Learning from wild flowers: Newsletter Update: July 2020

12 July 2020

Dear Family and Friends!

Here we are a little later than usual. I finished my exams on June 23 but soon after left off for a week of spiritual exercises which I spent in silence without access to technology or internet. I also recently had a lot of last minute changes in my plans as we decided to no longer travel home to Texas due to the increasing COVID-19 cases. And even though I should have been in the States by now and therefore didn’t have anything planned here in Rome, I’ve still managed to find things to keep me busy. But finally, here I am setting on the couch indulging in Sunday leisure by writing y’all this email.

Important Events

- The month of July – unexpected extra community time here in Rome

- August 1 – my parents 33^rd wedding anniversary

- August 31 – my brother Brandon’s 31^st birthday

- September 4 – my dad’s birthday

- October: start of a new school year with hopes of being physically present in the classroom

- December 12: Consecration of Briana

Story Time

For everyone, this year has brought some new unique challenges. For us here in Rome, March was the start of a lockdown that would dominate just about all of the spring season. As Apostles of the Interior Life, a large part of our life is dedicated to apostolate: our mission of evangelization and offering spiritual formation. Because of the lockdown we had to postpone indefinitely many events that were scheduled to be had in person including a Retreat for Young People at the end of March.

To talk about these new challenges and how we wanted to live this time of lockdown regarding our mission, which we felt could not be put on hold, we had a meeting quickly after lockdown was announced. In this meeting Catherine mentioned something that, at first, was just a passing thought for most of us: what if we do an online retreat?

On online retreat…what would that even look like? Is it possible? Our retreats are usually very relational. Welcoming the retreatants when they arrive, sharing meals together, having a recreation evening of games or skits, and just mingling in between moments of prayer are all a very big part of our events. How were we to translate all of this into a virtual experience?

Clearly we had to consider rearranging certain parts of our normal retreats and even just letting go of others but this idea of an online retreat seemed to appeal to all of us. It also seemed to be exactly what the Lord was asking of us at the moment as well as what many people that we knew – who were now basically home bound – really needed. When we decided to offer this online retreat, we thought we knew what we were getting into and the work that was going to be required of us. Boy were we underestimating the situation! It also must be noted that we aren’t very good at “settling”. We like to dream big and go for the best that we can offer. I would say that this is a good characteristic of the community but obviously has its pros and cons and can sometimes tempt us to pull all-nighters in order to get a website up and running for an online retreat!

Ready to go! Catherine and Kate were our MC's!

We were right about it being what the people needed – or at least wanted. We had around 270 participants signed up and others trying to sign up after the deadline! The moment we logged into Zoom and saw the participants arriving for the first session was a moment that I will never forget. What a sensation to see the faces (although rather small on the screen) of friends, relatives, and even strangers all present and eager to start this new experience. Our living room was like the set of a daytime talk show: one side had everything organized and camera ready and the other was cluttered with papers, talk outlines, props, computers, and extra cables.

The theme of the retreat was really rather simple: home. In three moments of meditation we considered the home of the heart/prayer, the home of our family, and the home with others who we normally meet in our everyday life. We were able to be in contact with a priest friend of ours who celebrated the Mass via Zoom (the churches were closed at the time), had moments of group sharing, and even were able play charades for our recreation night!

At the end of the retreat our bodies were super tired but our hearts so very full of joy and satisfaction. It was truly a community effort as everyone pitched in to make this event – absolutely new to us – not only possible but fruitful! We received really positive feedback and requests for similar events. And so although we have not had the courage to do another full retreat in this way, we have found a new form of living our mission online with live meditations and moments of group sharing via Zoom. It is beautiful to see how the Lord gives us the means to live our mission in all circumstances and this has confirmed for us the importance of our mission and the fact that He is guiding us in it!

Our goodbye to the retreatants!

Where is my heart?

So obviously my heart has been experiencing lots of changes in the recent weeks. From the time we bought our plane tickets to go home we knew things weren’t yet final, and when I returned from my spiritual exercises, just a few days before my scheduled flight, it was clear to us all that it was not the time to make such a trip with the state of things in the US in general and in Texas in particular. Oddly enough, even though I was saddened to not be headed home to my family, I must share that a wave of peace came over me. Once the decision was made and the ticket cancelled I felt like I could relax and just live in the present moment with tranquility and even joy.

In these days since that decision, I’ve enjoyed time in community and the opportunity to work on some projects that I’ve had on my to-do list for some time now. I feel that the Lord is showing me how I can find a rest similar to what I would usually experience at home even here in Rome without changing location – which is often a huge part of entering into “vacation mode”.

I hope to answer generously to His call to be present to my other sisters here with me and available to just “waste” time together: something that the rest of the year doesn’t seem to allow much of. I have plans to not have too many plans and just live day by day in the simplicity of everyday life that at this time does not include study or other activities that keep us busy in other moments of the year.

My heart feels grateful for the gift of His peace and the grace to accept reality as it is, embracing unexpected joys and seizing new opportunities as they come.

Prayer Intentions

- Please pray for me and my family: that we accept with peace and joy when the Lord will allow us to see each other in person.

- For Briana in here final months of preparation for her consecration on December 12.

- For my community of the Apostles of the Interior Life: that the summer meetings being held lead to a fruitful pastoral year in 2020-2021.

- For the young women in formation (Briana, Catherine, Alexa, Kate, Sarah, and Liz): for each of their individual journeys of formation and particularly for Sarah and Liz who should have been in Rome by now but because of COVID-19 were unable to get a student visa.

- For two young women who will be volunteering with us this year in the US: that their hearts be open to hearing God’s voice and that He may make it clear to them His will for them.

- For different parents of our sisters who have been experiencing health issues in the recent months: that if it be God’s will they may experience complete healing and that regardless of the outcome they and their families may live this time with peace and trust in the Lord.

- For my final year of Theology: that I may always study with those who I will serve in mind and that I may live this final year with joy and gratitude for the great opportunity and privilege that it is to be able to study in this way.

Other Pictures from the year