Reflections & House Chronicles
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House Chronicles
So Much to be Grateful For
by St Anthony | November 22, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 1 Comment
Even though many of you won’t read this until after Thanksgiving, we don’t feel it necessary to limit our gratitude to one day a year. In fact, each week the Chronicle ends with the words, “Deo Gratias!” For those of you who did not study Latin in school, that means “Thanks be to God!” So you see,...
Turn Things Around
by St Anthony | November 16, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 0 Comments
We have been sharing our House Chronicle with you for more than five years now, since August of 2018. With only a few exceptions, we have shared one every week, and that’s a lot of stories: stories of joy and sadness, stories that range from silly to serious, stories about saints and about all of...
The Usual
by St Anthony | November 9, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 1 Comment
“Anything newsworthy?”, I asked. “I can't think of anything other than the 'usual'”, was the response. This may be hard to believe, but most of our days here are pretty usual. In fact, most of the time we actually prefer usual to the unusual events that have occasionally been featured in the...
First Snowfall
by St Anthony | November 2, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 0 Comments
From the 1953 House Chronicle: The first snow flurries of the year fell on the morning of Nov. 4th. Whether or not this means winter has begun remains to be seen. The first snow flurries of 2023 fell a few days earlier than in 1953, gracing the grounds on Halloween morning. God’s own version of a...
Spirits
by St Anthony | October 26, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 2 Comments
Okay, you are probably thinking, “It is way too early for Christmas”. You are right, and we have no need to rush the season. But with Halloween and the Feasts of All Saints and All Souls coming next week, we are thinking about the spirit world. So why the Christmas tree picture? It wasn’t chosen...
Bountiful Harvest
by St Anthony | October 19, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 0 Comments
When the Beautification Team was here for fall clean-up last week, they finished their work in the flower gardens in record time. With their extra time, they helped out in the kitchen cleaning, cutting and flash-freezing squash. The squash was donated by one of our local farmers who has helped us...
Appreciation
by St Anthony | October 12, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 0 Comments
Around here, there are two sure signs that winter is coming: the Beautification Team comes to clean out the flower gardens, and the boilers get turned on. The Beautification Team arrived Sunday afternoon and got right to work. All the annuals who have finished their journey are pulled out, all the...
Good to See
by St Anthony | October 5, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 0 Comments
This past weekend, more than 50 people came for our Franciscan Living Retreat. Another half-dozen joined us for the retreat via Zoom. It was the largest group we have had for one of our sponsored retreats in many years, and that was good to see. It was also good to see many familiar faces. Top of...
Progress and Process
by St Anthony | September 28, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 1 Comment
Just over a month ago in the Chronicle, we reported that Holly (the JustBobCat) and several other pieces of equipment were stolen from our garage. That same week, we also posted a plea on Facebook to ask folks to help the police find the thief and our missing equipment. Well, the case is still...
Here Today and Gone Tomorrow
by St Anthony | September 21, 2023 | Display On Chronicles | 1 Comment
“Here Today and Gone Tomorrow” is the title of an entry in the 1953 House Chronicle for the third week of September. Here’s what Brother Chronicler wrote in 1953: Keeping track of visitors was becoming a bewildering task. Marathon was becoming a Mecca for many people this fall. Fr. Raymond was the...
Reflections
With(out?) Gratitude
by St Anthony | November 22, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 4 Comments
As I read last week’s reflection, I found myself wondering what the world would be like without gratitude. The question sidled quietly through the back door of my brain and inserted itself between several unrelated thoughts, no doubt hoping that it could settle in for a good, long nap. For hours,...
Thanksgiving Gratitude
by St Anthony | November 16, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 2 Comments
This is the time of year when people start thinking about what they are thankful for. They share these thoughts with their family and friends, especially on Thanksgiving day or weekend. A number of people may reply that they are thankful for their family and friends. That is great, but what if you...
Longfellow, Revisited
by St Anthony | November 9, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 8 Comments
I recently began reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem ‘The Song of Hiawatha”. Or actually it is more accurate to say I have been listening to this work, as I think most poetry is best heard than read. Published in 1855, it predates the Civil War.Longfellow's work attempts to convey the...
Hope and Trust
by St Anthony | November 2, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 3 Comments
Where do you hope? Where and with whom do you trust? Think about the people close to you. Who do you hope will do the right thing and who do you trust will do the right thing? For me, even with the people I trust the most, whether or not they will “do the right thing” may depend on the...
All Those Who Have Gone Before Us
by St Anthony | October 26, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 4 Comments
In these days, we look back upon generations. Brilliantly lit in those who came before us, I like to think of the mercy that will stretch beyond us. We have laid so many to rest that our grief is ever present. Likewise are our loved ones with us, the paths they walked, the prayers they prayed for...
How Should We Pray?
by St Anthony | October 19, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 2 Comments
In writing this reflection, I could not help but be influenced by the many events in my life. As we get older, we become aware that many of our acquaintances and friends are undergoing health issues. They ask for our prayers. Regarding the state of the world, we are aware of the many conflicts...
Grounded, Rooted, Testifying, Witnessing
by St Anthony | October 12, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 4 Comments
In the past five months I have attended three funerals. The first was for a twenty three year old woman who was tragically killed by a drunk driver (also killed). In the midst of the devastation of this loss, the Lutheran pastor read aloud this young woman's Confirmation Essay, the theme of which...
Making Space For Something New
by St Anthony | October 5, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 2 Comments
Autumn usually has its way with me. It draws me inward and nudges me to let go of what needs letting go of. I welcome the cool temperatures and growing darkness. I remember the years of cocooning during this season. I remember my love of learning, new books, and going back to school. Every autumn...
Worth Doing
by St Anthony | September 28, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 4 Comments
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a lady who reminded me of something I had said to her a few years ago, something which has been helpful to her in her life. We had been discussing perfectionism and the reluctance to do things, lest they not be perfect or even very good. And I recalled...
Viriditas – The Greening Power of God and All Creation
by St Anthony | September 21, 2023 | Display On Reflections | 3 Comments
St. Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)Canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church October 7, 2012 September 17 was the feast day of St. Hildegard of Bingen. I think, despite her recent canonization, she is a relatively unknown secret that deserves much more attention! “Between the summer of 1098...