Just two more days and we will be on our way!

Associates Conference here we come!

Need Help to Plan Reception for Celebration

Sister Kieran Williams Chosen as Master Catechist of the Year

The Master Catechist of the Year Award Committee has announced that Sister Kieran Williams, I.H.M., Pastoral Administrator of Holy Trinity Parish in Williamston, is the 2012 Mary Dowling Master Catechist of the Year. This Diocesan Award is presented annually by the Department of Catholic Formation and Evangelization to a Master Catechist who emulates the love of Jesus Christ and richly shares the Catholic Faith with both children and adults.
Those that nominated Sister Kieran spoke highly of her many years of dedication and generous service to the Diocese, to the Parish of Holy Trinity and the people of Martin County.
“My experience of Sister Kieran is that she is a woman of tremendous faith and wants to share that faith with others,” said Sister Barbara Marie Cady, SU, pastoral associate at Infant of Prague Church in Jacksonville. “Her ministry at Holy Trinity includes many levels of catechesis. She is a teacher, guide, mentor and her dedication to sacramental preparation for those in her care is outstanding.”
Father Michael Kerin, GHM, pastor of the Catholic Community of Bertie County agreed. “Sister Kieran’s knowledge of Scripture, theology and pastoral minister is strong and deep. She teaches extremely well by her example of life and prayer.”
The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge will present the Mary Dowling Master Catechist Award to Sr. Kieran on Catechetical Sunday, September 16.
Mrs. Mary DiSano, coordinator of Catechesis for the Diocese of Raleigh said, “The Mass will be a great day of celebration in the life of our faith community and for all those involved in the ministry of catechesis.”

Having had a headache for the last four days, I thought a long walk in the cool predawn air might help clear my thoughts and ease the throbbing.  I enjoy walking into the darkness away from the house and decided that today's walk would be a slow paced not one of those power walks for weight loss.  I enjoyed the many gifts of nature: flowers in unexpected spots, birds waking up the cool refreshing air with their morning calls to each other, and sun light streaming through the tree tops.  I was joined by my neighbor's boxer named Princess. She just appeared at my side, nuzzled my hand and walked within sight of me the whole 4 miles.  Sometimes she would stand waiting as I took pictures or stopped to enjoy the songs of nature.  One time she bumped me pretty hard on my thigh and when I turned to look at her there was a man about 25 paces behind me running down the road in nothing but shorts and sneakers.  She watched him very closely and when he got close enough to ask would she bite I thought no she is a big sweetheart of a dog; but that hard bump to my leg, reminded me boxers can be a mean looking breed and she was acting as my protector right then.  I reached down patted her on the head and took a hold of her collar and told him not as long as you don't approach her.  She watched him for along time before she finally moved away from my side and continued her playful exploring.  The sun was totally up so I turned back toward the house and began retracing my steps.  The light coming through the trees giving light to the tall branches and their leaves reminded me of arms reaching up to God.  Sometimes they were the arms of God shielding what was underneath.  From time to time Princess would jump into the water in the ditches as if to cool her paws or her muzzle with the water.  Just before I got home I found a ditch full of cat tails and thought of Sister Mary Hugh and how much she liked cat tails that I had to stop and take pictures.  Below are some of the pictures I took on my walk to day.  Hope you enjoy them.

Visitation

Two women meet,

cousins yet more than kin—

bound now to one another

by pregnant surprise.

Their unpredictable God has laughed at nature

And made the childless and the virgin bear.

She of the leaping womb, thought barren,

bears the restlessness of her God.

And the virgin unknown

becomes the magnifying glass

that makes great her God for all to see.

The women embrace:

forgotten hope surprised by life

embraces surpassing love.

Meeting they touch

the old and the new

the forgotten and the unknown

now revealed in mystery

as ancient desire and time’s fullness.

The simple majesty

of their common meeting

is remembered as the uncommon visitation

of God come among us.

Shall our own forgotten hope

protect us from surprise?

Perhaps!

Shall our fear of being known

cause us to turn and hide

from this—God’s embrace?

It is possible.

Shall we trade

the restlessness of God

for oblivion?

Also, possible.

But these women,

Elizabeth and Mary,

desire and fullness,

call us to laugh with our unpredictable God

who comes to visit

such a warm and generous embrace

upon our quaking hearts.

                        Fr. Harry Hagan, in Thirsting for God

Invitation to Join Us Sunday

Hello Everyone,

    This Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.  is our monthly IHM Circle of Grace at Holy Trinity Parish Home, 3751 Bear Grass Road, Williamston, NC 27892.  We will continue with the third session from Creating Sabbath Space in Our Lives by Ron Rolheiser.

 Hope that you can join us-even if you have missed a session.   It was so nice to have the two circles of grace come together as one. 

   We will also set dates, times and places to begin/continue the IHM Associate Program for those who have received your prayer  journals from Sr. Jean Louise. (Please bring your calendars).

  We look forward to seeing you soon.

    

          Love and prayers always,

           Sr. Kieran, Debbie and Jennifer

                    

Don't forget this Sunday, May 27, at Sister Kieran's Parish Home the Circle of Grace will be continuing their study of Creating Sacred Sabbath Space in our Lives.  Look forward to seeing everyone there and hearing the story behind these pictures from the Diocese of Raleigh's Youth Convention at Oak Island.

Part 2 of Sacred Sabbath

We thank everyone that attended the last meeting of the Circle of Grace. We thank Maggie for bringing her son Emmanuel Jr, who is here visiting from Ghana and for Emmanuel Jr sharing with the Circle about the different lifestyles of his country compared to what he has witnessed here in North Carolina. Thank you Emmanuel Jr for opening our eyes and ears to see new perspective ways of building Sacred Sabbaths into our lives.

Do not forget May 15 is the Deadline for turning in your registration for the First Annual Associates Retreat June 22 - 24, 2012 in Scranton, PA to Sister Jean Louise Bachetti.