He was only 4. After viewing the Nativity sets in our Joy to the World Nativity Display last weekend, like everyone he was asked for whom he wanted us to pray. After a moment he replied, “God. Pray for God.”
We’ve not had that prayer request before. Yet we know that when we pray for God, we are praying and honoring all of you, all God’s people, all Creation. God enlightens all.
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Sr Renita Brummer
Minister General
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As we celebrate the Word made flesh who continues to dwell among us, we invite you to listen to the children in your life, pray for children throughout the world, take care of our Earth for the children in the future.
From all of us Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, may you and those you love enjoy a Christmas and New Year full of childlike joy and goodness.
Sister Renita
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Franciscan Spirit
Fall/Winter Print Edition available now!
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Click the magazine cover to access a pdf file of the Franciscan Spirit Fall/Winter 2021 print edition. To receive future editions by mail (twice a year), please call (314) 965-3700, ext 109, with your request and contact information. |
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Laudato Si' Action Platform |
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In 2015 Pope Francis issued the encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. The encyclical called for a common plan throughout the world to effect systemic change. That plan is the Laudato Si’ Action Platform that calls seven sectors of society (religious congregations, health institutions and parishes/dioceses to name a few), to formulate a plan moving them forward toward integral ecology and sustainability.
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform promoted by Pope Francis is a unique collaboration between the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Development, an international coalition of Catholic organizations, and “all men and women of good will.” (LS 3) Taking a truly ground-up approach, it is rooted in the strengths and realities of communities around the world, empowering all to take “decisive action, here and now” as we journey towards a better future together. (LS 161)
Action is urgently needed. Our Creator called the human family to be the steward of creation, but society has neglected that call. Our hotter, dirtier, deader planet is driving up the risk of suffering. The most vulnerable suffer above all.
At this Kairos moment, we are responding to the call for healing in our relationships with God, our neighbors, and the Earth itself. Through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, we are walking the “path to renewal” together (LS 202).
(adapted from the Laudato Si’ Action Platform website)
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Sisters gather for Christmas Novena |
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Each year during Advent, our St Louis-area Sisters gather with our Senior Sisters at Cardinal Ritter's Mother of Perpetual Help Residence to begin a Christmas Novena and to exchange cookies. The event was online in 2020 due to the pandemic, so this year's adapted, but in-person celebration was all the more special!
Please know that you are all in our Sisters' prayers.
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Instead of a cookie exchange, area Sisters baked ahead and gathered at Tau Center to assemble tins of cookies for the Senior Sisters. |
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The Leadership Team is shown during the annual Novena -- an Advent celebration at Mother of Perpetual Help Residence. |
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Sisters were able to continue the Polish tradition of breaking the Oplatki together during the Christmas Novena gathering on December 5th. |
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Witnessing Gospel Values: |
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Nearly 400 visit the Annual Nativity Display of more than 200 sets |
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We are very grateful to all who attended the Annual Nativity Display which was held December 9-12. Young and old alike marveled at the collections of Carol Huelsmann of Aviston, IL and Dolores Nangle of West Frankfort, IL, as well as an around-the-world tour of international nativities belonging to Kathy Timmermann of Breese, IL. A special display of nativity craftsmanship from Peru and South America was featured, in solidarity with Pope Francis's selection of a Peruvian creation as the official Vatican nativity. Just as Pope Francis is the first Pope from the Americas, this is the first year that a set from the Americas has been featured in St Peter's Square. Finally, Tau Center visitors were given a historical tour of the large Fontanini village, and cookies homemade by our Sisters. The family of Mike Mueller, cousins to our Sister Joan Phyllis, was drawn to win the attendance prize -- a beautiful nativity set donated by Sister Gabriel Marie. Each guest was offered the opportunity to submit prayer requests, and our Sisters have begun their daily prayers for these intentions. |
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Register Now for our Lenten Book Discussion! |
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Our Lenten treat for 2022 will be a discussion of Dr Jane Goodall’s long-awaited release “The Book of Hope,” hosted by former Franciscans For Earth Director Maurice Lange. This 3-part series will be held via Zoom on March 10, March 24 and April 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required no later than Feb 17, 2022, to provide time to acquire and read the book. (Discussion questions will be emailed to registrants on Feb 18.) The book may be purchased from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other on-line booksellers. Learn more and register here.
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Responding to the Needs of Society: |
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Registration open for Spring '22 Franciscans For Earth Eco-Series Events |
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Join us through Zoom on Tuesday, Jan 11, at 7pm Central, as we welcome Green Resources Manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, “Green Jean” Ponzi.
Where DOES stuff go when you throw it away? This fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of waste-handling processes covers recycling, community-scale composting and landfilling of the stuff that leaves our homes, schools and businesses everyday. We hope that this education helps us all to make more sustainable choices. Read more
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Did you know that food waste makes up nearly 22% of the waste we send to landfills? Join us through Zoom on Tuesday, Feb 8 at 7pm, as we welcome Maggie McCoy to teach us about about options, field to fridge, that could change this situation. She will also offer well encouraging, practical and money-saving tips. Maggie is Education Coordinator with the EarthWays Center. Sign up today to receive your link to join! Read more
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Please consider joining the conversation on Tuesday, March 8 at 7pm via Zoom, when speakers from various foundational organizations gather to discuss the origins of the Report on Environmental Racism in St Louis, and the community support, challenges, and actionable steps to be taken. Speakers will include Karisa Gilman Hernandez, a community organizer for Dutchtown South Community Corporation; Ashton Kuehnel, grassroots organizer for the Missouri Chapter of Sierra Club; and Katherine Fenerson, a civic engagement organizer. Read more
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Exploring Intersections program to discuss Education Justice on January 12 |
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Education not only shapes values and beliefs, but it also helps people grow and develop physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Education empowers people to address the urgency of our time and to act. Lack of access to quality education is one of the root causes of poverty and economic hardship which in turn drives people to choose migration as a means of seeking job opportunities and improving their lives. However, individuals belonging to marginalized groups are often denied access to adequate education, resulting in significant differences in educational success and efficacy.
Join our conversation on Wednesday, January 12 at 3 pm Central, as host Charish Badzinski and a panel of experts discusses emerging challenges to our educational system and actions we can take to ensure education justice for all.
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A Christmas Trivia Quiz... |
We invite all, especially Catholics, to take this Christmas quiz just for fun. Test your nativity knowledge, or learn something new about the Catholic Faith! Answers follow in a YouTube video. |
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The Franciscan Sisters Wish You & Yours
A Very Merry Christmas
and A Blessed New Year!
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Our annual Christmas card: |
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Our mission is to be a transforming presence in society through witnessing Gospel values. Faithful to our charism in the mission of the Church, we prophetically respond
to the needs of contemporary society. As compassionate women alive in the spirit,
we enable and empower others to live the Gospel with hope and joy.
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