Dear Friend,
Welcome to February, a month packed with prayers, new beginnings and blessings.
We start today, Feb. 2, with the Presentation of the Lord also known as Candlemas. On this day, we honor the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple and remember the purification of the Virgin Mary. The candles that will be used for the next year of our liturgical services are blessed before the start of Mass.
On Feb. 3, the feast day of St. Blase, the Sisters participate in the wonderful blessing of the throat. The priest lays candles on our throats and prays:
O God, through the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Ash Wednesday will be Feb. 22. It is another opportunity to renew our lives by disengaging from thoughts of power and glory. St. Paul tells us that Jesus, in His human (kenotic) existence, “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2:6-7). This kenotic disposition is the self-emptying – the renunciation of the divine nature. Jesus knows each one of us. He lives in the human condition, directing us on how we can live in love. The beginning of Lent is a time to reflect on our own self-emptying.
Ashes are outlined on our foreheads in the sign of a cross. As we begin the season of Lent, we renew our journey to learn to live in Love. Through Lent, we have multiple opportunities to put ourselves in right relationship with God. Lent is a focused spiritual season and our opportunity to make new habits, forming ourselves into a “new creation.”
The Sisters, and all of us in Christianity, have the Holy Spirit to help us embrace the sacraments and enter the mystical body and be closer to each other. Our personal reconciliation is achieved through the body of the Church, as we lift up our voices, thoughts and actions together to reconcile ourselves with each other. Each of us as part of the body of the Church.
I pray that you embrace opportunities during Lent to reflect and renew your life toward Jesus our Christ.
The Sisters are honored to hear your prayer intentions and offer those up to the Lord.
Yours in Christ, Sr. Michael Francine Duncan
New Year, New Website!
Our new website is live! It is designed to offer a more engaging and user-friendly experience to our visitors. While you are here, be sure to visit some of our newly designed pages, such as Vocations, Our Home and the SSMO history timeline.
Sisters celebrate Vietnamese New Year and enjoy a visit at VCELS
Our Vietnamese Sisters share traditions and food with the rest of our community at the Motherhouse in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Check out the album on our Flickr page.
A few Sisters also had a lovely visit with some of our VC Early Learning School classes, who blessed us with some beautiful gifts. Check that album out on our Flickr page.
VCS Drama presents “Mary Poppins”
The Valley Catholic Drama Department will present their spring production, “Mary Poppins” on Feb. 24-26 and Mar. 3-5 at Kelly Auditorium.
Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:00 p.m. Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online. Tickets purchased online will be available at “will call” on the day of the performance.
Tickets are $10. Mary Poppins is appropriate for all ages.
Mary Poppins is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
