Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY

Several Sisters showed their holiday spirit by making festive wreaths.

North Carolina Associates participated in their local Crop Walk last month. The Crop Walk is sponsored by Church World Service and is held in thousands of communities across the United States to combat hunger. A portion of the proceeds from the donations of walkers and friends stays in the walkers’ own community. Pictured, from left, are Teresa Gatton, Ellen Nash, inquirer Marissa Foster, Jay Boulter, Carol Gardner, Janet Shirdon and Lyn Boulter.

In Tampa, Fr. Michael Reyes and Franciscan Center Executive Director Brian Lemoi were on hand for the event. Afterward, FSA Associates served the delicious treats they provided. (Tampa Creche photo by Michelle Taylor)

In a perfect world, all pregnancies would be joyous times as a mother and father await the birth of their child. People who attended the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany annual Shower for Mary Thursday evening were reminded it’s not a perfect world.

Associate Minister Kathy Maire reflected upon her niece Theresa who gave birth to her first child, “an 8-pound boy who is now the delight of her and her husband’s life. From the moment she discovered she was pregnant, her world revolved around the new baby. She walked around in a haze of happiness…” 

“I was thrilled for her,” Sister Kathy continued. “At the same time, however, I was drawn into another reality, one that also involved pregnancy and motherhood. For the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of travelling to Guatemala with a health team to visit rural villages in the mountains where there is no health care. Women often arrive with several children, most seeking medicines for parasitic infections, malnutrition, and respiratory issues. Many suspect that they are pregnant again.

“So, we test and return to them with the results, often positive for pregnancy. Many times, there are tears, not of joy, but of helpless surrender, as they face the reality of another child when they can barely feed the children they have. Unlike my niece Theresa, they cannot put aside the backbreaking work of grinding corn, washing clothes in the river, working in the fields, chopping firewood, harvesting coffee beans, carrying babies, and coping with sickness. Intellectually, they recognize this new child as a gift of God, but their bodies groan as they wonder if they will be able to cope. 

“Back to our celebration tonight, which we call a Shower for Mary. Our minds wander to the young woman who is pregnant at God’s word: who believes, who gives consent, who wonders how this will affect her engagement to Joseph, who puzzles over what to tell parents and neighbors, who has only her faith in a God who has been faithful through generations before her.”

After speaking a bit more about Mary, she said, “And what of the women who will receive these gifts which you so lovingly brought this evening? What will be in their minds and hearts as they open these gifts and hold their babies and are reassured in the knowledge that someone thinks they are worthy of love and sacrifice? Let’s pray tonight that they gaze with love on their child and whisper a prayer, “O gracious God, I thank you for this miracle that we have done.”

I was asked to write an article about Sister Kathy Keck’s present ministry, which I am grateful to do because every time I visit with Kathy, I am changed for the better because Kathy knows no strangers, just like Jesus. I shadowed Kathy through her Holy Communion Ministry to her neighbors at Aston Gardens in Ruskin, Florida, where not only did I meet the people Kathy ministered to, I heard their stories and now know their names. I was warmly welcomed into everyone’s home during our Communion visits, which indicated to me the personal relationships that Kathy has developed with her neighbors by her faithful presence of being Eucharist in their daily lives. 

Moving to Aston Gardens last year, Kathy had no idea of what was needed. Aston Gardens drew her for its nature and serenity. Kathy describes Aston Gardens as a beautiful place to live. “The people here are very special.”  

Kathy’s call to ministry all started when a neighbor asked Kathy to preside at a Celebration of Life Ceremony for a fellow neighbor who passed away. She has celebrated 5 Celebrations of Life since moving to Aston Gardens last year.  

Then recognizing the Catholic Communion Service was poorly attended and facilitated, Kathy was asked and agreed to take it over and added Liturgy of The Word and addressed the need with the local Church, St. Anne’s. Communion Service grew from 7 to 25 people, give or take. Kathy additionally visits her neighbors who attend these Communion Services in their homes weekly. Communion Services are on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at Aston Gardens. “I want to help people draw closer and thirst to Jesus.” 

The outer beauty of Aston Gardens is not only in the environment, inner beauty in the community is also evident in the people I meet each time I visit with Kathy. In the beginning, I was asked to write an article about Kathy’s present ministry. Each time I have spent time with Kathy, I have been gifted with ongoing welcome, fraternitus and delight to hear Kathleen (Kathy) Keck’s life story. I am looking forward to my return visit with her and Bailey. 

With her 34-pound dog, Bailey, they visit their neighbors in independent and assisted living at Aston Gardens. Bailey was adopted from a woman who could not care for Bailey anymore. Bailey always is wagging his tail when he sees people and people appear to love Bailey. People say that Bailey is the nicest dog around.

Kathy has developed a travel program with a fellow neighbor and has presented this program of her experiences in Bolivia to her neighbors at Aston Gardens. Kathy is continuing 22 years of spiritual guidance ministry for St. Vincent DePaul at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Ruskin. 

Kathy enjoys dialogue with people of different faiths and with her 101-year young World War II Pilot of the Jewish faith neighbor, Bud, who has invited her to his Jewish synagogue a number of times.  

Kathy brought her plants from St. Elizabeth’s Convent, and they can be seen along the pathways at Aston Gardens for all of her neighbors to enjoy. 

As Jamaica continues to cope with the havoc created by Hurricane Melissa, it is critical that the recovery efforts extend to the most vulnerable.  

Health issues, such as the outbreak of leptospirosis, have been detected. An unprecedented influx of mosquitoes has plagued the western section of the island. Resilience, inner strength and the assistance of the international community continue to lead Jamaica along the path of recovery and rebuilding.

At the Immaculate Conception Convent in Kingston, the return to normalcy is challenging, yet we must press on.  Sr. Celia celebrated her feast day on the Feast of St. Cecilia.  Special invited guests were her niece and husband, Angela and Alan Beckford, and Moya Barnes and her husband.

The following day, The Feast of Christ the King, Sr. Lorraine celebrated her 60th Jubilee as an Allegany Franciscan. Archbishop Donald Reece, Archbishop Emeritus of Kingston, was the main concelebrant.  Concelebrating with him was Fr. Clifton Harris, O.P. who attended St. Francis Primary School when Sr. Lorraine was teaching there. Her two sisters, friends and the Sisters and residents at Immaculate helped to make this event a truly joyous occasion. This was followed by a sumptuous dinner and Del Chai Onn’s famous lychee cake for dessert.  

Tom Turkey and all the trimmings were present at the observance of the US Thanksgiving Day.  After the celebration of a beautiful liturgy, all those who were present enjoyed a most delicious Thanksgiving meal.

The month of November concluded with a world-class musical performance titled, Christmas Thanksgiving Concert for God’s People. This concert was sponsored by Franciscan Ministries and was held at the St. Georges College Auditorium. The program included the Immaculate Conception High School Symphony Orchestra and Performers, the St. Georges College Singers, concert pianist, Dylan Madden, and world-renowned saxophonist, Dean Fraser.

This musical extravaganza was attended by the former Governor-General of Jamaica, Sir Kenneth Hall, the Archbishop Emeritus of Kingston, Most Rev. Donald Reece and a very appreciative audience which included groups from Trench Town and Braes River, St. Elizabeth.

The year 2001 began as a very special one in my life. I had received permission from my Franciscan Congregation to take a year-long sabbatical. I bought a one-way-around-the-world airplane ticket and set off alone for Egypt, the first of eight countries, in early March. 

Fast-forward to September. I was in Bagdad, Iraq on 9/11. A very interesting perspective for a story another time. Folks thought I would return to safety in the U.S., but that was the farthest thing from my mind! I flew to India as planned later in the month on one of the few planes still flying and became “the last tourist in the world.” 

I arrived in Mumbai (formerly Bombay, in Northwest India) and was welcomed by the Sisters of St. Anne. (N.B. In my year’s travels, I stayed at 12 convents and 12 hotels.) They took me shopping immediately to buy typical Indian women’s dress: material for two saris (Photo with golden sari) and two Salwar Kameezes, which are tunic (Salwar) and loose trousers (Kameez) combinations. 

I went about in “native” attire from then on. 

Fast forward again to Christmas. I was staying with the Catholic Sisters Disciples of the Divine Master in Bangalore, which is located in South Central India. The photo shows the Sisters chanting at Christmas Midnight Mass. To celebrate, I wore my golden sari. (Photos left.)

That day I was pleasantly surprised by a joyful visit from a United Nations administrator whom I had met when I was in Iraq, with his little daughter. They were Hindus and very respectful of our celebration of the birth of our Christian God. Please note in the photo the lush foliage of India and the statue of Our Lady seated Buddha-style holding the Infant Jesus.

In the four months I traveled in India, I took several bus tours. Usually I was the only non-Indian aboard – the last tourist, as I said. In doing so I became familiar with the Hindu panoply of gods. While taking a “tea halt” during one such tour, a cow approached our group and joined the circle. (See photo.) The gentleman turned to me as I was taking the picture and said, “We believe that in every cow there are 33,000 gods.”

As I came to know some of the Hindu gods, I developed a partiality for the god Krishna. I think this was because he is the most Christ-like of the Hindu gods. Krishna’s story includes his birth as a baby – with blue skin that was his for life. That Christmas, then, I sent cards back to the States with the blue Krishna baby on the cover. Inside I wrote that this blue baby was healthy!