've been interrupted by different things. Everyone is fine, Brother Brit has been in contact with the Dominicans (I think he's going to be a Dominican, and I'm so relieved that he doesn't have to leave the country. I think that he's going to be a really good priest, and a really good Spiritual Director. He already has his degree in Theology, so I think he only has like 4 years before he'll be a priest. Or maybe 3 years? I don't know how the Dominicans do it. Maybe it's longer because they aren't diocesan. And he's so nice!

And Sister Maxine has been looking at another VBS program, is gonig to help the Missionaries of Charity because they're running a program this next week. I'm going to help decorate and I'm in charge of the skit team, am practicing with them tomorrow. I used to love theatre.

Anyway, although there are communities Sr. Maxine wanted to visit this summer, some of them are on retreat or unavailable, and there are different reason's she's here, but it's cool because we're all in contact with local Sisters and even Brothers. I really like the Missionaries of Charity, but I'm taller than most of them. Which is strange, because I'm not very tall.

Sister Perpetua has been busy, too, doing the same things. Her hair is starting to grow out, and we can start to see her natural color. Mother Frangelico is refusing to let her color it. As it turns out, she's a redhead! It's a beautiful color! But no wonder she's so pale...her complexion is really natural but looks so much better with her red hair than with black!

Today we've been relaxing, and we had a barbeque in our courtyard area. Later we're going to watch the fireworks from a nearby park. Right now I'm SO stuffed! It's been a great day, and everyone is "home" and we're hoping others join our little community. There's all sorts of retreats and things planned over the summer, and we're helping to plan them and staff them. Brother Brit is speaking at a few of them, and he's run a lot of TEC retreats and stuff, so he's taught us a lot.

So, anyway, hopefully we'll be more active in the coming days, it's just been so crazy lately! Summer is a really busy time of year. Even though everything else is shut down, the Church is still really active!

Dominicans

This afternoon I was talking to Brother Brit about his latest visit to the Dominicans. He was explaining their habit, and was telling me about the Dominican sisters he's met and how great they are.

I told Brother Brit that I don't think I'm smart enough to be Dominican because I can't explain a bunch of things even though I believe them, but he said that maybe I still have the charism that so maybe I should look into them?

And I do like the Dominican habit. Do you know that their habit hasn't changed since their beginning? So I guess that means that they do the same things now that they always did. And habits are hard to break.

So I went online and did a search for "Dominican" and found a bunch of stuff about the Dominican Republic. I didn't realize I'd have to change nationalities in order to be Dominican. And all the pictures of the people on beaches and stuff, well it didn't look really religious.

I'm going to have to talk to Brother Brit. I don't think he should have to change nationalities in order to be Dominican, or that he was going to far to visit them! He's my friend and I want him to be happy, but he's American, darn it! He doesn't HAVE to become an Islander and drink things with pink umbrellas in them! I don't think he likes pina coladas, anyway! So why would he go to the Dominican Republic?

Besides, I thought Brother Brit liked the changing seasons, and in the Dominican Republic it's like, all tropical and stuff.

I always thought he'd be a good priest, but now it just looks like he's trying to find a place to go party. I wonder if Mother Frangelico and Father know about that? I don't want to tell them...but they have to know so they can help Brother Brit!

I just don't know what to DO!

Don't Worry - Bee Happy

Mo'ber Frangelico let me cobe hobe early. Norb Dakota was okay - not what I exbected. Albough the Sisters and Brubbers were really nice and God was truly working wib bebm, it just wasn't the blace for me. And since I was stung by a bubmble bee and bmy libs are the size of two tennis courts, Mober Frangelico brought me hobe early. I'be been in bed for the last two days.

I tried going to Mass yesterday, but after singing the entrance songb and seeingb myselb drooling, I decided the best plabe for me was in bed. Sister Berbetua was gracious to bring the Holy Eucharist to me the last coubble days. Fbabber and Brubber Gus eben came in abter bey cabe hobe late to see how I wasb.

Albough, I'bm not quite sure about Sister Cabrice. Wheb I webnt to be babroom last night, we saw each ubber in the hallway and she was as white as a ghost! I wobnder what wab going brew her mind? She just kinda stobbed dead in her tracks anbd stared at me like I was brum Mars.

Whob kbnowbs? I'bm just bery glad I'bm hobe. I'll tell ebryobne about the trib later. Ribt bnow I just want to go to bed.

The Ghost is BACK!

Oh, dear, the ghost is back again, and this time I think he's getting MAD!

This morning I woke up, and I'm still hobbling around on crutches, and it's hard to open doors and the like. And I'm just NOT a "morning person"!

Well, I was fumbling with the door to my cell and as I opened it, right there, before my eyes, stood a life-sized priest! For a moment I thought it was Father, because this guy was wearing a dress...I mean...cassock...like Father does. And he was just STANDING there, looking down, wearing shades, and I was CERTAIN I was in trouble for something!


And I couldn't help but let out a scream because I was so surprised!

Then I realized it was the large cardboard cutout of that poster, but with just the priest in it, and it had been placed right in front of my door! It's actually a good thing that I'm on crutches because I would have run right into it had I left my cell as I normally do!

And the pictures in the hallway were all gathered around my doorway, and on the opposite side of the hall.

But what I want to know is...why is that cutout, of all things, in front of my door? I know that Father and Mother Frangelico were brining it and some other vocations things in last night for a fair or something they're preparing for, but I saw that cutout go into the guys wing where they have a storage room for such things. It MUST be the ghost that did it! I mean, ghosts can get through walls, maybe they can bring solid objects through walls, too!

During morning prayer, Brother Gus and Sister Maxine kept glancing at me, and both of them were coughing. Sister Perpetua kept rubbing her mouth and nose for some reason, as if she was suppressing a sneeze. I asked her once during Mass if she needed a tissue. And she shook her head and then started coughing really hard.

Oh, dear, I hope everyone isn't getting sick!

Maybe the ghost is making them ill!

I don't know what to do!

Some of this comes from a comment I made to Mother Frangelico about priests, and some of this is advice I got from other people. I'm so sorry about the jumble, but I have so many questions I don't even know where to go first!

ADVICE FROM THE LETTERS:

So, anyway, I got a bunch of letters this week from friends, and people from my church. And they have all sorts of advice. My friends tell me about the habits and they sent me emails with links to different communities, and I know and love those habits. And so they've told me I should make sure I like the habit because I'll be spending my life wearing it! And so I've been looking around for habits I like, and found a few...the Sisters of Life, and the Dominicans - the ones who wear habits, that is. I like habits and won't really consider a community that doesn't have them. Because most of them just look like my grandmother and I don't want to look like my grandmother yet. (I think those "habit-less communities DO have a habit, though...pantssuits. And I think their understanding of God follows their lack of fashion sense!)

So then another friend told me to look at other things, like what they do, or don't do. And so I've been looking at all the apostolates, and I'm so confused because I want to do all of it and maybe have in some senses! But there's so much!

And everyone is back to telling me different things, and one friend says to look at the spiritualities and the charisms, and others say the same thing, but they all say different things all at the same time! One says I'm Benedictine, another says I'm Franciscan, others like the Dominicans, others like the Augustinians...and it just goes on! And one friend things I should quash it all and become a RABBI!

I don't want to be a Rabbi! And someone else said I should start an Ashram and build a labyrinth and be a yoga guru. I don't want to do ANY of those things! But some of the religious communities out there DO want to do those things! (I don't think they're Catholic even though they say they are...)

Anyway, it's so confusing! So where do I start?

THINKING PRIESTS ARE CUTE AND WHERE IT LEADS

And then...well, I'm worried about thinking priests are cute. Because let's face it, some of them are really cute! So...is it a sin to think a priest is cute? Do I have to go to confession if I think a priest is cute, if I have no intention of taking that further than realizing that God does good work and the view is good at Mass?

Oh, dear, don't misconstrue that!

This is just getting worse and worse and worse! It MUST be a sin, because I'm now saying things I didn't intend to say!

So...do I have to go to Confession for thinking a priest is cute? If I do, what if the priest I go to is the one I thought was cute? Because sometimes they have their names on the confessional, but it's someone else, or it just says "visitor" and it's a different parish but that cute priest is the visiting one? Even if I go behind a screen and realize that's the priest, how can I confess that I think he's cute? He would take it wrong and it would sound like I was hitting on him in Confession!

I would NEVER do that! Oh my goodness, I would DIE if he thought I was doing that! And it would be awfullly hard for him, too, because then he'd feel very awkward, and the Sacrament is very serious, and then he'd be embarassed. And I'd be embarassed. And if he knew it was me, I'd never be able to talk to him ever again because I just couldn't get over that!

And even if the cute priest I was worried about was not the same one I was confession to, but THAT priest was really cute, wouldn't it be like the same thing?

Oh, dear, I wish priests weren't cute! Or good-looking in any way. Now I have to go to Confession and I'd rather confess to murder.

Hey! That's an idea! Mother Frangelico and Father, if I confess to murder, even though I haven't killed anyone, would God give me credit for that confession even though he would realize that I only thought a priest was cute. Or is robbing the priesthood worse than murder, because isn't thinking a priest is cute a slippery slope that can lead to robbing the priesthood, leading to him leaving his vows for me and then depriving people of the sacraments?

Oh, dear, I'm going to HELL!

Quiet Weekend

It's been really quiet this weekend. Brother Brit is visitng the Dominicans for an extended retreat, and in spite of the fact we have two newbies, well, they've been sent elsewhere, too.

I'm the only one they haven't sent out yet, although Mother Frangelico had said she wants me to go on a Nun Run or to a Vocations Conference. Neither has come up, but I get the idea that they don't want me to go yet. I did ask Mother about it, and she suggested, considering my most recent talk with Father, that it might be best if I get settled into a routine first and just learn to "live in the present." So she reinstated me as sacristan, and put me in charge of the web page, and just do stuff around the monastery. And it's peaceful, and I admit I like it. But sometimes I get the feeling they're walking on eggshells around me, like I might break or something if there's a loud noise.

Now I wonder if I said too much? For goodness' sake, I'm not going to fall apart if someone raises their voice here and there!

Anyway, I've changed the font color again in honor of Memorial Day and all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and all those who have served our country. We had a special Mass today and we did visit a nearby cemetary, and decorated graves that appeared to be somewhat neglected.

On the Monastery grounds, there is an old cemetary, doesn't appear to be connected to a religious community, but is maybe an old family or town cemetary. We've decided to clean it up and adopt those souls, so they are people we pray for every day. Mother Frangelico is busy looking up some old town records as most of the gravestones are unreadable now. I wonder if Sister Pepetua would come with me to do gravestone rubbings? I think we could pick up some names to help Mother Frangelico in her research!

And {{shudder}} maybe Sister Maxine can study interesting bugs out there. I don't know if she's artistic or wants to do grave rubbings, but she can do that, too, if she wants.

Anyway, the oddest thing happened...I think we live in Bermua Monastery. Because the other evening I was walking behind Sister Maxine and Sister Perpetua (although she's hard to see in the evening because with all that black she blends in and kinda looks like a disembodied face in the dark), and they just DISAPPEARED!

I was right behind them, our cells were further down the hallway and I looked back towards the cloister door when I heard a "click" like the door was opening. Only it didn't come from the door, so I was confused. When I turned around, they were both GONE!

For awhile I thought they'd been taken by the ghost, so I ran up and down the hallyway, looking for them. And then suddenly, POOF! they were there again! And I asked them where they'd been, and Sister Perpetua told me in her completely flat way (she must be from the midwest...she doesn't even have an accent) that they'd been there the whole time and wanted to know why I was running around like a fool looking for them.

I was completely chastized, and then Sister Max started coughing and wiping her eyes. Maybe my running around stirred up dust. I bet she's allergic to dust. I apologized and said I'd dust our wing in the morning so that she wouldn't suffer more than necessary.

Sister Perpetua and I seem to be the only ones not affected by allergies in this place.

The Ghost!

I woke up this morning, and once again, all the pictures are up-side down in the hallway! And while the statues haven't moved, the pictures DID! They didn't just turn upside down, they switched places!

We should see if Father will let Brother Gus come and watch our hallway at night because he scared the ghost away last time. Or maybe Father would prefer to stay up and keep watch himself, as he wouldn't want to go back on what he said and allow Brother Gus over here at night.

But if Father will just come over and bless our wing again, maybe the ghost will go away! I mentioned it to Sister Max, and she started coughing.

Both her and Brother Gus seem to have the same malady! She was really tired this morning at Mass, too (but at least she didn't drool when she fell asleep!) And I offered to go to the infirmary to get her some claritin or something but she refused, said she doesn't have allergies, but when she finished coughing she was wiping her eyes. So I KNOW she's got allergies, because that's a telltale sign!

And Mother Frangelico and Father spoke with both Brother Gus and Sister Max yesterday and said that their interest in bugs is fascinating, but they aren't allowed to bring them into the monastery. And Mother said that we can't get beekeeper uniforms, although Sister Max liked the idea, too. I'm not sure why she was on board with that, because I thought she liked bugs, but it's nice to have a little solidarity.

You know, I can't figure out why, when I ask these questions Mother Frangelico and Father both just shake their heads and walk away. And they start coughing sometimes, too, and wiping their eyes.

Am I the only one in this place that doesn't have allergies?

Mysterious Happenings

Last night I kept hearing noises in the hall, but I was tired and thought I was dreaming. Then this morning when we got up, I saw that all the artwork in the hallway was turned up-side down! Even the statues were turned backwards, facing the wall, and I'm not going to tell you how a couple of them had been arranged!

At first Mother started to blame me, but I swore I didn't do it, and she saw that I wasn't strong enough to move the statues at all, so she figured out then that I really was telling the truth.

And at Mass and morning prayer, I had to sit next to Brother Gus, to help him learn how to pray Liturgy of the Hours (he had to look off of my book) but he kept falling asleep, so I had to keep nudging him to keep him from Mother's notice.

But once he SNORED so I quickly started coughing to cover that up. Mother looked at me strangely from the other side of the aisle, but didn't say anything, and Father didn't seem to notice.

I'm still wondering how the pictures and statues had their positions changed. Do we maybe have a ghost?

Before breakfast, I asked Brother Gus if the noises last night had kept him awake...did he hear noises in his hallway, too? He just looked at me strangely and kind of made a choking noise but turned away and started coughing (I guess my cough is catching!), so didn't answer right away. When he did he said, no, he hadn't heard anything at all. So I told him about the pictures and statues in our hallway, and was afraid maybe we had a ghost.

He started coughing again, so I told him maybe he was so tired because he maybe had allergies, so told him I'd go to the infirmary to get him some cough syrup or claritin or something. He told me he was fine, but I do think he has allergies because that time he was wiping his eyes when he stopped coughing. I'll mention Brother Gus's allergies to Mother Frangelico and Father so they can make sure he is able to sleep at night.

And maybe Father will come and bless our wing again so that the ghost will go away.